Power And Corruption In George Orwell's Animal Farm

Napoleon ends up kicking Snowball out of the farm since he wanted to be the only one in charge and makes the animals believe that Snowball did not care about them and wanted the worst for them all. The animals believe this because they did not know what was good from bad. As stated, “Sixth Commandment decreed "No animal shall kill any other animal." And though no one cared to mention it in the hearing of the pigs or the dogs, it was felt that the killings which had taken place did not square with this…….Muriel read the Commandment for her. It ran: "No animal shall kill any other animal without cause.

Napoleon used force to gain control of Animal Farm, and used fear to keep it. When he and Snowball both led the other animals, they had many disagreements. Napoleon saw that Snowball was better at communicating with the animals, so he used the dogs which he had secretly trained to drive Snowball away – permanently. Napoleon used these dogs to keep all the animals ‘in line’ and quash any thought of rebellion with fear.

Throughout time there were a lot of people in leadership positions, and corruption is not uncommon. In many occasions, the leaders wanted more power, and the strive for it eventually developed into corruption. In George Orwell’s story, Animal Farm, the pigs are seen as the smartest of the animals, and therefore they became the leaders. One pig, Napoleon, did not like how the farm was being run, so he took over through the use of force. After he became the leader of the farm, he continued to try and gain more power and influence over the other animals. In Animal Farm, George Orwell asserts the idea that absolute power results in corruption. Napoleon and the other pigs, interested in remaining superior, persuade the animals by using intimidation and emotional appeals in order to keep control of the gullible animals.

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.

While Napoleon was gaining power over the animals he had to get rid of other politicians and opposing citizens. He did this by raising dogs that would strike fear into citizens and end up chasing Snowball out of the farm making Napoleon have total power. “Four young porkers…uttered shrill squeals of disapproval…. But…the dogs sitting round Napoleon let out deep, menacing growls, and the pigs fell silent and sat down again.”(document B). This made it so the animals were too scared to oppose or overthrow Napoleon. He also made it so no one could challenge him politically. He did this by having his dogs kill masses of people so no one would dare have different opinions and speak out against him. “When they had finished their confession, the dogs promptly tore their throats out, and in a terrible voice, Napoleon demanded whether any other animal had anything to confess”(document B). The mass murder made it so Napoleon had total control of the farm. The violence of Napoleon’s leadership caused the animals to fear to have their own opinions and forced them to conform to Napoleon’s

As the saying goes, “Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.” This text is an allusion to the Russian Revolution. After the rebellion the animals are left with two leaders, Snowball and Napoleon, that cannot agree on a single thing. Snowball was chased off by Napoleon’s dog and was left with all the power. in animal farm, George Orwell asserts the idea that absolute power results in corruption. Napoleon and the other pigs, interested in remaining superior, persuades the other animals by using intimidation and emotional appeals in order to keep control of the gullible animals.

In George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’, one of the major themes was power, and how absolute power corrupts absolutely. To the animals, Jones was a tyrant, always mistreating and abusing them, until one day Old Major told them of a dream he had, where the animals will be able to live in a utopia, and lead lives of peace. After the rebellion occurred and the animals overthrew Jones, Napoleon soon came to power. He promised the animals lives of prosperity, and for a while Animal Farm was a blissful place, however after a while his reign became a tyranny, one very similar to Jones, if not worse.

Napoleon uses propaganda and lies he spreads with Squealer, that all his actions are put forward to the benefit of ‘all’ the animals. Squealer speaks,” Do you know what would happen if we pigs failed in our duty? Jones would come back!” He creates fear within the animals of Mr.Jones coming back again, and tells them, “Napoleon is always right.” He sees Snowball as a threat to his power, he spreads his words “Comrades, do you know who is responsible for this? Do you know the enemy who has come in the night and overthrown our windmill? SNOWBALL!” He tries to make false information and lies to the common animals. The external conflict between Napoleon and Snowball over power are shown, due to Napoleon’s greeds. Although the common animals of the farm found Snowball more likeable, the nine loyal dogs of Napoleon frightened the animals and strengthened the power of Napoleon allowing him to become the leader after Rebellion. Napoleon is unsatisfied of any ideas rooted from Snowball, brings out his specially trained dogs to go after Snowball. Snowball who does not have a physical force of his own like Napoleon’s, is chased out of the farm allowing Napoleon to become the one and only leader of “Animal Farm”. I feel empathetic to Napoleon some of the time, but to this extent I wouldn’t agree or connect with Napoleon. He uses and exploits other animals for his benefit, and untruly spreads propaganda to keep in power.

George Orwell’s Animal Farm is reflective of Russia during Joseph Stalin’s tyrannical ruling. The story’s antagonist Napoleon leads the Rebellion with Snowball. Once Napoleon overthrows Snowball, he deceives and manipulates the other animals with promise of a life free of restraint and human influence. After gaining their trust, Napoleon capitalizes on the animals’ vulnerabilities and uses his power to better the circumstances of the pigs rather than all animals. Although he initially presents himself as a democratic head, his leadership tactics are that of a dictator. Through examining the syntax and diction characteristic of Orwell’s writing, one can gain a better understanding of the novel’s sociopolitical theme.

“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.

In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, the power and control over the farm changes from Mr. Jones to Napoleon. Even though Napoleon becomes a great leader, his rule is corrupt. His desires for control lead him to become a dictator. Throughout the novel, Napoleon obtains and maintains power over the animals by using fear, manipulation, and propaganda.

“People shouldn’t be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people.” V, from the 2005 film V for Vendetta, preached the truth about ultimate power. Similarly, George Orwell, in his novel Animal Farm, unraveled the reality of the Russian Soviet Union, and its slow but steady spiral into an oppressive dictatorship, using an ordinary country farm and a group of typical farm animals. These animals successfully overthrew the humans that tyrannized them but could not stop the eventual corruption of power within their new government. The readers come to know that this corruption of authority was inevitable, however, due to the overpowering human attributes Orwell buried deep within his character’s cores. Their very souls

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.

Throughout the book of Animal Farm the theme of leadership and corruption is continuous. The animal’s who have the biggest part in both of these major themes are the pigs. Napoleon, for example, takes over as the leader in the beginning of the book and later his leadership methods turn corruptive.