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Theme Of Abuse Of Power In Animal Farm

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The quote by Lord Acton, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” is a good example of what is happening in the book Animal Farm by George Orwell. The pigs immediately gain control and leadership of the farm and eventually start to abuse the power. The pigs abuse their power by changing the commandments, living in luxury, and by treating the animals poorly. First and foremost, the pigs start changing the commandments to fit their acts and desires. In the beginning of the story, the animals decide on fair rules that everyone on the farm should abide by. But as the months go on, the pigs change them to their benefit, giving them more power and luxury. The quote, “when the terror caused by the executions had died down, some of the animals remembered that the Sixth Commandment decreed ‘No animal shall kill any other animal’...Muriel read the commandment for her. It ran: ‘No animal shall kill any other animal without cause’,”(Orwell 98) shows that the pigs obviously change the commandment before the other animals got a chance to read it. This happens more times as the book goes on, and shows the pigs abusing their power by changing the commandments to fit their actions and desires. One such time was when Napoleon kills the traitor animals, and also when the pigs start to drink alcohol. After these events, Squealer writes extra words on the wall to change the meaning of …show more content…

For example, soon after the rebellion, the pigs keep all the apples and milk to themselves. The quote, “So it was agreed...that the milk and the apples should be reserved for the pigs alone,”(Orwell 53) clearly shows that the pigs use some trickery and reserve the better food for themselves. Later in the book, the pigs also move into Farmer Jones’ house even after they set it aside as a museum. And on top of that, they start sleeping in beds and drinking

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This, he said, contained the essential principle of Animalism.”. Throughout the book the commandments are changed to fit the pigs lifestyle. Animalism was supposed to be used to keep one animal from having more, or less power than the others. One of the commandments states that “5. No animal shall drink alcohol.”.

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The satire present here is that the altering of the ten commandments effectively portray how the absurd the concept is. There is no way that animals could become, “more equal” than others. In the beginning of the novel, Old Major expressed that the animals shall overcome their oppressors, but the pigs become the oppressors. Through their chants and the ten commandments, the citizens are brainwashed to believe that everything is just and fair because when the commandments and chants were first written or said, everyone was in agreement, and believed it was fair. The pigs start to alter the propaganda, and the animals still believe that it is fair, when in reality it is not.

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The pigs are even able to make murder seem necessary by simply changing the commandments. When Muriel reads the commandments, “It ran: ‘No animal shall kill any other animal without cause. Somehow or other the last two words slipped out of the animals’ memory”

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The pigs broke rule number 4. “No animal shall sleep in a bed” ( Orwell 11) A little later in the same paragraph Clover asks Muriel if he could read the seven commandments. “ Muriel,” she said, “read me the Fourth Commandment. Does it not say something about never sleeping in a bed?”

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“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” This quote by John-Dalberg Acton is a prediction about anyone who will rise to power at some point in their life. It also correlates how many might act just like the pigs in Animal Farm by becoming corrupted with power in one way or another. The pigs had these great ideas, but failed themselves by being too prideful, hypocritical, and greedy.

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Techniques of propaganda used by Squealer persuade the animals on the farm to look up to Napoleon as the leader of the farm. Even though the health of the farm is not considered, Squealer’s propaganda

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Power. It is the world’s most dangerous asset anyone can hold on to. It can be used for prosperity or for a complete destruction depending on the person. As the famous Lord Acton 's quote says, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Animal Farm stands for the best example that can display this matter in a clearer and funnier version.

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Power can have the persuasive action in undoing the moral ethics of one’s character. This can be seen throughout history, such as World War II and proven by the actions of Napoleon in the allegory, Animal Farm, by George Orwell. As Lord Acton said “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” In history what was viewed as a villain, is never the same as the perception. A leader does not begin wanting to do wrong, they start with the best intentions, but power is a tricky thing.

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Power can be a wonderful thing, which leads to success. On the other hand, misusing it can lead to corruption, depending on who is handling it. George Orwell in his book Animal Farm uses animals to show that humans abuse their power. The most significant topic in the novel is the abuse of power that keeps happening again and again. When unconstructive human qualities take over what is really important and overcome one's ability to govern competently, power is corrupted.

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The pigs, who are more intelligent, tricked the animals into thinking they have a choice when in reality they do not. Even more, as the story progressed, the animals lost their voice in debates. Every Sunday, the animals held Meetings in the farmhouse to discuss the work and plans for the week.

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For example, the pigs thought they were more important or inferior to the other animals. At the beginning of the book, the pigs were decided to be the leaders because of their intelligence and their ability to read and write. The pigs wrote seven commandments on the top of the barn and one of them was “All Animals are Equal” page 24. This is important because the seven commandments end up being broken by the leader of the pigs Napoleon. At first,

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In addition, Squealer often threatens the animals that Mr. Jones will return if they did not follow as instructed by Napoleon to manipulate the farm animals. For instance, pigs decided that the milk and windfall as well as the main crops of apples should be reserved for the pigs alone. Ostensibly, pigs need to be in healthy state as they claimed to be the Einstein of the welfare of the farm. Here also, Squealer threatens the animals that Jones would return if they oppose the idea. Therefore, the animals agreed with

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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.

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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.

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