Rhetoric is a powerful tool used to influence certain ideas and beliefs. In the novella Animal Farm by George Orwell, a group of farm animals revolt against their corrupt leader, Mr. Jones, in hopes of attaining freedom and equality. This revolution could not have taken place without the powerful influence of Old Major, one of the most respected pigs on the farm. In chapter one of the novella, Old Major uses various rhetorical strategies, such as direct address and pathos, to inspire the farm animals into rebelling against Mr. Jones. Similarly, President Harry S. Truman uses a didactic tone and scapegoating in his “Announcing the Bombing of Hiroshima” to convince the American people that dropping the atomic bomb was imperative to ending World …show more content…
To begin, Old Major uses direct address in chapter one of Animal Farm to draw attention to the wrongdoings of Mr. Jones and elicit a desire to rebel. While speaking to the farm animals, he asserts, “You cows that I see before me, how many thousands of gallons of milk have you given during this last year? And what has happened to that milk which should have been breeding sturdy calves? Every drop of it has gone down the throats of our enemies” (Orwell 8). In this example, Old Major directly addresses the cows and acknowledges the injustice of their milk being stolen to benefit humans. By speaking directly to the audience, he captures their attention and reveals how this issue personally affects them. He also demonstrates his sympathy and understanding of their hardships, which ultimately earns the respect of the animals and makes them more susceptible to his beliefs. Additionally, Old Major uses pathos to elicit a sense of fear and a collective responsibility in the farm animals to rebel against their corrupt leader. On page nine, Old Major exclaims, “To that horror we all must come–cows, pigs, sheep,