The pigs, who are more intelligent, tricked the animals into thinking they have a choice when in reality they do not. Even more, as the story progressed, the animals lost their voice in debates. Every Sunday, the animals held Meetings in the farmhouse to discuss the work and plans for the week.
(ch.5 pg.47) It all clearly points to the fact that all animals (and humans) have different strengths and different jobs and that they are not equal. This is also the case because some of the animals capabilities elevated their status within their society. This inequality sometimes helped the farm by providing a firm government but often lead to harsh mistreatment of many of the animals. The only reason animals often listened to the leader was because he had ferocious dogs protected him and in certain cases he used that power to protect his own interests.
Orwell’s novella Animal Farm shows how power gets to one’s head through dishonesty. Squealer demonstrates this by tricking the animals into doing many things that they are unaware of doing themselves. He uses propaganda to help Napoleon because it will give him access to power, which he, too, desires. Squealer is able to use their stupidity against them and make them do unreasonable things. He also gives Napoleon more publicity than he deserves, which leads to him being elected as leader.
The allegory, Animal Farm compares the Russian Revolution in an understanding way to a typical farm life. The main idea in both pieces was to undertake a revolution to see change within freedom, instead it happened to just be the tyrants. In the Russian Revolution the czar was overthrown and only replaced by Stalin who remained a brutal and harsh leader to citizens. In comparison with Animal Farm; the abusive owner Jones, was overthrown by the “mighty” pig Napoleon who became harsh to the other animals and developed similar characteristics to the original leader. George Orwell portrayed his opinion; revolutions fail in that they result only in a change of tyrants.
“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.
Napoleon then become ruler, and is said to be a very good, wise pig. Napoleon knows that he has all the power because the pigs are the wises animals on the farm, being considered wise, every animal did what he said This is where the power goes to bad use and messes up the whole farm, the main reason that they overthrew the human owner was because of the way he treated the animals and the way he ran the farm, Old Major wanted ever animal to be equal. Since . Napoleon and the other pigs were breaking their own rule that they made and adjusting them to their benefit. They started to have human like characteristics, killing other animals that were in no stable condition, overworking animals.
As the Russian Revolution commenced in the early 1900’s, in which millions of people rebelled, several leaders sought power, with Joseph Stalin taking firm command. Similarly, Animal Farm, a novella written by George Orwell, allegorically represents the downfall of Marx’s manifesto of communism. On Animal Farm, the pigs distinguish themselves by immediately taking control and eventually changing the Commandments of Animalism to benefit only the pigs. Napoleon (Stalin) drives out his rival, a pig named Snowball, leaving him the opportunity to become an egoistic dictator. Manipulating a corrupt society, Squealer, Napoleon’s propagandist, uses rhetoric to control the animals’ rights and thoughts with clever words, in which Boxer's lack of intelligence leads to constant laborious work and later, his death.
Comparison of Animal Farm Many comparisons can be made from Animal Farm to the excerpt “The Clocks Were Striking Thirteen” from the novel 1984. Some similarities in Animal Farm and “The Clocks Were Striking Thirteen” are portrayed through the two themes, abuse of language and power corrupts, and also the mood. One theme seen both in Animal Farm and “The Clocks Were Striking Thirteen” is power corrupts.
Each have their own strengths within the book that helps carry symbolism through it. Napolean is one of the main characters of the novel. He represents the powerful Russian leader, Joseph Stalin, the ‘’center of attention,’’ during this time period. Orwell uses symbolism to portray how well power is developed for this character. ‘’Napolean was a ‘rather fierce looking Berkshire boar,’ and appearance gives more credibility to power sometimes more than action.
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.
In the novella, the overthrow of the human oppressor Mr. Jones by a democratic coalition of animals quickly gives way to the consolidation of power among the pigs. Much like the Soviet intelligentsia, the pigs establish themselves as the ruling class in the
Allusions allow him to convey hidden messages regarding Soviet Russia and its leaders. The majority of the characters in Animal Farm allude to powerful figures in Russia’s history. This novella presents different allusions which all lead up to the main allegorical theme. For example, Napoleon the leader of Animal Farm is an allusion to Joseph Stalin, similarly he uses attack dogs to subdue and keep the animals loyal. Furthermore Napoleon and Stalin were both manipulative dictators with a lust for power.
Power has been the crux of humankind since its birth. Wherever power is found, corruption is sure to be near. In the Animal Farm, George Orwell expertly captures this corruption of power through the antagonist 's use of propaganda, manipulation, and deceit in order to benefit himself at the expense of his peers. From the start of his reign, Napoleon stressed how vastly superior the pigs intelligence was to that of the rest of the animals.
Napoleon indoctrinated them innately to fight for him. In turn, the dogs brainwash the farm animals to support Napoleon and influence the way the animals act toward both the pigs and the dogs. Although most animals on the farm "work to their capacity (pg 29)," the dogs do not work, and instead they eat and protect Napoleon without hesitation. Napoleon slowly turns the dogs from a form of labor to a form of tyranny. Every step toward Napoleon 's totalitarianism is one step further from the farm animals '
“I trust that every animal here appreciates the sacrifice that comrade Napoleon has made in taking this extra labour upon himself. Do not imagine, comrades, that leadership is a pleasure!” (55) The pigs were manipulating the animals and no one animal could see that individually. If the animals banded together they could have stood up against the pigs, and would have had a better chance of realizing that they were being so manipulated. Another example of this is when Napoleon changes one of the commandments for his own good.