Theme Of Manipulation In Animal Farm

Introduction:

“The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use the words.” These words from renowned science fiction writer Philip K.Dick reflect a major theme in George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm. In the story the reader realizes that the characters in the book use language to manipulate others to the point where the animals can not distinguish between truth and lies.

1st Example (from Chapters I-IV):

The animals on Manor Farm have rebelled against their delinquent human owner. Mast of the animals dream of a utopian world where everyone is equal. They envisions a better world than the one their owner, Mr. Jones, gave them. Almost

The pigs were given larger amounts of food, and living in better conditions than the other animals. They were able to accomplish this because they told all the animals that since they were the real brains behind Animal Farm's accomplishments, they needed to rest so that they could be healthy. As the years pass by there seems to be more animals aging and dying within the farm. One evening Clover discovers their tyrannical leaders walking on their hind legs and carrying whips. The sheep who bleated out, “Four legs good, two legs bad,”now follow and new chant that was taught by Squealer, “Four legs good, two legs better!” Clover notices something on the wall where the commandments were written the only commandment left was, “All animals are equal,” but an addition has been made for it to now say, “but some animals are more equal than others.” “One day in early summer Squealer ordered the sheep to follow him, and led them out to a piece of waste ground at the other end of the farm, which had become overgrown with birch saplings. The sheep spent the whole day there browsing at the leaves under Squealer's supervision. In the evening he returned to the farmhouse himself, but, as it was warm weather, told the sheep to stay where they were. It ended by their remaining there for a whole week, during which time the other animals saw nothing of them. Squealer was with them for the greater part of every day. He

With language and jurisdiction the farm was able to remove Mr. Jones, but language and jurisdiction also causes Napoleon’s dictatorship. To manipulate someone's reality you have to use the manipulation of words because then you can control the people who must use those words. All of the captivating speeches and clever ways of manipulating language contribute to the confusion and vulnerability of the farm animals who are pushed to believe lies. The message in the novel is that propaganda can be used in positive ways such as uniting people, but it can also mislead people to believe