Human Greed For Power In George Orwell's Animal Farm

Power can have the persuasive action in undoing the moral ethics of one’s character. This can be seen throughout history, such as World War II and proven by the actions of Napoleon in the allegory, Animal Farm, by George Orwell. As Lord Acton said “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” In history what was viewed as a villain or wrong doer is never the same as the perception. A leader does not begin wanting to do wrong, they start with the best intentions, but power is a tricky thing, showcased in Animal Farm as Utopian ideals but with failed practices.

George Orwell in his novel Animal Farm explores the reality through the abuse of power using the character Napoleon. In order to gain absolute power, Napoleon eliminates any opposition, uses propaganda, and chances the commandments.

Often times in a communist society, a leader’s use of language can lead to abuse of power. In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, the farm leaders, the pigs, use unknown language, invoke scare tactics, and create specific laws, thereby enabling them to control other animals, to suit their greedy desires, and to perform actions outside their realm of power. Because of the pigs’ use of broad language, implementation of scare tactics, and creation and manipulation of laws, they are able to get away with avoiding laws and convincing other animals into believing untrue stories and lies that are beneficial to the pigs.

Power is one of the most desired things in the world, and is often hard to attain, but once it is gained it can often corrupt a person. Corruption due to power is shown in many instances in the book, Animal Farm. In the book, there is an opening for someone to take control of the power, and the animals that do are the pigs. The pigs gain the power for many reasons. When power is gained there are many things people can do with it, either bad or good. The pigs’ actions in animal farm show the different ways that power can be used by those in charge.

People play an enormous component in our lives and the choices we make. In George Orwell's “ Animal Farm” there are several people that show leadership and guidance. The Leaders of Animal Farm start off with good intentions, but as the story goes on it becomes obvious the leaders have grown power-hungry and have become the 'superior' animals, showing that equality does not exist. This source of power has been used by leaders at the expense of their followers for their own personal gain, like Napoleon, whose first sign of corruption occurred early in the book when he seemed to be the main leader of them all.

Language is a powerful tool, some abuse it to obtain power and some use it to inspire movements and bring change. I believe that language is more powerful if you use it to control a population via lying, manipulation, and fear. There have been many instances of individuals and groups using fear and language for control.

“Remember that all things are lawful to me” (Tranquillus). These words by Gaius Caesar Germanicus, more commonly known as Caligula, epitomize the corruption caused by absolute power. Under his rule, the Roman treasury was emptied, people suffered from seemingly random acts of brutality, and Rome was ruled by an emperor who thought of himself as a god. Similarly, in the novel Animal Farm, the Manor Farm is taken over by its four-legged inhabitants. Their equal government is soon taken over by a power-hungry leader, a young boar named Napoleon. George Orwell’s fictional dictator Napoleon in the allegorical novel Animal Farm and the lavish life of the Roman Emperor Caligula both prove that power always causes corruption.

Throughout all of history and fiction, one thing has stayed the same, those with power shall become corrupted by that power. In Animal Farm, by George Orwell, the author best shows that power corrupts through Napoleon's many actions. Examples of this are how at the beginning of the novel, Napoleon doesn’t do very much, just taking small things, like milk and food. Later on however, when he has more and more power, he becomes corrupted. He violates many of the earliest resolutions and eventually starts changing the seven commandments.

“Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” (John Dalberg Action 1st Baron Action). The more power and person strives to have the more corrupt things they must do to obtain and keep it. The pieces of literature written by British authors Animal Farm, George Orwell, Lord of the Flies, William Golding, and Hamlet by William Shakespeare all portray this idea in different ways.

Corruption of power happens often, from political standpoint to a simple business. In the story, the animals were gathered together by Old Major to rebel against humanity, who had abused their powers over animals. Old Major help implant the idea of rebellion that will happen soon. The animals are given the realization that they were not being treated equally as the humans and the pigs, the smartest animals, start planning a rebellion against humanity. In Animal Farm, George Orwell asserts the idea that absolute power results in corruption. Napoleon and the other pigs, interested in remain superior, persuade the other animals by using intimidation and emotional appeal in order to keep control of the gullible animals.

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” (Lord Acton, 1887). This quote explains why Napoleon failed to create the perfect society that he dreamed of. Humans are very weak yet very wicked and corrupt. As the book Animal Farm describes how evil the animals have become, the author, George Orwell, is trying to show how evil the humans had become during the Soviet Union era. When people have the power, people tend to fail to control that power; the effect of power is similar to that of drugs.

Often, as seen throughout history, leaders become corrupt through their power. In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Mr. Jones’ Manor Farm is overthrown by a revolution carried out by his animals. The animals, led by the pigs, then proceed to run the farm and create a social code to govern themselves. The pigs come to power through their intelligence and they gain control over the newly established Animal Farm. However, their power leads to corruption as they force the other animals work the farm and do hard labor while they sit around. In addition, The pigs also change the social codes, that were established right after the revolution, by altering them to deceive the other animals into thinking that their corrupt actions were justified. Throughout

Animal Farm by George Orwell has addressed the theme that power corrupts those who possess it, especially Napoleon. Corruption of power is well defined in Lord Acton’s statement, ‘power trends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely’. Throughout the Novel Napoleon has absolute power, he uses manipulation over the other animals and demonstrates that Communism can contribute to corruption of power. Since the beginning Napoleon has had absolute power over Animal Farm. He used his knowledge and education to take over the farm.

The first reason power leads to corruption is because with power comes broken rules. The pigs use their power to override the rules in Animal Farm. They show the reader this when George Orwell says, “It was a few days later than this that the pigs came upon a case of whiskey”(106-107). This means that the Pigs are breaking a rule that no other animal is allowed to break. The reason no other animal says anything is because the pigs possess power and they can not do anything about it.

On the surface, George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm is about a group of neglected farm animals who overthrow their owner and take control of their farm. However, under the surface the novel allegory detailing the events on the Russian Revolution. Orwell wrote Animal Farm in response to his opinion on the Russian Revolution. The author’s use of anthropomorphism and commondiction leads us to believe he intended the novel to be read by the “everyday man” or lay person. The novel is written as a warning to readers with its central theme that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The author uses a detached 3rd person narrative pointer view to describe the events as they unfold in the story. While Orwell uses many stylistics devices in Animal Farm the two that impart the reader the most while developing a message are symbolism and irony. Ultimately the tone in the narrative shift is from one of hope to one of despair as Orwell weaves historagictove of the animal rebellion on manor farm.