Nathan Hanson Hanson 1
Mrs. Ludwig
Period 5
5/XX/23
Knowledge and Obedience on Animal Farm
The animals of Animal Farm are blindly led to their death. They have their free thinking revoked, join a mob mentality, and become second-class to the educated pigs. Animal Farm uses education to demonstrate the importance of knowledge and free thinking while using indoctrination to show the negative effects of blind obedience.
Animal Farm starts with education for everybody. The pigs attempt to teach all the animals how to read and write, and the animals focus on preaching their ideology to neighboring animals. Education is important to
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The animals on the farm are told that the pigs are superior due to their intellect. No one sings these praises higher than Boxer. Boxer’s two mottos of “Napoleon is always right” and “I will work harder” inspire the animals to follow his ideals. Boxer’s un-education leads to the other animals being indoctrinated alongside him. Boxer works through his split hoof and lung troubles to support the greater good, and all he gets for his troubles was being sent to the knackers. Without education, Boxer blindly follows leaders who only want his labor. The other animals who are inspired by Boxer are doomed to the same fate. Benjamin tries to point out where Boxer has been sent, but the blind obedience of the animals leads them to believe the pigs’ lies. Earlier in the novel, when the animals question Napoleon’s decisions, Orwell writes, “The animals were not certain what the words meant, but Squealer spoke so persuasively, and the three dogs who happened to be with him growled so threateningly, that they accepted his explanation without further questions.” (Orwell 58.). Squealer uses his talking skills and greater knowledge to persuade the animals to the pig’s point of view and shut down further debate. The pigs use this divide in education to oppress the other