Animal Farm Rhetorical Analysis

In George Orwell’s allegorical novel, Animal Farm, a group of farm animals gather together to hear a speech that addresses Farmer Jones’ neglect and mistreatment on Manor Farm. Old Major, a well-informed, wise pig assembles the farm animals to hear a dream that he had the night before. Despite the consequences Old Major might receive from their neglectful farm owner, he still delivers a speech. In Old Major’s revolutionary speech, he utilizes ethical appeal, parallelism, and sensory details in order to inspire revolution on Manor Farm. Old Major opens by utilizing ethical appeal to advance his credibility. Old Major expressed that he felt as if “it [were his] duty to pass on to [the animals] such wisdom [he has] acquired” (Orwell 4). These details help convey that Old Major is a credible and reliable person to trust. This will also help Old Major get away with fallacious statements since he’s established a highly founded status for himself. Moreover, when Old Major stated that he “had much time for thought” and “understands the nature of life on this earth as well as any animal now living” (Orwell 5). These details highlight the importance of a revolt which also constructs Old Major’s argument that man is the exigence.

Old Major asserts to his audience that “no animal in England knows the meaning of happiness or leisure after he is a year old. No animal in England is free” (Orwell 5). Old Major’s use of parallelism in the text helps him create an attentive and intensive audience which further helps him inspire a revolution. Moreover, Old Major cautioned the animals that “Man is the only real enemy [they] have. Remove Man from the scene and the root cause of hunger and overwork is abolished forever” (Orwell 5). Old Major’s use of parallelism helps him emphasize that mankind is the exigence since he accused mankind of being their “only