Animal Farm Rhetorical Analysis

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“The pen is mightier than the sword.” This is a popular saying that explains that, sometimes, in order to persuade or convince people, one should not use force but words. In Animal Farm, by George Orwell, animals overthrow the human leader and start a new life, but some animals want to become the new leaders. To make the other animals obey the pigs, they first have to persuade the farm’s population. Squealer is the best pig for this job because he effectively convinces the animals to follow Napoleon by using different rhetorical devices and methods of persuasion. Squealer uses rhetorical devices in order to effectively persuade the other animals on the farm. To ensure that the other animals are not under the impression that the pigs are abusing their power, Squealer persuades them that the milk and apples they are taking are necessary for them to run the farm: “We pigs are brainworkers. The whole management and organisation of this farm depends on us. It is for your sake that we drink milk and eat those apples. Do you know what would happen if we failed in our duty? Yes, Jones would come back!” (Orwell 36). Squealer uses the rhetorical device, hypophora. He asks a question then quickly answers it so his audience believes his answer instead …show more content…

His use of rhetorical devices and methods of persuasion effectively convinces the animals to believe farfetched ideas. By using different rhetorical devices, he convinces the animals that the pigs are not abusing their power, just like in the milk and apples incident and the bed dispute. Also, by using several methods of persuasion, he convinces them that Snowball, one of the most trustworthy animals, is evil and a double agent, and he also instills loyalty in the other animals for Napoleon after Boxer is murdered. Squealer is definitely the most effective speaker because he convinces and persuades all the animals on the farm to believe blatant

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