How Did Stalin Gain Power In Animal Farm

Page

1

of 5

1

Angela Arana

Mrs. Tanner

PM English

03 July 2023

Napoleon Vs. Stalin

Napoleon. The pig who emerges as the leader of Animal Farm after the Rebellion.

Animal Farm, written by George Orwell, is an allegory for the Russian Revolution and the rise of

Stalin's Soviet Union. The animals in Animal Farm represent different groups of people and political ideologies. The story reveals the dangers of totalitarianism and the importance of democratic principles. Napoleon's rise to power and leadership style in Animal Farm mirrors

Stalin's rise to power and leadership style in the Soviet Union during the Russian Revolution.

Both Stalin and Napoleon were ruthless and cunning leaders who used propaganda, violence and fear to maintain his power.

They, too, were slaughtered” (Orwell 7). In both cases, propaganda and manipulation was used to maintain control over the population.

Stalin's and Napoleon's policies and actions ultimately led to the suffering and oppression of the animals of the farm by creating an environment of fear and control. In the case of Animal

Farm, Napoleon used his power to manipulate the other animals and suppress opposition, which resulted in the animals being overworked, and mistreated. “All that year the animals worked like slaves...By late summer a sufficient store of stone had accumulated, and then the building began, under the superintendence of the pigs...Napoleon announced that he had decided upon a new

3

policy. From now onwards Animal Farm would engage in trade with the neighboring farms. The needs of the windmill must override everything else, he said” (Orwell 6) Similarly, Stalin’s policies led to widespread famine, political repression, and human suffering in the Soviet Union

“The Stalinist leadership felt threatened by the intelligentsia, whose creative efforts

Napoleon and

Stalin were more interested in their own power and wealth than the well-being of their citizens, which led to even more suffering and oppression.

As many people have said, Animal Farm isn’t an allegory for the Russian Revolution because it is a work of fiction that uses animals to represent historical figures and events. While the story is inspired by the events of the Russian Revolution, it is not a direct retelling of those events. A writer, Lauren Stone Stated “For instance, don’t you think it’s a stretch to say that

Napoleon, who is a talking pig, represents Stalin, who is a human man with a mustache? And how can Boxer’s death be just a symbol for the Stakhanovite movement, when the issue of sending horses away to be killed and have their parts rendered for human consumption is already so important? This is an actual, literal depiction of cruelty to horses—not a symbol.” It might not be common to read about a talking pig and expect it to be Joseph Stalin but obviously when it comes to reading books not everything is about human beings. Orwell clearly put a twist into the

Russian Revolution, so young readers can get a better understanding of the Russian