Who Is Napoleon In Animal Farm

In Animal Farm, readers view Farmer Jones and Napoleon as similar, yet contrasting characters. They both hold a strong hierarchy over the animals, but Napoleon is the only true successful leader. Napoleon owes his success to his popularity among the animals, his control over the farm, and his methods of managing the economy. Napoleon is exceptionally popular among the animals in comparison to Farmer Jones. Before the rebellion, Old Major asks the animals, “Is it not crystal clear, then, comrades, that all the evils of this life of ours springs from the tyranny of human beings?” (Orwell 30). The animals despise Farmer Jones simply because he is a human. Napoleon has the automatic advantage to be a leader because the animals view him as one of themselves. The animals blindly trust Napoleon’s power, and state remarks such as, “If Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right” (Orwell 91). Napoleon’s popularity amongst the animals is due to the fact they are apt to trust a leader of their own kind. …show more content…
He uses fear and manipulation to get the animals to obey his every command. When the hens try to rebel, Napoleon decrees, “any animal giving so much as a grain of corn to a hen should be punished by death” (Orwell 87). Napoleon makes threats and uses the dogs to instill dominance over the other animals. He uses language as a source of control as well. As Orwell states, “Political writing… is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind” (Orwell, “Politics”). Napoleon lies and even changes the Seven Commandments in order to gain full control over the animals through