Animal Farm by George Orwell: Representation of Human Hierarchy

English II Level - 5
30 November 2012
The Wonderful Tyrant
In Animal Farm by George Orwell he uses animals to represent human hierarchy, with the pigs being the highest. Napoleon placing the pigs above everybody else with the use of fear tactics becomes a tyrant.
With the placement of the pigs above all the other animals, Napoleon begins his rise to power. None of the animals knew where the milk was disappearing to. The mystery was soon solved “It was mixed everyday into the pigs’ mash” (35). Before Jones was forced from the farm, the milk was mixed into the hens’ mash. Since now the milk was mixed into the pigs’ mash, it showed how the pigs were becoming more and more of the upper class than the rest of the animals on the farm. Squealer had to explain that most of the pigs disliked the milk and apples but ‘“[they] contain substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig. We pigs are brain workers”’ (36). Just because the pigs are in more power than others, does not mean the other animals should not also have milk and apples. The other animals think they should not say anything due to the fact that they think that Squealer is always right. Since the pigs are the “brain workers” of the farm “[the pigs] should have a quiet place to work in” (66). The pigs want to have an office in Jones’ house which is supposed to be a museum. If the pigs would like a quiet place to work in, then they should build one and not be in the house. The pigs are in charge of the farm since they forced Jones out. The pigs uprising began with the milk and apples but soon escalated.

Napoleon starts to rise above not just the lower animals, but also the pigs with the use of fear tactics. When Napoleon stood up during a meeting “nine enormous dogs came bounding into the barn. They dashed straight for Snowball” (53). Napoleon saw Snowball as a threat. Napoleon decided that it was time to rid the farm of Snowball, so there was no longer anyone standing in his way with power over the animals. Napoleon needed everyone to be afraid of what the dogs would do to them if they did not listen to him. Napoleon would say that if the farm would fail “Jones would come back” (36). Jones would not necessarily come back if the farm failed. The animals were so worried that if they did not do as told that Jones would come back, but the animals were not realizing life was better when Jones was around. When the hens had to give every egg that was laid to Napoleon for the massive order made, they would refuse to give the eggs. Napoleon became so mad that he ordered “the hens’ rations to be stopped” (76). With the ration for the hens stopped, nine hens died because of starvation. Napoleon did not care how bad he was treating the animals, as long as he was still in power at the end of the day. Napoleon wanted everyone to listen, and since the hens did not listen, they had to be punished. Once the others saw what happened, all the animals listened and did as told. With the use of fear tactics Napoleon found his way to the very top of the pyramid and stayed there.
The use of fear tactics, placing a select few above everyone else, sets the stage for someone to become a tyrant. With these strategies Napoleon become a tyrant with the animals not knowing, till it was too late. Napoleon was very smart, he knew exactly how to become a tyrant. Works Cited
Orwell, George. “Animal Farm”. New York City: Penguin Group Inc, 1996. Print.

Cited: Orwell, George. “Animal Farm”. New York City: Penguin Group Inc, 1996. Print.