Power. It is the world’s most dangerous asset anyone can hold on to. It can be used for prosperity or for a complete destruction depending on the person. As the famous Lord Acton 's quote says, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Animal Farm stands for the best example that can display this matter in a clearer and funnier version. It portrays the 1917 Russian Revolution atmosphere with the replacement of Russia into Animal Farm. The characters also did not fail to resemble the real people involved in the revolution. A person in absolute power tends to choose greediness after a certain time period despite having followed a wise person’s vision and mission. It may due to failure of self-control over power or the …show more content…
Well, the greed of power will always blind the leader’s judgment. Napoleon was not excluded in this matter as he often takes advantages knowing that the animals cannot read or write. Although there are many examples to support this fact, but one stands out the most, Boxer’s ending. As can be seen throughout the story, Boxer is the one who worked hard for that farm’s welfare from the beginning to the end. His never-failing cry of ‘I will work harder’ often inspired the rest of animals to work hard despite facing failures such as destruction of the windmill for the second time. He worked hard until the day he falls due to lung failure. Instead of treating him, Napoleon sent Boxer to horse slaughter house and lied to the animals that he died in the hospital and even ended his speech with a reminder of Boxer’s two favorite maxims, ’I will work harder’ and’ Comrade Napoleon is always right’. This is what happens to the most loyal animal in the Animal Farm due to Napoleon’s cool-blooded judgment as he could not have any form of benefits from dying Boxer. In the end, the name ‘Animal farm’ was abolished and changed to Manor Farm, the original name by Napoleon. Napoleon and his pigs also join arms with the humans who were believed to be the animal’s enemy in the beginning by Old Major and the
Whenever the other animals start to doubt Napoleon, Boxer reassures them that “If comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right” (Orwell 82). Boxer and the other animals on the farm get mistreated in many ways such as, Napoleon takes away their food rations while the pigs and dogs get a large amounts of food and better living conditions. If Boxer wasn't on the farm the book would be different in many ways because the animals would have probably turned against Napoleon by now. The animals wouldn't have anyone to look up to or have to encourage
The greed of power will always blind the leader’s judgment. Napoleon was not excluded in this matter as he often takes advantages knowing that the animals cannot read or write. Although there are many examples to support this fact, but one stands out the most, Boxer’s ending. As can be seen throughout the story, Boxer is the one who worked hard for that farm’s welfare from the beginning to the end. His never-failing cry of ‘I will work harder’ often inspired the rest of animals to work hard despite facing failures such as destruction of the windmill for the second time.
The quote by Lord Acton, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” is a good example of what is happening in the book Animal Farm by George Orwell. The pigs immediately gain control and leadership of the farm and eventually start to abuse the power. The pigs abuse their power by changing the commandments, living in luxury, and by treating the animals poorly. First and foremost, the pigs start changing the commandments to fit their acts and desires. In the beginning of the story, the animals decide on fair rules that everyone on the farm should abide by.
The animals start recognizing Napoleon for any good achievement done that day. For example, one of the hens recognizes Napoleon for just one stroke of good fortune. “Under the leadership of our Leader Comrade Napoleon, I have laid five eggs in six days…”(78). These poor animals are tricked into thinking that everything good that happens is due to “Comrade Napoleon's Leadership”. Every quote we see is a deeper level of corruption in Napoleon, and now, his influence on the farm is tearing what the revolution was all about.
And it’s getting worse when he selled boxer to a slaughterer to have money for buying more alcohol, even if all of the barley is already reserve to the pigs. He begin to act like a human, meet them, smoke, drink alcohol and wear clothes. To show that all of the goal of the first rebellion never continue that way, they change the song Beast of England and the name of the farm for “Manor farm”. Napoleon didn’t do what the revolution had wanted. The animals follow him, respect him even if they didn’t have to.
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, 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.
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” (Lord Acton) This quote is telling us that when people get into roles of absolute power they tend to become corrupt, as a result of that power. This quote can be applied to Napoleon from the book Animal Farm by George Orwell, because at the beginning of the novel Old Major’s words inspired Napoleon. As a result, he believed that humans were evil for forcing animals to work for them and that animals should be able to live freely, not under anyone’s control; however, as the story progresses his belief changed and the animals did not get to live their utopian dream. At the start Napoleon and the other pigs strongly believed that all animals were equal and had the right to live in a place that took care of their well being.
In Animal Farm, we see the sinister theme of abuse of power and corruption displayed throughout the story. The epitome on how the pigs abused the power was how they manipulated the 7 commandments to their own benefit. The 7 commandments were inscribed on the wall and they would form “an unalterable law by which all animals on Animal Farm must live for ever after”. Ironically, the 7 commandments were changed one by one to suit the benefit of the pigs. For example, when the pigs discovered a case of whiskey and got drunk, they got attracted to the taste of alcohol.
“Animal Farm” by George Orwell, is a story to show how absolute power corrupts, just as Stalin’s power did during the Russian Revolution in 1917. In the allegory “Animal Farm” each character represents a political figure from the days around the Russian Revolution. For example, Joseph Stalin is represented by a pig named Napoleon, Squealer, another pig, represents Stalin’s propaganda department, and the dogs represent the Secret Police (KBG). Using the nine dogs that Napoleon raises (intimidation), Squealer (propaganda), and manipulation, Orwell illustrates how Napoleon was able to gain and maintain control of the farm. The nine dogs that stay by Napoleon at all times are useful for Napoleon to gain and maintain control of the farm because they scare the other animals, intimidating them so that they do not disobey Napoleon.
Power. It is the world’s most dangerous asset anyone can hold on to. It can be used for prosperity or for a complete destruction depending on the person. As the famous Lord Acton 's quote says, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Animal Farm stands for the best example that can display this matter in a clearer and funnier version.
Thesis Statement: Dictators Create decisions for what can be said and done. The animals in the novel Animal Farm had created a set of commandments that all the animals had to follow, then one day the group Napoleon and the other pigs broke the fourth commandment by sleeping in beds, the Animals on the farm read the commandment and it decreed “No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets” (Orwell 67). The quote supports the thesis for the reason that Napoleon has changed the rules so that he is not breaking them, so that the other animals will not be tempted to confiscate Napoleon's power. The statement supports the quote because Napoleon decision to change the fourth commandment. Napoleon changes the fourth commandment without the vote of the other animals which leaves the animals no choice but to go along with the change for the reason that the animals have been brain washed.
Stalin, the leader of the Communist army in Russia and the most powerful man in the past uses violence to the ones that go against him. He has a style of dictatorship where many people suffer. Gunshots going across, people dying out, outcry, burst in tears with bruises all over the body, killing in harsh condition all occurs during Russian Revolution. The historical background of George Orwell’s Animal Farm is also the Russian Revolution. In the book, Napoleon uses dictatorship to order other animals, uses accuration, and give harsh punishment who block his way.
The ensuing rebellion under the leadership of the pigs Napoleon and Snowball leads to the animals taking over the farm. Vowing to eliminate the terrible inequities of the farmyard, the renamed Animal Farm is organised to benefit all who walk on four legs. But as time passes, the ideals of the rebellion are corrupt, then forgotten. This is all due to the lust for power that the pigs Napoleon and Snowball have that made them all selfish and corrupted. Animal farm in context to The Russian Revolution in terms of corrupting influence of power : Orwell 's goal was to portray the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the early years of the Soviet Union that resulted in a more oppressive and deadly government than the one it overthrew.
Napoleon ruled animal farm harshly and overworked the animals. Orwell described, “This work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half” (Orwell 59). The animal’s are given a choice in the sense that if they wanted to, they could have Sundays off. However, the brutal consequences the animals would face if they did not work forced the animals to listen to the pigs.
One dominant theme in animal farm is totalitarianism and abuse of power. Totalitarianism is defined as a political system in which the state possesses complete authority over the society and controls all aspects of public and private life whenever necessary. The author criticized totalitarianism and believed that it was inevitable in a communist system, as those put in charge will result in the abuse of their power. The theme Orwell intended to get across was that all totalitarian regimes are the same and those who hold power will do anything to maintain it. The pigs, who were the leaders, frequently displayed this throughout the novel.