Authority And Corruption In George Orwell's Animal Farm

1608 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: How power and corruption is presented in animal farm

In the novel Animal Farm, by George Orwell, authority leads to manipulation and corruption throughout the farm. In this essay I will reflect on the main characters and relate them to my knowledge of how authorities have influenced corruption in society along with the power and control used to make this story seem like it a page taken out of history.
In George Orwell’s book, Animal Farm, the main characters are animals who are plotting the fall of human reign. The pigs plan a rebellion against others to control and manipulate other for their individual wants and needs. It all starts with Napoleon, the leader pig, banishing their farmer Mr. Jones in order to become the dictator of Manor Farm. This is seen many times in a dictatorship where people rebel against their ruler’s actions. Napoleon leads his pigs by breaking the commandments of human and animal …show more content…

Only we are focusing on pigs and not humans. In this novel, the pigs become the dominate race in influencing others on what to do and say. The one behind this is sketchy maneuver is Napoleon. This is not the French military leader that controlled France in the 1800s where he created his own civil laws and a new constitution that created first consul which amounted to nothing less than dictatorship to focus on controlling: education, religion, economics, and legalities of those around him. This is known as the Napoleonic Code, but the pig who controls those around him with his big words and power of persuasion is truly like this famous leader. This reminds me of how people in government, those who have power, and those want to have control over others use propaganda and big words to convince citizens that everything is okay, we all want the same thing, and that they have people working for them to make them look good by the use of their words and actions, and to be there for others to offer support and

Show More
Related

  • Power And Corruption In George Orwell's Animal Farm

    832 Words  | 2 Pages

    Abraham Lincoln once said, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” ("Abraham Lincoln Quote"). Lord Acton also said, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” (“Lord Acton Quotes”). Both of the quotes show that power is not always a good thing, and can sometimes make good people, do bad things. Animal Farm by George Orwell is a novella about animals rebelling against humans on a farm in England. The novella has been said to be directly related to the Russian Revolution of the early 20th century. Immediately after the animals gained power, the pigs took over as the leaders of the animals. The pigs became corrupt with the power, and may have made conditions worse than they were with humans

    Read More

  • Abuse of Power in George Orwell’s Animal Farm

    1350 Words  | 3 Pages

    The pigs in George Orwell’s Animal Farm use specific laws, use unknown vocabulary and excruciating detail, implement scare tactics, and create and manipulate law to successfully attain the other animal’s trust, acquire certain luxuries unavailable to most animal, and establish themselves as the dictators of a totalitarian-like society. Through using detail, unknown vocabulary, specific laws, and scare tactics, the pigs acquire the ability to drink alcohol, sleep on beds, eat and drink the milk and apples, destroy Snowball’s credibility, and establish a trust between themselves and the other animals. From Orwell’s Animal Farm, one realizes how leaders with absolute power use carefully manipulated language to abuse their power.

    Read More

  • Cruelty in animal Farm

    1271 Words  | 3 Pages

    After the Animal Revolution the pigs take the initiative and place themselves in charge because of their claim of having higher intelligence. Over time this power begins to distort the basis of their revolt by recreating the same social situation they were previously in. “When the pigs takeover they claim that their goal is to preside a farm of equal animals, all working together to support one another, yet power quickly proves too much for a pig.” Though the animals originally took over the farm to increase the animal’s independence as a whole, because of the pig’s superiority they soon take the place of the humans further limiting their independence.

    Read More

  • The Inequality in an Equal Society in Animal Farm by George Orwell

    806 Words  | 2 Pages

    but it was also the wish of Napoleon: animals should be totally loyal and obedient to him. Language can be used as a weapon to control others. In the story, after old Major died, the pigs distorted the meaning of his words and twisted the idea of socialism and gradually turned it into totalitarianism. Those pigs knew that other animals were not able to oppose Old Major’s idea, so they used that as an excuse for disobeying the ‘Seven Commandments’ and did whatever they want for their own benefits. They used outrageous terror and abuse of language to keep other animals in dark and finally, they became even greedier and totally destroyed the farm.

    Read More

  • Communism and Socialism in George Orwell's Animal Farm

    671 Words  | 2 Pages

    Napoleon and his other pigs were the government and let their power get to them. They said that all the animals would work together, yet in fact the pigs were just ordering them around.

    Read More

  • Theme of Power Corruption in Animal Farm, by George Orwell

    1782 Words  | 4 Pages

    Power can have the persuasive action in undoing the moral ethics of one’s character. This can be seen throughout history, such as World War II and proven by the actions of Napoleon in the allegory, Animal Farm, by George Orwell. As Lord Acton said “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” In history what was viewed as a villain or wrong doer is never the same as the perception. A leader does not begin wanting to do wrong, they start with the best intentions, but power is a tricky thing, showcased in Animal Farm as Utopian ideals but with failed practices.

    Read More

  • Hypocrisy In George Orwell's Animal Farm

    1035 Words  | 3 Pages

    At the beginning on the text, after the rebellion, the animals are all seen as equal, with a high quality of life. Napoleon and Squealer often mentioned how important it was for all animals to do their equal share of work; however they often did little to no work. They were able to do this by Squealer acting as the media and reminding the animals that the hard work that the pigs did deserved a larger break then everyone else. As the text progressed, Napoleon and his small group of pigs slowly changed the commandments to suit themselves. Many animals didn’t question the change in commandments; and when they did they were either proven wrong or made an example of via public executions. During chapter 6, the pigs are questioned after allegedly breaking the 4th commandment “no animals shall sleep in a bed”. Squealer was quick to react, by stating that the pigs required extra rest due to how smart they were. When Muriel goes to read the commandments to prove that what the pigs are doing is wrong, she finds that the board now states “no animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets”. Through this, the pigs where able to gain control at a rapid pace and adjust the rules to have the most benefits in their

    Read More

  • George Orwell's Animal Farm

    691 Words  | 2 Pages

    George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a political satire of a totalitarian society ruled by a mighty dictatorship, in all probability a fable for the events surrounding the Russian Revolution of 1917. The animals of “Manor Farm” overthrow their human master after a long history of mistreatment. Led by the pigs, the farm animals continue to do their work, only with more pride, knowing that they are working for themselves, as opposed to working for humans. Little by little, the pigs become dominant, gaining more power and advantage over the other animals, so much so that they become as corrupt and power-hungry as their predecessors, the humans.

    Read More

  • How Power Corrupted the Pigs in Animal Farm by George Orwell

    715 Words  | 2 Pages

    pigs begin to take control. By the end of the novel, the pigs have manipulated the rest of the animals into doing everything they want. The pigs then become almost exactly like the humans. The most important pigs are Napoleon and Snowball, that is until Napoleon

    Read More

  • Equality in George Orwell´s Animal Farm

    824 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... In the end, George Orwell’s dark brooding fairy tale Animal Farm proves to be a symbolic and understanding book. In its pages we can see the contrast between a supposedly communistic state where everyone is equal and the same, and how in the end it only leads to a total dictatorial establishment of totalitarianism, where everything is controlled by an elite group. Though Animal Farm was established with the idea of every animal being equal, in the end, the voice of the scheming pigs was the only one heard. Secondly, the book powerfully symbolizes key figures that have appeared in history.

    Read More

  • Corruption In George Orwell's Animal Farm

    493 Words  | 1 Pages

    The book Animal Farm was written to show the downfall of Soviet Communism using animals. The book shows this through the corruption that the pigs show in their ruling and the brainwashing in their governmental policy of animalism.   Primarily, corruption leads to the failure in the government on Animal Farm. Orwell shows this when the animals come up with the rule "All animals are equal but some are more equal than others"(133). This rule is obviously showing corruption because it doesn’t even make sense.

    Read More

  • Animal Farm Quote Analysis

    786 Words  | 2 Pages

    “The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” The pigs became so corrupt they were a spitting image of men. Corruption had inevitably overtaken them so that like men they wanted power all for themselves and stopped at nothing to accomplish absolute rule. The central idea in Animal Farm by George Orwell is that a corrupt democracy will eventually develop to a treacherous totalitarian rule. The pigs were considered the most intelligent of all animals so they were placed in a position to make all the rules and give orders which would benefit all the animals on the farm.

    Read More

  • Leadership In George Orwell's Animal Farm

    463 Words  | 1 Pages

    In Animal Farm by George Orwell, one could tell that two styles of leadership are shown. The novel is based on a farm in England. In the beginning of the novel, Old Major, a respected pig, tries to spark a rebellion by motivating the animals on Manor Farm to attack Mr. Jones, the owner of the farm. Shortly after, Old Major dies and the rebellion is completed. The animals are left to their own devices.

    Read More

  • Abuse Of Power In Animal Farm

    618 Words  | 2 Pages

    With their superior knowledge it was natural that they should assume the leadership" (Orwell 43), describes a lot of the pigs character and gives a hint of what will happen in the novel. It explains how the pigs assume they're in charge and that they can boss all the animals the animals all they want. Also the words "natural" and "superior" indicates that the pigs were not going to let other animals and people tell them what to and what not to do no matter what because they already naturally think that they are better than everyone else and are always right. The pigs also knew no one was going to say something about the fact they didn’t do any work and even if they did, they could just lie because the other animals were to dumb to say something in defense. On top of that the fact that they directed and supervised shows their hunger and lust for power and leadership because directing and supervising are some duties a leader has to do and if you’re a leader you gave all the

    Read More

  • Social And Political Failure In George Orwell's Animal Farm

    836 Words  | 2 Pages

    Imagine that you were an animal 's or society, citizen living under Napoleon or Stalin rule and the fear that your life can be taken always from you at any time. In the novel of Animal Farm, George Orwell he wanted to show how a novel is an allegory of the situation in Russia during the communist years and a satire of the political situation at that time between Napoleon and Stalin. Where Orwell chose to create his character that would represent the common people of Russia at the time of the Revolution. Animal Farm is a social and political fable or allegory about the influences of all the animals and getting ride of his partner however, how he used his power for greatest good or absolute evil.

    Read More

More about Authority And Corruption In George Orwell's Animal Farm

Open Document