Similarities and Differences Between Napoleon and Snowball, the Characters from Animal Farm.

This essay, will explore the similarities and differences between Napoleon and Snowball, the characters from animal farm.

Napoleon is a fictional character and the main character in George Orwell Animal Farm. At first He was a common pig, he then gets rid of Snowball, another pig who shares power with him. He then takes advantage of the animal's uprising against the humans and eventually becomes the President of Animal Farm, which he turns into a dictatorship.

Napoleon is based on Joseph Stalin, who ruled the Soviet Union for 30 years. His name comes from the French general Napoleon Bonaparte, who was power crazy and a dictator. He was a Berkshire pig and the only one on the farm, which is similar to Stalin being the only Georgian in the Soviet government.
From the start he is obviously a bad pig. Napoleon fights along with fellow pig Snowball to free the farm from the humans, but afterwards he starts some suspicious activity, such as drinking the milk the animals have worked for, and taking Bluebell and Jessie's puppies for himself. Napoleon chooses the date of the meeting about the farm's new windmill to turn on Snowball and get control of the farm. This is similar to the relationship between Stalin and Trotsky. When it looks like Snowball will win the election for his plans, Napoleon calls in the dogs, who chase Snowball from the farm.
After getting rid of Snowball, Napoleon orders the construction of the windmill which had been designed by Snowball and which he had been totally against. He does this to show the animals that he could be just as clever as Snowball. Some animals are told it was Napoleon's idea, but Snowball stole it.
When the windmill collapses due to Napoleon's poor planning after a storm, he blames Snowball and starts a wave of terror. He orders the execution of some of the animals after torturing them for confessions. He also secretly changes the Seven Commandments rules against killing, drinking, and sleeping in beds, allowing him and his followers to break those rules while claiming that the changes to the rules were okay. He then orders the building of a second stronger windmill while cutting rations of the animals— except the rations of the pigs and dogs.
During the Battle of The Windmill, the windmill is destroyed, but the animals win, . Napoleon tries to excuse the losses by saying it was a great victory for the animals.
While Napoleon gets the other animals to fight and die for the good of the farm, he himself is a coward and lazy as well, in contrast to Snowball, who is more concerned with the good of his animal friends rather than his power. But Napoleon claims to be a hero, and he also claims to be responsible for the animal's victory during the Battle of the Cowshed. Snowball was wounded in the back from gun shot, but Napoleon pretends he made the wounds with his teeth. Napoleon spends most of his time inside, giving his orders through other pigs, he also declares the Farm a Republic, and a President is elected, Napoleon is the only candidate and is elected.
Napoleon becomes a dictator and seems to become one of the cruel humans through copying human behaviour. The pigs start walking on their hind legs and wearing clothes. The commandments are changed to say some animals are more equal then others. At the end of the book he has decided to ban the use of "comrade," and declares that the farm shall revert to its original name of Manor Farm.

The story ends with Napoleon meeting with Pilkington of Foxwood farm and other farmers, who says the animals here work longer for less food then other farms they have seen. The pigs have become so much like humans that the other animals watching through a window from the outside cannot tell the men and the pigs apart.

Snowball is another main character in George Orwell's Animal Farm. He is based on the Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky. Snowball believes in a continued revolution. He says that in order to defend Animal Farm the animals should start rebellions in other farms in England. He is the only pig on the farm who works with the other animals and is the kinder of the two main pigs on the farm. Snowball also writes the first version of the Seven Commandments. These are later altered by Squealer under the orders of Napoleon. For example, the commandment saying “No animal shall drink alcohol” is changed to “No animal shall drink alcohol to excess”. The rule that states, “No animal should sleep in a bed,” is changed to “No animal should sleep in a bed with sheets”.

Snowball is eventually forced out of the farm when Napoleon uses his guard dogs to chase Snowball. After that he is blamed for problems on the farm, and it is claimed he supported Jones from the start. Though he fought bravely at the Battle of Cowshed, the facts are altered to say he actually fought for Jones. Those animals accused of supporting him are executed, and a reward is offered for his capture. It is never revealed what really happened to Snowball.
So in conclusion Snowball uses persuasion in terms of communicating with the animals. He wants to make sure that the other animals support the purpose of the revolution.

Napoleon takes a different approach to this. He believes that power is best under his control. This is the reason that he starts looking after the puppies at an early age and raises them to be his own personal body guards. This is the main difference between the two pigs. Napoleon believes in total control, while Snowball believes in co-operation.