Napoleon, a main character in George Orwell's Animal Farm, was very cruel. so why does everyone consider him such an effective leader? In Animal Farm Orwell gives Napoleon, the dictator of the farm, many characteristics that make him an effective leader. Throughout the book Napoleon had a manipulative attitude, a strong support system, and he used scare tactics to intimidate and gain control of the other animals on the farm. Although Napoleon was not a strong public speaker he was very manipulative and used propaganda to persuade others to listen to him. The most obvious example of Napoleon's manipulation and use of propaganda would be through the sheep. Whenever someone questioned Napoleon the sheep on the farm would burst into a cry of “four legs good two legs bad” and everyone would forget about their speculations ( ). Since Napoleon was not a great speaker he used Squealer as his public voice. When the animals wondered where the apples and milk went Squealer was sent to give the other animals an explanation ( ). Squealer would also change the commandments whenever the pigs would break them ( ). If Napoleon got into a tough situation he would either say “you wouldn’t want Jones back,” or he would use Snowball as a scapegoat. Napoleon had strong support system that consisted of most of the animals on the farm and everyone looked up to him. His strongest supporters were Squealer, the dogs, Boxer, and the sheep. Squealer did many things throughout the book that show his loyalty to Napoleon. Changing the commandments and being Napoleon’s voice were the main ways Squealer supported Napoleon ( ). The dogs were Napoleon’s way of using scare tactics and intimidation. They did anything that Napoleon commanded them to do. The dogs main impact on the story was when they chased Snowball off the farm and when they oversaw the slaughtering of all the animals ( ). “Napoleon is always right,” was Boxer’s motto and he always blindly supported Napoleon ( ). The sheep would save Napoleon when he did not know how to talk his way out of something by yelling out “four legs good, two legs bad!” ( ) Napoleon’s scare tactics were also very effective. A major example of Napoleon’s usage of scare tactics is the dogs.
First of all, Napoleon and the pigs used propaganda to tell lies the animals would
“Power doesn't corrupt people, people corrupt power” (William Gaddis). This quote describes the leadership of Napoleon in Animal Farm because as a leader, he was dishonest to the animals in order to do what he wanted without their consent and was using his power to his advantage. The book Animal Farm, written by George Orwell, is about the Russian Revolution that began on March 8, 1917. It was a revolution in Russia that dismantled Czar Nicholas II and established the Soviet Union. In Animal Farm, it has many references to what occurred in the revolution such as the hens rebelling, the public executions that were led by Napoleon, and the trade between Frederick and Napoleon. In order to know how the events in Animal Farm compare to Russian
Squealer, a main character in this novel, is controlled and influenced by the leader, Napoleon, in speaking to the citizens of the farm ad how the farm prospers because of Napoleon’s greatness. Orwell portrays the actions of Napoleon in deceiving the other animals in the quote, “Now when Squealer described the scene so graphically, it seems to the animals they did remember it” (81). The author of Animal Farm: a Fairy Story, does a terrific job in depicting Stalin’s scheme of changing history to fit his perspective, with Napoleon reconfiguring the Battle of Cowshed, and placing himself into the character of Snowball. This tactic of glittering generalities is used to brainwash the animals into believing the lies that are fed to them because of the imagery and fear used to express
He uses several methods to take over the farm and keep up control by forces all the animal to do his dirty work for him. His primary methods are by using fear, by exploiting the animal and by bending the rules. Napoleon uses his intellect to good effect as far as self-interest is concerned. Napoleon instills fear as a way of giving the animal no chance to argue about what he says. This allows him to run the farm in his own way and gives him a more comfortable life than the other animals. These puppies become the forefront of his campaign of fear as he uses them to gain power by eliminating his nemesis, Snowball “They dashed straight for Snowball...he slipped through a hole in the hedge and was seen no more” (Orwell 28). Napoleon lies to all the animals that Snowball destroy the windmill but he was the real one who did it and he makes the dogs to chase Snowball always. It is just like Stalin did to his partner Trotsky and use his power to killed the Trotsky it is just like Napoleon did to
Which makes him one of the villains in this novel with Squealer by his side who is an allegory to the Soviet Press, who Stalin would control. The rest of the farm animals would believe everything and anything that Napoleon would tell them. He favored the pigs the most, he gave them privileges such as getting to sleep in beds, eating all their supply of food, and not having to work which that the rest of the animals could never have. He convinced the other animals into thinking that the privileges he gave the pigs was to make things better for the farm. “Many of us actually dislike milk and apples...We pigs are brainworkers” (pg. 14). He let the pigs do what they wanted the same way, Stalin led the Soviet Press when he was the
Later in the novel, Squealer claims that Napoleon is a suitable leader for animal farm, and explains that Snowball is a traitor. Squealer supports this idea by comparing Snowball to Napoleon. The animals were confused on why Snowball was chased off the farm. One of the animal...
Napoleon is an extremely deceitful character in numerous ways. For example, Napoleon tricks the animals into thinking concepts that are not true. “Throughout the whole period of his seeming friendship with Pilkington, Napoleon had really been in a secret agreement with Frederick,” (31). This shows that Napoleon lied to the animals about which farm he was going to sell wood to. Furthermore, this also illustrates that the animals might not trust Napoleon if he continues to lie to them. Additionally, Napoleon is an untruthful menace who will do nothing to help the farm or the animals. “Day and night we are watching over your welfare. It is for YOUR sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples,” (12). This shows that Napoleon is trying to
Dictators all have one thing in common-they know how to manipulate others into believing every word they say while gaining power and control. In Animal Farm by George Orwell, Napoleon, a pig, decides to take control of the farm and dictate their every move. In order to gain full control of the farm, Napoleon drove Snowball, another pig, out of the farm by using his dogs that he trained to follow his every command. Three days later, Napoleon decides to start building the windmill which originally was Snowballs idea and “He did not give any reason for having changed his mind, but merely warned the animals that this extra task would mean very hard work; it might even be necessary to reduce their rations”(Orwell 71). With the help of his smooth talking right hand man Squealer, Napoleon managed to carry out his plans with no trouble from the other animals. Napoleon has changed the commandments with no protest, he communicates and trades with the humans whenever he pleases,
Napoleon often used his main sidekick, Squealer, to help in is manipulation efforts. Napoleon knew that the animals looked up to Squealer. He was very well spoken and talked in a hypnotic voice. For example, when the farmers begin to attack the farm, Napoleon yells out, "Impossible!" cried Napoleon. "We have built the walls far too thick for that. They could not knock it down in a week. Courage, comrades!" (Orwell, ch7). Napoleon convinces the animals to attack and keep Napoleon safe from danger. He would use his words to hearten the animals in doing what he says. Napoleons words really made them forget about fear and keep fighting. The animals had a lot of trust in him already so it wasn’t hard for them to be convinced. Before the battle had started Napoleon announced, “in a terrible voice pronounced the death sentence upon Frederick. When captured, he said, Frederick should be boiled alive” (Orwell, ch6). At the beginning Napoleon uses his speeches to convince the animals that Frederick is their friend. Now, Napoleon gives Frederick a death sentence and they now believe that he is the enemy. Napoleons words made them convinced to fight even before the battle had actually happened. Napoleon was a master manipulator. Whether it was through the use of his sidekick or through his own lies, he knew how to manipulate the truth to gain power over the animals, yet Napoleon uses one
Orwell depicts one such powerfully effective propaganda technique through Squealer’s duplicitous storytelling: revisionist history. As Napoleon began to go against the original commandments and reserve luxuries for the pigs, it became necessary to cover up his actions, which went against the very idea of Animalism. “’Are you certain that this is not something you have dreamed, comrades?... Is it written down anywhere?’ And since it was certainly true that nothing of the kind existed in writing, the animals were satisfied that they had been mistaken” (Orwell 77). When Napoleon decided to engage in trade amongst the humans, many animals recalled the resolutions passed against such human contact, which planted a seed of doubt. Not allowing the seed to germinate, Squealer quickly assured them th...
Snowball and Napoleon held a great deal of contrast between the way they each ruled over “Animal Farm/Manor Farm.” The only thing he did lack, was the ability of pursuasion to the other animals. Snowball had all the right ideas, all to better the whole farm. Napoleon, on the other hand, had a knack for stealing other animals’ ideas, then telling the rest it was his and getting credit for it. His ideas only seemed to benefit the pigs and not the animals. It was this, that led to the crumbling of the farm. Napoleons obsession with becoming the ruler is what got Snowball nearly killed by the dogs...in a plot made by Napoleon. Which then produced a whole new rebellion not of the animals to the humans, but of the animals to the pigs. So for these reasons, Snowball showed better qualities for leadership than Napoleon because he wasn’t selfish and thought about the future of “Animal Farm.” First, the dominated farm animals viewed Napoleon and Snowball differently at different times throughout the book. The way the animals reacted to each leader brought upon new problems of the farm. The animals respected Snowball, and believed that his teachings were all true and had a good cause. Although Snowball and Napoleon had superior qualities leadership, it was clearly Snowball who had the better qualities for running a farm. Under Snowballs’ rule, the animals were generally content with what was going on and were all for it if it was to better the farm. It was obvious that Napoleon had the better half of getting his own way on the farm. However, the animals had some problems with Napoleon but they didn’t know haw to express their feelings and show him that they didn’t like the way he ran things. It was the animals’ ignorance that helped keep Napoleon in rule for as long as it was. The responses were so different between the animals that it must have been a drastic change between Snowball and Napoleon.
First of all, Napoleon is a huge Berkshire boar and he clearly is the most powerful of all the animals. He was able to take complete leadership of the farm because he secretly trained the dogs to attack Snowball. George Orwell writes, “ ‘Never mind the milk, comrades!’ cried Napoleon, placing himself in front of the buckets. ‘That will be attended to, the harvest is more important’ (817). Napoleon is quite demanding none of the animal’s even question his authority because they know that he has more control than any other animal. Throughout the novel Orwell has many quotes that describe Napoleon as a leader, “ ‘long live Comrade Napoleon’ ” (846). All the animals on the farm (no matter what Napoleon did to them) would treat him as a powerful leader and whatever he said they would do. Often Orwell stirs up controversy about the rebellion, “ ‘forward in the name of the rebellion. ‘Long live Animal farm!’ ‘Long live Comrade Napoleon!’ ‘Napoleon is always right.’ Those were his very last words, comrades’ ” (849). Squealer’s letting everyone know that no matter what happens to Animal Farm, just remember that Napoleon was an outstanding leader most of the time. Napoleon was an outstanding leader and contributor to Animal Farm without his power the farm would have collapsed earlier.
Napoleon is a large boar, who was fierce and always had his way. Napoleon also changed a lot throughout the story. In the beginning of the story, Napoleon seemed to respect all the other animals equally. However, towards the end of the story, his traits became more and more human-like as he began walking on two legs and drinking wine. Napoleon also gets crueler and crueler, and he shows that when he starves the hens to stop the hens from rebelling. Napoleon’s role in the story was to control the farm, even though he did it as a dictator. Napoleon represents a communist leader in the story.
The other animals were divided equally in supporting either Snowball or Napoleon. By spreading the rumor that Snowball was a traitor, Napoleon was able to drive Snowball from the farm and become the leader of Animal Farm with no one to oppose him. Napoleon, with the help of Squealer, turned all the animals against Snowball. Squealer, who was a masterful manipulator, played an important part in convincing the animals that Snowball was an enemy. Naming Snowball as a “traitor”, Squealer played on the animals’ fear of humans and told them that Snowball had been a spy for the humans.
He is also a coward by nature not much of a bigmouth or a braggart, but with a reputation for having his way in the sense that he does not put himself as the spearhead, instead with enthusiasm he decides to coach a litter of puppies belonging to Jessie and Bluebell. He trains this pack for his own good thereby making them his ferocious trustworthy soldiers, which he uses as a violent means of imposing his will on others. These helped him in hiding the notion of affluent living, which he reserved exclusively for himself whilst he operated through cruelty and treachery. Napoleon who was a spiteful tyrant by nature uses cunning oratory skills to spread propaganda and favorable support for him through the help of Squealer. Squealer is used as Napoleon’s own network for spreading beliefs; Squealer in this book possesses the power to manipulate the animals with his orating capabilities with great skill.