Okay, So for English I had to write about Napoleon's leadership in Animal Farm. Note, I didn't like the book, so it was hard for me not to show that in the essay. That and I'm not the best formal writer in the world. I'm more into stories where I can bend the rules. =D
So...Here it is if you want to read it....
Napoleon, uses a combination of body guards, lack of education on the other animals part, and Squealers speaking skills to both obtain and hold power over the animals of animal farm.
A kind of fear educed obedience has been used by many past power-hungry leaders, and will no doubt be used by many more. In Napoleon's case, nine ferocious dogs bring about this obedience. Every time an animal gets too close to him or raises a question, a dog will growl, restoring order. This is effective because animals-people even-sometimes confuse one emotion for another. The fear created by the dogs could easily be mistaken for respect or an odd sort of trust. This is only effective because the animals that are silenced by the dogs could overtake them if they had the drive to, but because they don't they become willing to be afraid, and therefore, are. And example of this can be seen directly after Snowball is chased away, where Orwell writes, “Four young porkers in the front row uttered shrill squeals of disapproval, and all four of them sprang to their feet and began speaking at once. But suddenly the dogs sitting around Napoleon let out deep, menacing growls and pigs fell silent and down at once.” The pigs didn't have to remain silent, they could have risked being chased by the dogs, for the sake of Animal Farm.
The lack of education for many of the farm animals is also used by Napoleon to grasp further control over the farm an its inhabitants. One such case would be the “important documents” mentioned frequently, but never seen by anybody but the pigs. There were no documents of that kind, it was simply means of getting the animals who couldn't read to do whatever the pigs asked. As seen when Napoleon said, “I could show you this in his writing, if you were able to read it,” This sentence shows the reader that Napoleon was aware that the other animals would not be able to read it, and that he took advantage of that fact. Another case of Napoleon using lack of education to his advantage is with the seven commandments. Those animals who could read-the pigs and those who were sided with the pigs(isn't that handy?)- were also able to change the commandments at any time a question about them was raised, and the others would believe them as if they had simply “forgotten.” The effectiveness was, and wasn't the animals of the farm's fault. While for some, such as Benjamen-who could read and chose not to- there was something they could do to placate the situation, the other animals possessed no ability to obtain the knowledge required.
Squealers speeches and talent with debate is used to it's full advantage in order to keep the animals in control and to keep them from asking questions. He can convince anyone of anything, which is pointed out early in the story, when he is described. “He [Squealer] was a brilliant talker, and when he was arguing some difficult point he had a way of skipping from side to side and whisking his tail which was somehow very persuasive. The others said of Squealer that he could turn black to white.” Throughout the book Squealer uses his persuasive methods to keep the other animals quiet and convince them that conditions on the farm were indeed improving. Squealer was also used to convince the other animals to go against Snowball with his speeches.
The effectiveness of Napoleon's rule is not a show of his own talents or ability, but others. Napoleon does not create fear, the dogs do. He doesn't force the animals to be uneducated, and he is incapable of Squealers brilliant speeches. Even the idea of a windmill-which actually did the animals no good but to be noticed- was not Napoleon's idea, it was Snowball's. It is not Napoleon that led animal farm, it was the animals willingness to believe, because being controlled was all they knew.
Please don't hesitate to tell me how it really is...
but wouldn't go down well in an essay.
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