Indian born English writer Eric Blair’s (written name George Orwell) “Animal Farm” was written in 1946 and was aimed to be a satirical and allegorical comment on the Red October Soviet Revolution. The novella focused exclusively in the time frame of the Soviet Union from 1916 up until 1950 and the events that occurred within this period i.e. WWI, WWII and Soviet Union’s 5 year plan. Orwell had also wanted his book to be a critique on the corruption of power and the breakdown of ideals in the former Soviet Union’s society. The corruption of power and ideals will be highlighted through an analysis of the struggles for leadership during the revolution, the manipulation of the Soviet Union populas through propaganda and the infamous “five year plan”.
In Orwell’s book, leadership of the farm had been a struggle but resulted in Napoleon, of who was an allegory for the dictator Joseph Stalin, seizing total control of the farm by setting his dogs, of which are an allegorical symbol for the Soviet Union’s secret police, or “Cheka” as known in Russia, on all the inhabitants of the farm, especially the just leader known as Snowball. Snowball was a clear symbol for none other than Leon Trotsky, who was a socialist idealist who played a key part in the revolution. This is supported by the fact that both Snowball and Trotsky were key figures in the revolution and both were fair, kind and cared about everyone and treated them as equals. Napoleon’s time in power on “Animal Farm” was ensured through both manipulation of the general populas using propaganda and the slaughtering of both innocents and possible traitors by Napoleon’s dogs, much like how the secret police slaughtered thousands of innocent citizens of Russian people. Napoleon had complete control of the farm and soon began adopting man’s vices, man being the oppressing Czar of Russia, Nicholas II. Napoleon began drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco. This did cause unrest among the animals but their minds were soon put at ease by Napoleon’s lackey Squealer, who was a symbol for all the propaganda used in Soviet Russia. With these two devices at this disposal (the dogs and Squealer) Napoleon could do whatever he wished, however he wished and would still be respected, loved, yet feared.
Squealer was Napoleon’s main and most useful asset as he would do things from calming the populas to changing the commandments so it suited Napoleon and his inner circle. This happened all throughout the novella but however by the time shortly after the battle of windmill (WWII) propaganda techniques became not as effective or outdated, if you will, and the animals became smarter. This was revealed to us by Squealer falling of the ladder while trying to change the commandments and the animals asking questions instead of taking the information that Squealer would spoon feed them. All of what Squealer did
