Society Corrupted By Power

Gibran Shahzad
Ms. Bhela
ENG 2D0-D
17 January 2011
Society Corrupted By Power
The world is a very diverse place. Throughout different parts of the world, there are different people with unique personalities and attitudes. Animal Farm is a heartbreaking story based on the history of a revolution that turned into a disaster, which was written by George Orwell. Two of the essential characters Snowball and Napoleon demonstrate that they value leadership because they portray that they want to make the right decisions best suitable for Animal Farm. In comparison to leading, Snowball and Napoleon also value the prosperity of Animal Farm. By making thoughtful decisions, they would lead the farm into a peaceful, prosperous nation. Snowball shows that he not only values leadership, and the prosperity of Animal Farm, but as well as the animals on the farm, when he decides to build a windmill that would substantially reduce labour. While Napoleon, on the other hand values only his close supporters and himself, when he takes advantage of the food supply on the farm. Therefore, Snowball and Napoleon are similar because they both value their leadership role and the prosperity of Animal Farm. Whereas they are different because Snowball values everyone on the farm, while Napoleon only values his close supporters and himself.

The prominent characters of Animal Farm, Snowball and Napoleon are very similar because they both cherish the leadership role in Animal Farm, and they keep striving to achieve it. Ever since the rebellion, the animals are struggling to maintain, and increase production. Since the pigs are manifestly the cleverest out of the rest of the species on Animal Farm, they are the ones who take the leadership role, in order to get Animal Farm on the right path. Snowball who is intelligent and passionate often wins over the majority by his brilliant speeches. He continuously challenges Napoleon for control of Animal Farm thinking he will make the right decisions best suitable for everyone. “It had come to be accepted that the pigs, who were manifestly cleverer than the other animals, should decide all questions of farm policy, though their decisions had to be ratified by a majority vote. This arrangement would have worked well enough if it had not been for the disputes between Snowball and Napoleon” (Orwell 31). During every meeting, Snowball and Napoleon end up breaking into a dispute. It seems as if the two cannot agree upon any matter, even if it is reasonable. Snowball and Napoleon have different styles of leadership, which is why they constantly argue. Snowball seems to win the loyalty of the other animals and cements his power by being honest, whereas Napoleon not only dictates the other animals, but practices totalitarianism. Napoleon from Animal Farm also illustrates that he values leadership. Ever since Snowball’s banishment from Animal Farm, Napoleon has stepped in as the leader claiming that Snowball was working for Mr. Jones this whole time. Napoleon’s trusted pig Squealer spreads propaganda across Animal Farm, deceiving everyone into thinking that Napoleon works hard as the leader, but in reality it is thanks to the efforts of the other animals to where they have got today. “‘I trust that every animal here appreciates the sacrifice that Comrade Napoleon has made in taking this extra labour upon himself. Do not imagine, comrades, that leadership is a pleasure! On the contrary, it is a deep and heavy responsibility. No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would only be too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?’’’(Orwell 37). Squealer informs the rest of the farm that Napoleon is working hard as the new leader. He claims that being the leader is a very heavy responsibility, but in reality Napoleon wants to dictate all the other animals to get tasks done his way. Napoleon will do anything to take control over Animal Farm. Squealer is Napoleon’s way of deceiving the farm into thinking that he is making all the right choices that Snowball will never have made. He is so determined to be the leader that it results in manipulating the other animals. Hence, Snowball and Napoleon are similar because they both value their leadership role. However during these situations Snowball won the attention of the other animals honestly, while Napoleon used his power to intimidate the rest of the farm.

It seems as if Snowball and Napoleon have completely different personalities. This may be true, but the two leaders share the value of wanting Animal Farm to prosper. Animal Farm is under a great amount of pressure, considering the fact that if they do not maintain the farm, then it will result in Jones’ return. During Snowball’s spare time he locks himself in a small shed, and begins to analyze what has been done in Animal Farm. He thinks of new ways to help make the farm grow economically. “Snowball used as his study a shed which had once been used for incubators and had a smooth wooden floor, suitable for drawing on. He was closeted there for hours at time. With his books held open by a stone, and with a piece of chalk gripped between the knuckles of his trotter, he would move rapidly to and fro, drawing in line after line and uttering little whimpers of excitement” (Orwell 33). Snowball questions the wealth of Animal Farm, and feels that it is necessary to spend some time into devising a product which can enhance production on the farm. The duration of the time Snowball spent locked up in the shed, resulted in the idea of building a windmill. Snowball says that it will be difficult to build, but the final product will be astonishing. The windmill will save a lot of labour, and will generate electricity throughout the farm. Similarly like Snowball, Napoleon not only uses his power to intimidate the other animals, but he also uses it in a way to encourage, and build others self-esteem. At the farm, every couple of days the animals gather together at the big barn and hold meetings, to discuss issues, which is held by Napoleon. At the end of the meetings, Napoleon always ends “... his speech with his usual cry of Long live Animal Farm, and after the singing of ‘Beasts of England’ the animals were dismissed” (Orwell 43). By ending every speech with a cry of “Long live Animal Farm”, Napoleon teaches the animals to have pride of their home. A chain reaction follows, if the animals have pride of their home land, the animals will be encouraged to work harder for the benefit of Animal Farm, thus resulting in the Animal Farm’s prosperity. Hence, Snowball and Napoleon are similar in the matter of desiring Animal Farm to prosper. However, their means of achieving it are completely different.

Power and the ability to lead are very hard to control. Depending on the way one harnesses it, can lead to either brilliant ideas, or can downfall, and corrupt society. In Animal Farm, Snowball and Napoleon, both obtain a great amount of power. Snowball avails his power to help benefit everyone on the farm by deciding to build a windmill. “In glowing sentences he painted a picture of Animal Farm as it might be when sordid labour was lifted from the animal’s back” (Orwell 35). Since Snowball is one of the leaders, he does not have to endure the outrageous amount of labour the other animals do. Snowball not only values the prosperity of Animal Farm, but his fellow comrades. Therefore, by building a windmill, he is drastically reducing labour, and making the other animal’s lives more luxurious. In contrast, Napoleon only pleases his close supporters, and himself. Shortly after the rebellion, the animals discover, to their outrage, that the pigs are taking all of the milk and apples for themselves. On behalf of Napoleon, Squealer hints that Mr. Jones might return back to Animal Farm if they do not gain the essential nutrients needed to function properly. “‘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”’ (Orwell 23). Unlike Snowball, Napoleon’s personality is rather cruel. Napoleon shows no kindness to the other animals in the sense of rights, other than his close supporters. Napoleon is a very cunning pig and only shows the side everyone wants to see at the beginning to gain power. Based on Joseph Stalin, Napoleon manipulates his fellow “comrades” in order to achieve his goals. If power is gained by the wrong person, it can lead to corrupting society, which in this case is Napoleon. Hence, Snowball and Napoleon are poles apart because Snowball values every animal on the farm, while Napoleon only values his close supporters and his own needs.

The characters of Animal Farm, Snowball and Napoleon, through their dialogue and actions have demonstrated to the audience their similar and different values. Similarly, both value their leadership role in Animal Farm, and the prosperity of it too, but they hold opposing views because Snowball values the needs of everyone on the farm; while Napoleon only values his law abiding comrades. Snowball continuously challenges Napoleon with his brilliant speeches for leadership, whilst Napoleon wants to dictate the farm to get tasks done his own way. Snowball is very considerate, and takes time off his own schedule in order to benefit the farm by his ideas; however Napoleon encourages the other animals to work harder by his motto “Long live Animal Farm”, but only to get more labour out of the animals. Snowball is an amiable individual who values everyone on the farm. He decides to build a windmill to reduce labour. On the other hand, Napoleon only cares about himself, when he takes the whole supply of milk and apples for himself. It is important to realize that everybody is composed of different values and beliefs, and cannot expect the best from everything. Life is filled with compromises, and at the end of the day you may need to set some differences aside and compromise in order to keep life peaceful.