Animal Farm Essay, Research Paper

Many great works have been inspired by events in history. George Orwell?s

Animal Farm provides an unusual outlook on the Russian Revolution and its

leaders by using animals to represent their human counterparts. Orwell attacks

communist society and points out weaknesses in its government officials. He

calls for a close examination of the treatment of Russian citizens and questions

whether they have any rights at all. Orwell was careful in his designation of

animals in Animal Farm, especially in regards to the power reserved for the

pigs. Animal Farm uses the perfect combination of animal symbolism to relate the

occurrences on Manor Farm to actual historical events of the Russian Revolution

through the use of such characters as Napoleon, Snowball, Squealer, and Boxer.

Napoleon is undoubtedly the most devout and corrupt character in the novel. His

domineering and brutal methods of ruling the farm draw strange but clear

comparison to his human counterpart Joseph Stalin. Napoleon is described as ?a

large, rather fierce-looking Berkshire boar, the only Berkshire on the farm, not

much of a talker, but with a reputation for getting his own way? (Orwell 25).

He Ingram 2 dominates the political scene on Manor Farm, controls the education

of the youth, and is a brilliant strategist when it comes to rallying support

for his cause. Napoleon, throughout the novel, fails to present an idea that is

original, but tends to take credit for the ideas of others (Meyers 108). Like

Stalin, Napoleon is not a good speaker and is certainly not as clever as his

political opponent. However, he makes good use of his resident

?smooth-talker,? Squealer, to insure that his subjects see the purpose of

his twisted commands, while those who oppose him are merely torn apart by dogs

that Napoleon reared to protect him and distribute justice as he sees fit in

much the same way that Stalin used the KGB. Napoleon relies on flashy displays

of power like the firing of the shotgun and fancy titles such as ?Terror of

Mankind,? ?Protector of the Sheepfold,? and ?Fountain of Happiness? to

feed his hunger for power and invoke the other animal?s support at the deepest

emotional level (Smyer 86). Yet throughout his brutal reign as sole leader of

the farm, Napoleon maintains a harsh regiment of work that tax the bodies of

every animal under his command. Only Napoleon and the other pigs enjoy the

fruits of their labor while the others are left to exist with minimal food

Ingram 3 and only their pride to sustain them through their slave-like lives.

Communism is not as corrosive to Napoleon as much as the ambitious accumulation

of power (Hammond 162). Nonetheless, this leader?s Stalin-like qualities make

for a harsh life for those around him and provide the farm with poverty and

inequality. Unlike Napoleon, Snowball exhibits a desire to help his fellow

animals, making him Napoleon?s greatest opponent and only obstacle. Snowball

is also modeled after a Russian leader. His description of being ?a more

vivacious pig than Napoleon, quicker in speech and more inventive? (Orwell 25)

makes him the perfect representation of Leon Trotsky. ?Snowball embodies an

expanding, dynamic view of reality; his social fabric will be permeable to the

dynamic energies of an ever-changing technology? (Smyer 85). His good

intentions are evident to all of the animals, and his means of assuring a better

life consists of a more humane work schedule and even a retirement plan for

elderly animals. Laws are also established which are conducive to the overall

ideas and fundamentals of Animalism?summed up by ?Four legs Good, Two legs

Bad? (Orwell 40). Orwell?s view of Snowball?s role in this society is

Ingram 4 best summed up by the following: Snowball also busied himself with

organizing the other animals into what he called Animal Committees?. He formed

the Egg production Committee for the hens, the Clean Tails Committee for the

cows, the Wild Comrades Re-education Committee?and various others, besides

instituting classes in reading and writing. (Orwell 39) Snowball is a scholar of

many areas and even studies military strategy which helps him lead the animals

to victory at the Battle of Cowshed where Farmer Jones attempts to regain his

farm (Meyers 109). Snowball?s dynamic speeches and innovative ideas give

insight to his superior intelligence, which allows him to maintain control of

Animal Farm until he is chased away by Napoleon?s dogs. Trotsky also possessed

this same intellect and speaking ability and fell victim to Lenin?s KGB agents

who forced him to flee of hid life. After Snowball?s exile, Napoleon

diminishes the population?s faith in their former leader by accusing him of

treason and blaming all of the problems encountered on the farm as Snowball?s

revenge. This reduces all of Snowball, along with his good intentions, to a mere

scapegoat. Squealer plays a major role in the dictatorship of Napoleon. His role

as the propagandist for the pigs Ingram 5 bestows on him the task of persuading

the animals? opinions of Napoleon and justifying the leader?s commands by

rationalizing them to the less intelligent animals. Squealer?s character

corresponds to the propagandists that Lenin and Stalin used to manipulate the

Russian public. The smooth-talking Squealer delights in his task of providing

the ideologically correct (Smyer 124). Squealer makes up for Napoleon?s

inability to give dynamic speeches and alters the Seven Commandments to

accommodate the desires of Napoleon and the rest of the pigs. Squealer himself

is weak in character but assumes a sense of responsibility and power by

performing his tasks for Napoleon. Through fast-talking and the swift whisking

of his tail, he convinces the animals of Manor Farm to believe and follow

Napoleon. Without Squealer, there is a chance that the animals would realize

that Animalism no longer exists under Napoleon and would rebel against their

leader. Among the other animals in the fable, Boxer is the best representation

of the mistreated working class. Boxer is the strongest animal on the farm and

is ?an enormous beast, nearly eighteen hands high, and as strong as any two

ordinary horses put together? (Orwell 16). Boxer is used Ingram 6 as the

farm?s premiere soldier and most productive laborer. He exhibits loyalty to

the growth and production of Animal Farm by undertaking the toughest labor and

vowing to work harder when times are tough. Boxer serves as an inspiration to

the other animals and his approval of Napoleon?s rule help maintain confidence

in their leader. Boxer unfortunately is the least intelligent of the animals,

which leads him to support ideas that he does not fully understand. He adopts

the motto, ?Napoleon is always right? (Orwell 60) which shows his ignorance

whether it be by choice or by stupidity. Boxer wakes up earlier than the other

animals to get a head start on the daily chores. Yet, despite his tireless

effort, even Boxer is expendable in the mind of Napoleon and the other pigs.

After Boxer?s usefulness has left him, the pigs sell his body to the local

glue-maker leaving Boxer with no reward for such a productive life. Animal

Farm?s strange depiction of the Russian Revolution provides great insight to

the weaknesses of communism and dictatorships. Orwell?s decision to establish

the pig as the most intelligent and governing animal on the farm seems quite

fitting since they are Ingram 7 regarded as dirty creatures by nature. His

depiction of the downtrodden working class is masterful and invokes the

reader?s deepest sympathy. By using simple farm animals to draw a comparison

to real life historical figures George Orwell successfully provokes thought and

criticism to human nature as well as corrupt government.

Hammond, J. R. A George Orwell Companion. New York: St. Martin?s Press,

1983. Orwell, George. Animal Farm. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc,

1946. Meyers, Jeffery. ?Animal Farm Is a Strong Political Allegory.?

Readings on Animal Farm. Ed. Terry O?Neill. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1998.

Smyer, Richard I. Animal Farm: A Student?s Companion to the Novel. Boston:

Twayne Publishers, 1988.