Power Corrupts In Animal Farm

The novel Animal Farm written by George Orwell is a story that has many different themes presented through the novel. The many themes can teach us valuable life lessons, all in which show that having too much power is never a good situation, and the majority of the time ends badly.
First and foremost, a theme highly emphasised in this novel is that power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Orwell has the entire plot of this book revolving around how all the animals want equality and to all be treated the same. One of the pigs; Napoleon, becomes more of a dictator figure and all the animals just accept it. Because of Napoleon and the pigs having too much power over the other animals; their power corrupts. After all the problems equality causes,
in the end of the book the commandment, “All animals are equal,” turns into “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.” (Orwell 134). This rule being changed completely defeats the entire purpose of the whole “equality” idea the animals all wanted in the first place. Ironically, “The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but it was already impossible to say which was which” (Orwell 141). So really the animals just end up back to where they started in the first place. Evidently, power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely in this novel.
Another theme presented in this novel is that fear and violence are used to control and manipulate others.
In the beginning of the book when Old Major the “head pig” wants the other animals to join in on his idea of a rebellion, he uses fear in order for them to listen to him. “But no animal escapes the cruel knife in the end...everyone of you will scream before your lives within a year...Jones will send you to the knacker who will cut your throat and boil you down” (Orwell 8). Old Major controls the animals by scaring them, resulting them to rebel against the humans. Making the animals fear for their lives really has them start to agree with Old Major, and carry out his ideas. Fear to control was not only used by Old Major, but Napoleon as well. He being the “dictator” of the animals uses this strategy throughout the novel. “But suddenly the dogs sitting round Napoleon let out deep, menacing growls, and the pigs fell silent and sat down again” (Orwell 54) Napoleon is so hungry for power and control over everyone else, it can be seen that he has the animals fearing him and his dogs in order for them to listen and respect what he has to say. Furthermore, fear and violence are used to control and manipulate
others.

Lastly, it is demonstrated in this novel that those with little education can easily be manipulated by propaganda. A lot of the animals are not educated, but that did not matter to Napoleon, because that meant to him they would be easier to control. Whatever he would tell the other animals, they would listen no problem, leaving Napoleon with all the power. “Whenever something went wrong, it became usual to attribute it to Snowball” (Orwell 78). During the story, Snowball (another pig) starts to see the error in Napoleon’s ways, and starts to question him along with his decisions. Eventually Snowball starts to disagree with Napoleon, so he throws Snowball out of the farm. Even after Snowball is gone, Napoleon still wants the other animals to believe all the farm’s misfortunes are because of Snowball. Likewise, Napoleon uses the animal's’ lack of education in his favor as well. For instance “It had become usual to give Napoleon the credit for every successful achievement and every stroke of good fortune” (Orwell 93). These poor animals are manipulated into believing that Napoleon means well for them, and is the reason for their success; because of their little education. Hence those with little education can easily be manipulated by propaganda.

In conclusion, Animal Farm displays many different themes all showing us too much power never ends well, and causes so many unnecessary problems.