Old Major Speech

In the novel, Animal Farm, written by George Orwell, a wise and persuasive pig, Old Major, gives an inspiring speech about the rebellion. With his rhetorical skill and ability to get the other animals to share his indignation, he successfully portrays that a rebellion is inevitable and man is responsible for all problems in life. Old Major’s speech is given to the farm animals late one night in the big barn after Mr. Jones has drunkenly gone to bed. The speech has many purposes. Major, who represents both Karl Marx and Vladimir Ilych Lenin, serves as the source of the ideals that the animals continue to uphold even after their human leaders have been exiled. One being that Old Major is very old and will die soon, and he wants to impart his wisdom on the others. He believes man is evil, no animal is free, and the life of an animal is full of misery and slavery. Old Major uses a rhetorical device known as a “call to action” to steer the animals in the direction of a revolution. He also uses repetition to make his point stronger and more abrupt. Old Major combines these two rhetorical devices with the use of imagery to form a

A “call to action” is normally at the end of a persuasive appeal after the speaker has stated their case. Old Major uses this rhetorical device with the line, “For that day we all must labour,” (Orwell 12). This quote shows the call to action in the sense they have to prepare for the revolution, even though it may not occur for a while, it is still inevitable. The call to action can be associated with fear as well. Old Major uses fear and imagery to scare the animals into believing man is evil and responsible for all things bad. Old Major makes the animals not only hate Mr. Jones, but hate all animals on two legs. These tactics are successful. They cause the animals to believe man is evil, a revolution is going to happen, and they need to be