Examples Of Power In Animal Farm

Animal Farm Essay-Rough
Mistaken Power: How Animal Farm Reflects This
Why is it that people with high authority make so many mistakes? Well that is what the story looks at. In Animal Farm by George Orwell, the author studies the topic of power. Indeed, the story suggests that power can always be corrupt. Firstly, power can corrupt in the way that one is not capable of its management. Another way power can corrupt is that when one has high authority, they abuse it. Power can also be corrupt in the way that one lies and manipulates others in order to gain even more dominance. As a result of this, the power a person withholds is often corrupted.
Initially, power can be corrupt in the way that one is not capable of its management. This paragraph
will display how power can be corrupt in that way, with examples from the book. One example of this is shown on the first page: “Mr. Jones, of the Manor Farm, had locked the hen-houses for the night, but was too drunk to remember to shut the pop-holes. With the ring of light from his lantern dancing from side to side, he lurched across the yard, kicked off his boots at the back door, drew himself a last glass of beer from the barrel in the scullery, and made his way up to bed, where Mrs. Jones was already snoring.” (Page 1) This shows that Mr. Jones could have become an alcoholic before, or after taking on the job of owning the farm, and that he is not up to being a farmer. Another example of this is shown in the beginning of the novella: “The men had milked the cows in the early morning and then had gone out rabbiting, without bothering to feed the animals. When Mr. Jones got back he immediately went to sleep on the drawing-room sofa with the News of the World over his face, so that when evening came the animals were still unfed.” (Page 11-12) This also shows how Mr. Jones was incapable of taking care of the farm and its residence due to his drinking habits. From these examples, it is clear that when someone is unable to handle authority, power can be corrupt. Secondly, power can corrupt when one has high authority and abuses it.
This paragraph will show how power is abused and corrupt within Animal Farm. This is shown around the time that Snowball was banished from the farm. The quote was directed at the animals of the farm: “Throughout the spring and summer they worked a sixty-hour week, and in August Napoleon announced that there would be work on Sunday afternoons as well. This work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half.”(Page 40) This shows that Napoleon has abused his power by saying that the work is “voluntary” but if the animals do not do it, then their food ration will be halved; basically stating that the animals must work on Sundays if they want to eat. Power becoming abused and corrupt is also shown around the time the windmill is built, and Snowball comes and destroys it. The quote was about Squealer trying to get the pigs a better workplace: “It was absolutely necessary, he said, that the pigs, who were the brains of the farm, should have a quiet place to work in. It was also more suited to the dignity of the Leader (for of late he had taken to speaking of Napoleon under the title of "Leader") to live in a house than in a mere sty. Nevertheless, some of the animals were disturbed when they heard that the pigs not only took their meals in the kitchen and used the drawing-room as a recreation room, but also slept in the beds.” (Page 45) This suggests that the pigs thought that because they had higher authority than the other animals, they had the right to a better workplace environment. As a result, when one has high authority, it is often abused, and power is
corrupt. Lastly, power can be corrupt in the way that one lies and manipulates others in order to gain even more dominance. This paragraph will state how this happens with examples from the book. It is first shown when half the country finds out about the farm being overrun by animals. Squealer says: "You do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of us actually dislike milk and apples. I dislike them myself. Our sole object in taking these things is to preserve our health. Milk and apples (this has been proved by Science, comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig. We pigs are brainworkers. The whole management and organization of this farm depend on us. Day and night we are watching over your welfare. It is for YOUR sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples." (Page 23) This shows how the pigs lie and manipulate others for their own benefit. Manipulation and corruption of power is also shown near the time that Napoleon demands for Snowball to be captured. The quote addresses how Napoleon is doing as the new leader in terms of food: “Napoleon was well aware of the bad results that might follow if the real facts of the food situation were known, and he decided to make use of Mr. Whymper to spread a contrary impression. Hitherto the animals had had little or no contact with Whymper on his weekly visits: now, however, a few selected animals, mostly sheep, were instructed to remark casually in his hearing that rations had been increased. In addition, Napoleon ordered the almost empty bins in the store-shed to be filled nearly to the brim with sand, which was then covered up with what remained of the grain and meal. On some suitable pretext Whymper was led through the store-shed and allowed to catch a glimpse of the bins. He was deceived, and continued to report to the outside world that there was no food shortage on Animal Farm.”(Page 50) This shows how Napoleon deceived the animals as he knew that they didn’t have much food left, but he made it look like the bins were full of food. In the end, this shows how Napoleon and Squealer manipulated the farm in order to gain dominance. Throughout Animal Farm, the author looks at the many ways power can become corrupt. It is shown in the book when one is not capable of managing it like when Mr. Jones carelessly locks up for the night. It is also displayed when one has high authority and abuses it like when Napoleon makes Sundays workdays, and when one lies and manipulates others in order to gain even more dominance like when Napoleon makes the food supply look much greater than what it is. In conclusion, when one is not careful, power can easily become corrupt.