Animal Farm Essay

Alex Barnes
As John Lennon once stated: fear and love are basically the two motivating forces behind humanity. Within these forces, certain concepts are implemented within them. These thoughts are explored in George Orwell’s allegorical novella Animal Farm. Propaganda is used to influence the attitudes of a community. The three dominant pigs use aspects of propaganda, empowered by the forces of fear and love to manipulate the other animals into their own decisions and thoughts, as Stalin, Marx and Trotsky did in the Russian revolution in the 1930’s. After the death of old major who is symbolical for Karl Marx, Napoleon and Snowball, representing Leon Stalin and Leon Trotsky, fight to become the new leader, but soon develop a joint theory of Animalism. By controlling the basic forces of love and fear one has the ability to gain individual freedom. The animals express these thoughts through their actions and attitudes in the battle of the cowshed.

In order to have individual freedom, one needs to learn how to control the forces of fear and love, for their own advantages. George Orwell displays the animal’s newfound courage of fighting for their own individual freedoms when humans come to take back the farm, causing the eruption of the battle of cowshed, representing the civil war. The animal’s love for each other is expressed as they fight in fear of losing their utopian society. “A mighty cry for vengeance went up, and without waiting for further orders they charged forth in a body and made straight for the enemy. This time they did not heed the cruel pellets that swept over them like hail. It was a savage, bitter battle”. This shows the extent of the battle and heightens the animal’s fervorous attitudes towards the fight. This is demonstrated by Orwell’s use of various language techniques. Orwell’s use of the adverb describing the animal’s cry to be “mighty,” conveys the animal’s passion towards keeping their freedom. The woe of the descriptive alliteration describing the battle to be bitter, signifies the brutality and melee of the event. In this event, the Simile alludes to hail and conveys the sharpness and the consistent firing of the bullets that the animals did not remark, as fear was not present. Napoleon an oppressive pig, using his leadership, rally’s the animals together in order for war. After the war the animals are reminded of how fear and love are an essential component in order to have individual freedom.

Propaganda is the act of perverting information in order to influence the thoughts or actions of others through fear of an outside menace or love for the leader. In the novel, napoleon uses various examples of propaganda in order to achieve and promote his own desires.

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