Persuasive Language Animal Farm
Language is power. It gives the speaker a voice and the listener something to hear. It paves the way for opinions to become revolutionary and for ideals to become cages. Language is the source of everything that is human. When language is manipulated, bias and illiberality is inserted into everyday lives, altering memories and rearranging thoughts. In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Napoleon’s manipulation of rhetoric and persuasive language makes him a very effective communicator, and therefore powerful. Napoleon’s main rhetoric power comes from a young pig who “could turn black into white” (Orwell p. 6), named Squealer. Squealer is often “sent round the farm to explain … new arrangement[s]” (Orwell p. 21), on Napoleon’s behalf. This is
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Napoleon’s ended one. Old Major uses his persuasive power to inform the other animals of a future that he believes would better their lives. In Major’s speech, he tells the animals that since, “‘Man is the only creature that consumes without producing’” (Orwell p. 2), he does not deserve to be the “‘lord of all the animals’” (Orwell p. 2). His mastery of the art of persuasion wins over the hearts of the animals, and incites the revolution from which Animal Farm is born. On the other hand, Napoleon uses his power and influence over the farm to return Animal Farm to its original state, only with pigs in the place of humans on the hierarchical ladder. By using Squealer and rhetoric language, Napoleon gradually leads the animals blindly back to their “miserable, laborious, and short” (Orwell p. 2) lives under Jones under the pretense of equality. The fact that Napoleon can undermine the very ideas that birthed Animalism proves that he is a very effective communicator. The changes he initiates are so gradual that even the reader may be unaware upon first glance. One can observe these changes in the Seven Commandments, which are shortened at the end of the novel to one line; “All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others” (Orwell p. 51 - 52). Obviously, Napoleon’s ability to destroy the ideals of the animal rebellion proves that his effective communication skills grant him enormous
Napoleon’s ended one. Old Major uses his persuasive power to inform the other animals of a future that he believes would better their lives. In Major’s speech, he tells the animals that since, “‘Man is the only creature that consumes without producing’” (Orwell p. 2), he does not deserve to be the “‘lord of all the animals’” (Orwell p. 2). His mastery of the art of persuasion wins over the hearts of the animals, and incites the revolution from which Animal Farm is born. On the other hand, Napoleon uses his power and influence over the farm to return Animal Farm to its original state, only with pigs in the place of humans on the hierarchical ladder. By using Squealer and rhetoric language, Napoleon gradually leads the animals blindly back to their “miserable, laborious, and short” (Orwell p. 2) lives under Jones under the pretense of equality. The fact that Napoleon can undermine the very ideas that birthed Animalism proves that he is a very effective communicator. The changes he initiates are so gradual that even the reader may be unaware upon first glance. One can observe these changes in the Seven Commandments, which are shortened at the end of the novel to one line; “All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others” (Orwell p. 51 - 52). Obviously, Napoleon’s ability to destroy the ideals of the animal rebellion proves that his effective communication skills grant him enormous