Write Napoleon’s Diary Entry for the Day That the Windmill Is Destroyed. (Animal Farm)

Task 2:

Write Napoleon’s diary entry for the day that the windmill is destroyed.

Murielle Pallien

- 1 - Murielle Pallien

October 2012

Rationale:

I have chosen to write the diary entry for the pig Napoleon, because I find him to be an extremely interesting character. He is the one who comes up with ideas to keep the other animals working without complaining. He also has a fairly high standard of knowledge and can communicate on an intellectual level so his diary entry is supposed to reflect that.

In the book Napoleon is not seen that much as the other animals, he is the leader who stays in the background and sends others to do his work. Because of this I enjoyed giving him, apart from his public image, a private side, which no one knows about, as well as plans of which no one except “Comrade Diary” knows about. The diary is the audience, in this case, so I wanted Napoleon to come across as honest and unreserved about his plans and ambitions as possible. Also, I wanted it to seem that Napoleon sees this diary as the only equal on the whole farm, that he seems to think that everyone else was beneath him except this diary, where he shows off his greatness to his fellow comrade, who is higher in the hierarchy than anyone else, except of course Napoleon.

One of the challenges what not to be tempted to write about things which Napoleon knows nothing about, since I could not write from the narrator of the novel’s perspective, but had to limit myself to what only Napoleon knows has happened or will happen.

All in all I hope to have portrayed Napoleon as the selfish and yet intelligent leader who works in the background to keep Animal Farm running.

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Written Task

Task 2:
Write Napoleon’s diary entry for the day that the windmill is destroyed.

Greetings Comrade,

It has been quite some time since I have last written to you, however things have been rather busy these last few weeks. All the other animals are admiring the nearly finished windmill and here and there an encouraging word from Squealer makes them work even harder and on even less food. He truly can be extremely convincing. He has taken to ending every announcement with the words, “Surely none of you wishes to see Jones back?” ,or something along those lines, which has the animals agreeing to anything and everything. We will have to see how far we can take it without raising suspicions. The sheep are already a good source of disruption should any of the other animals at some point during a meeting raise any doubts or criticism. Moses is a useful tool as well, since he gives the animals some hope of a great but distant future, which keeps them working hard hoping to achieve going there some day. But that’s enough about the running of the farm, let me tell you what a “great” thing has happened:

Well, today was both, a “terrible” day, for the animals, and yet a rather satisfying day, for me. Let me explain, since it was nearly winter the wind had been extremely harsh and strong, so strong in fact that the windmill had been completely blown down. I had hoped that exactly this would occur. When planning the windmill the other pigs and I had calculated at which breadth the walls would still support the stone but could be blown down by a very strong wind, which usually comes around this time. So in the morning I could already hear all the shrieks of dismay and horror from the animals, when they discovered the ruins of the windmill. So Part A of my plan to make Snowball a complete enemy of Animal Farm was in motion.
I ran ahead of everyone, to the rubble and stone pile of what had once been the half finished windmill. While pacing back and forth, I did some last minute planning in my head about how to convince, or rather how to fool the animals, into thinking that Snowball had destroyed the fruit of their hard labour. I snuffed at the ground a few times and twitched my tail from side to side before halting and asking the animals if they knew who was responsible for this; who the enemy was that came in the night and overthrew our windmill. This I said quietly, so many of the animals flinched when I suddenly roared my prepared speech: “SNOWBALL! Snowball has done this thing! In sheer malignity, thinking to set back our plans and avenge himself for his ignominious expulsion, this traitor has crept here under cover of night and destroyed our work of nearly a year. Comrades, here and now I pronounce the death sentence upon Snowball. ”Animal Hero, Second Class”, and half a bushel of apples to any animal who brings him to justice. A full bushel to anyone who captures him alive!”
Well, what do you think of that, comrade? And that was not even all. The animals were too shocked to say anything so they just looked at each other and after a moment of silence began discussing the best ways to capture Snowball alive, if or when he came back to Animal Farm. Just then one of my dogs came back with one of the other pigs, who said that they had found the footprints of a pig in the grass only a little way from the knoll. So again I snuffed at the prints deeply and announced to the rest of the animals

- 3 - that they were indeed Snowball’s and that it was most probable that he came from the direction of Foxwood Farm.
My second part of the speech was enough to persuade the animals to continue working on the windmill, since not doing so would mean that Snowball had triumphed over
Animal Farm by demoralizing “us.” I said to the animals, “No more delays, comrades!
There is work to be done. This very morning we begin rebuilding the windmill, and we will build all through the winter, rain or shine. We will teach this miserable traitor that he cannot undo our work so easily. Remember, comrades, there must be no alteration in our plans: they shall be carried out to the day. Forward, comrades! Long live the windmill! Long live Animal Farm!”
Perhaps I should speak to them more often personally, since apparently a speech by their “beloved leader” made them double their efforts to finish the windmill in time.
Now the next step in my plan to make Snowball an enemy of Animal Farm, Plan B so to speak, will be set in motion during the spring when there is more things for an enemy to “damage”. Squealer will spread the news that Snowball is coming to the farm at night and doing all kinds of mischief. However, more of that when it has happened. I will try to write more frequently however I have much to do, drink beer and sleep in wonderfully soft beds, run this farm giving orders to Mr Whymper and so on. It truly is quite taxing however also quite enjoyable.

Well comrade, until next time and “Long live my rule over Animal Farm”!

Leader Napoleon

897 words

Bibliography:

Animal Farm by George Orwell

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Bibliography: Animal Farm by George Orwell - 4 -