Theme Of Corruption In George Orwell's Animal Farm

In this quote Napoleon and his rival Snowball have called a meeting in the barn. Every animal attends to hear what they have to say. Snowball has been the favoured candidate for leadership because of his brilliant ideas, his commitment, and his sympathy towards others. Napoleon is aware of Snowball’s incredible leadership, but he feels as if the feud between the two has gone on long enough. Napoleon devises a plan to essentially force snowball into exile by chasing him right out the front door. Napoleon commands his “police” dogs to attack Snowball during the meeting at the farm “At this there was a terrible baying sound outside, and nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars came bounding into the barn. They dashed straight for Snowball, who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws.”(Orwell 35). Napoleon’s name is used as an allusion to the historical figure of Napoleon Bonaparte as well as the famous dictator Stalin who struggles to maintain power between Snowball who is used as an allusion to Trotsky, Stalin’s rival. As Snowball is chased off the farm, eventually disappearing, Napoleon claims leadership among the farm and its inhabitants.

Significance: The first sign of corruption has emerged in
Napoleon uses these commandments as a form of propaganda thinking that repetition of saying and hearing these principles will make the animal accept them. As time proceeds Napoleon realises the advantages of luxuries such as beds, alcohol, and clothes. The similarities between man and beast have begun to show as Napoleon breaks each commandment. From this point on we see Animal Farm as a completely corrupt dictatorship in which pigs are given more rights than every other animal on the farm. Almost every single rule of Old Major’s original commandments has been tweaked or changed to meet the extravagant wants of