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The social and cultural consequences of bad leadership in animal farms
Analysis of a novel animal farm by George Orwell
Literary analysis of George Orwell animal farm
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At the beginning of George Orwell’s novella, Animal Farm, Mr. Jones, the overall caretaker of the Manor Farm in England, had stumbled clumsily to bed after recently putting down a couple of beers. The insensible farmer had no idea that he had left the buildings unsecured. The alert farm animals are completely aware of his mistake and quickly start planning a way to run Mr. Jones away from the farm. The oldest pig, Major, knows he’s going to die soon so he takes command and gives the speech on how to revolt. After Old Major dies, the pigs take over and create a system called “Animalism” and the Seven Commandments, which are rules of which all of the farm animals should follow. The animals work together to form a union against humans. In the midst of Major’s speech, he says,"All men are enemies. All animals are comrades" (Orwell 31). The two main leader pigs, Napoleon and Snowball both honor Major’s beliefs but want to achieve the goals in different ways. Napoleon focuses on the advantages he can gain for himself; Snowball wants to help all the animals of the farm. These different paths of power start to cause division on the farm.
In Chapter 5, Snowball finally gives up and runs away from the farm, leaving Napoleon the leader and motivator of the newly named Animal Farm. He declares that only the pigs have the power to make decisions for the farm and that all the other animals will obey them. Napoleon’s pig-in-crime, Squealer, gives explanation for all of Napoleon's actions with skillful but deceitful revisions of Animalist principles. Napoleon keeps strengthening his power causing more animals to be scared of him, which in turn, gives him less enemies. The common animals continue to obey the pigs in hope for a better future. Napoleon begins to ally with neighboring farms so that there is no way out for the common animals and they are now unknowingly trapped. At the end of Animal Farm, Orwell describes the pigs many years later and tells us that they are becoming more like humans. "No question now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which." (Orwell 139).
The most discretely obvious universal idea in Animal Farm is to criticize the idea of communism Orwell saw sweeping through Russia.
The novel, Animal Farm, by George Orwell expresses the idea of self-government through the animals. The animals play the role of humans. Because the animals decide that they want to run the farm by themselves, they make up a way of living called Animalism. The Seven Commandments (Animal Farm's Constitution) under which they live are based on these major principles of Animalism. As time passes, the Seven Commandments undergoes subtle changes as the pigs rewrite it to suit their own agenda. The Seven Commandments may be said to be the key to understanding Animal Farm.
The beginning and the end of Animal Farm are very different. In the beginning all animals were equal the only difference between the pigs and the others were that one of them was the leader, Old Major. Old Major was a very old wise boar that had the best interest of the animals on the farm. He knew exactly how he wanted Animal Farm to carry on after he died and he was looked up to by everyone on the farm. After Old Major died the pigs were put in charge because they were the most educated of all. Napoleon and Snowball were the two that really took control and taught themselves how to read and write. They came up with the Seven Commandments that each animal shall follow.
The history of the human race follows a plot detailing the struggles and triumphs of various individuals with the concepts of power and control. In George Orwell’s novel, Animal Farm, these elaborate concepts are further explored through various characters such as the shire boar, Napoleon. Napoleon’s ability to exercise control over the animals derives from his capability to indoctrinate them with his partial ideologies. Napoleon then further clasps his power by his avail of expert power throughout the novel. Finally, the excessive and abusive use of coercive power, secures Napoleon’s control over the animals. In George Orwell’s Animal Farm Napoleon assumes the reins of power over the animals and controls them by means of physiological manipulations.
At the beginning of the story, there were two leaders, Snowball and Napoleon, who were sharing power. Snowball was good with words, honest, good at arguing, was inventive, and believed in technology. He stayed in touch with the animals, and wanted to make things better for them. Napoleon, on the other hand, was bad with words, dishonest, hated arguing, and was not inventive. He wanted to be above all the animals; he didn't care about making things better. He only believed in serving himself. In order for Napoleon to be above all the animals, he had to get Snowball out of the way. Napoleon did that by getting his dogs to scare him away so Snowball would never come back to the farm. Napoleon was now in total control of the farm and the animals. Napoleon and the pigs started acting like humans - they would drink, wear clothes, sleep in beds, fight, and walk. They did everything that they had once said was wrong.
pigs begin to take control. By the end of the novel, the pigs have manipulated the rest of the animals into doing everything they want. The pigs then become almost exactly like the humans. The most important pigs are Napoleon and Snowball, that is until Napoleon
Animal Farm, written by George Orwell, is a dystopian allegory. Its book cover sports a red and black background, with a pig (presumably Snowball) sneaking in front of a windmill. Set in Manor Farm, a group of farm animals are mistreated by their owner, Mr. Jones. Shortly before Old Major, an old, highly-respected pig, dies, he tells all the animals to revolt against Mr. Jones. After his death, and shortly after, the expulsion of Mr. Jones, leadership on the farm is divided between Snowball and Napoleon, two intelligent pigs who utilize conflicting methods of rule. Initially, they held equal sway among the other, less intelligent residents of the farm. However, when Snowball, a passionate speaker, tried to convince the farm to build a windmill to make their lives easier, Napoleon set vicious dogs he had raised himself to drive Snowball out of the farm. Justifying this by saying the windmill was a useless idea that would overburden the farm, Napoleon takes sole authority of the farm, leading the animals in an increasingly harsh manner. Ironically, Napoleon also makes a plan to build a...
An infamous party came to light in 1917, with the overthrow of Tsar Nikolai II. Known as the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, it established a new government under Vladimir Lenin. However a well-known man, by the name of Joseph Stalin, took over soon after Lenin’s death in 1924. Stalin, often known as “Koba” in the party or “Uncle Joe” to the western media, was not an effective speaker. Conversely, he had many supporters who spoke eloquently and with their help, he put the (then) Soviet Union under his regime. In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, the story of the Russian Revolution and its leaders are told through the use of allegorical satire. This masterpiece enlightens the human population about Russian communism and writes of the “leader” Napoleon, his troop of pigs, and the inhabitants of Animal Farm, who are oblivious to Napoleon’s corrupted ways and follow him blindly. In reality, Napoleon represented Stalin, who was a poor speaker but corrupt and demanding. He had many supporters and propagandists like the leading Soviet Union newspaper Pravda and political speakers such as Vyacheslav Molotov who supported his stances and seemly unapparent exploitations. In Orwell’s allegorical novella, the main propagandist is a pig named Squealer. When the animals question the actions of Napoleon or past events, Squealer is always able to appease them with lies and propaganda. Squealer is able to manipulate the minds of the animals of Animal Farm, by his persuasive fabrication and soothing perjury.
It was the glorious speech from Old Major that made the animals want to rebel so badly. Animal Farm, written by George Orwell is an excellent novel that portrays the need for power. It shows how power can be used for either good or evil. The story begins on Manor Farm, owned by a farmer named Mr. Jones. One of the pigs, named Old Major, gives a speech that motivates the animals to rebel. After a while, the animals ended up rebelling, and managed to kick out Mr. Jones. During the beginning of “Animal Farm’s” reign under Snowball and Napoleon’s (main characters) lead, it brought the animals on Manor Farm together into a peaceful world. However, after this initial stance of power, Snowball and Napoleon began to fight for it. In the end, Napoleon ends up with control of the farm and Snowball is never seen again. Power is a corrupting influence in Animal Farm and both Snowball and Napoleon’s way of leading are very different.
The novel Animal farm has profusions of allegory and symbolism. The book’s core all linked to the events of the Russian revolution. In this essay I would be targeting a certain element of what I believe is the greatest ground where allegory was present in Orwell’s “Animal Farm.” Dissecting the novel, we encounter characters and at close analysis, each of the characters symbolizes society’s people. Of all the allegory presented in the novel, I’d like to emphasize on a vicious character and its resemblances. As envisaged, this narrative is linked closely with the undertakings of Joseph Stalin. The Criterions of this different character, Napoleon, is clearly analogous to Stalin’s. Overall, the whole novel is a visual rendering of Stalin’s reign of terror and its effect on its society. Napoleon was a replica of Joseph Stalin, who served as the General Secretary of the Communist Party from 1922 until his death more than 30 years later. As we get deeper into the text, Napoleon portrays evolution of leadership. Let’s get back in time for a while to the Russian revolution. In 192four, when Lenin died, Trotsky and Stalin competed for authority and position. Trostky was a bright, brilliant personality while Stalin was simple and not as bright. Trotsky believed in putting a conclusion to Russia’s attempts to spread communism all over the world. Stalin was more focused on the prosperity of Russia, In Animal Farm, as we can compare, Snowball had the perception and sharp intellect and as the source of ideas and resolution. On the other hand, Napoleon was not a thinker. Napoleon focused more on the production of the farm and its modernization rather than animalism as Snowball’s focus. After banishing Snowball, Napoleon ordered the re-erection of...
In the beginning of the text, “all animals are equal” (Orwell 6) and are united under the common goal of freeing themselves from “the tyranny of human beings” (5). However, life on the farm progresses in a manner contradictory to this initial belief, and ultimately does not benefit the masses. Rather, it is driven exclusively by and for the privileged elite, “the cleverest of animals” (9): the pigs. Napoleon and his supporters are able to impose their authority upon the “lower animals” (92) by using language to create “the seven commandments” (15), and consequently re-creating them when they see fit. For example, it was declared in the Commandments that “no animal shall kill any other animal” (61). Yet, when the very pigs that created the law break it, it is re-written such that “no animal shall kill any other animal without cause” (61). These subtle manipulations take place consistently throughout the story, until all previous laws are eradicated and replaced with one overarching commandment: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others” (90). Here Orwell highlights the fact that by re-writing the past, those in power are able to directly control the future. By monopolizing language, they monopolize progress. Without “the words to express” (59) their opposition, the animals lack agency and are effectively silenced, forced to accept what is written “on the
The novel, Animal Farm, was written by George Orwell andwas published in 1946. The story is about a farm in England around the time of the Russian revolution. The animals on Manor Farm are irritated with the way they are being treated, so they start a revolution. The pigs,who were the smartest animals on the farm, took controlof the farm while the other animals worked. Throughout the novel the pigs lie to the other animals and change the rules, of the farm to accommodate themselves.George Orwell's real name was Eric Blair. He was born in 1903. He went to school at Eton, and after service with the Indian Imperial Police in Burma, he returned to Europe to earn his living writing novels and essays. He was a political writer who wrote of his own times. He was a man of intense feelings and fierce hates. He hated cant and lying and cruelty in life and in literature. He was critical of communism but was himself a Socialist.The setting for Animal Farm is Manor Farm in England during the time of the Russian revolution. The farm is enourmous.The farm has been enlarged by two fields bought from Mr. Pilkington, and various new buildings had been added. One of the major characters in the novel, Animal Farm, is Nepoleon. Napoleon, after driving Snowball, another pig who was trying to take over the farm, off the farm, took over. Nepoleon says one thing, and does the other, takes otherpeoples ideas, and he is the biggest liar on the farm.
Animalism had a great effect on Animal Farm. In the beginning of the novel, all the animals cared only for one thing. The defeat of Mr. Jones, and the equality of each animal. After Mr. Jones was finally defeated, and the animals were on their own, the Seven Commandments, (similar to the Ten Commandments) were established. The Seven Commandments were to be the principles of Animalism, an unalterable law by which all animals must live by. The pigs, Snowball and Napoleon along with the other animals, decided to inscribe the commandments on the wall, in large white lettering, so that they never be forgotten. These commandments were established for the good of each animal, to maintain order and a peaceful life on the farm. Old Major, the prized middle white boar, taught Animalism and the commandments. He was the leader of the animal’s rebellion. Old Major was the one who led the way for the animals, and taught them exactly what Animalism meant. He clearly states this in the speech he gave, a few days before his death. “Among us animals let there be perfect unity, perfect comradeship in the struggle. All men are enemies. All animals are comrades.” In the beginning, the animals lived each day the way Old Major taught them to. However, throughout the novel, Animalism slowly began to break away. Men were becoming comrades to the pigs, and the other animals were played as fools. The farm was collapsing little by little. Due to the animal’s low understanding and intelligence, th...
Napoleon, the chief pig, eventually used force to carry out his orders in Animal Farm. His attack dogs drove Snowball away, and inspired the fear necessary to gain total control of the Farm, as these beasts left the animals “… too amazed and frightened to speak.” His foresight to train these dogs, and his use of force, slowly move Animal Farm away from its original utopian equality and more towards Napoleon’s totalitarian ideas.
George Orwell’s Animal Farm was published August 17, 1945 in England which is also where the setting of the book is derived. It is a fiction novel based largely around the Russian Revolution and Dictator Joseph Stalin as many of Orwell’s works were. He uses animals to represent the people of the revolution because he did not want it to completely obvious of what the idea of the novel was.
All of the characters in Animal farm have counterparts in real life. This book was based on the Russian Revolution, and all the important populace of the revolution are symbolized. Some of the animals represent individuals in the Russian Revolution, and some types of animals represent different types of Russian citizens. The book carries out much like the actual revolution. It starts out with hopes of an empire where all are equal and the unfair unjust leader is thrown out. Then it moves on to where some individuals begin to take more power than is rightfully theirs. At the end the rulers have completely taken over and the kingdom is as it was under the original rulers. I will compare the animals from top of the social class to the bottom. At the top were the pigs. Each pig represented someone different in the revolution. Old Major is compared to Lenin. He was an ideologist who dreamed up a wonderful government where all the animals were equal and the humans, or the czars, were pushed out. Unfortunately his dream would never materialize. Then we are left with his predecessors. The first is Snowball. Snowball believed one hundred percent in Old Majors ideals. He wanted all the things Old Major wanted, such as the welfare of the animals. In the Russian Revolution his counterpart would be Trotsky. Trotsky believed and wanted the same things as Lenin, and wanted to continue what Lenin had started. Then comes Napoleon. Napoleon was selfish and greedy. He did not want to share the power or the decision making with any other individual. This was the same for Stalin. At first Napoleon and Snowball shared the decision making and had debates about what course of action they would take. This worked for awhile. Then Napoleon grew weary of long debates, and he thought he could make the decision by himself. He then forced Snowball out of the farm and started to spread lies about Snowball to get the entire farm against him. Stalin did the same thing against Trotsky and forced Trotsky into hiding into Mexico, where he was eventually assassinated. Both Stalin and Napoleon ruined any hopes of equal and fare government and instead set up dictatorships. Then comes the final important pig, Squealer. Squealer did not make the decisions in the government but acted more like the controlled media as in the Russian government.