George Orwell’s Animal Farm Analysis Essay Example

the tactics employed by power-hungry leaders. Through his writing, Orwell exposes the dishonesty of totalitarian regimes and their lack of concern for justice. For instance, he mentions how milk meant for the populace was instead allocated to pigs as a means of revealing corruption in leadership.

The initial act of betrayal by Lenin and his followers was just the beginning of a series of increasingly severe actions. It all started with their entry into the Czar's palace and their gradual accumulation of privileges.

Orwell emphasizes the perilous nature of power, as it can corrupt even the most ethical individuals, such as Lenin. The ungratefulness of totalitarian rule is exemplified by Benjamin's outcry, "They are taking Boxer to the knacker's!" as Napoleon betrays his devoted and diligent worker for a mere case of whiskey. This incident symbolizes Stalin's purges, which resulted in the unjust deaths of countless innocent people due to paranoia or ideological differences. Orwell detests dictators who exploit their loyal adherents. A further example is the pigs' manipulation of the seven commandments of Animalism to suit their desires.

The essence of Orwell's message is that dictators who are hypocritical and do not practice what they preach, such as Stalin who claimed to be a Communist and advocate for equality but lived lavishly while his people suffered, are despised. In Lord Acton's well-known words that power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely, Orwell finds insight into the behavior of those in positions of great power, who are often bad men despite their reputation as great leaders.

Orwell ridicules the animals who remain silent despite having doubts and shares how they contribute to the problem

as much as the dictators. Clover's thought of "it was not for this that she and all the other animals had hoped and toiled," and Benjamin's skepticism about the pigs' motives signify those in Russia who were skeptical and indifferent, but didn't speak up. Orwell doesn't sympathize with such people because they could have prevented totalitarianism but instead chose to become victims under the regime they allowed to take control.

Orwell highlights the significance of Boxer, an ignorant animal, who believes in the motto "Napoleon is always right." This ideology aids Napoleon as other animals regard Boxer highly. Boxer symbolizes the Russian working class that supported Stalin and sacrificed for him. Stalin possessed undisputed power due to the unyielding loyalty of workers. Orwell wants to stress the importance of being aware of whom one supports. Blindly trusting any leader is pitiful. Perhaps people who are docile enough to accept a dictator deserve the brutality that follows. Orwell attacks the gradual corruption of governments, the ignorance of citizens that allows tyrants to reign, and the methods used by dictators to seize and maintain power. He does this because he cares about society and is a humanitarian at heart.

The main point being conveyed is the need for those striving towards democracy to be mindful of the lure of authority. George Washington rejected the offer to become king of America after the American Revolution, while Stalin embraced it. This difference in leadership contributed to the success of the former and the collapse of the latter. Orwell cautions future generations to be cautious of figures such as Saddam Hussein and Fidel Castro, who use their power to suppress their people.