Animal Farm Literary Analysis

Helena Baldwin
9th Lit/Comp H
Mrs. Jurskis
Spring, 2010

Inglorious Swine: The Similarities Between Adolf Hitler and “Comrade” Napoleon

There is a Chinese proverb that states “Gold cannot be pure and people cannot be perfect.” It is a very true statement. It is also true that the former is infinitely more likely to come close to perfection than the latter. It is almost appropriate that such a proverb is used to highlight the similarities between German dictator Adolf Hitler and the character Napoleon from the 1956 novella Animal Farm, although a little ironic in that a Chinese proverb can so well fit the actions and ideals of an English swine and a German pig. The first and perhaps the most prominent similarity between Napoleon and Hitler was the lengths they went to for superiority of one group. In Hitler’s case it was the Aryan race; in Napoleon’s case it was the pigs. Both were so cunning and charismatic that they justified their actions in a way that made it seem the sensible course of action at the time. When and if their followers realized that they had been systematically and efficiently manipulated, it was too late. Both dictators had complete control. That is the next similarity between Napoleon and Hitler. They didn’t take such total control only by manipulation, although having the partial cooperation of their subordinates was a definite benefit. Both Napoleon and Hitler had a secret police service of sorts. For Hitler, it was the Nazis, and for Napoleon it was the dogs. And just as Napoleon raised the dogs from puppies to follow him and enforce his laws without question, Hitler used Jungmädel, a Nazi youth group, to ensnare the younger (non-Jewish) population in his belief system. Members were ‘advised’ (although it was more of an obligation) to spy on their family, friends and neighbors and rewarded for doing so. This put people in fear of being caught doing anything in opposition. One wrong move meant your death, or that of a loved one. There was no way out and no way to leave. That leads us to our final similarity between Hitler and Napoleon. Both imposed almost absolute isolation from the outside world. In Nazi Germany, mail was intercepted and censored; in some cases it was even used as grounds for arrest. Security through the country was strict and next to impossible to get through without government connections. Hitler also featured weekly radio broadcasts that were obligatory to listen to, parades, and rallies that all publicized Nazi propaganda. Similarly, on the Animal Farm, Napoleon gave speeches, made demonstrations from criminals, and restricted any and all contact from the outside. Only the pigeons ever came or went. In conclusion, Nazi Germany was extremely similar to Napoleon’s Animal Farm. The totalitarian rule was brutal and complete. In fact, the most notable difference is that Hitler was overthrown, and Germany was removed from Nazi control with outside help, while as far as is known, Napoleon and the rest of the pigs remained in power. It may possibly be safe to say that, with history’s habit of repeating itself, Napoleon would not have remained in power forever.