Rhetorical Analysis Of George Orwell's Animal Farm

At the beginning of George Orwell’s Animal Farm, an aging pig named Old Major gives a speech to the rest of the animals. In his speech, he explains to them how awful their lives are in order to shows them that the Rebellion against Man, their one true enemy, will come soon. Old Major appeals to the animal’s emotions by using rhetorical questions and fear to effectively persuade the animals of the coming Rebellion.
Old Major uses rhetorical questions to persuade the other animals that Man is their only real enemy. In the fourth paragraph of his speech, Old Major says, “You cows that I see before me, how many thousands of gallons of milk have you given during this last year? And what has happened to that milk…? And you hens, how many eggs have you laid in this last year, and how many of those eggs ever hatched into chickens?… And you, Clover, where are those four foals you bore…?” (8). Old Major is not seeking specific answers, but attempting to stir up the animal's' feelings of resentment towards Man, and elude to all the

injustices the animals have endured for so long. Old Major uses these rhetorical questions to take his claims to an individual and more personal level, further striking fury and resentment into his audience.
Old Major continues to appeal to pathos in his rousing speech by using fear.

He uses heavily connotated dictions to strike terror in the hearts of all the animals, making statements such as, “but no animal escapes the cruel knife in the end. You young porkers who are sitting in front of me, every one of you will scream your lives out at the block within a year. To that horror we all must come--cows, pigs, hens, sheep, everyone. Even the horses and dogs have no better fate” (9). In this section of his speech, Old Major subtly uses graphic words such as cruel and horror further generate more hate towards the farmer, Mr. Jones, as well as Man as a whole. Old Major goes on to expound of the bountiful grievances the animals have suffered, and lists the gruesome fates that await singular animals, as well as more vices of Man. His use of vivid imagery creates dread among the animals, definitively convincing the animals that Man is their only

enemy.
Throughout his speech Old Major utilizes rhetorical questions and fear though strong words to convince the animals that Man is truly evil and their one enemy. He calls the animals to action, telling them that a Rebellion against Man is inevitable and coming soon. His use of pathos techniques makes his speech effective and helps in incite the events in the rest of the novel.