Napoleon’s Corruption George Orwell writes about the corruption that occurred during the Russian revolution with Josef Stalin, all while using talking pigs that rule over a farm run by animals. Animal Farm is a work of allegorical literature that uses animals to educate about the Russian Revolution. Napoleon, the pig that Joseph Stalin portrays, is eventually corrupted by his own intellect. This is demonstrated by Snowball (who represents Leon Trotsky),the puppy situation, the manipulation of others with the usage of Squealer, and the death of Boxer. Because Napoleon desires power, he uses his knowledge of manipulation to go behind the scenes of debates in order to gain other's votes against Snowball. Snowball is seen as Napoleon’s rival for …show more content…
In chapter 3, Two dogs named Jesse and Bluebell had given birth to a total of 9 puppies. Since Napoleon’s way of thinking entailed youthful minds, “...Napoleon took them away from their mothers, saying that he would make himself responsible for their education.” (Orwell, page 35). This eventually leads to them becoming Napoleon's executioner bodyguards, killing those who betray him. An example of this can be seen in the seventh chapter of the book when Squealer had talked about the spies of snowball among them. When Napoleon gave his ‘signal’ the vicious dogs seized four pigs accused of these crimes. The pigs confessed to everything, and “...the dogs promptly tore their throats out.” (Orwell, page 84). This all demonstrates Napoleon's intelligence in training the puppies to learn and obey before they were exposed to or learned an alternative way of thinking that may differ from the way he wants things, as well as giving him far more power on the lesser animals with brute force and blind …show more content…
Throughout the book, Napoleon is seen breaking a variety of rules that contradict his previous beliefs, one of which being the 7 commandments. The 7 commandments were a set of ‘rules’ made in the second chapter of the book, to show what animal farm stands for. When the pigs moved into the farm house in chapter 6, the fourth commandment, “No animal shall sleep in a bed” (Orwell, page 24) was broken. When the Animals start questioning Napoleon because they feel as though he has broken one of the seven commandments, Squealer swiftly changes it without their knowledge to make it slightly different but still justifiable in the circumstances. This demonstrates Napoleon's eventual corruption because he believes he can get away with anything by using
“Every night it was said he came creeping in under cover of darkness and performed all kinds of mischief. He stole corn, he upset the milk pails, He broke eggs whenever something went wrong it becomes usual to attribute it to snowball” (Document D). The whole farm used poisoning the well and blamed snowball for all the problems on the farm. ”And do you not remember that it was just at that moment when panic was spreading and all seemed lost that comrade Napoleon sprang forward with a cry of Death to Humanity! And sank his
The animals did not remember this, they thought that Snowball fought brave against the humans. Napoleon uses this to make him seem like he is going to be a better leader than Snowball would have been if he did not leave the farm. Napoleon also has the animals call him “Our leader comrade Napoleon”, to make him seem like a good
The irony in this is when Napoleon is tempted by power, he becomes just like the corrupted humans. By the end of the novel, only one commandment remains: "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others” (Orwell 112). The original commandment, stating that all animals are equal, being changed to this goes back to a theme of personalized power, and the desire for control. Napoleon ends up intensifying the violence and cruelty, simply because he knows that he will get away with it. The animals are unable to fight back against the control and reign of their dictator, and he uses the power of fear, and the use of a scapegoat to ensure that his corrupt views are held in place.
"When they had finished their confession, the dogs promptly tore their throats out" (Doc B). "When it was all over, the remaining animals, except for the pigs and dogs, crept away in a body. They were shaken and miserable…” (Doc B). This evidence helps show how Napoleon is able to stay in charge because it shows how Napoleon uses violence to insert fear within the animals.
Throughout the years there have been many tyrannical rulers. Although these leaders have very abusive regimes many of them stay in power because of use of manipulative methods. In George Orwells Animal Farm these methods are demonstrated in an allegory of the Russian Revolution. In this novella a farm of animals work together to revolt against their owner Mr Jones in order to escape his tyrannical rule. However, in doing so a pig by the name of Napoleon gains power and treats the animals just as Mr Jones did before the revolution.
Snowball was run out of the farm and made seem a horrible and untrustworthy leader to make Napoleon seem better and more “on top”. At times, Napoleon even gave himself more superior titles like “our Leader, Comrade Napoleon, Father of all Animals, Terror of Mankind, Protector of the Sheep-fold, Ducklings’ Friend, and the like…. It had become usual to give Napoleon the credit for every successful achievement and every stroke of good fortune.”. Napoleon made every good thing that happened his fault but any mistake, or bad thing that happened, was at the fault of Snowball, although he was run off of the
Juliette Blalock Singh 4/5 Animal Farm In the satiric novel Animal Farm by George Orwell, the character Napoleon represents a dictator in society, who turns a self-governed and unbiased farm into his own. Napoleon initially unifies with the rest of the animal’s, but soon decides to take matters into his own hands and disposes of Snowball and his proposals towards the farm. He takes advantage of the vulnerable animals so he can become in command. Napoleon is clever, brutal, and dictatorial to the animals.
Napoleon who was in control in Animal farm is similar to Joseph Stalin. One similarity between Napoleon and Stalin is they would eliminate anyone who would disagree with them or rebel against their rules. In the book Animal Farm Napoleon gets rid of Snowball because they didn't agree on what to do for the farm and he was worried all the animals would side with Snowballs ideas not Napoleons. In the book it states, “They dashed straight for Snowball, who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws,” (Orwell 53). This shows that napoleon felt threatened by Snowball and was worried he would take over the farm so he used his dogs to try to kill Snowball so Napoleon could have no choice but to rule the farm.
The next ruler of Animal Farm is Napoleon, one of the pigs on the farm. Once he gains control of the farm, he does whatever it takes to strengthen his power. He trains a group of dogs to be his guards, frighten the other animals, and kill for him. He later becomes paranoid and forces the animals to confess to crimes they did not commit, and the, “dogs promptly tore their throats out” (93) to show his power and give an example of what happens when there are crimes committed. When the farm first became Animal Farm, there were a set of commandments set up that all animals need to follow, except for Napoleon.
Lord Acton, the British historian, once said, “All power tends to corrupt, absolute power corrupts absolutely.” In the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell, the character Napoleon puts himself in charge. But, not only that he allows another pig, Squealer, to do his dirty work. And also uses dogs to chase his enemy, Snowball, away . In which leads to other animals not knowing that the farm is being ran the same way as when under Mr. Jones, the old farmer 's, control.
Furthermore, Napoleon gives the other animals the impression he was the sole leader of the rebellion on Animal farm and makes Snowball -a leader who wanted what was best for the animals- seem like an enemy who was in cahoots with Farmer Jones since long before the animals took over the farm. Napoleon and Squealer (another “fat cat” pig.) always put the blame on Snowball whenever something went wrong in the farm to avoid having the blame fall on them. Napoleon is an exemplary example of just how selfish and hypocritical people can be in furthering their own aims because he continued to subtly but purposely change the seven rules put in place as the pillars of animalism. For example, Napoleon and the other pigs move into Farmer Jones’s house and sleep in his bed after commanding “No animal shall sleep in a bed”, so he changes the commandment to read “no animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets”.
He left after the revolution of the animals that Old Major begin. When he died, they begin the rebellion. When the farm was now for the animals, the pigs took the control of it. Napoleon begin to be in competition with Snowball, because he had a lot of idea, others liked him and he was the pig that decided the most.
“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.
“He was Jones’s secret agent all the time” (79). This explanation means Napoleon betray Snowball for his own benefit, to become the only leader. This is significant to use of accusation because Napoleon uses Snowball to get more support and to gain more power. In the book, it is shown as animals who opposes Napoleon are the real brave
Napoleon and Snowball have different personalities and. In chapter 2, Napoleon is described as being a fierce-looking Berkshire boar, not much of a talker, but with a reputation for getting his own way. However, Snowball was a more vivacious pig than Napoleon, quicker in speech and more inventive. We can notice that, in the first lines of chapters two, there is already a contrast between the two pigs.