Who is at greater fault? If a tyrant is given the power, albeit to abuse, is it his fault to utilize the power given, or the fault of those who bestow the power on them? Failure cannot be pinned on just one person, but the people involved as a whole. Therefore, by indirectly causing the collapse of one 's own community, it is the community 's fault for acting as catalyst to the events to come. Although unintentional, it is the passiveness and ignorance of the farm animals that leads to the utter failure of their ideal society.
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.
In her critically acclaimed novel One Corpse Too Many, author Ellis Peters wrote, “All of the things of the wild have their proper uses. Only misuse makes them evil.” The possession and usage of power is an especially slippery slope. In George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm, a main recurring theme revolves around power and how those who hold it will ultimately fall into corruption. The desire for power stems from greed, but power also fuels greed.
George Orwell’s Use of Power. In Animal Farm, a novel written by George Orwell uses the symbols: Stalin, the working class and the upper class to convey that the more intelligent someone is, the more power they will have. George Orwell writes a novel about animals who represent human beings to show that the less intelligent someone is, the harder life will be. Stalin was very intelligent so he could own anything, if they did not listen or obey Stalin, they were punished.
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
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.
In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, the Pigs use their intelligence and ability to be literate to oppress the “inferior animals” and keep them under the Pigs’ control. One of the most iconic quote from this book is on page 53, has portray this idea. “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” By saying “more equal” this display how equalness have different levels. The Pigs is able change the Commandments’ original language to justify their wrong doing.
Manipulation is the most deceitful way for us to achieve the things we desire the most. Throughout George Orwell’s novel, Animal Farm, language and the use of persuasive language lead to the accumulation of power. Language and the disappearance of Mr.Jones is where Napoleon dictatorship is made possible. The powerful rhetorical and their smart manipulations skills of language for any situation was what controlled the farm of its entirety. Pigs manipulated the Seven Commandments,Napoleon dictating, and the deceitful lies told by the Pigs were all methods for them to gain more power.
Abraham Lincoln once said, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you wanted to test a man’s character, give him power”. The quote mean yes, men can handle difficulties in life, but giving a man power to test his powers, will affect how he handles the problem and how he reacts to a specific situation. When you give someone power, it 's a huge responsibility they have to take on, and it’ll show if he folds or not. It is easy for the weak to be gentle; most people can bear adversity. When men feel powerful, it influences their perceptions of how they view others.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“One death is a tragedy, one million is a statistic” (Stalin). From being a nobody, to a cruel and careless dictator, this illustrates how power can drastically change someone, leading to bigger consequences than imagined. In the novel Animal Farm, George Orwell depicts Russian dictator, Joseph Stalin, characterized by Napoleon, to demonstrate how a gain for power can lead to more corruption than good. To commence with, we see that both Napoleon and Joseph Stalin demolished individual freedom and “…failed to promote individual prosperity” (Hingley). Throughout George Orwell’s story, it is seen how little by little the animals were start to serve Napoleon, thinking they were making themselves prosperous.
“It is not wisdom but authority that makes a low.” Thomas Hobbes’ quote reveals that the world is all about authority and how powerful people are. In other words, to be able to rule, wisdom is not essential. However, authority is crucial. This quote relates to George Orwell’s Animal Farm as it represents the theme of power by the pigs that use propaganda, intimidation and false informations to take over the farm and to control the animals.
