Theme Of Deception In Animal Farm

Lauren Seidewand

ENG 1D1

Mr. Andreacchi

February 8th, 2016 Animal Farm Essay

Language use is an effective tool that is able to alter the way one thinks, if used right. Consequently, if one can control the way someone else thinks, one is able to obtain power over that person in many different ways. Most people will come across a situation like this at some point in their life. In the novel “Animal Farm”, Squealer is able to control the animal’s thoughts as a result of him using his language skills to his advantage in order to create deception, manipulation and fear amongst the farm, which ultimately results in him obtaining complete power over the animals.

Firstly, Squealer uses his language skills to create deception, which is the act of lying and leading someone to believe something that is not true. Squealer uses deception many times throughout the novel. An example of deception is when Squealer tells the animals “Milk and apples (this has been proven by science, comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig” (Orwell, 23). This is an example of deception because this statement has not in fact been proven by science, and Squealer is using this as a selfish excuse to have all the delicious milk

and apples to the pigs themselves. He also deceives the animals by convincing them that reserving the milk and apples for the pigs is simply for their own good by saying “It is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples”. By doing this, Squealer is able to change the way the animals think by convincing them that everything is for the benefit of the farm. Lastly, Squealer creates deception by constantly reassuring the animals that their present lives are much better than they used to be in Jones’ days, by using official-sounding statistics as proof to convince the animals that it must be true. As a result of these events, Squealer undeniably proves how one can control another’s thoughts by using language skills to create deception. While Squealer deceives the animals throughout the novel, he also manipulates them.

Manipulation is the skilful art of using or controlling someone for one’s own benefit. Manipulation is a tool that Squealer often uses in the novel
through his language skills for the benefit of both himself and the pigs. An example of manipulation is when Squealer changes the Fourth Commandment from “No animal shall sleep in a bed” to “No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets” and says to the animals “You did not suppose, surely, that there was ever a ruling against beds?” (46). He also says “the rule was against sheets, which are a human invention” (46). This is an example of manipulation because Squealer manipulates the anim als into thinking that the commandment had always been that way by changing the commandments to selfishly benefit the pigs. Whereas Squealer manipulates the animals into believing things that aren’t true, he also uses his language skills to create fear.

Enforcing fear is a very effective strategy that Squealer uses in the novel, in order to control the way the animals think and therefore act. Using fear against the animals is also successful in preventing any of the animals to question or doubt Squealer’s words. An example of how Squealer uses fear to control the animals is how he constantly uses the reminder “Surely none of you wishes to see Jones back?” (46). This statement is very powerful over the animals because Squealer can use this in just about any situation, since the possibility of Jones’ return frightens the animals more than anything. As a result of using his language skills, Squealer teaches the animals that as long as Jones was nowhere to be seen, life was fine. “Now if there was one thing that the animals were completely certain of, it was that they did not want Jones back” (23). Therefore, Squealer obtains control over the animals as a result of him using language to create fear.

Squealer is successful in obtaining power over the farm as a result of his clever language skills.

Firstly, he uses language to create deception and has the animals trusting everything he says to be true. Secondly, he uses language to manipulate the animals into believing false statements and uses their limited intelligence to his advantage. Finally, he uses language to enforce fear and keep the animals in check. Through these events, the reader is able to understand the power of language and the effects it has on others. Therefore, it is proven through these works that the effective use of propaganda can change the way one thinks and ultimately result in the obtainment of power and

control.