Animal Farm - the Nature of Power
Animal Farm: The Nature of Power
Describe at least one idea that was worth learning about. Explain why the idea was worth learning about in the text.
In George Orwell’s book Animal Farm an idea that was worth learning about was the corruptive nature of power, and the effects it has on those who wield it. “Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” -Lord Acton. This is important because it gives the reader an insight on Orwell’s theory on why most communist revolutions and regimes fail. In the beginning of Animal Farm the tyrant farmer Jones is overthrown and the animals are filled with visions of a farm where were all animals are equal and were animals work together to create a better world for all animals, the base principles of communism, or the so called “animalism” in the book. Although this is a good ideal in theory, it runs against the nature of humans (or animals in the case of the book) and we soon see things heading downhill. Because of the nature of power we aren’t all equal. We don’t have the same drives and same compassion as a group, and therefore it is unlikely we can create a society of true equality.
The way Orwell portrays the pigs suggests he believes that any vacuum of power will be filled quickly by those who take the chance to seize it. In the book, from the very point Jones is overthrown, the pigs assume leadership roles. In the first harvest on the farm, “The pigs did not actually work, but directed and supervised the others. With their superior knowledge it was natural that they should assume the leadership.” The pigs have already asserted themselves because of their “superior intellect”. None of the animals seem to have a problem with this, perhaps because the pigs have suggested its natural, even though it is already running against one of the key principles of animalism - all animals are equal. Napoleon and Snowball have already set themselves up with superiority to the un-educated animals. The pigs begin to
Describe at least one idea that was worth learning about. Explain why the idea was worth learning about in the text.
In George Orwell’s book Animal Farm an idea that was worth learning about was the corruptive nature of power, and the effects it has on those who wield it. “Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” -Lord Acton. This is important because it gives the reader an insight on Orwell’s theory on why most communist revolutions and regimes fail. In the beginning of Animal Farm the tyrant farmer Jones is overthrown and the animals are filled with visions of a farm where were all animals are equal and were animals work together to create a better world for all animals, the base principles of communism, or the so called “animalism” in the book. Although this is a good ideal in theory, it runs against the nature of humans (or animals in the case of the book) and we soon see things heading downhill. Because of the nature of power we aren’t all equal. We don’t have the same drives and same compassion as a group, and therefore it is unlikely we can create a society of true equality.
The way Orwell portrays the pigs suggests he believes that any vacuum of power will be filled quickly by those who take the chance to seize it. In the book, from the very point Jones is overthrown, the pigs assume leadership roles. In the first harvest on the farm, “The pigs did not actually work, but directed and supervised the others. With their superior knowledge it was natural that they should assume the leadership.” The pigs have already asserted themselves because of their “superior intellect”. None of the animals seem to have a problem with this, perhaps because the pigs have suggested its natural, even though it is already running against one of the key principles of animalism - all animals are equal. Napoleon and Snowball have already set themselves up with superiority to the un-educated animals. The pigs begin to