Trace the growth of the power of the pigs in ‘Animal Farm’. What lessons does Orwell wish us to draw from this? In the novel, Animal Farm, by George Orwell, we can clearly see the growth of the power that the pigs, mainly Napoleon have over the rest of the animals. We see at the start of the novel, animal farm working well, but as the novel progresses we see Napoleon and the pigs becoming hungrier for power and control.Through this growth of power in the pigs, Orwell teaches us some very important lessons, like the theories and practices of communism and how we can become hungry for power, like Napoleon.
At the beginning of the novel we see the pigs embody the idea of ‘animalism’, the animal form of communism, in which all animals believe that they can rule themselves and in theory “all animal is equal”. At the start we see Napoleon and the pigs begin to take leadership over the farm, by creating the 7 commandments. This gave the animals some hope that this could all work out. The animals were as happy, as they never conceived they would be”.
This shows us that at the start of Animal Farm, things were going well and running relative smoothly. Orwell uses this to show us how the theories of communism are really good, and things can start off well, with everyone equal and contributing some way or another. But as we start reading on, we can see some faults start to develop in the pigs’ practice of animalism. As the novel progresses we start to see Napoleon and the pigs taking dominance over the farm.Napoleon begins to get hungrier for power and will do anything to get his own way. For example when Napoleon chases Snowball out of the farm, when he disagreed with building the windmill, Chapter 5.
We also see Napoleon starting to trade with the humans, which was against one of the 7 commandments, and he also increased work loads and pressure for the animals despite him not actually doing any of the physical work! “The work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself would have their rations cut in half”.This shows us that sometime we can just want our own way and not think about how it may affect others. Orwell also teaches us how sometimes when we are put in a position of authority, that we can become ‘Hungry for power’ and put ourselves above everyone else, like Napoleon did. When Napoleon starts to have a ‘taste of power’, he starts to realize how much control he can have over the animals.
Towards the end of the novel, we see Napoleon taking some serious measures in order for him to get what he wants and to keep control over the animals.In chapter 7, Napoleon makes the animals confess for sins in which they have not committed, with death threatens. In the end, Napoleon kills some of the animals, including 4 pigs, 3 hens, a goose and 3 sheep, all of which did nothing wrong. This shows us how corrupt Napoleons thoughts had become and the need to control everyone.
Orwell also uses this to show us how although the theory of communism is great, it doesn’t always work out like the theory. The practice becomes corrupt by the brainwashing and controlling leaders.At the end of the novel, Napoleon becomes more ‘human like’. He is walking on 2 legs, drinking alcohol, sleeping in a bed, wearing human clothes and associating with other humans. In the end we see the pigs and the human’s faces merging in a way because they are so similar in the way the pigs have turned out.
“The animals looked from pig to man…it was impossible to say which was which”. This shows us how corrupt Napoleon and the pig’s minds got through all the power and control.Through this Orwell teaches us that sometimes we can be so consumed in the power that we may have, that we forget about everyone else and become more and more like the people we are trying not to be like. Sometimes we can be so obsessed with controlling people because it is easier for us, that we forget about the effect that it may be having on everyone around us. In conclusion, Napoleon and the pigs in Animal Farm, become more and more corrupt as they receive more power and control over the animals.
Through this Orwell teaches us many valuable lessons about how being consumed in power can effect the people around you.
