Examples Of Power Corrupts In Animal Farm

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Power corrupts. George Orwell expresses in his novel, Animal Farm, that it does not matter who is in control. Government is always going to be corrupt. Orwell illustrates this with the gradual transformation of the pigs. Following the death of Old Major, the pigs immediately assume leadership. However, the pigs’ gluttonous obsession with power causes them to be indistinguishable from men. Orwell emphasizes the impact of absolute power in the pigs’ rise as totalitarian dictators. Early in the novel, the pigs make it clear that not all animals are equal. They are the ones who develop the basis of Animalism and teach this ideology to the other animals. The pigs simplify it into seven commandments that every animal must obey. Animalism holds that every animal is equal, and no animal should resemble man in any way. Yet …show more content…

Snowball and Napoleon constantly disagree. They both hold conflicting ideas on how to improve the farm. Snowball wants to rebuild the windmill. He believes that the windmill could benefit the farm and make their lives more efficient. Napoleon, on the other hand, believes that the windmill is a waste of time and energy. Snowball gathers his plans and assembles a meeting to present them. Once everyone prepares to vote, Napoleon orders a pack of dogs to kill him, thus breaking one of the commandments. He then proceeds to tell everyone that “in the future all questions relating to the working of the farm would be settled by a special committee of pigs, presided over by himself” (54). This, consequently, gives Napoleon absolute control. He openly seizes power, and proceeds to make an example out of Snowball. He also uses the pack of dogs to threaten anyone who disagrees with him. This scene expresses Napoleon’s lust for power and how it has influenced him to break one of the commandments. He does not receive any punishment, and somehow is able to obtain more

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