George Orwell's Animal Farm

The Importance of Squealer

Sly, greedy, and crafty are just a few characteristics that describe Squealer in the book Animal Farm by George Orwell. This pig is also a messenger, an actor, a great persuasive speaker, a follower, and an outstanding liar. He’s nimble, he’s clever, he’s manipulative and most of all he’s sneaky. Squealer uses his intelligence to persuade the other animals on the farm into doing what Napoleon wants, even if they don’t really want to do it. He uses his craftiness and cunning to persuade the animals into thinking that he is on their side and he’s doing all he can to help them out. His acting ability misleads the animals into thinking that he’s one of their closest friends and that he can be trusted with all their secrets. Squealer’s slick style makes him an important character in the book Animal Farm by George Orwell.

Squealer’s first manipulative deed is committed when he tells the other animals on the farm that the pigs are going to get the windfall apples and the milk from now on. He uses his persuasive speaking skills to talk the other animals into understanding why the pigs were doing this. Squealer explains to the other animals that the pigs are taking the milk and apples merely for their own health and nothing else. He uses this excuse of the pigs taking the apples and milk for their health to persuade the animals into thinking that they should give them the windfall apples and milk without questions. Squealer then says to the animals “Comrades! You do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in selfishness and privilege?” (Orwell 42). He then goes on to say “Milk and apples contain substances absolutely necessary to the wellbeing of a pig. We pigs are brain workers, the organization of the farm totally depends on us” (Orwell 42). Saying the pigs are taking the apples and milk in the good of the other animals is one good example of his manipulative ways because, he then says that Jones will come back if they don’t let the pigs have the apples and the milk. Immediately after Squealer says that Jones will come back, it makes all the animals want to give the extras to the pigs.