Animal Farm Literary Analysis

Ignorance Is Bliss George Orwell started political writing when he was eleven. While serving with the Imperial Police in Burma and later in the Spanish War, Orwell saw destruction of individuals. Until his death, Orwell used writing to convey his thoughts about imperialism and the destruction of individualism. Orwell believed that all humans should be treated with equal respect and dignity. In George Orwell’s two famous novels, Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four, individualism is destroyed through absolute control, corrupt leaders and propaganda techniques. In Animal Farm, George Orwell used propaganda techniques to highlight the destruction of the individual. In the novel, the animals are characterized as unintelligent to highlight the dehumanization. In the article, “Animal Satire in Animal Farm”, Alev Yemenici says the animals on the farm “prefer to depend on what Squealer tells them and to believe in his propaganda since they are incapable of sorting the truth from the lie.” The pigs, on the other hand, are very intelligent and can read. When the animals cannot think for themselves or read, their masters can easily take advantage of that. This is similar to imperialism. A strong, educated country takes over an undeveloped country and dehumanizes the natives. This tactic works because the weaker species
After gaining power, the pigs take over the farmhouse and started to sleep in the beds. To make sure the other animals did not question the pigs’ actions, the pigs changed the commandment slightly. Changing the commandments one by one is one way the pigs took away the other animals’ individualism. The animals depend on the pigs because they feel as though the pigs are their only way to a happy, free life. Unfortunately, the pigs take advantage of the animals’ trust. A similar theme of a leader taking advantage of his people is seen in Nineteen