The Presentation of Napoleon in Animal Farm by George Orwell The novel Animal Farm, by the political writer George Orwell, is a story parallel to the events of the Russian Revolution. It features the brutal rise to power of one history’s most notorious dictators – Josef Stalin, who is portrayed by the tyrannical pig Napoleon. After the animals of Manor Farm expel their human master, Napoleon eventually manages to seize total control over every aspect of the animals’ lives. It is Napoleon’s character that I am analysing in this essay. Napoleon is portrayed right from the start of the novel as a rather sinister character. He is described as “a large, rather fierce-looking Berkshire boar … with …show more content…
However, while the actions of Snowball (who “dashed straight for Jones”) and Boxer (who was “rearing up on his hind-legs”) are described in detail, Napoleon is not even mentioned once. It can therefore be assumed that he was indeed not present at the scene. From this, we can detect cowardice as one of his numerous traits. He let other animals risk their lives in battle while he himself remained just a bystander. This implies that perhaps in the future, Napoleon would let all his fellow beasts do the farm-work while he merely watches them. During the Sunday meetings in the farm, Napoleon was “never in agreement” with Snowball and he uses sheep to silence Snowball at critical moments in his speeches. The fact that Napoleon was “canvassing support for himself” between meetings shows his cunning and also his level of power at the gatherings. He was also shrewdly trying to put Snowball down by contradicting him, and thereby making the animals doubt Snowball’s rhetoric. Napoleon took the nine puppies of Jessie and Bluebell into his care in the pretext of making “himself responsible for their education”. However, he was in fact training them to be his soldiers in order to expel Snowball and seize control of the farm. This shows that his strike for power was pre-meditated which further
Furthermore, Napoleon characterizes as“ A large, rather fierce- looking pig” ( Orwell, pg 16 ), this recognizes as Stalin, who is also a fierce person, but more like a heartless person, who is also known for getting his ways. Even though Napoleon gets rid of Snowball, after“ The dogs were close to his heels… was seen no more “ ( Orwell, pg 53 ), it is identical to when Stalin assassinates Leon Trotsky with his private police army. Otherwise, Napoleon forces the animals to “ Worked like slaves” ( Orwell, pg 59 ), the same time when Stalin wanted to increase production, rapid industrialization and this caused famine for the citizens, where around 20 million people had passed away. Consequently, Napoleon is no different from Joseph Stalin based on the history, on how they dictate their decisions that influence other people and their life.
In George Orwell’s allegory, Animal Farm, the characters portray important people from the Russian Revolution. One of the main characters, Napoleon, has become a tyrant. He suppresses all ideals as a rebellion and makes his own rules. He overthrows fellow animals to become a leader with power. Moreover, with Napoleon as a leader, he has become a unfaithful, cruel, and manipulative pig.
Napoleon, in Animal Farm, is a large, rather fierce looking Berkshire boar. He rises to power in two stages: As a pig, he belongs to a privileged class and uses this position to strengthen his influence on the animals. He has only one rival: Snowball, who acts as the chief of Animal Farm. Gradually, Napoleon starts resisting to Snowballs plans for various projects and instigates the animals against Snowball. “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 suddenly roared in a voice of thunder, Snowball has done this thing! In sheer malignity, thinking to set back our plans and avenge himself for his ignominious expulsion.” (pg. 47) Eventually he convinces the dogs to dispose of Snowball from Animal Farm. By using the
By running Snowball off of the farm, Napoleon takes charge and makes his own rules and runs the farm the way he wants to and doesn’t share any of his power because he is the head of every single committee. When any of the animals tried questioning Napoleons ideas or if they lied to him, he would kill them. Napoleon also got his way by consistently changing the commandments so they could suit him.
The corruptness of Napoleon is a constant throughout Animal Farm. He is developed as a character who is deceiving and not truthful, as shown when he sold the horse Boxer off to be slaughtered for money, “‘Alfred Simmonds, Horse Slaughterer and Glue Boiler, Willingdon. Dealer in Hides and Bone-Meal. Kennels Supplied.’ Do you not understand what that means? They are taking Boxer to the knacker’s” (Orwell 122). This event demonstrates the corruptness of Napoleon's character, as he was the one that ordered Boxer to be sold to the slaughterer. His previous claim that he had arranged for Boxer to go to the doctor further proves his corruption as he lied to the other animals about the future of their friend. As the novel progresses, Napoleon continues to be corrupt which is shown through his actions and words. He is an unjust tyrant that uses his power against his subjects, “Thereafter, the animals work like slaves, with Napoleon as the tyrant in charge.” (Welsh 2). Napoleon's character is one of corruptness and unfairness. His actions and his mindset lead to the suffering of his subjects. The characterization of Napoleon throughout Animal Farm demonstrates how power leads to corruption and
In the allegorical novel Animal Farm by George Orwell, the farm animals at Manor Farm revolted against their totalitarian human owners for complete authority over the farm. Once achieving victory, a pig named Napoleon rises to power. Napoleon uses his dictator like characteristics to rule over the newly named Animal Farm and inculcate fear into the other animals as well as force them into submission. Propaganda is used numerous times and in numerous methods throughout Animal Farm, including to force other animals to toil strenuously and surmise that Napoleon is a fair and candid leader. Napoleon’s oppressive commandments on the farm cause the other animals to have no choice but to obey his laws and do whatever he asks of them, no matter the
Holding all of the power on the farm, Napoleon makes all of the decisions on the farm for all of the animals without consent. He holds the animals to his word, without them truly noticing possible danger or change. Napoleon takes advantage of his power to make the animals perform certain tasks and major projects. “ ‘ No more delays, comrades!’ cried Napoleon when the footprints had been examined. ‘There is work to be done. This very morning we begin rebuilding the windmill, and we will build all through the winter, rain or shine’ ”(48). Instead of admitting to the storm destroying the windmill, he throws Snowball under the bus, to alter the animals’ train of thought so they would once again begin building the windmill. Having such great power,
People are what make the Earth thrive. Within people, there are different groups and types. There seems to be some that force their way into power, some who are elected into power, and finally some who are born into power. In the short fable Animal Farm written by George Orwell, the great Berkshire bore, Napoleon, developes into a dictator, and has all power over Manor Farm or Animal Farm, as the animals call it.
In the novel Animal Farm, George Orwell uses symbolic elements in the government of the farm to show that even governments with noble beginnings can become corrupt under the right circumstances. Such as a miserable leader like Napoleon and a follower like Benjamin letting their behaviors of each contributing to the loss of freedom and equality on Animal Farm.
But napoleon wanted power and he drove snowball out. In the novel napoleon wanted to increase his power. He didn’t care for ideas or anything. Just power. That is the main thing napoleon and snowball couldn’t agree on snowballs main idea. The windmill in the novel was supposed to provide electricity for the animals but napoleon didn’t agree. He thinks he can persuade the other animals with the words he uses to follow him. This is another comparison potentially being made throughout the novel between napoleon and in real life with Joseph Stalin. Orwell also in this novel wrote this book to show the rise of the totalitarian state. Another reason why he wrote this book was to show how power was playing out back in the russian revolution. “ Even though he’s less concerned with totalitarianism in Animal Farm than in his novel 1984, Orwell does give us an imaginative analysis of totalitarian dictatorship in Animal Farm “(Ball 6). So totalitarianism back in the day was huge and George Orwell wanted to show in writing his novel how the government in animal farm between the animals was working.
His evil nature allows him to persuade all the animals into believing that Snowball has always been the enemy. Napoleon’s leadership ends up turning into a dictatorship. He has dogs follow him twenty-four-seven, enslaves the animals into building the windmill, always altering the commandments to favor him, and engages in trade with neighboring farms. All the pigs don’t do any work and get to live in the house, while the other animals stay in the dirty old barn. Napoleon’s vision is to only improve the conditions of the farm if it benefits him.
Napoleon Has always been the type where he wants to be in charge no matter what and have everyone listen to him ever since old major died. One thing Napoleon doesnt like is another pig even his own friend who also wants to be in charge, napoleon will do anything and even argue to be the only one to give commands.”This arrangement would have worked well enough if it had not been for the disputes between Snowball and 18 Napoleon. These two disagreed at every point where disagreement was possible.” (page 18) Napoleon is a grumpy pig and and a lier and a manipulator he tricks other animals and even has meetings but other animals don't care. “ but Napoleon was better at canvassing support for himself in between times.” (page 19) Napoleon is stubborn
NAPOLEON – In the first two chapters, Napoleon was described as not being much of a talker but had a reputation for getting his way. He was also described as being very intelligent and influential. Throughout chapters three to six Napoleon’s character changes from what he was first presumed to be. The author uses both direct and indirect methods to show the alterations of Napoleon’s character. Napoleon is now perceived to be very sly and cunning and he uses tactics to his advantage which he keeps a secret from the other animals. An example of this is when he seized the nine puppies for the purpose of educating them. Instead, he made them into guard dogs to chase away Snowball and to force the other animals in agreement to his decisions. The
In Animal Farm the author will demonstrate how the animals and humans rebel against one another in a revolution that will determine the animal’s faith within freedom. Snowball and Napoleon are two significant characters in Animal Farm; while Snowball is a deliberate thinker, Napoleon is a self-centered, manipulative character, despite the differences, both, however, shared similarities such as being well educated overall. In the story Napoleon is the Berkshire Boar that is portrayed as a self-centered, demanding, and manipulative character. Napoleon himself had a reputation for getting his own way by intimidating the other animals and by consolidating his power.
In George Orwell's allegorical novel 'Animal Farm', there are a number of conflicting characters all with very different intentions. The two main characters are Napoleon and Snowball who represent the dispute between Stalin and Trotsky, two conflicting members of the communist party during the Russian Revolution in 1917. These two personalities compete for absolute power over the farm animals and both have very contradictory ideas on how it should governed. In this satirised novel it portrays an image of corruption and total dictatorship which inevitably, fails due to Napoleons lack of consideration for the other animals.