In novel Animal Farm by George Orwell the three leaders of the farm are pigs. The pigs go by the names of Snowball, Squealer, and Napoleon. Although they have very different personality traits, the way in which they are inspired to lead the farm is the same. Their leadership begins when another pig Major, a prize-winning boar, gives a speech to all the animals in the barn about a dream that he had. He dreamt that all animals lived together with no human beings to control them. He explains to them that they should all work toward this dream so that they could live in a paradise. After he teaches the animals a song that graphically describes this dream, the animals are enthused about it. Unfortunately, Major dies three nights after giving the speech. Since the younger pigs, Snowball, Squealer, and Napoleon, were so struck by his dream, they decide to make his thoughts into a philosophy called Animalism.
Version of the flag of Animalism, in Animal Farm, ...
Napoleon Crossing the Alps
NapoleonThis is how the three pigs become leaders.
Snowball is a young pig that is very intelligent. He is very concerned in making life better for all the other animals. He teaches them animals how to read, and is very passionate about it. He wins the loyalty of the others by doing this and really cements his power and ideas into their heads. This proves that he is indeed a very intelligent pig. Although Snowball is intelligent he often quarreled with his counterpart Napoleon. For example, he threw out his idea to the other animals about creating an electricity-generating windmill. Napoleon however, strongly opposes the plan. At the vote, Snowball gives a long speech about how he feels this windmill will better the farm, while Napoleon retorts with a brief subtle statement. After this, Napoleon is mad at Snowball. He then sends his nine attack dogs, the pups he was supposed to educate, to chase Snowball out of Animal Farm and succeeds. This is an example to prove that even though Snowball was liked by all the other animals, he was still not strong enough to prevail Napoleons ways.
In the center of Napoleon and Snowball quarrels was Squealer. Squealer was a big mouth pig that spreads Napoleon's propaganda among the other animals. He convinces the animals by using false statistics that indeed, Napoleon is a great leader and is making life better for all of them. This is all despite the fact that the animals are cold, hungry, and overworked. Squealer is also a manipulator. Napoleon as he gains power, begins to act more like a human being. Sleeping in a bed, drinking whiskey, and engaging in trade with neighboring farmers, were all things that the original Animal principles strictly forbade. But, Squealer being as manipulating as he was, used rhetorical language to twist the truth to make Napoleon appear to be better than he was. Squealer over all was Napoleons right hand man, who used his trickery to gain and maintain social and political control in the farm.
Napoleon is a cruel selfish pig. He emerges as the leader after the Rebellion. He uses his "military forces", which were his nine loyal dogs, to intimidate and scare the common animals. When Snowball is chased out of the farm, Napoleon changes his mind about the windmill. All the other animals then devote their energy to completing it. After its completion, a storm comes and topples the windmill over. Napoleon being a devious as he was, blamed it on Snowball, saying that he returned and sabotaged it. The truth was that the walls were too thin to support it. This proves how desperate Napoleon is to stay in leadership. He states that any animal that participated in Snowball's conspiracy and opposed his leadership would meet an instant death. His dogs would attack the animal with their teeth. This is plain cruelty. Napoleon was a brutal pig that proved to be the most treacherous leader at the farm. He used his craftiness to make sure that no animal would question his power.
The three pigs at Animal Farm all proved to be very intelligent. This is why they were the leaders. Compared to all the common animals they were very sure of what they wanted and what was right and wrong. Each one was determined to lead their way and none of them were willing to back down about what they believed in. This is perhaps what made each of them strong leaders. Napoleon, Snowball, and, Squealer impacted the farm in one way or another, for either better or worse. Unfortunately, in the end, the farm did not survive.
Animal Farm (1999 film)
Napoleon - Apotheose
Snowball bush