How Does Napoleon Have Power In Animal Farm

George Orwell’s allegory ‘Animal Farm’, is a fictional story based upon the Russian Revolution, featuring characters representative of real figures during that era. The central theme of the novella revolves around the overthrow of Mr Jones followed by the gradual rise to power by Napoleon. It becomes evident as the novel progresses that the animals suffer more under Napoleon’s leadership than they do with Mr Jones. This is largely due to the extreme way in which Napoleon and his pigs manipulate the other animals to control their beliefs and opinions. Furthermore, Napoleon completely betrays the animals and defies the principles of Animalism. Additionally, Napoleon’s use of terror and violence to control and subdue the other animals makes his reign significantly worse than Mr Jones’. And finally, the animals physically suffer more under Napoleon than they …show more content…
It can be concluded from evidence throughout the novel that Napoleon inflicted more suffering onto the animals than Mr Jones.

The way in which Napoleon manipulated the minds of the other animals is the primary reason he is seen as more tyrannical than Mr Jones. By using the power of language and Squealer as propaganda, Napoleon is able to distort the opinions of the other animals and subdue them. Knowledge is depicted as a powerful tool in Animal Farm and Napoleon and Squealer successfully utilise it to its full potential. The pigs manage to maintain a monopoly on information they use to hold power, as the only literate animals on the farm. Squealer’s speeches are full of persuasive techniques. He manages to paint such convincing, graphic scenes and appeals to the animals’ fear of humans in order to force them into believing him. The animals consider Squealer to be an excellent speech maker, believing “he could turn black into white,” and this is evident very early on the novel. Orwell’s description of Squealer, “he was a brilliant talker...he had a