Satire In “Animal Farm” Essay, Research Paper

Orwell?s book, ?Animal Farm?, is full of satire. This satire is Orwell?s way of communicating problems and resolutions. The main message in Animal Farm is that power cannot be divided equally. There will never be equality for all. Once power is obtained it is always abused, and power causes all to think as the leader does. Equality does not exist, for it is impossible for everyone to be equal.

There will always be a leader and there will always be followers, and they will never be equal. A society in which all are equal will never exist because people will have different opinions on the way that the society should be run. ?This arrangement would have worked well enough if it had not been for the disputes between Snowball and Napoleon. These two disagreed at every point where disagreement was possible.?

Snowball and Napoleon are battling for control of the farm, they both want to be the leader because they know that the leader has the most privileges. The animals that are in charge, the pigs, do less work than the other animals. ?All that year the animals worked like slaves.? The title of leader is highly sought after, because the leader tells everyone what to do without actually having to work. The pigs not only do less work but they receive more food. ?Once again all the rations were reduced, except those of the pigs and the dogs.? The fact that the pigs receive more food than the other harder working animals, shows that the farm is full of inequality. This type of governing is wrong, and Orwell wants it to stop. Less power should be given to the leader, so that the leader and his followers can be more equal. Once a group or an individual obtains power, it is impossible to manage it correctly.

The leader will always take advantage of his power. Power causes the leader to make decisions, that will only better himself. ?? Boxer was being sent to the knacker?s.? The pigs killed an animal just so that they could make some money. The power led them to this decision, they could kill Boxer, make some money, and no one would ever find out. Everyone has heard about the golden rule: ?whoever has the gold makes the rules.? This applies to ?Animal Farm?, whoever is the leader, makes the rules. ?They had thought the Fifth Commandment was ?No animal shall drink alcohol,? but there were two words that they had forgotten. Actually the Commandment read: ?No animal shall drink alcohol to excess.?? The pigs changed the rules to better themselves, they totally abused their power. A cruel government does not last long because a rebellion occurs. Rebellions are often sparked by music, because it inspires those that are being oppressed to rise up and overthrow their dictators. ??Beasts of England? had been abolished.? The pigs banned ?Beasts of England? because it is a song that promotes rebellions. The pigs abused their power to the full extent, they were selfish and greedy. Orwell wants leaders to do what is best for the whole and not to take advantage of the masses. Gullibility is often the downfall of a fair and just society.

Once power is given to an individual or a group, individual thought ceases to exist. Napoleon was never questioned, his word was the law. ??If Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right.?? This lack of belief of one?s own ideas is often the cause of an oppressed society. The animal?s stupidity allowed the pigs to take advantage of them. ?So it was agreed without further argument?? The animals believed every explanation that Squealer gave, no matter how unrealistic. Agreeing with the leader and never questioning his orders creates a false reality. ??they had no more food than in Jones?s day?? The animals thought that they were better off because the pigs kept telling them they were. But, in reality they had the same amount of food as they had had under human rule, and they worked twice as hard. The stupidity and gullibility of the animals that made this possible. Orwell wants people to learn to think for themselves and to question what is forced upon them. They must also have faith in their own ideas and work together as a whole.

Orwell?s satire helps to illustrate the hardships that must be endured when power is abused. The goal of this book is to get people to think for themselves and have faith in their beliefs. People will never be completely equal but at least they will not be oppressed.