Similarities Between Animal Farm And 1984 By George Orwell

William Gaddis, a widely known American author, once stated, "Power doesn 't corrupt people. People corrupt power." This profound use of antimetabole can be used to spark curiosity upon a population to look upon those in high positions and question their motives. Another novelist, George Orwell, also uses the medium of language to convey that same message. In his novels Animal Farm and 1984, Orwell warns that totalitarian governments use their power to have ultimate control over their people by means of creating a clear common enemy and by requiring childhood indoctrination for self-centered purposes. In both Animal Farm and 1984, the message that those in a high position may misuse their power by means of distinguishing a foe the general

In Animal Farm, readers are shown that when a leader needs to further uphold their power, the option to teach the next generation nothing but their ways works with immense efficiency. "At first no one had been able to imagine where these creatures came from, but the problem was soon solved: they were the puppies whom Napoleon had taken away from their mothers and reared privately. Though not yet full−grown, they were huge dogs, and as fierce−looking as wolves. They kept close to Napoleon" (Orwell, Animal Farm 53). Napoleon took the dogs from their mother when they were puppies, and ensured they went through no education besides his own, ultimately leading them to believe and follow all he says and does. The dogs act as a military that the other animals would have to go through first before getting to their totalitarian ruler, Napoleon. He knows that by creating a new generation that knows nothing other than his leadership, is newly skilled, and stronger than the older generation, he is ensuring that the rest of the citizens will follow suit out of fear. Orwell added this allegory to the Hitler Youth into Animal Farm to press people to look upon the current education system and investigate the motives of those doling out information. Furthermore, Orwell creates an example of a government using self-centered education to control the masses in 1984 through the addition of the Spies in Oceania, which causes the new generation to believe everything their government tells them. When Winston watches the Parson family, especially the children who are being educated by The Party, he explains, "What was worst of all was that by means of such organizations as the Spies they were systematically turned into ungovernable