Language As Language In George Orwell's Animal Farm

Language, the method of the human communication - including written and spoken -, consists of the use of words in a structured and conventional way. In life, the words used to describe situations - to ourselves and others - affect how we think and act. In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, the author advocates the theme of language as power to introduce how the characters Squealer and Napoleon use manipulation, persuasion, and exploitation to gain power over others. In the allegory, Orwell is able to convey, through the theme language as power, that the more education you have allows you to coax others into doing what you desire. The author’s message regarding language as power is that individuals with more education than those without it, have

Throughout the book, characters are seen coercing others into choices to influence their benefits. Squealer obtains propaganda to exploit the power of language to help defend Napoleon. In the exposition of the book, Squealer helps Napoleon to take control by using unjust facts and lies. When it is said that the pigs would receive apples and milk, which were said to be good for their health, and the animals began to realize a change in what was originally planned, Squealer was sent to explain. The text states “‘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…. Our sole object in taking these things is to preserve our health. Milk and apples (this has been proved by Science, comrades) contains substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig… The whole management and organization of the farm depend on us… 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!’” (35-36). Squealer says this to help the animals understand that the milk and apples are significant in the life of the pigs, therefore helping them continue to keep the farm protected from Jones; but in reality, it was a mask and Squealer actually says this to justify the pig’s evil means.

In the exposition of Animal Farm, the animals create a set of rules to ensure their devotion to rebel against the humans. Throughout the book, the pigs are seen breaking the laws and changing the meaning of the commandments to rule in their favor, fooling the rest of the animals. On page 67, Squealer states, “‘You did not suppose, sure, that there was ever a ruling against beds? A bed merely means a place to sleep in. A pile of straw in a stall is a bed, properly regarded. The rule was against sheets, which are a human invention” (67). However, prior to this, the rule was: “No animal shall sleep in a bed”, but the pigs masterly changed the commandment to justify their action (24). The animals do not mention that they do not remember the rule being written this way and accept it. By doing this, it shows that the pigs succeeded in changing the tide into their favor. Napoleon also changes the rule when it comes to killing another animal in chapter 8: “A few days later, when the terror causes by the executions had died down, some of the animals remembered-or thought they remembered-that the Sixth commandment decreed ‘No animal shall kill any other animal.’ … The Sixth Commandment …. ran: ‘No animal shall kill another animal without cause’” (91). Napoleon killed a plethora of the animals in order to maintain order one the farm, breaking a rule in the