Discuss how George Orwell uses language techniques to represent power in "Animal Farm."

Essay by crimsonbutterflyJunior High, 9th gradeA+, June 2004

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"Power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely"; and this is eloquently proved in George Orwell's novel 'Animal Farm.' In this satirical fable, Orwell uses his allegorical farm to candidly illustrate the corruptive nature of power and to symbolise the communist system in the microcosm of a farmyard barn.

George Orwell was the pen name of Eric Blair, a British political novelist and essayist. He was also a socialist but he criticized the right (fascists and capitalists) as freely as he criticized the left (anarchists, socialists, and communists). Orwell used his writings mainly to expose the negative effects that political systems could have on people - harsh forms of control, manipulation, and repression. Even though Animal Farm was based on the Russian Revolution, particularly directed against Stalin's Russia, it is more meaningfully an anatomy of all political revolutions, where the revolutionary ideals of justice, equality, and fraternity shatter in the event.

The story of Animal Farm tells of "a revolution that went wrong." One night Old Major, an old pig preached of freedom and equality for all animals as well as independence from humans to his fellow animal comrades. He introduced to them the 'Beasts of England' song, which inspired rebellion and soon afterwards, he died. The carthorse Boxer devoted himself to the cause, committing his great strength to the prosperity of the farm and adapting as a personal motto " I will work harder." Led by the pigs, the animals on the Mr. Jones's oppressed farm carryout a provoked revolt against their human masters. After their victory Snowball, one of the pig leaders climbs a ladder and writes the seven commandments on the end wall of the big barn; thus the ideals of the revolution are spelled out in writing.

At first, Animal Farm prospers. The pig leaders, Snowball...