Symbolism In Animal Farm Essay

The animals stand under the scorching sun, their legs aching from harsh labor and stomachs growling from starvation. The pigs loom over these creatures, their stout bodies upheld by the hind legs and their crackling whips by the hooves. Animal Farm by George Orwell is a novel that uses these animals to express the corruptions of a totalitarian government. Published on August 17, 1945, this allegorical tale criticizes the Stalinist era in Russia and its unjust regime. In Animal Farm, Orwell utilizes symbolism to develop ideas about how corruption is often brought on by absolute power; through the use of symbolic characters, and various events, he illustrates how powerful individuals are subjected to immorality and tend to manipulate others to

As Napoleon begins to grow in power and influence, Snowball, his political rival, also expands his control through rhetorical means. Consequently, they often have contrasting ideas regarding the farm’s future. The debate regarding the construction of a windmill was one major conflict and caused Napoleon to resort to violence. As the boar could not bear to let others gain control, he orders his attack dogs to exile Snowball and intimidates the animals into oppression. “One of them all but closed his jaws on Snowball’s tail but Snowball whisked it free just in time. Then he put on an extra spurt and...slipped through a hole...and was seen no more. Silent and terrified the animals crept back into the barn” (Orwell, 68). This act supports Napoleon’s disregard for moral principles in order to gain absolute control over the farm animals and is symbolic to Stalin’s elimination of Trotsky to dictate as the new leader of Russia. As both the fictional character and the historical commander perform immoral acts to gain absolute power, they also commit deceitful deeds to consolidate that power. For example, by exploiting the animal’s fear of the attack dogs, Napoleon intimidates many animals to falsely confess their connections with Snowball; the narrator explains, “When they had finished their confession, the dogs promptly tore their throats out, and in a terrible voice Napoleon demanded whether any other animal had anything to confess.The three hens who had been the ringleaders in the attempted rebellion over the eggs now came forward and stated that Snowball had appeared to them in a dream and incited them to disobey Napoleon’s orders. They, too, were slaughtered.” (Orwell 93). The hens paranoid that the pigs will discover their misdeeds, confess the