Animal Farm (By George Orwell) - With Power Comes Corruption

Essay by busumnatorHigh School, 11th gradeA, April 2004

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Growing up and experiencing many historic events, George Orwell lived in a time period in which many countries were undergoing revolution, internal rebellion, warfare, and massive charges. Born in India, Orwell later moved with his family to England. Having encountered many diverse people and places, he began writing essays and short pieces on his experiences in the country. Eventually going back to India, and then once again returning to Europe, Orwell continued to write many more short pieces and novels on his exciting experiences. After the Second World War, Orwell finally wrote his extremely popular novel Animal Farm, which depicted the political situation in Russia at the time. Animal Farm was immensely influenced by his experiences during the Spanish Civil War and Russian Revolution; as a result, many famous individuals and classes of people were represented as characters in his novel.

Orwell lived during a time when Russia was becoming a very dominant country with its new form of government controlled by a very manipulative leader, Joseph Stalin.

In Animal Farm, a pig named Napoleon, whose character is based on Stalin, emerges as an absolute corrupt opportunist, who eventually becomes the leader of Animal Farm. He institutes a dictatorship in which the pigs are at the top of the social hierarchy. Napoleon never showed interest in the prosperity of Animal Farm itself, but only in the extent of his power over it. Thus, the only project he undertakes with enthusiasm is the training of his puppies, which eventually become his body guards and the symbol of his strength.

"Napoleon, with the dogs following him, now mounted onto the raised portion of the floor where Major had previously stood to deliver his speech."

(Orwell 36)

Like Napoleon, Stalin's theory was that he wanted to "consolidate revolution in Russia,