The Use of Propaganda in Animal Farm by George Orwell
Propaganda is defined as misleading or biased information spread for the advancement of a cause. In the historical fiction novel Animal Farm written by George Orwell farm animals overpower their human leader and attempt to construct a movement in which all animals are equal. Propaganda is evident throughout the story. Not far in it becomes apparent that the pigs are the most intelligent. Squealer, the propaganda agent uses propaganda in the story as a way to manipulate the animals who are not pigs. He makes them believe everything he and the pigs are doing is for the greater good of the whole farm despite the fact that it is not. Squealer controls them in many ways but the strongest or most apparent are telling the other animals Mr. Jones their neglective abusive owner will come back, lying about Boxer the horse’s death, and finally changing the unalterable commandments into one that reads “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”.
One of the very first and most used techniques Squealer uses is instilling fear in the animals. He does this by threatening Jones’s return. He initially does this when sent to explain why the pigs need milk and 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… surely there is no one among you who wants to see Jones come back?” (Page 36). Squealer first used the fake warning when