Animal Farm Essay There are several examples of tyranny displayed throughout George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm . “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” a statement by Lord Acton, is a recurring theme throughout the text. This is shown with Farmer Jones at the beginning of the story, as well as with Napoleon through the rest. “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” suggests that people with power tend to be corrupt, therefore someone with absolute power or total power and control will absolutely be a corrupt person or leader. The quote can also be seen as a metaphor meaning that power tends to corrupt those holding it and absolute power will absolutely corrupt everyone or everything.
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Corruption is shown when the original seventh commandment “All animals are equal”(19) becomes the one and only commandment “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”.(96) This change is made so the pigs are able to live in luxury and rule over the other animals with no questions asked. One this change is made is shown that though the animals believe they are working for themselves and that life is much better than the days of Jones, “the lower animals on Animal Farm did more work and received less food than any animals in the country”(98). The part of the statement which reads “Lower animals” proves how corruption eventually interrupted the equality on the farm. Not only that but it also shows how the animals were now treated even more unfairly, due to the pigs’ rise in power, than in the beginning when Mr.Jones would forget to feed …show more content…
For example absolute power is shown when “It had become usual to give Napoleon the Credit for every successful achievement and every stroke of good fortune. You would often hear one hen remark to another, “Under the guidance of our leader, Comrade Napoleon, I have laid five eggs in six days” or two cows, enjoying a drink at the pool, would exclaim, ‘thanks to the leadership of Comrade Napoleon, how excellent this water tastes!”(67). This shows how Napoleon had absolutely taken over the animals lives. It proves the belief that he had somehow corrupted everything, even their achievements. When the animal began to do this they began to stop making their own decisions. When Squealer states”We pigs are brainworkers. The whole management and organisation of this farm depend on us. Day and night we are watching over your welfare. It is for your sake that we drink the milk and eat those apples” (27). It shows how the pigs have become the most powerful species by demonstrating the control they have over the animals and their opinions. This event in particular shows the true meaning of an absolute leader in a government in which is a single leader who exercises absolute control over all citizens and every aspect of their
Corruption is shown when the original seventh commandment “All animals are equal”(19) becomes the one and only commandment “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”.(96) This change is made so the pigs are able to live in luxury and rule over the other animals with no questions asked. One this change is made is shown that though the animals believe they are working for themselves and that life is much better than the days of Jones, “the lower animals on Animal Farm did more work and received less food than any animals in the country”(98). The part of the statement which reads “Lower animals” proves how corruption eventually interrupted the equality on the farm. Not only that but it also shows how the animals were now treated even more unfairly, due to the pigs’ rise in power, than in the beginning when Mr.Jones would forget to feed …show more content…
For example absolute power is shown when “It had become usual to give Napoleon the Credit for every successful achievement and every stroke of good fortune. You would often hear one hen remark to another, “Under the guidance of our leader, Comrade Napoleon, I have laid five eggs in six days” or two cows, enjoying a drink at the pool, would exclaim, ‘thanks to the leadership of Comrade Napoleon, how excellent this water tastes!”(67). This shows how Napoleon had absolutely taken over the animals lives. It proves the belief that he had somehow corrupted everything, even their achievements. When the animal began to do this they began to stop making their own decisions. When Squealer states”We pigs are brainworkers. The whole management and organisation of this farm depend on us. Day and night we are watching over your welfare. It is for your sake that we drink the milk and eat those apples” (27). It shows how the pigs have become the most powerful species by demonstrating the control they have over the animals and their opinions. This event in particular shows the true meaning of an absolute leader in a government in which is a single leader who exercises absolute control over all citizens and every aspect of their