Squealer in Animal Farm

Animal Farm Essay

Squealer is loyal to Napoleon.
For example, when Squealer was explaining the death of Boxer, he said ‘It was the most affecting sight he had ever seen” and even lifted up his trotter to wipe away his tears. Squealer lied to the animals about the death of Boxer and willingly betrayed the trust of the fellow comrades and his conscience to help Napoleon maintain power on the farm.
Another example is that Squealer mentioned that Napoleon paid for expensive medicines for Boxer without a thought to the cost. Squealer lied to the animals about what happened to Boxer and tried to portray Napoleon as a kind and benevolent leader who would help any animal in need.
Thus, this shows that Squealer is loyal to Napoleon.

Squealer is scheming.
Squealer told the animals that Boxer’s last words was his sole sorrow was to have passed on before the windmill was finished. Squealer lied to the animals as he was afraid that the animal would not want to continue to work on the farm after Boxer has died. He did this to ensure that the animals would continue working on the windmill and do what Napoleon wanted.
Squealer also told the animals that Boxer said “Long Live Comrade Napoleon. Napoleon is always right.” Since Squealer knows that the animals look up to Boxer as their role model, he uses it to his advantage to tell the animals to follow Boxer’s maxims. Thus, the animals will trust Napoleon more.
Thus, this shows that Squealer is scheming.

Squealer is persuasive.
When Squealer was talking about Boxer’s death, Squealer lifted his trotter to wipe away a tear. This evidence shows that Squealer is trying to show how upset over Boxer’s death. By showing his emotional side, he is trying to arose the animals and sway their emotions to favour Napoleon.
The animals were “enormously relieved to hear this “ and “their last thoughts disappeared”. This further shows how Squealer was able to convince the animals into thinking that Boxer was well cared for by Napoleon. The animals might even be grateful to Napoleon for caring for Boxer.
Thus, this shows that Squealer is persuasive.

What roles does Squealer play in Animal Farm?

Squealer is Napoleon’s right-hand man.
When Snowball was chased out of the farm by Napoleon, Squealer was sent to talk to the animals and told the animals “to appreciate the sacrifice Napoleon had made in by taking upon this extra labour upon himself.” Squealer is trying to defend and justify Napoleon’s actions of chasing Snowball out of the farm and to clear the doubts that the animals had about Napoleon. Squealer is also trying to get the animals to sympathesize with Napoleon. The animals might even be grateful for the “sacrifice” that Napoleon made.
When there was unrest among the animals when the 4th commandment was broken, Squealer was sent to tell them that “the rules was against sheets, not beds. You would have us too tired to carry out our duties?” Squealer tried to convince the animals that Napoleon needed rest. Time and again, Squealer has jumped to Napoleon’s defence and to prevent a rebellion of the animals on Napoleon in the farm.
Thus, this shows that Squealer is Napoleon’s right-hand man.

Squealer is a propagandist.
The animals did not totally agree when the pigs decided to take the milk and apples for themselves. Squealer was sent to talk to them and said “Do you know what would happen if we pigs failed in our duty? Jones would come back!” Squealer is using the technique of appeal to fear. By threatening that Jones would come back, he forces the animals to accept that the apples and milk would have to be given up to the pigs. Squealer is using propaganda to twist the facts that Jones would come back with the pigs did not have their milk and apples.
Squealer called Snowball a “traitor” and a “criminal” Some of the animals did not believe that Snowball was bad and deserved to be exiled from the farm. Squealer was sent to talk to them. Squealer is using the technique of name-calling. He calls Snowball a traitor and criminal to tarnish Snowball’s reputation and to convince the animals that Snowball was indeed bad and deserved to be exiled from the farm.
Thus, this shows that Squealer is a propagandist.

Squealer is a successful orator.
When talking about Boxer’s death, Squealer lifted his trotter and wiped away his tears. Squealer is trying to show his dramatic and emotional side that he was upset over Boxer’s death. This shows how Squealer uses his dramatic side to convince the animals, who at first believed that Boxer was sent to the knacker, to trust that Napoleon sent him to the veterinarian.
Squealer always spoke it as a “readjustment” of rations instead of a “reduction” of rations. The clever use of “readjustment” hides the fact that the animal’s rations are being reduced. Since the animals are stupid and do not know what is the meaning of “readjustment”, they believe “readjustment” to be a positive word since Squealer used it and believe that their rations were not reduced.
This shows that Squealer is a successful orator.