power corrupts animal farm essay

Power and Corruption in Animal Farm

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others,” is a quote from George Orwell’s novel, Animal Farm, that conveys a sense of the central themes of class, power and corruption, and language and propaganda that play out in the novel (112). Through the experiences and society created by a group of farm animals, Orwell is really suggesting that human society is flawed in many of the same manners that play out as themes in his book. Concerns over the separation of class, power and corruption wielded by those in positions of authority, and usage of language to manipulate and persuade others drive the storyline as Orwell supports how these themes translate to the human experience.

“Somehow it seemed as though the farm had grown richer without making the animals themselves any richer-except, of course, for the pigs and the dogs,” demonstrates how the animals are separated by class where some reap more benefits than others (Orwell 129). As the animals struggle to produce for the humans, not all the animals are treated the same or get the same rewards, so there is a class system among the animals. While some animals are aware of the inequality, others are not, which is how it plays out in human society. Orwell is trying to tell mankind to treat people fairly or society will suffer. If all the animals were equally productive and reaped the same benefits, then there wouldn’t be a plot to the novel. The separation of class is an important element in the upheaval that occurs in the book that highlights power and corruption.

“Napoleon is always right,” is a quote that demonstrates Orwell’s use of power and corruption in the novel (Orwell 56). No one can be completely right all the time, yet the animals look to Napoleon to solve all of their problems and they don’t think much past that. Orwell is highlighting how mankind blindly follows those in power because of the power they wield, but without thought to their motives. He is suggesting that society could benefit from thinking more about who people are instead of the power that they hold. There are good and bad people everywhere and just because they make it to a position of authority doesn’t mean they are right for the position. He is telling us to think for ourselves. Yet, as with the animals, not all the people are capable of thinking and understanding at the same level, so does this even work? Perhaps there is a need for authority, whether corrupt or not, to guide those who cannot think for themselves. Either way, Orwell is providing us a glimpse into the problems associated with blindly following power and authority when corruption is involved.

Orwell uses the seven commandments to highlight how language is used to manipulate and control the animals (Orwell 24-25). He continues this use of persuasive language throughout the novel to show how words can be used as propaganda to persuade others. This is much the same as human society. Propaganda is used to make people buy products through commercials, or endorse political ideas. Again, Orwell is suggesting the importance of thinking things through and not blindly following others. Words can be used to compliment, to hurt, or to persuade, so words should be considered very carefully.

George Orwell’s Animal Farm highlights themes that are shared by human society. Class, power and corruption, and language and propaganda are all concerns that can cause disruption and unhappiness. He points out that society is sort of built on a separation of class and an assignment of power to guide those who cannot guide themselves. He makes an interesting point for consideration that perhaps there is no society without these themes playing out, so that they are essentially a necessary evil. He is also concerned with fair treatment of all and leaves us to ponder if society can ever become fair.

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Animal Farm

George orwell, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Animal Farm depicts a revolution in progress. Like all popular revolutions, the uprising in Animal Farm develops out of a hope for a better future, in which farm animals can enjoy the fruits of their own labor without the overbearing rule of humans. At the time of the revolution, all of the animals on Mr. Jones ’s farm, even the pigs, are committed to the idea of universal equality—but these high ideals that fueled the revolution in the first place gradually give way to individual and class-based self-interest. Animal Farm thus illustrates how a revolution can be corrupted into a totalitarian regime through slow, gradual changes.

At first, the revolution creates the sense that there could be a bright future in store for Animal Farm. Old Major makes a number of objectively true points in his speech to the animals, such as that Mr. Jones is a cruel and unfeeling master who cares little or not at all for their wellbeing, and that humans themselves don’t produce anything (like eggs or milk). The Seven Commandments that Snowball and Napoleon come up with in the months after are similarly idealistic, and, in theory, lay the groundwork for a revolution that truly will elevate individual workers above horrible, totalitarian leaders like Mr. Jones. Indeed, when the rebellion surprisingly happens, things initially seem as if they’re going to go in a positive direction for everyone: there are debates among the animals, animals have the ability to propose items for discussion, and every animal participates in the working of the farm. Best of all, the animals pull in the best and fastest hay harvest that the farm has ever seen, suggesting that their revolution has benefits in addition to freeing them from a cruel situation under Mr. Jones. It seems possible that they’ll truly be able to make self-government work.

However, the novel also offers early clues that corruption begins to take hold on Animal Farm long before Napoleon takes drastic steps to turn it into a totalitarian state, even when by most metrics, things seem to be going smoothly and fairly. For instance, it’s not an accident that only the pigs and the dogs are the ones who become fully literate. While to a degree, this becomes a chicken and egg question (in terms of which came first: literacy or corrupt power), the fact remains that the only literate creatures are the ones who ultimately seize control. Further, even idealistic Snowball insists to the other animals that because the literate pigs are “mindworkers” engaged in figuring out how exactly to run the farm, they need the entire crop of apples and all the cows’ milk. This power shift takes place during that first exceptional hay harvest, making it clear that things aren’t as rosy as the hay yield, and the increased productivity it suggests, might lead one to believe.

The corruption doesn’t end with the theft of milk and apples; by the end of the novel, the pigs sleep in the farmhouse, have a school for their pig children, drink alcohol, and consume sugar off of the Jones’s set of fine china—all things initially forbidden in some form in the original Seven Commandments. However, one of the most corrupt things that the pigs do is to modify the Seven Commandments to effectively legalize whatever it is they decide they want to do, from drinking alcohol to sleeping in beds. This corruption is something that most animals don’t notice, while those that do are either cowed into pretending that they don’t notice or executed for expressing concern. This combination of fear and unthinking trust in leaders, the novel suggests, is one of the most important elements that allows corruption to flourish.

Though the animals’ rebellion began as one against humans and everything they stand for in the animals’ eyes—greed, alcoholism, decadence, and cruelty, among other vices—it’s telling that the novel ends when animals, led by Clover , cannot tell Napoleon and his pig cronies apart from the human farmers who came for a tour and dinner. With this, the novel proposes that revolution is something cyclical that repeats throughout time. Because of corruption, those individuals who are powerful to begin with or who overthrow cruel and heartless leaders will inevitably come to resemble those former leaders, once they understand what it’s like to occupy such a position of power. In this sense, Orwell paints a grim view of revolution as a whole, as Animal Farm demonstrates clearly that even when the ideals of a revolution may be good, it’s all too easy to twist those ideals, fall prey to corruption, and poison the movement, harming countless powerless individuals in the process.

Revolution and Corruption ThemeTracker

Revolution and Corruption Quotes in Animal Farm

“Why then do we continue in this miserable condition? Because nearly the whole of the produce of our labour is stolen from us by human beings.”

“Man is the only real enemy we have. Remove Man from the scene, and the root cause of hunger and overwork is abolished for ever. Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals. He sets them to work, he gives back to them the bare minimum that will prevent them from starving, and the rest he keeps for himself.”

“Remember, comrades, your resolution must never falter. No argument must lead you astray. Never listen when they tell you that Man and the animals have a common interest, that the prosperity of the one is the prosperity of the others. It is all lies. Man serves the interests of no creature except himself. And among us animals let there be perfect unity, perfect comradeship in the struggle. All men are enemies. All animals are comrades.”

“Comrades!” he cried. “You do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of us actually dislike milk and apples. Milk and apples (this has been proved by Science, comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig. We pigs are brainworkers. The whole management and organization of this farm depend on us. Day and night we are watching over your welfare. It is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples.”

“I have no wish to take life, not even human life,” repeated Boxer, and his eyes were full of tears.

At this there was a terrible baying sound outside, and nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars came bounding into the barn. They dashed straight for Snowball, who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws.

“No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?”

“Napoleon is always right.”

“Comrades, do you know who is responsible for this? Do you know the enemy who has come in the night and overthrown our windmill? SNOWBALL!”

If a window was broken or a drain was blocked up, someone was certain to say that Snowball had come in the night and done it, and when the key of the store-shed was lost, the whole farm was convinced that Snowball had thrown it down the well. Curiously enough, they went on believing this even after the mislaid key was found under a sack of meal.

If she herself had had any picture of the future, it had been of a society of animals set free from hunger and the whip, all equal, each working according to his capacity, the strong protecting the weak [...] Instead - she did not know why - they had come to a time when no one dared speak his mind, when fierce, growling dogs roamed everywhere, and when you had to watch your comrades torn to pieces after confessing to shocking crimes.

At the foot of the end wall of the big barn, where the Seven Commandments were written, there lay a ladder broken in two pieces. Squealer, temporarily stunned, was sprawling beside it, and near at hand there lay a lantern, a paint-brush, and an overturned pot of white paint. [...] None of the animals could form any idea as to what this meant, except old Benjamin, who nodded his muzzle with a knowing air, and seemed to understand, but would say nothing.

Besides, in those days they had been slaves and now they were free, and that made all the difference, as Squealer did not fail to point out.

Somehow it seemed as though the farm had grown richer without making the animals themselves any richer—except, of course, for the pigs and the dogs.

“Four legs good, two legs better !”

ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL, BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS.

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.

Animal Farm Power Corrupts

How it works

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others” (Orwell, 134). In the novel Animal Farm, by George Orwell, Napoleon and Snowball had a strong friendship and relationship. They during this time were creating the theory of Animalism. They came up with this from Old Major’s speech, and later they complied these ideas into seven commandments. Once Old Major dies Napoleon and Snowball become rivalries and have a rebellion against each other.

In Animal Farm argumentative essay Napoleon is a pig who is competing with Snowball for control over Animal Farm.

He is aggressive towards how he approaches things and is power hungry, which was all he cared about. He never shown any interest in strength of Animal Farm, but the strength of him ruling over it. The only activity that he took on with joy, was training a litter of puppies. He does not train them for their good or to help the rest of the animals, but to help himself. They become his private army that he executes on others. Napoleon is more treacherous than his counter-part, Snowball. After getting rid of Snowball off the farm he increases his personal power and privileges, while having a tight control on the rest of the animals. This pig is based off of the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, but Napoleon represents the political rulers that were throughout human history, but mainly in the twentieth century. Stalin forced development of agricultural land, this resulted in millions dying. His Red Army helped defeat Nazi Germany during World War II.

Snowball is the other pig that is challenging Napoleon for the place of ruler over Animal Farm. He is a character of Leon Trotsky in the Spanish Civil War. Snowball’s character throws himself heart and soul into attempting to spread Animalism worldwide and improve the farm’s organization and set-up, just like Leon Trotsky would do. Snowball accepts the power of the pigs over the rest of the animals. His single-minded enthusiasm for big projects like the windmill might not have ended up badly if he had not been chased from Animal Farm. His ideas are not always practical, but they are always grand and far-reaching. By doing the windmill he was just trying to help and improve the farm by generating electricity. He comes up with other ways to improve the animals’ lives and education. “Orwell states that we cannot eliminate government corruption by electing honorable individuals to roles of power, that it is power itself that corrupts.”

Old Major was the prize-winning boar that was ruler over the Farm. One night he gathers everyone in the barn to tell them about a what is wrong with their world, and teaches them the “Beasts of England.” Three days later Old Major dies, leaving Snowball and Napoleon to having a competition over who is ruler of the Farm. He shows that his life has been long, full, and free from the terrors that he vividly sketched for his audience. Orwell had a great respect for Karl Marx, who was the German political economist. As well as, Vladimir Ilych Lenin, who was the Russian revolutionary leader. Major represented both Marx and Lenin, serves as the ideals that the animals continue to support even after their pig leaders betrayed them. The Karl Marx in him shows that his ideologies and writings eventually led to the Communist Revolution. Old Major is extremely positive, Orwell includes a few small sarcasms to allow the reader to question the pig’s purposes. One example is how the animals have been treated by the humans.

Napoleon’s role does the most harm to everyone on the farm. He is careless, and does not want to help out with anything. He wants everyone to do everything for him. Snowball wants to help others, where Napoleon shows that he is cruel and wants all the food for himself. The other two characters, Snowball and Old Major, are willing to do anything, no matter what it takes to make the farm better for everyone not just themselves. Napoleon demands everything unsteady loyalty and trust from his fellow animals. Napoleon leaks out that he has trained nine dogs and runs Snowball of the farm for him to rule for himself. This was because they were deciding if they should build the windmill or not. The day that everyone decides to take a vote on the windmill and the animals are for it, Napoleon has his attack dogs run Snowball of the land. “By the time he had finished speaking, there was no doubt as to which way the vote would go.

Nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars came bounding into the barn right towards Snowball” (Orwell, 52-53). Napoleon’s actions towards Snowball were cruel because he did not get his way so he just ran him off and had him disappear. Another cruel and selfish thing that Napoleon did was anytime that Snowball was speaking or saying a speech the sheep would bleat, while Napoleon told them to do. This is selfish as he was trying to distract Snowball or make him forget on what he is trying to say. “Napoleon was especially successful with the sheep.

The sheep had been bleating “Four legs good, two legs bad” and interrupted the meeting with this. It was notice especially during Snowball’s speeches” (Orwell, 47-48). Snowball and Napoleon in the beginning came up with the seven commandments, then by the end he had disobeyed every single commandment. In conclusion, Napoleon’s choice was not good because he was trying to sabotage Snowball, that way he could have all the power, fame, and rule the farm for himself.  

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Animal Farm Essay - Power Corrupts

Power Corrupts Therefore Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely

By: Vraj Barot 8.01

George Orwell’s satirical fable Animal Farm  perfectly puts these famous words first quoted by Lord Acton in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887, into a real life scenario. In actual fact Acton stated in his letter:

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolutely power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.”

No doubt that when Lord Acton wrote this letter, he was referring to an event that had occurred during his time as he, like Orwell, is a social commentator and was most probably reflecting on a leader that had let power get to his head. This phrase however, based on a particular event as it is, has gone on and become a timeless and ever resurfacing trait of man. Acton’s Comment is quite vague however it goes into the very heart of the dynamics of political power and its chance of corrupting. George Orwell in his novella Animal Farm warns of this trait of man and tries to teach that man is weak and those in the position of power will give in to corruption if give the chance to. In the purpose of this essay I will describe the corruption of the Animal Farm movie adaptation and who after gaining total power over the book the producers completely corrupted it. This essay will describe how the Animal Farm (the movie), was corrupted in the purpose of setting, character and theme.

For a long time producers have been making filmic adaptations of book hoping to cash in on their popularity. However in most cases producers have been changing, shortening and to some point corrupting whole movies just to suit their own needs. Unfortunately the filmic adaptation of Animal Farm has not been spared from this awful trend that seems to follow all classical books. It has been corrupted beyond recognition and bears no meaning. The producers have taken a book that is full of meaning, ripped it apart and turned it into a happy g-rated book with no meaning at all. What is incredibly ironic is that when George Orwell put out his novella he wanted to educate the masses and teach them about the flaws of communism and how man could become corrupt is given too much power. On the other hand the producers have used his book to send out the exact opposite message; they have used the book to tell ‘children’ that communism is wrong and totally unachievable. In other words the producers have taken a book that sends out the message ‘power corrupts’ and then, after gaining total power of it, have corrupted it themselves.

This is a preview of the whole essay

George Orwell, in his novella, has not gone into great detail when explaining the setting. Whereas on the other hand, the movie adaptation of the film has gone into great detail with the settings and to what feelings they create. The producers have done this as this is a film meant for kids and the easiest way to tell kids that something is not right, apart from just telling them, is to show them. The producers even went to the trouble of hiring 80 animators just to create the scenery and totally manipulate children’s views. An example of this is with the movie’s description of Manor Farm, which is later called Animal Farm. In the book George Orwell does not go into great detail about the setting but does describe it as a farm that was not looked after too well but was not that bad. In the movie adaptation however, the farm is shown differently. The farm is shown as an unhappy place that “had fallen on evil days”.  They have used dark dreary colors to portray the farm and make it somehow look sinister. They producers have done this so that they can influence the opinions of children and make then, from the offset believe that the farm under Jones’s rule is a bad place. That if you look at it symbolically implies that the country of Russia under the rule of the Tsar is a bad place. Another example of this is when, just before and directly after the revolution the color patterns change once again. This time the farm is shown as a bright and colorful place that is full of joy and excitement. This change in patterns is obviously to tell kids that the revolution is a good thing. The only other real change in scenery comes near the end of the movie. This is when the producers switch back again to the dark and gloomy theme implying that the animals have yet again gone into a bad time.

The characters that have been included in the movie are corrupted just the same as the setting. I would even say that the characters are even more corrupted then the setting. For starters many of the characters that George Orwell included in his book have been discarded. The two characters that have been corrupted the most are the characters of Snowball and Napoleon. In the book George Orwell says this for snowball: “Snowball was a more vivacious pig than Napoleon, quicker in speech and more inventive, but was not considered to have the same depth of character.” In the movie Snowball is shows as a vicious pig that has fangs and trotters that look very much like claws. The movie also depicts him as a pure white pig. Napoleon is much like snowball as he too is depicted to have fangs and claws the only difference between him and snowball is that he is blackish in color and is a bit plumper. This seems to imply that snowball in the better of the two. All of the remaining characters have also been corrupt as in the book they were depicted as being able to speak, but in the movie the animal’s, apart from the pigs, are shown as not smart enough to talk. The only animal, apart from the pigs, in the whole movie that talk, are the sheep. This is another example of corruption as in the book the sheep are represented as the dumb followers that actually did not know what was happening. In the movie however, the producers make the sheep able to speak, clearly implying that the sheep are smarter than the other animals. Another character whose role has been corrupt and changed is Benjamin. This is what George Orwell said of him in his book;

“Benjamin was the oldest animal on the farm and the worst tempered. He seldom talked, and when he did, it was usually to make some cynical remark… Alone among the animals on the farm he never laughed. If asked why, he would say that he saw nothing to laugh at. Nevertheless, without openly admitting it, he was devoted to Boxer.”

In the movie Benjamin is described as a hard worker that does all he can to help the farm. This is totally out of character for Benjamin. From reading the book you can clearly tell that Benjamin does no more than he is required to do and is very retracted from the rebellion. The producers have clearly Benjamin like they have to imply that he is hero.

The plot in the Animal Farm movie adaptation has also been corrupted. The plot is the least corrupted part of the whole movie which is a surprising fact. Only a few factors from the book, in the whole movie, have been corrupted. One of the minor things that have been changed is the fact that the animals are never taught the tune of “Beasts Of England”. In the movie it is shown that the animals already know the tune. An interesting fact to note is that the actual words of the song are never sung but are replaced by a tune. Another thing that has been corrupted is the seven commandments. Some of the rules that were in the original book have been left out of the movie. These rules are; “whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy, No animal shall wear clothes”   these rules have been omitted from the movie for no obvious reason. One surprising thing that has been added to the rules however, is Napoleon’s maxim, “four legs good, two legs bad.”  This, like the omitted rules, has no reason, beyond the producers wanting to simplify the movie for the kids watching it. The thing that has been the most corrupted in terms of plot, is the ending. In the original book Benjamin is left “looking 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.”  Whereas is the movie Benjamin sends out a battle cry and leads the animal into a counter-revolution. This obviously happens as the producers believe that having a happy ending would please the children that were watching.

The motto “ Power Corrupts, Therefore Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely”   may have just been a random phrase, said by a random person, at a random time, but it has become one of the phrases that defines our planet. From the corruption of George w. Bush in the Global War Against Terrorism, to the more serious corruptions of Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi government. One thing is for certain, no matter where we go, where we run, corruption will always follow is there is any power to be gained.

• Rockwell Mc Collin’s Essay
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• Author Type Student
• Word Count 1579
• Page Count 4
• Level AS and A Level
• Subject English
• Type of work Homework assignment

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Animal Farm — The Issues of Power and Corruption in Animal Farm and Divergent

The Issues of Power and Corruption in Animal Farm and Divergent

• Categories: Animal Farm Corruption Divergent

About this sample

Words: 1213 |

Pages: 2.5 |

Published: Jun 29, 2018

Words: 1213 | Pages: 2.5 | 7 min read

Table of contents

Animal farm essay outline, animal farm essay example, introduction.

• Introduction to the theme of power and corruption in "Animal Farm" and "Divergent"
• Mention of the assertion that "all power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely"

Power and Corruption: Inseparable

• Discussion of how both texts demonstrate that power cannot be attained without corruption
• Examples from "Animal Farm" and "Divergent" illustrating the use of corrupt means to gain power

The Craving for More Power

• Exploration of the idea that once a taste of power occurs, the individual/institution craves more
• Examination of characters in both texts who exhibit this craving for more power

Intellectual Superiority and Psychological Manipulation

• Discussion of how power is tied to intellectual superiority
• Analysis of how leaders in both texts psychologically manipulate others to expand their power
• Examples illustrating the use of intellect and manipulation in "Animal Farm" and "Divergent"
• Summarization of the central theme that "all power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely" in both texts
• Restating the role of corruption, the craving for more power, and intellectual superiority in the theme

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Power Corrupt In Animal Farm (Essay Example)

“Power does not corrupt, fear corrupts… perhaps the fear of a loss of power” (John Steinbeck). In the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell, the setting takes place on a farm. In the beginning, power was held by Mr. Jones but later on, would be led by the corrupted pig Napoleon. The pigs on the farm lead the charge who are Snowball and Squealer. The main goal of the farm is to change the ways it was running before and make it greater. There is a similarity between the book and the movie V for Vendetta which is directed by James McTeigue. This film takes place in England with Chancellor Sutler the leader having corrupt power. V the main character wants him out of power and will do whatever it takes to do it even with deadly actions. Greedy who works for Sutler is taking orders from him at first but in the end, is wondering if it is really worth it. Leaders in George Orwell's allegorical novel Animal Farm and in Warner Brother’s film adaptation of V for Vendetta both use censorship in order to tell lies to the people, propaganda to have the security, censorship to protect themselves, and fear to maintain the power.

Propaganda allows security in control to limit the freedom from others in the film and in the novel. In Animal Farm the pigs have a sense of feeling secured by the protection of the dogs. There have been multiple situations where the pigs got what they wanted without worrying about the other animals stopping them. They limit important resources like food on the farm, so with the consistent work they put in only a few rations of food are rewarded. Neverless a few of the animals questioned the work on the windmill “the three dogs… growled so threateningly, that they accepted his explanation without further questions” (Orwell 58). Napoleon, Snowball, and Squealer the smart swine on the farm do the least amount of work. The hardest working animals which include Boxer never question what work has to be done, and they accepted the rules. To continue on another example of security happens in the film V for Vendetta. The chancellor is the man in charge of the city, and there is a twelve o clock curfew for the people. One night Evey Hammond a girl who lives on her own decides to go out past this curfew. Her main goal was to go to the Gordon Dietrich house which is her boss. However while in a dark alley the Fingermen who are the so-called “cops” of the night stopped her (Warner Brothers). If it was not for the help of V the main character in the film the men would have blacked bag her. Once a human is blacked bagged the hearing of their name is not heard anymore and is presumed dead. Although the curfew of the town is pretty early no one dares bother going out past curfew for their safety of their own. The freedom in both Animal Farm and V for Vendetta is narrowed by the power of security. 

Both the film and the book use censorship to lie to the community so it would never change. Throughout the book, the pigs so often tell lies to the other animals so they will always keep working. Without working the farm would collapse, and the pigs would no longer be leading it. One important reason they lie is so they can be doing what they want without having to face any of the consequences. At one point the pigs discover whiskey, but one of the seven commandments is “no pig shall consume any alcohol”. Even though they should follow if they decide to drink it but then, later on, change the commandment to no drinking “to excess’. They can get away with it and the farm will keep carrying along with the work. One of the nights a disastrous storm came through destroying the windmill. With no answers to what happened the animals were confused, “do you know the enemy who has come in the night overthrowing our windmill… SNOWBALL” (Orwell 70). Napoleon did not want the other animals to know the truth about why the windmill came down. The main idea was to trick the animals so they all hate Snowball in case of a future return. The destruction of a building piece was also a huge conflict in the film. Chancellor Sutler does not like sharing information on any terrorist like an event taking place. The beginning of the film kicks off with an explosion that exploded the Old Bailey building. To not put any fear into the citizen's eyes the Chancellor had the media say it was a planned explosion (Warner Brothers). This way no one should be concerned that they are under attack by anyone which could start some chaos, and Sutler can get time to find out more about V. To not let the community change the leaders tell lies to their own people.

Censorship plays a important part in the power of holding off the truth, to not letting the citizens rebel. Napoleon and the other pigs are very good at keeping the truth from the other animals on the farm. There have been times when the animals believed that they are equal and had the full desire to want to keep working until great things come. At one point Moses who is the raven on the farm told the animals about a place called Sugar Candy Mountain. That is the equivalent of heaven so they think to get the hard work done now, and then it will pay off. This is huge for Napoleon and the other pigs because they do not have to share any other information with them without being suspected. Later throughout the hardest worker Boxer collapsed. For a while, his lungs have been bad without any rest but his main goal was to see the windmill finished. Eventually, Napoleon calls the knacker to take him away. All the animals believed that he is going to the vet to get fixed, but in reality, he was being put down for some booze. As the van is driving “disappearing down the road Boxer was never seen again” (Orwell 123). Some had the suspicion that he was going to never come back from the reading on the side of the van. Napoleon insisted to all the other comrades that the van was never changed in design and that he will be back soon.  V for Vendetta has great events for not sharing the truth to protect themselves. There was a building named Larkhill which served as a detention center. People that are either homosexuals, people that know too much, or other people that did not fit into society went here. The main purpose of this center was to run tests on people and most of it is torture. One of the doctors that worked there was doctor Diana who was one of the main ladies in charge. Unfortunately, the building caught on fire and nothing else was left of it. However, she still had a notebook about the center and the different drugs that were put into the patient. After her death Inspector Finch had it and the Chancellor wanted none of the information shared about the notebook (Warner Brothers) If the information inside it was released to the public they would soon realize how cruel it was and could turn on the Chancellor. Since it was kept hidden Sutler did not have to worry about the public coming after him only V. To keep the citizens from rebelling the truth needs to be kept a secret.

Due to fear getting rid of power to get new power is easier. Throughout the novel, Animal Farm being scared on the farm has always been the story. Mollie who is one of the horses on the farm did not mind Mr. Jones, during one of the battles between the humans and the animals she hid. Even one of the main leaders Napoleon avoided fighting in a battle leaving it for the others to fight for him. The animals wanted their own rebellion so they kicked open the food, when about to be stopped “Jones and his men found themselves being kicked from all sides” (Orwell 19). After this Jones and the other men ran away officially making it Animal Farm. Excited to have new power in control they came up with commandments for the farm and other plans on what they wanted to do. Getting rid of the power in control can take a long time shown in V for Vendetta. V’s main goal is to get rid of the Chancellor and the control of the government. The reasoning for this is he thinks it is a corrupted system and he wants revenge for the torture he was put into at Larkhill. At one point he dresses up as someone else going to meet the detective to give them some information. When met up he begins saying that Sutler is corrupted and he is the main issue why all of these events and killings are happening. While having an opportunity to kill Creedy he lets him go, but asks for a favor to kill the Chancellor (Warner Brothers). The favor was given V does kill Sutler in order to get a new leader in the main positioning spot. The Fingermen and Creedy were the ones that blacked bag him in order to attempt the capture of v and the disposing of Sutler. Using fear is an easy way to obtain a new power while eliminating the last.

All things considered the different propaganda, censorship, and fear in the film V for Vendetta and in the novel Animal Farm shows the different tactics used to remain in power the leaders have in both the novel and the film had protective security to make sure none of the citizens get many benefits in return. Making them know what the rules are and not obeying them. Also to keep the people from rebelling and taking over there have been lies told to avoid all of the chances. Censorship was very important for both Napolean and Chancellor Sutler. The important truths in major conflicts have been avoided coming out because they decided to lie on their own to cover up the fact. Once the community tried to figure out what is really going on fear was put into their eyes. In the end, both of the powers have collapsed, leading to no benefits throughout the film and the novel. The importance of Animal Farm and V for Vendetta is realizing these actions that take place are possible to happen in modern-day society. Seeing corrupted leaders taking over just to ruin the community and only benefit themselves.

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George Orwell

Animal Farm

Related Topics

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Animal Farm : Power Corrupts

Animal Farm by George Orwell is a novel that illustrates how power can corrupt individuals and lead to abuse of authority. The story revolves around the animals on a farm who overthrow their human owner and establish their own government. The pigs, led by Napoleon, gradually become corrupt and abuse their power to benefit themselves at the expense of the other animals. Squealer, another pig, uses his talent for persuasion to spread propaganda and maintain control over the other animals. The abuse of power affects the entire farm, with the animals forced to work harder and receive fewer rations than under the previous human owner. This abuse of power in the novel is similar to how some governments operate today, with propaganda and manipulation of language being used to maintain control over the population. The parallels between the novel and society today highlight the dangers of unchecked power and the importance of remaining vigilant against abuses of authority.

Lord Acton’s famous quote, “Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely,” perfectly captures the theme of power abuse in the novel Animal Farm. Throughout the story, this corruption of power affects not only the animals but also shapes events and ultimately determines the outcome.

The primary characters influenced by this corrupting force are Napoleon and Squealer, as well as the entire farm as a whole. As the de facto leader of Animal Farm, Napoleon holds an immense amount of power bestowed upon him due to his leadership position. However, rather than utilizing this power for the betterment of both the farm and its inhabitants, Napoleon selfishly exploits it for personal gain and that of his fellow pigs.

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The animals on the farm are subjected to heavy labor and reduced food rations, while their leader, Napoleon, enjoys increased privileges with minimal physical work. Furthermore, Napoleon abuses his military force, the dogs, by commanding them to kill other animals. Among Napoleon’s comrades, Squealer holds a significant amount of power due to their shared ideas and interests. Squealer possesses a remarkable talent for persuasive speech, which enables him to manipulate and convince both the less intelligent and even some of the smarter animals that the pigs’ actions are justified.

He is a pig who disseminates Napoleon’s propaganda to the other animals. He distorts language in order to uphold governmental control. The entire farm is profoundly impacted by the misuse of power depicted in the novel. The animals are eventually compelled to toil even more strenuously than during Jones’ era while enduring decreased rations. Esteemed animals like Boxer, symbolizing the proletariat, are unjustly treated despite being the most diligent workers. Boxer’s unwavering faith in Napoleon’s authority and intellect denies him the fairness he deserves in his labor. Presently, numerous governments exploit their power.

Even in America, propaganda and the manipulation of language are utilized to exploit power, akin to the character Squealer. Like Napoleon, many governments exploit their military forces, while numerous individuals, like the working class in America, become victims of abuse. The pigs in Animal Farm symbolize both the government and the upper class, displaying their relentless desire to retain high levels of power. The abuse of power depicted in Animal Farm resonates deeply within our present-day society. The abuses perpetrated by Napoleon, Squealer, and the pigs bear striking similarities to the experiences of people in current times. Furthermore, the various animal characters in the story parallel the struggles faced by individuals in contemporary society.

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Power Corrupts in Animal Farm Analysis

How does power corrupt people? In the book, “Animal Farm” by George Orwell, he talks about how power can overtake people’s lives. Power can either be a terrible or an amazing thing. The theme is that power can eventually take over life if you get too caught up in it. Leaders will do anything so that people will follow their beliefs and decisions which could be bad in many ways. Leaders can become too confident in themselves which could lead to them thinking only about themselves and not others. Sometimes leaders take their actions too far which can cause a fight against someone else. In other words, when power corrupts people, it can cause bad things to happen to them and to others.

Leaders will do anything so that people will follow their beliefs and decisions which could be bad in many ways. Power can corrupt people in any sort of way. Some people start off shy when becoming leader but then it could end in something like a dictatorship. This means that the leader will do anything to get people on their side, decisions could become out of hand too. ‘"Comrades," he said quietly, "do you know who is responsible for this? Do you know the enemy who has come in the night and overthrown our windmill? SNOWBALL!"’ (Orwell, page 21). This quote shows that Napoleon is trying to get every animal on his side. He will lie and do anything for that to happen. Napoleon is trying to get everyone against Snowball because he is very self-centered. He only wants everything for himself and is using the animals only for the number of votes to become the next leader at the farm. As a result, Napoleon would do anything in his power to get everyone to follow what he believes in.

Leaders can become too confident in themselves which could lead to them thinking only about themselves and not others. Leaders can get way too confident while being in charge. Yes, the leader will try and get others on their side but they are only thinking about what will happen to themselves in the future. “When they were all gathered together, Napoleon emerged from the farmhouse, wearing both his medals (for he had recently awarded himself "Animal Hero, First Class," and "Animal Hero, Second Class").” (Orwell, page 25). This quote means that Napoleon thinks he is the best. He is too confident in himself and sometimes forgets that there are other things happening in the world. Napoleon gave himself two medals and didn’t give anyone else a medal because he only thinks for himself and doesn’t think about how others feel about him giving them only to himself. Overall, Napoleon is too confident in himself and doesn’t think about the consequences about only thinking about him and not others.

Sometimes leaders take their actions too far which can cause a fight against someone else. People who have power can potentially start a fight if they take it too far. They can make terrible decisions and if other people are against their choices, then they could start a fight which will end in terrible things. “The one argued that if they could not defend themselves they were bound to be conquered, the other argued that if rebellions happened everywhere they would have no need to defend themselves.” (Orwell, page 16). This quote means that Napoleon and Snowball are in a disagreement about who has better decisions between each other. They both want to be the leader of who gets to choose all of the decisions. Napoleon and Snowball always disagree with each other, but this time, this fight led to Snowball leaving the farm. The two brothers always have different choices which will always lead to something bad. This power can corrupt so many people which can potentially cause a fight. For this reason, Napoleon and Snowball always fight about who will get to make all of the decisions like a leader, but that could end badly because power corrupts many people in this world.

The theme is that power can eventually take over life if you get too caught up in it. Leaders will do anything so that people will follow their beliefs and decisions which could be bad in many ways. Leaders can become too confident in themselves which could lead to them thinking only about themselves and not others. Sometimes leaders take their actions too far which can cause a fight against someone else. In conclusion, power can corrupt people in many different ways and it usually doesn’t turn out too good once power overtakes you as a person.

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