Animal Farm Dbq
How Napoleon Stays in Charge
Joseph Stalin was the most ruthless dictator throughout history. The book, Animal Farm written by George Orwell, was an allegory of how Stalin harshly ruled over the Soviet Union from 1929 to 1953. Animal farm follows a group of animals who wanted a utopia and while striving for this goal, made a dystopia. When the animals took over the farm, the leaders became the pigs since they were the most intelligent. Overtime a pig named Napoleon took complete control of Animal Farm using various methods of deception. Napoleon stays in charge of Animal Farm by using Animalism, fear and propaganda.
One of Napoleon’s methods of staying in charge of Animal Farm was the repetitive use of Animalism. Animalism …show more content…
was the idea that all animals are equal and that no animal should live like a human. In Document A, the first excerpt stated the seven commandments of Animal Farm that the pigs wrote at the beginning of Animal Farm. Throughout the book, the seven commandments are changed to fit Napoleon’s wants and needs. In the beginning of the book, the seven commandments were reduced to “Four legs good, two legs bad”, meaning that all animals are friends and that all humans are enemies, and at the end of the book, Napoleon and the other pigs started to act more like humans and changed the simplified rule to “Four legs good, two legs better!” to excuse the fact that they started walking on two legs and acting more like humans. Eventually the seven commandments were changed to just one that stated, “ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS” (Doc A, excerpt 3) Napoleon had the rules changed so that he could have an excuse as to why he does things that went against the first set of commandments. By using Animalism as an excuse, Napoleon convinces everyone to listen to him for the sake of the farm.
Another way Napoleon stays in charge of Animal Farm is by using fear to manipulate the other animals. Napoleon knew what the animals in Animal Farm were afraid of and exploited them for his own benefit and power gain. “Though not yet full-grown, they were huge dogs, and as fierce-looking as wolves.”(Doc B, excerpt 1) Napoleon had dogs that guarded him and killed anyone who spoke out against him. “When they had finished their confession, the dogs promptly tore their throats out”(Doc B, excerpt 3). He used the fear of his guard dogs to stay in charge and anyone who questioned him would be executed. Napoleon also used the fear of Jones, the former owner of the farm, coming back and taking away their freedom. “Do you know what would happen if we pigs failed in our duty? Jones would come back!”(Doc C, excerpt 1) By using Jones and the dogs to threaten the animals and anyone who questions Napoleon’s authority, Napoleon stayed in charge with no one daring to challenge him.
The last way Napoleon stays in charge is by using propaganda.
Propaganda is the manipulation of facts and feelings. Throughout the book, Napoleon used propaganda to trick the other farm animals. “Snowball was in league with Jones from the very start!”(Doc D, excerpt 3) By spreading false facts about Snowball, a pig that did not agree with Napoleon’s ways, the animals are convinced that snowball was against them even though he just wanted to help everyone. Napoleon also used propaganda to paint himself as a hero. “ ‘And do you not remember, too, that it was just at that moment, when panic was spreading and all seemed lost, that Comrade Napoleon sprang forward with a cry of ‘Death to Humanity!’ and sank his teeth in Jones’s leg? Surely you remember that, comrades?’ exclaimed Squealer, frisking from side to side.” (Doc E, excerpt 1) Squealer painted Napoleon as a hero and acted as if all those events actually happened. He over exaggerated everything to make it seem like everything really happened that way. Napoleon demanded that everyone call him “our leader”and adopted other names such as, “Father of All Animals, Terror of Mankind, Protector of the Sheep-Fold…” By using these names, taking credit for everyday things, and being displayed as a hero, the animals were tricked into believing Napoleon knew what was best for the them and allowed him to stay in
charge.
At the beginning of Animal Farm, Napoleon acted as if he wanted the best for everyone. Throughout the book, he reveals that he only wants the best for him. He uses different ways of deception to stay in charge of the farm and keep all the power to himself. He stays in charge by using Animalism as an excuse to why he does certain actions, propaganda to display him as a heroine to all of animal kind, and fear to assure that no one questions his position in power and authority. Although Napoleon’s methods of staying in charge are not agreeable, they did work and allowed him to rule over Animal Farm as a dictator.
Joseph Stalin was the most ruthless dictator throughout history. The book, Animal Farm written by George Orwell, was an allegory of how Stalin harshly ruled over the Soviet Union from 1929 to 1953. Animal farm follows a group of animals who wanted a utopia and while striving for this goal, made a dystopia. When the animals took over the farm, the leaders became the pigs since they were the most intelligent. Overtime a pig named Napoleon took complete control of Animal Farm using various methods of deception. Napoleon stays in charge of Animal Farm by using Animalism, fear and propaganda.
One of Napoleon’s methods of staying in charge of Animal Farm was the repetitive use of Animalism. Animalism …show more content…
was the idea that all animals are equal and that no animal should live like a human. In Document A, the first excerpt stated the seven commandments of Animal Farm that the pigs wrote at the beginning of Animal Farm. Throughout the book, the seven commandments are changed to fit Napoleon’s wants and needs. In the beginning of the book, the seven commandments were reduced to “Four legs good, two legs bad”, meaning that all animals are friends and that all humans are enemies, and at the end of the book, Napoleon and the other pigs started to act more like humans and changed the simplified rule to “Four legs good, two legs better!” to excuse the fact that they started walking on two legs and acting more like humans. Eventually the seven commandments were changed to just one that stated, “ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS” (Doc A, excerpt 3) Napoleon had the rules changed so that he could have an excuse as to why he does things that went against the first set of commandments. By using Animalism as an excuse, Napoleon convinces everyone to listen to him for the sake of the farm.
Another way Napoleon stays in charge of Animal Farm is by using fear to manipulate the other animals. Napoleon knew what the animals in Animal Farm were afraid of and exploited them for his own benefit and power gain. “Though not yet full-grown, they were huge dogs, and as fierce-looking as wolves.”(Doc B, excerpt 1) Napoleon had dogs that guarded him and killed anyone who spoke out against him. “When they had finished their confession, the dogs promptly tore their throats out”(Doc B, excerpt 3). He used the fear of his guard dogs to stay in charge and anyone who questioned him would be executed. Napoleon also used the fear of Jones, the former owner of the farm, coming back and taking away their freedom. “Do you know what would happen if we pigs failed in our duty? Jones would come back!”(Doc C, excerpt 1) By using Jones and the dogs to threaten the animals and anyone who questions Napoleon’s authority, Napoleon stayed in charge with no one daring to challenge him.
The last way Napoleon stays in charge is by using propaganda.
Propaganda is the manipulation of facts and feelings. Throughout the book, Napoleon used propaganda to trick the other farm animals. “Snowball was in league with Jones from the very start!”(Doc D, excerpt 3) By spreading false facts about Snowball, a pig that did not agree with Napoleon’s ways, the animals are convinced that snowball was against them even though he just wanted to help everyone. Napoleon also used propaganda to paint himself as a hero. “ ‘And do you not remember, too, that it was just at that moment, when panic was spreading and all seemed lost, that Comrade Napoleon sprang forward with a cry of ‘Death to Humanity!’ and sank his teeth in Jones’s leg? Surely you remember that, comrades?’ exclaimed Squealer, frisking from side to side.” (Doc E, excerpt 1) Squealer painted Napoleon as a hero and acted as if all those events actually happened. He over exaggerated everything to make it seem like everything really happened that way. Napoleon demanded that everyone call him “our leader”and adopted other names such as, “Father of All Animals, Terror of Mankind, Protector of the Sheep-Fold…” By using these names, taking credit for everyday things, and being displayed as a hero, the animals were tricked into believing Napoleon knew what was best for the them and allowed him to stay in
charge.
At the beginning of Animal Farm, Napoleon acted as if he wanted the best for everyone. Throughout the book, he reveals that he only wants the best for him. He uses different ways of deception to stay in charge of the farm and keep all the power to himself. He stays in charge by using Animalism as an excuse to why he does certain actions, propaganda to display him as a heroine to all of animal kind, and fear to assure that no one questions his position in power and authority. Although Napoleon’s methods of staying in charge are not agreeable, they did work and allowed him to rule over Animal Farm as a dictator.