However, the novel can also be read on a wider political context, representing not only the Russian Revolution but also illustrating other events in the past (or situations which could arise in the present or future) as well as society in general. For example, the novel was written during the time of the Second World War, so characters could also stand for individuals involved in this. For example, the puppies Napoleon trains are like Hitler’s Secret Police in that they are introduced unexpectedly and are thereafter always around to intimidate animals that speak against him, and to scare them into obeying him.
‘Animal Farm’ also reflects politics in general, conveying the idea that communism may never really work because it is not given a chance; at least one person will always want more power and leadership, and in some cases will do anything to have this privilege. Greed gets the better of them, and once in control the power usually changes them, making them corrupt and dishonest. In the novel Napoleon gives himself a clear path to power by controlling everyone else through fear, and through not educating them enough to enable them to stand up for themselves. He also threatens them, for example with food; “Any animal giving so much as a grain of corn to a hen shall be punished by death.” His other strategy is to rid himself of his political opponent (Snowball.) These ploys have been used by many historical figures who have come to power, are still used in certain parts of the world today and probably will be used in the future as well.
The principles of ‘Animalism,’ the name given by the animals to Old Major’s ‘teachings’ are similar to those behind communism or socialism, in that everyone is equal and has a share in everything. Before he is banished, Snowball is a leader who encourages animals to follow Animalism. He encourages this policy by persuading everyone to rid themselves of anything human they posses, ribbons, in the case of the horses, for example. He tells them: “Those ribbons that you are so devoted to are the badges of slavery,” indicating that he associates the ribbons with the time when Jones was in charge, and wants rid of them in order to comply with Animalism. This shows his support and encouragement of the policy.
He establishes ‘The Seven Commandments,’ rules denouncing humans and promoting equality between animals. Snowball wants to prompt this equality by setting up classes to pass the pig’s knowledge on to the less clever animals: “Snowball busied himself organising the other animals into what he called the Animal Committees.” Snowball also encourages dehumanising the farm; he thinks up ideas for a ‘Hoof and Horn’ flag and changes the name of the farm from ‘Manor Farm’ to ‘Animal Farm.’ These steps support the principles of Animalism; the classes promote equality between all animals, giving everyone an equal education and so preventing cleverer animals from taking advantage and deceiving the dimmer ones, and the ideas for the flag and name change show that animals are now in charge, not humans.
Snowball is also a good leader, in that he leads the animals into battle, but still fights as hard as any of them and continues to fight after he is injured. He does his bit on the farm, again promoting equality and Animalism by working as hard as the animals he leads.
Napoleon, on the other hand, can be thought of as a fascist dictator. The first incident that shows us this is the disappearance of the milk and apples early on in the book. He deflects the animal’s attention away from the milk, sending them to work in the harvest. While they are away working hard, he takes the milk and apples for himself. He takes a completely opposite attitude to Snowball, who is working in the harvest himself at this time.
This is only the first of many deceiving steps Napoleon takes towards gaining complete control of the farm. The first major action he takes is to take Jessie the collie’s puppies, and train them to be savages. They are primarily used to get rid of the opponent, Snowball, chasing him out of the farm. Napoleon then employs them throughout the book to scare and intimidate animals to do what he wants: “the dogs sitting around Napoleon let out deep, menacing growls and the pigs fell silent.” He trains sheep, too, to bleat continuously to silence anyone who is complaining, and also, earlier in the book, during points made by Snowball in discussions and speeches: “It was noticed that they (the sheep) were especially liable to break into ‘Four legs good, two legs bad’ at the crucial moments in Snowball’s speeches.” Bleating sheep at this time distract the animals’ attention away from the speech and they do not take in what Snowball is saying, therefore only remembering comments and arguments made by Napoleon.
In contrast to Snowball, Napoleon does not make any attempt to tutor the less clever animals on the farm: “Napoleon took no interest in Snowball’s committees. He said that the education of the young was more important than anything that could be done for those who were already grown up.” In discontinuing Snowball’s meetings after his eviction, Napoleon takes away the dimmer animal’s chances of being able to stand up to the cleverer ones, like the pigs. However, even if they could have been able to make good points they would not have been able to get them across - Napoleon abolishes the weekly meetings and discussions, meaning that the other animals have no say at all in the way the farm is run and that there is nothing to stop he and his supporters from doing whatever they like with the farm.
As the book goes on, Napoleon grows stronger and stronger and becomes more and more like a human being. He breaks the commandments, moves into the farmhouse, and eventually walks on his hind legs, with ‘bodyguards’ and a ‘fanfare’: “Out came Napoleon himself, majestically upright, casting haughty glances form side to side and with his dogs gambolling round him.” This is meant to shock the reader, as Napoleon has so obviously broken the commandments he has been telling everyone to follow, showing that he is not at all a good leader like Snowball, and thinks only of becoming more and more powerful.
He takes credit for everything, including the idea for the major project of the windmill that Snowball came up with: “The windmill was to be named Napoleon Windmill.” This angers the reader and turns them against Napoleon even more, and it shows just how powerful he has become. He promotes himself more and more: “Napoleon was never now spoken of simply as ‘Napoleon.’ He was always referred to in formal style as ‘our Leader, Comrade Napoleon.” This reinforces the inequality that has emerged between the animals and shows us that ultimately Napoleon has no intention of following the principles of Animalism.
However, Napoleon always manages to convince the other animals he has done nothing wrong, either by blaming things on the driven out Snowball, or by using his spin-doctor Squealer to convince the other animals that they themselves are to blame. This leads, in the long run to the animals on the farm being brainwashed completely into thinking that everything that goes wrong for them must be due to some fault of their own. It is therefore very easy for Napoleon to get away with doing anything he likes with the animals and the farm.
Squealer is Napoleon’s right-hand man. He is his political spokesperson, and is essential to Napoleon’s political campaign to rule the farm. He uses many language techniques to fool the animals into believing there is nothing wrong, for example twisting the truth so that what he is saying is not actually false: “It has been necessary to make a readjustment of rations.” It is clear from this to the reader that the rations are being reduced, but to some of the less bright animals ‘readjustments’ could be anything.
When twisting the truth cannot work, Squealer persuades the animals that what they remember never actually happened. Eventually they accept his altered history and begin to doubt everything in their memories. When Squealer makes things up, he describes them in such great detail so that the animals get a clear picture in their minds which they end up imagining they remember: “Now that Squealer described the scene so graphically, it seemed that they did remember it.”
When Squealer adjusts the Commandments to suit the pigs, he is able to persuade the animals that they simply learned them wrongly: “You did not suppose, surely, that there was ever a ruling against beds? The rule was against sheets!”
Eventually Squealer has brainwashed the animals like this so many times that they will believe everything he says without much persuasion. In this way, Squealer helps Napoleon to gain gradual control of the farm.
The third level on which the novel works is a social warning. Orwell displays his own politics through the novel, showing his criticism towards his society’s behaviour towards the weaker, poorer and less educated. He uses the farm to represent society, and is very much on the side of the lower classes. He often displays this by narrating as if he was one of the less clever animals: “Squealer, who happened to be passing at this moment was able to put the whole matter into perspective.” Here he is pretending to share the other animal’s ignorance, acting as if he himself believes Squealer, and showing us just how the animals have been brainwashed to see things this way.
Another way Orwell shows his favour of the lower classes is by using language that makes us angry at Napoleon and Squealer the dictators. In many of his speeches, Squealer finishes by saying, “Surely none of you wishes to see Jones back?” This makes us the readers angry because we know that Jones will not be back – it is just a political ploy creating an enemy to scare the other animals. The way in which Orwell describes the animal’s living conditions also shows he feels sorry for the brainwashed animals and angry at Napoleon and Squealer – the poor state of conditions is described in great detail, and then we hear how the animals talk amongst themselves of the great improvements which have happened on the farm since the eviction of Jones and the start of Napoleon’s reign. This angers us because we know that, if anything, the farm is in worse condition at this point than it was in Jones’ time, and it is yet another example of just how brainwashed the animals have become.
The novel’s last couple of pages are very important. Napoleon destroys every last trace of Animalism, and is seen arguing with the owners of two neighbouring farms over a cheat in a game of cards. The last sentence is one of the most salient: “The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again, but already it is impossible to say which was which.” Orwell is warning us about not letting greed get out of hand, and also about not letting one person take control of everything. He is warning us about dictatorship, and the consequences that occur when one person gains complete control of everything and no one else has a say in anything. He is teaching us to stand up for ourselves, not believe everything we hear and to make sure our opinions are heard.
I think Orwell believes that this kind of situation could arise in the future, and is telling the readers to make sure it does not. Society today is reflected in the novel; in some countries dictatorship is still practised and one person has power over everyone. The system in Iraq, until recently, is an example of this. The social warning applies closer to home as well – there is an increasing wealth gap in Britain which is illustrated by the increasing inequality that developed between the pigs and other animals in ‘Animal Farm.’
In conclusion, I find the novel successful as an allegory and a social warning. It could never be just a children’s novel; there is too much irony and political nature in the text. I think Orwell’s message is clear and well presented, in a novel with a striking ending which serves to warn us of the corrupting influence of power, and clearly conveys what Orwell thinks could happen to society, should it be left to it.