Selfishness In Animal Farm By George Orwell

The first clue towards the development of the pigs’ character was the example with the apples and milk. The pigs had taken the apples and milk, claiming that “it is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples,” and that “(this has been proved by Science, comrades) these contain substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig.” However, they had deceived the animals, fooling them with the illusion that they were doing this for them, whereas, they were just consuming

A quote from the book states “...and in August Napoleon announced that there would be work on Sunday afternoons as well. This work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half.”(Ch. 6, Animal Farm). Which basically makes the animals force to volunteer so they can eat. The pigs manipulated them to get what they want. The pigs also made the hens give up their eggs to make money for meals to keep the farm running. The Hens protested which lead to death threats to the hens if they did not give up their eggs. In the book it says “Led by three young Black Minorca pullets, the hens made a determined effort to thwart Napoleon's wishes. Their method was to fly up to the rafters and there lay their eggs, which smashed to pieces on the floor. Napoleon acted swiftly and ruthlessly. He ordered the hens' rations to be stopped, and decreed that any animal giving so much as a grain of corn to a hen should be punished by death.” (Ch. 7 Animal Farm). This shows that the pigs would kill just to get their way. They didn’t care about the life just the

To fully take control over Animal Farm, the government spread the message that the farm could not prosper or function without the pigs. This message allowed the pigs to gain many privileges in the farm without question. From the very beginning of the story, the other animals regarded the pigs as the smartest of all the animals in the farm. Because of this, it was naturally assumed that the pigs should lead the farm into rebellion against the humans and guide the animals into a better life. However, the pigs gained more control than the other animals thought they would. The pigs, especially Squealer, convinced the other animals that they should be allowed special privileges because they were shouldering the most “burdens” of all the

From the very beginning, Napoleon and the pigs take charge and make the other animals do the work for them, while the pigs just supervise. In chapter three, when they begin working on plowing the fields, the pigs do not do anything other than tell the others what to do, “The pigs did not actually work, but directed and supervised the other” (20). The pigs, from the very start of animal farm, took charge and only directed and told others what to do. They solidified their positions as leader’s right at the beginning of the farm. Also, at the end of the book, the pigs, to show their leadership, carry whips around to make sure the work gets done, “After that it did not seem strange when next day the pigs who were supervising the work of the farm all carried whips in their trotters” (92). Since the creation of the farm the pigs started to slowly present the fact that they would take charge, and in the beginning when they were nice about it no one argued with them. By the end though, the animals finally realized what had happened, but by then it was too late for them to do anything about it. Admittedly, Napoleon and the rest of the pigs are greedy because they take all the extra food and make the others work like slaves, but that does not make them ineffective in the ways they make the animals work. Napoleon showed his effectiveness as a

At first, Animal Farm prospers and all the animals have the ideal life. But as time goes on, the pigs decide they will make all the decisions for the other animals. Slowly, the pigs become more superior than the other animals and as time passes, many disincentives for the other animals come along the way. As it states in the text, “The mystery of where the milk went to was soon cleared up. It was mixed every day into the pigs’ mash… The animals had assumed that these would be shared out equally; one day, however, the order went forth that all the windfalls were to be collected and brought to the harness-room for the use of the pigs… Some of the other animals murmured, but it was no use,” (Orwell, 30). This adage shows how the animals are not doing much to stop the pigs from being unfair and therefore their journey will only get harder as the pigs start to take full control of the farm. Another quotation from the novel states, “The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which,” (Orwell, 155). In the book, the pigs, who primarily were trying to get rid of man’s teaching, started befriending man, and then ultimately became man. Therefore, the way the pigs dealt with their obstacle, the

It is immediately decided that the pigs will be the leader of the farm, as they are the most intelligent animals there. This gives them the power over the other animals, even though they claim they are all equal. Since they are in charge, it is easier for them to weave ideas in to the susceptible minds of the others. Once they are proven to be

In the novel the animals are forced to give up their milk and apples to the pigs. The pigs convince the animals that in order for Jones not to return they must make sure that the pigs are healthy so that they can avoid him. Through this example we can see the pigs who are in fact the government have absolute control, therefore are enforcing absolute security. So other animals on the farm are giving up food, in order to be safe from humans.

In Animal Farm, subsequent to the suspension of Mr. Jones, the pigs of the farm were in charge of the whole farm including the other animals; they were in fully superior to all the other animal of the farm as they were most clever. Nonetheless, the pigs took advantage of their new hierarchy by tricking the animals into allowing them to have larger portions of food. Every time the pigs were asked why they are consuming more foods than others they would replying saying that they must be in good health.The pigs would tell the others animals that Mr. Jones would return if the pigs were not in charge. “ "Comrades!" he cried. "You do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of us actually dislike milk and apples. I dislike them myself. Our sole object in taking these things is to preserve our health. Milk and apples (this has been proved by Science, comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well−being of a pig. We pigs are brainworkers. The whole management and organisation of this farm depend on us. Day and night we are watching over your welfare. It is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples. Do you know what would happen if we pigs failed in our duty? Jones would come back! Yes, Jones would come back! Surely, comrades," cried Squealer almost

The story of Animal Farm is not just one of a talking pig who takes over a farm. Rather, the tale seeks to show the fear factor in which the citizens under Joseph Stalin’s totalitarian government lived with. George Orwell, in Animal Farm uncovers the truth about how the people under Stalin’s rule were constantly threatened to be killed if they did not dedicate their lives to helping Stalin with his plans. As Napoleon, an allegory for Stalin, takes control of the farm, animals lose their lives, are manipulated to fight the humans and are living in constant fear of getting killed.

In this process, the create a system in how the farm will now run. The pigs are placed as the political figures, and the rest of the animals represent the upper, middle, and lower class. The pigs tried to teach the other animals to read and write, but due to their laziness and stupidity, the animals never efficiently learned. Those who did, however, did not put their skill to good use, and this led to the downfall of Animal Farm. It might not seem like a big deal that the animals never used the skills they had been offered, but this gave the pigs an advantage.

George Orwell, in his novel ‘Animal Farm’, develops an idea through Napoleon. The boar grows more thirsty for power and inevitably corrupts his nature and well-being. This idea is emphasised through his manipulating control over the animals, arrogance in his leadership and the major unequal differences between himself and the other farm animals.

The story of Animal Farm is not just one of a group of talking animals. Rather, the tale seeks to use specific animals to symbolize Joseph Stalin’s totalitarian government. George Orwell, in Animal Farm, expresses the bad actions of Stalin through the operations carried out by a fierce-looking Berkshire boar that goes by the name of Napoleon. Orwell depicts Napoleon as a villain in order to reveal the corrupt doings of Stalin such as his intense greed, manipulation, and use of terror tactics in order to keep control over the Russian people with help from the Soviet Press and Soviet Secret Police. Orwell’s novel is an allegorical writing that uses a fairy tale format in order to expose the wrongdoings of Stalin.

If the animals knew what Napoleon was up to, they all could have come together and rebelled against him. The animals seemed afriad to speak up, which caused the tyranny of Napoleon to sweep across the farm. In any type of government or leadership, it will always have a flaw. “Napoleon was able to make the pig's life on the farm well, but no other animals life because Napoleon didn’t take into account the individuality of the animals” stated Sheldon. Some major opportunities were given to the animals to overthrow Napoleon; for example: when the seven commandments started to change, the lessening of the food, and game night where the pigs broke several

The machiavellian nature of the pigs in George Orwell’s Animal Farm is to blame for the failure of Animalism. The pigs, for the whole book were deceiving and malicious towards the farm animals. Napoleon, who was the main pig in this novel, the the main source of corruption of Animalism. Napoleon is based off of Vladimir Lenin and Josef Stalin. This shows why he is so selfish and why everything he did on the farm was to benefit himself.

Though Animal Farm can be considered nothing more than a charming animal fable depicting a doomed rebellion, its origin is actually of a more serious and political nature. It is not only the tale of Napoleon and Animal Farm, but a satire and commentary on that of the Russian Revolution, Stalin and Communism. For a person to gain a true understanding of Orwell's meaning in Animal Farm, it is best that he or she has an understanding of the political parties and history surrounding Communism, Stalin, and the upheaval and fear that followed Stalin's rise to power.