Napoleon is a very manipulative character

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Napoleon is a very  character. He changes a lot in terms of his traits and interaction with others throughout the novel. His appearance reflects the changes occurring in his behavior. When Napoleon becomes the sole leader of Animal Farm, he seizes power and becomes more and more like a human. The following quotes display his manipulative characteristics as he slowly, but surely, becomes the sole dictator of the Animal Farm.

Orwell describes Napoleon’s physical appearance, "Napoleon was a large, rather fierce-looking Berkshire boar, the only Berkshire on the farm, not much of a talker, but with a reputation for getting his own way." (35) This was how Napoleon looked and acted at the beginning of the novel. He was bulky and fat; like Snowball. By the last chapter of the book, Orwell describes Napoleon’s appearance: "Napoleon was now a mature boar of twenty-four stone." He had gotten much larger, almost as big as Old Major, while other lower animals died of starvation. He still looked like the same Berkshire boar that had wanted to grant the animals unlimited amounts of food. But, his motivation for power changed him. He obviously was looking out for himself while other less fortunate animals were suffering from hunger. Napoleon was a greedy pig from the start: "‘Never mind the milk, comrades!’ cried Napoleon…the milk had disappeared…it was mixed every day into the pigs’ mash. (44, 51) As he gained immense power, he became more and more demanding, ending up taking the food from the lower-class animals. His greed caused not only the death of many animals, but also the destruction of the dream for a better life for the animals.

In the novel, Napoleon presents himself as a caring leader. In the beginning of the book, Napoleon promises unlimited amounts of food for all, "Vote for Napoleon and the full manger." But, as he takes over, this temporary attitude is gone and a new attitude comes into play. Napoleon has provided unlimited amounts of food for only the pigs and the dogs. But, the lower animals, who toil all day in the fields, are at the edge of dying from starvation. Napoleon had reduced the rations so many times for the benefit of the dogs and the pigs, that now, he didn’t appear to care anymore at all for the rest of the workers on the farm. "Somehow it seemed as though the farm had grown richer without making the animals themselves richer-except, of course, for the pigs and the dogs." (129) The author  this event from the beginning because Napoleon loves to eat and be lazy, just like pigs are. But, these two quotes indicate his dramatic change in his characteristics that had occurred gradually within the novel.

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Napoleon’s actions and reactions to certain events were extremely . In the beginning, he was 100% Berkshire boar pig, wanting the same thing that everyone wanted; freedom from the tyranny of men. After that was accomplished, Napoleon eventually becomes the sole leader of the farm. He begins to use his powers to change the rules; such as drinking alcohol, sleeping in human beds, killing "traitors", walking on hind legs, and finally, wearing clothes and bearing a whip, just like a human. "…and out came Napoleon himself, majestically upright, casting haughty glances fro side to side, and with his dogs gamboling ...

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