FREE ESSAY ON ANIMAL FARM

ANIMAL FARM

Two Legs: Bad, Four Legs: Just as Bad
Many great works have been inspired by events in history. George Orwell's Animal Farm
provides an unusual outlook on the Russian Revolution and its leaders by using animals to
represent their human counterparts. Orwell attacks communist society and points out
weaknesses in its government officials. He calls for a close examination of the treatment
of Russian citizens and questions whether they have any rights at all. Orwell was careful
in his designation of animals in Animal Farm, especially in regards to the power reserved
for the pigs. Animal Farm uses the perfect combination of animal symbolism to relate the
occurrences on Manor Farm to actual historical events of the Russian Revolution through
the use of such characters as Napoleon, Snowball, Squealer, and Boxer.
Napoleon is undoubtedly the most devout and corrupt character in the novel. His
domineering and brutal methods of ruling the farm draw strange but clear comparison to
his human counterpart Joseph Stalin. Napoleon is described as "a large, rather
fierce-looking Berkshire boar, the only Berkshire on the farm, not much of a talker, but
with a reputation for getting his own way" (Orwell 25). He 
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dominates the political scene on Manor Farm, controls the education of the youth, and is
a brilliant strategist when it comes to rallying support for his cause. Napoleon,
throughout the novel, fails to present an idea that is original, but tends to take credit
for the ideas of others (Meyers 108). Like Stalin, Napoleon is not a good speaker and is
certainly not as clever as his political opponent. However, he makes good use of his
resident "smooth-talker," Squealer, to insure that his subjects see the purpose of his
twisted commands, while those who oppose him are merely torn apart by dogs that Napoleon
reared to protect him and distribute justice as he sees fit in much the same way that
Stalin used the KGB. Napoleon relies on flashy displays of power like the firing of the
shotgun and fancy titles such as "Terror of Mankind," "Protector of the Sheepfold," and
"Fountain of Happiness" to feed his hunger for power and invoke the other animal's
support at the deepest emotional level (Smyer 86). Yet throughout his brutal reign as
sole leader of the farm, Napoleon maintains a harsh regiment of work that tax the bodies
of every animal under his command. Only Napoleon and the other pigs enjoy the fruits of
their labor while the others are left to exist with minimal food 
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and only their pride to sustain them through their slave-like lives. Communism is not as
corrosive to Napoleon as much as the ambitious accumulation of power (Hammond 162).
Nonetheless, this leader's Stalin-like qualities make for a harsh life for those around
him and provide the farm with poverty and inequality.
Unlike Napoleon, Snowball exhibits a desire to help his fellow animals, making him
Napoleon's greatest opponent and only obstacle. Snowball is also modeled after a Russian
leader. His description of being "a more vivacious pig than Napoleon, quicker in speech
and more inventive" (Orwell 25) makes him the perfect representation of Leon Trotsky.
"Snowball embodies an expanding, dynamic view of reality; his social fabric will be
permeable to the dynamic energies of an ever-changing technology" (Smyer 85). His good
intentions are evident to all of the animals, and his means of assuring a better life
consists of a more humane work schedule and even a retirement plan for elderly animals.
Laws are also established which are conducive to the overall ideas and fundamentals of
Animalism-summed up by "Four legs Good, Two legs Bad" (Orwell 40). 
Orwell's view of Snowball's role in this society is 
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best summed up by the following:
Snowball also busied himself with organizing the other animals into what he called Animal
Committees.... He formed the Egg production Committee for the hens, the Clean Tails
Committee for the cows, the Wild Comrades Re-education Committee...and various others,
besides instituting classes in reading and writing. (Orwell 39)
Snowball is a scholar of many areas and even studies military strategy which helps him
lead the animals to victory at the Battle of Cowshed where Farmer Jones attempts to
regain his farm (Meyers 109). Snowball's dynamic speeches and innovative ideas give
insight to his superior intelligence, which allows him to maintain control of Animal Farm
until he is chased away by Napoleon's dogs. Trotsky also possessed this same intellect
and speaking ability and fell victim to Lenin's KGB agents who forced him to flee of hid
life. After Snowball's exile, Napoleon diminishes the population's faith in their former
leader by accusing him of treason and blaming all of the problems encountered on the farm
as Snowball's revenge. This reduces all of Snowball, along with his good intentions, to a
mere scapegoat. 
Squealer plays a major role in the dictatorship of Napoleon. His role as the propagandist
for the pigs 
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bestows on him the task of persuading the animals' opinions of Napoleon and justifying
the leader's commands by rationalizing them to the less intelligent animals. Squealer's
character corresponds to the propagandists that Lenin and Stalin used to manipulate the
Russian public. The smooth-talking Squealer delights in his task of providing the
ideologically correct (Smyer 124). Squealer makes up for Napoleon's inability to give
dynamic speeches and alters the Seven Commandments to accommodate the desires of Napoleon
and the rest of the pigs. Squealer himself is weak in character but assumes a sense of
responsibility and power by performing his tasks for Napoleon. Through fast-talking and
the swift whisking of his tail, he convinces the animals of Manor Farm to believe and
follow Napoleon. Without Squealer, there is a chance that the animals would realize that
Animalism no longer exists under Napoleon and would rebel against their leader.
Among the other animals in the fable, Boxer is the best representation of the mistreated
working class. Boxer is the strongest animal on the farm and is "an enormous beast,
nearly eighteen hands high, and as strong as any two ordinary horses put together"
(Orwell 16). Boxer is used 
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as the farm's premiere soldier and most productive laborer. He exhibits loyalty to the
growth and production of Animal Farm by undertaking the toughest labor and vowing to work
harder when times are tough. Boxer serves as an inspiration to the other animals and his
approval of Napoleon's rule help maintain confidence in their leader. Boxer unfortunately
is the least intelligent of the animals, which leads him to support ideas that he does
not fully understand. He adopts the motto, "Napoleon is always right" (Orwell 60) which
shows his ignorance whether it be by choice or by stupidity. Boxer wakes up earlier than
the other animals to get a head start on the daily chores. Yet, despite his tireless
effort, even Boxer is expendable in the mind of Napoleon and the other pigs. After
Boxer's usefulness has left him, the pigs sell his body to the local glue-maker leaving
Boxer with no reward for such a productive life.
Animal Farm's strange depiction of the Russian Revolution provides great insight to the
weaknesses of communism and dictatorships. Orwell's decision to establish the pig as the
most intelligent and governing animal on the farm seems quite fitting since they are 
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regarded as dirty creatures by nature. His depiction of the downtrodden working class is
masterful and invokes the reader's deepest sympathy. By using simple farm animals to draw
a comparison to real life historical figures George Orwell successfully provokes thought
and criticism to human nature as well as corrupt government. 
Bibliography
Works Cited
Hammond, J. R. A George Orwell Companion. New York: St. 
Martin's Press, 1983.
Orwell, George. Animal Farm. New York: Harcourt Brace 
Jovanovich, Inc, 1946.
Meyers, Jeffery. "Animal Farm Is a Strong Political 
Allegory." Readings on Animal Farm. Ed. Terry 
O'Neill. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1998.
Smyer, Richard I. Animal Farm: A Student's Companion to 
the Novel. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1988.