Abuse Of Power In Animal Farm By George Orwell

The book, Animal Farm by George Orwell, portrays how power can benefit one person but ultimately corrupt a society. Originally, power resided in Mr. Jones was an alcoholic tyrant who did not care about the welfare of the animals on his farm. This type of tyranny led to the Rebellion in which the animals decide to take control over the farm, fundamentally changing its name from Manor Farm to Animal Farm. It was established the official leader of Animal Farm would be Napoleon, a pig who went to the extremes in order to become the leader of the farm. During his rule as leader, Napoleon gradually changes the ideal concept of Animalism that Old Major envisioned for the future. Although power positively affects Napoleon in the objective of raising his revered reputation and great sense of manipulation over animals, power negatively affects Boxer and Clover because of the lack of concern about their welfare and future.

Napoleon uses fear and persuasion in order to gain power which results in his luxurious life.

This is demonstrated when Squealer speaks of “Napoleon’s wisdom, the goodness of his heart, and the deep love he bore to all animals everywhere, even and especially the unhappy animals who still lived in ignorance and slavery on other farms” (66). This was common reputation of Napoleon even though his actions contradicted this perceptions. Napoleon was able to have a reputation like this because he manipulates the uneducated and poorer animals. When Benjamin read supposedly the Seven Commandments to Clover “there was nothing there now except a single Commandment. It ran: ‘All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others’” (96). Years of Napoleon changing the meaning of the Seven Commandments led to the overall change of the principles of Animalism and

equality.
Boxer was affected negatively by power because the excessive labor put upon him which led to his death. This is evident when “Sometimes on the slope leading to the top of the quarry, when he braced his muscles against the weight of some vast boulder, it seemed that nothing kept kept him on his feet except the will to continue. At such times his lips were seen to form the words, ‘I will work harder’” (84). Boxer’s maxim of “ I will work harder” shows how power, especially Napoleon’s, can distort a person's view on certain events or circumstances like hardships while building the windmill. When Boxer was ill, Napoleon lied saying that Boxer would be treated in a hospital when “the van which took Boxer away was marked ‘Horse Slaughterer’” (88). The other animals failed to realize what was happening to Boxer sooner because the majority of the animals couldn't read including Boxer. Napoleon had the power and enough resources to get Boxer help, but he used the power that he had to send Boxer to a slaughter house.