George Orwell's Animal Farm-Absolute Power Corrupts, Absolutely

Animal Farm Essay - “Absolute Power Corrupts, Absolutely”

Author, George Orwell published his novel, Animal Farm in the mid 1940’s. it is a dark, “Fairy story”, describing an imaginary society of animals living in a farm, under miserable conditions, being treated badly by the farm’s owners, Mr & Mrs Jones. Their rebellion under its rule and the creation of a new system of living leading to that new systems’ eventual decline. Whilst this fable is based on Orwell’s view of political systems of a totalitarian nature at the time, in particular communism, it is equally indicative of many other political systems that seek to control its population and not allowing individual freedom under its authority.

The story begins with Old Major, the

The animals are extremely hungry so they raid the food store and feed themselves. When Mr Jones and his two-legged workers find them in the food store, the animals are castigated by way of a whip, which then makes them angry. So angry in fact that they turn on the humans, by attacking them back and chasing them off the property using their own physical strength. Amazed at their results they then set about destroying anything that reminds them of the slavery they have been living through. All items such as bits, whips and chains are eradicated. They then celebrate with double rations of corn and sing the “Beasts of England”

Collectively the animals are inspired to work hard, however there is already a drift away from Old Majors vision of freedom from tyranny by Napoleon and Snowball. They paint the seven commandments of Animalism on the barn to remind every one of their principles. The seventh Commandment is “All animals are equal”, and yet the story implies that in Chapter III, Napoleon already sees himself as different. When the milk goes missing the animals are told that the pigs need the milk to think well. Squealer points out to the rest of the animals that it is in their best interests. Squealer is clearly the vocal manipulator of the group, who manages to turn the others around to the ‘pigs’ way of thinking at every opportunity. This is where the corruption begins and escalates throughout the rest of the