Animal Farm, by George Orwell :: Animal Farm Essays

The Signifi corporationce of blackleg The novelAnimal Farm, by George Orwell, is an allegory portraythe dangers of a totalitarian government. It seeks to showhow a society where all live completely equal has not been,and cannot be achieved. Orwell, through the use of thecharacter Squealer, shows how propaganda can affectmembers of a communist society in a negative way. Bydrawing parallels to events in communist Russia, OrwellsAnimal Farm illustrates how propaganda was apply tocontrol the Soviet people by deceiving them, threateningthem and keeping them ignorant in an attempt to maintainorder. The story uses simple language to explain and fall uponthe corruption of communist Russia. Throughout the story,Orwell uses Squealer to illustrate how propagandapersuaded and victimized Russian citizens. Squealer is a sly,crafty pig who is not only intelligent, but a manipulativespeaker as well. His cunning is key to the deception of theother animals. In chapter three, Squealer deceives the animals of the farm for the first time. The animals find outthat the milk and apples atomic number 18 given solely to the pigs, andSquealer is sent to explain the uneven distribution of farmresources. Comrades he cried. You do not imagine, Ihope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness andprivilege? (Orwell 42) He goes on to explain, Milk andapples (this has been proved by science, comrades) containsubstances absolutely necessary to the well-being Williams 2of a pig. We pigs are brainworkers (42). Here, Squealertries to convince the animals that its for health reasons thatthey take the apples and milk, but he tries to persuade themin other ways as well. Squealer continues, The wholemanagement and makeup of this farm depend on us.It is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat thoseapples(42). Finally, he convinces them with fear. Doyou know what would happen if we pigs failed in our duty?Jones would have it off back Yes, Jones would come back(42) Here, Squea ler frightens the animals into submissionwith the threat of the return of Mr. Jones, the abusive farmerthat was driven out of the farm by the animals. Squealer is heroical to obtain the apples and milk and will stop atnothing to manipulate the other animals into believing that thepigs should be the sole recipients of this luxury. By maskingtheir true intentions by misleading the animals, the pigs aresoon able to acquire whatever they want with littleresistance. Orwell uses Squealer to represent the Pravda,the Russian newspaper controlled by the government duringJoseph Stalins regime.