Page 74 - DENG203_ELECTIVE_ENGLISH_IV

Unit 4: Animal Farm by George Orwell

considered when the new government was being established after the successful revolt. It almost Notes
looks like the pigs fed off Old Major’s inspiration and used it to their benefit instead of following
the old Major’s honest plan. This could be George’s attempt to taunt Stalin, who people think
completely ignored Marx’s social and political theory. Using Old Major’s apparent naivety,
George shows that no society is perfect, there is no way to escape the evil grasp of capitalism and
that no pure socialist civilisation can exist. Sadly, when Squealer and Napoleon take over, Old
Major becomes distant fragment of the past in the minds of all farm animals.
Napoleon: Napoleon is George’s main villain in Animal Farm. The name Napoleon is very
suitable since Napoleon, the dictator of France, was considered Anti-Christ. Napoleon, the pig,
is the most important character in the farm. Clearly a metaphor for Stalin, Comrade Napoleon
denotes the human weaknesses of any revolution. George held that even though socialism is
good as an ideal, it can never be effectively adopted due to the overpowering sins of human
nature. For instance, though Napoleon looks to be a good leader at first, he is finally overcome
by greed and soon becomes hungry for power. Stalin did this in Russia too, in Russia, leaving
the unique equality of socialism behind, giving himself all the power and living in luxury while
the common peasant was left to suffer. So, while his international and national status flowered,
the welfare of Russia remained unaffected. George explains, “Somehow it seemed as though the
farm had grown richer without making the animals themselves any richer—except, of course
for the pigs and the dogs.” Napoleon’s true side becomes obvious after he slaughters animals for
hatching a conspiracy against him. He also employs a pig to sample his food for him to be sure
that no one is trying to poison him. Stalin, too, was a harsh dictator in Russia. After suspecting
that several people in his empire were supporters of Trotsky (George’s Snowball), Stalin
systematically killed many of them. Towards the end of the novel, Napoleon doesn’t pretend to
lead a socialist state. After calling it a Republic and instituting his own version of the Beasts of
England and the commandments, Comrade Napoleon quickly becomes somewhat a dictator
who was never really even elected by the animals.
Squealer: Squealer is an interesting character in George’s Animal Farm. He’s first called the
persuader and the manipulator. George narrates, “He could turn black into white.” Several
critics relate Squealer with the Pravda, the Russian newspaper of the 1930s. Propaganda was
important for several publications, and since there was no radio or television, the newspaper
was the main source of media information. So the control and domination of the Pravda was
seized by Stalin and his new Bolshevik regime. Squealer, in Animal Farm is just like the newspaper
which is like a bridge that forms links Napoleon and the other animals. When Squealer masks
the evil intentions of the pigs, these intentions can be carried out without political disorder and
with very little resistance. Some people are also of the opinion that Squealer represents Goebbels,
who was the minister of propaganda for Germany. However, this would appear inconsistent
with George’s satire, which had to metaphor characters in Russia.
Snowball: In the early sections of the novel, George describes Snowball as a pig quite similar to
Napoleon. Both pigs wanted a leadership position in the “new” political and economic system
which is truly opposite to the entire supposed system of equality. As time passes, both ultimately
realise that at least one of them will have to step down. George says that both Napoleon and
Snowball always argued about nearly everything. “Snowball and Napoleon were by far the
most active in the debates. But it was noticed that these two were never in agreement: whatever
suggestion either of them made, the other could be counted to oppose it.” George later makes
the case stronger. “These two disagreed at every point disagreement was possible.” Soon
differences in their opinions, like whether or not to construct a windmill, become too big to be
dealt with. Thus Napoleon decides to eliminate Snowball. Napoleon’s decision appears impulsive
but he was actually setting the stage for his own domination much before he actually began
“dishing it out” to Snowball. For instance, in an effort to establish a private police force, Napoleon
took the puppies away from their mothers. These dogs were trained to be later used to remove

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 69