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Utilitarianism In Animal Farm

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Leaders. They want the best for their country, and probably will do whatever they can for their country, but most do not contemplate how far a leader can tread for the sweet taste of power. In the allegorical fiction novella Animal Farm, George Orwell paints an image of what it would be like if animals took over a farm and started to adopt the ideas of socialism and capitalism. The leaders that take over are corrupt, a perfectly dystopian replica of our society. In the story, many animals represent real people from the Russian Revolution of the 1910s, and they start to form their own set of rules, called “animalism.” Lessons are learned inside the allegory and in modern society as well. In both Animal Farm and modern society, one such lesson that is seen is that power can easily …show more content…

If Napoleon was more responsible for taking care of the farm, he would have maintained the same amount of hours of work per week or else the animals would overwork and eventually exhaust themselves. Napoleon is not a very good leader and therefore very vulnerable to uncontrollable corruption over his comrades. Furthermore, by making his citizens more tired, they will not be strong enough to fight off an attack should there be one. The theme “power corrupts with bad leaders” is also in a very clear example in our society today. As leader of North Korea or the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Kim Jong Un is supposed to feed his poor and starving country. He spends all the revenue that he makes on developing nuclear programs because he is afraid that America will attack his country rather than responsibly use the money on helping strengthen his weak government and economy. The North Korean dictator has a “slush fund from his father, Kim Jong Il…[and] all the money [is being] put towards missile and nuclear weapons tests” (Dangerfield 3, 5). This is a clear example of power being used unwisely, and hence North Korea is not a very favored and

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945 Words | 4 Pages

In Animal Farm, George Orwell warns how power will often lead to corruption. Napoleon was placed in a position of power after Major died, and he slowly starts to lavish in his power and become addicted to the lush life of a dictator. When Napoleon first becomes a leader, he expresses how everyone will work equally, but as his reign goes on, he shortens the work hours. At the very end of the novel, the observing animals even start to see that pig and man had become the same. The irony present in the above example, illuminates how regardless of how much a ruler promises to maintain equality and fairness, the position of power that they hold, will corrupt them.

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622 Words | 3 Pages

The main lesson of the novella can be summarized into one quote from Winston Churchill: "Absolute power corrupts, and power corrupts absolutely. " Even after the animals impeach the old hated ruler, the new leadership grew to have many of the same qualities as the old regime, mainly the lower class blindly following the upper class. As a result, the greedy

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820 Words | 4 Pages

The greed of power will always blind the leader’s judgment. Napoleon was not excluded in this matter as he often takes advantages knowing that the animals cannot read or write. Although there are many examples to support this fact, but one stands out the most, Boxer’s ending. As can be seen throughout the story, Boxer is the one who worked hard for that farm’s welfare from the beginning to the end. His never-failing cry of ‘I will work harder’ often inspired the rest of animals to work hard despite facing failures such as destruction of the windmill for the second time.

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Power can have the persuasive action in undoing the moral ethics of one’s character. This can be seen throughout history, such as World War II and proven by the actions of Napoleon in the allegory, Animal Farm, by George Orwell. As Lord Acton said “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” In history what was viewed as a villain, is never the same as the perception. A leader does not begin wanting to do wrong, they start with the best intentions, but power is a tricky thing.

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1201 Words | 5 Pages

Animal Farm -the history of a rebellion that went wrong- is George Orwell 's brilliant satire on the corrupting influence of power. It was first published in 1945. According to Orwell, the book reflects events leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917 and then on into the Stalin era in the Soviet Union. In the book, Mr. Jones, the owner of the Manor farm is so lazy and drunken that one day he forgets to feed his livestock.

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757 Words | 4 Pages

Furthermore, Napoleon gives the other animals the impression he was the sole leader of the rebellion on Animal farm and makes Snowball -a leader who wanted what was best for the animals- seem like an enemy who was in cahoots with Farmer Jones since long before the animals took over the farm. Napoleon and Squealer (another “fat cat” pig.) always put the blame on Snowball whenever something went wrong in the farm to avoid having the blame fall on them. Napoleon is an exemplary example of just how selfish and hypocritical people can be in furthering their own aims because he continued to subtly but purposely change the seven rules put in place as the pillars of animalism. For example, Napoleon and the other pigs move into Farmer Jones’s house and sleep in his bed after commanding “No animal shall sleep in a bed”, so he changes the commandment to read “no animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets”.

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947 Words | 4 Pages

Napoleon’s initial desire to rule the Farm grows into a monstrous greed for power which is what brings destruction to the corrupted society of Animal Farm. His foolish pursuit to obtain more increasingly becomes destructive just as the capacity does to increase. The greed has taken over him and tempts him to lie in order to obtain everything he desires. He drives Snowball out of power to keep the power all to himself, separates himself from the commoners to officialise his high status within the Animal Farm, kills Boxer to acquire money for whiskey, and adapts human idiosyncrasies in order to prove that Napoleon and the pigs are more superior and can control the commoners to obtain anything that they

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658 Words | 3 Pages

Thesis Statement: Dictators Create decisions for what can be said and done. The animals in the novel Animal Farm had created a set of commandments that all the animals had to follow, then one day the group Napoleon and the other pigs broke the fourth commandment by sleeping in beds, the Animals on the farm read the commandment and it decreed “No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets” (Orwell 67). The quote supports the thesis for the reason that Napoleon has changed the rules so that he is not breaking them, so that the other animals will not be tempted to confiscate Napoleon's power. The statement supports the quote because Napoleon decision to change the fourth commandment. Napoleon changes the fourth commandment without the vote of the other animals which leaves the animals no choice but to go along with the change for the reason that the animals have been brain washed.

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The Use of Propaganda in Animal Farm by George Orwell Propaganda is defined as misleading or biased information spread for the advancement of a cause. In the historical fiction novel Animal Farm written by George Orwell farm animals overpower their human leader and attempt to construct a movement in which all animals are equal. Propaganda is evident throughout the story. Not far in it becomes apparent that the pigs are the most intelligent. Squealer, the propaganda agent uses propaganda in the story as a way to manipulate the animals who are not pigs.

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1296 Words | 6 Pages

A utopia is beautiful and peaceful place or state which is perfect for everybody. What is a utopia for animals? According to the animals in Animal Farm, it is a place where there are no cruel humans killing and using them for their selfish needs. A revolution is the overthrow of a ruler or a system, which results in dramatic changes in society. The rebellion spurred by Old Major results in the overthrow of Mr. Jones, but does it make everything better?

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775 Words | 4 Pages

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” (Lord Acton) This quote is telling us that when people get into roles of absolute power they tend to become corrupt, as a result of that power. This quote can be applied to Napoleon from the book Animal Farm by George Orwell, because at the beginning of the novel Old Major’s words inspired Napoleon. As a result, he believed that humans were evil for forcing animals to work for them and that animals should be able to live freely, not under anyone’s control; however, as the story progresses his belief changed and the animals did not get to live their utopian dream. At the start Napoleon and the other pigs strongly believed that all animals were equal and had the right to live in a place that took care of their well being.

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861 Words | 4 Pages

Lord Acton, the British historian, once said, “All power tends to corrupt, absolute power corrupts absolutely.” In the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell, the character Napoleon puts himself in charge. But, not only that he allows another pig, Squealer, to do his dirty work. And also uses dogs to chase his enemy, Snowball, away . In which leads to other animals not knowing that the farm is being ran the same way as when under Mr. Jones, the old farmer 's, control.

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990 Words | 4 Pages

Jaewon Shim Ms. Manning English 9B 06 February 2015 Animal Farm Analytical Essay "Orwellian" is an adjective that describes the condition of the society that George Orwell identified as being destructive to the welfare of a free and open society. The adjective suggests an attitude that is controlled by propaganda, the denial of truth, and manipulation of the past. In George Orwell’s novel, Animal Farm, George Orwell develops his ideas about the Russian Revolution through a highly satirical story written in the form of a fable. The characters represent actual people in history during the Russian Revolution, which took place in the years between 1917 to 1944, as it talks about a story of a farm rebelling against a human owner and establishes their own way of running the farm, which was effected by Old Major’s speech who talked about a society where all workers led the society, with no actual leader. However, imbalance of power occur as the pigs, who are the smartest of the animals gain influence by supervising other animals to work.

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1170 Words | 5 Pages

Back in history, many leaders are overthrown and killed because corruption of power. Due to the fact, power was not distributed properly to the people they often feel uncomfortable and leads to rebellion. Yet, power corruptions are common these days, it is proven that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely by history and in modern days. In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Lord Acton’s statement, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” applies to much of the rulers in Animal Farm that show dictatorship and violence.

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1354 Words | 6 Pages

Napoleon also uses manipulation to gain and maintain a firm control by changing the Commandments for the farm in ways that work to his benefit. Squealer, Napoleon’s propaganda department, Keeps the farm animals believing in Napoleon by describing what they hear and see to make it seem harmless. Using effective tactics of fear, convincing propaganda, and manipulation, Napoleon gains and maintains control of Animal Farm. “Animal Farm” has corruption and equality in a way the animals try to succeed and achieve a goal to make the farm better. Power corrupts in “Animal Farm” because the pigs have a goal which is working together and helping one another.

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