The importance of the pigs in the novel animal farm

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PIGS IN THE NOVEL ANIMAL FARM George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a political novel of an authoritarian society ruled by a tyranny, who twists the idea of a philosopher that believed society could be a better place for those who are neglected, the social class. The novel is based on the 1917 Russian Revolution and the character resembles the Bolsheviks who overthrew the Russian Tsar. Following the dream of a pig the animals of Manor Farm get together to rebel against their master. Eventually they drive out the owner of the farm and take it over. They rename the farm, Animal Farm and start a new society which seems to be perfect. However soon after the new leaders turn the farm into a dictatorship of pigs, who were the brightest, and most idle of the animals. They make the animals work even more than before, cutting out their freedom and exploiting them. Through lies and brainwash the pigs reverse complete their commandments and through terror and propaganda establish new rules where only pigs had rights. Manor Farm is controlled by Mr. Jones, who does not take care properly of the farm and often leaves the animal to starve and die. The oldest and wisest pig of the farm, old Major, drives the animals to rebellion and explains to them how they have been exploited by Mr. Jones. “ Let us face it; our lives are miserable, laborious and short. ” His speech is affectionate and every animal follows it attentively. He instigates them to take an attitude “ Man is the only real enemy we have. Remove Man from the scene and the root cause of hunger and overwork is abolished for ever. ” This is the idea of communism, remove the bourgeoisie and let the proletariat rule, and all human society problem will be solved. As all the animals agreed that they have being exploited they believe in every word they hear and hope one day this dream will come true. Where their life will be much better and they will have more opportunity. Old Major finishes his speech by setting many rules, which will be followed and twisted through the novel “ Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend. And remember also that in fighting against Man, we must not come to resemble him. Even when you have conquered him, do not adopt his vices. No animal must ever live in a house, or sleep in a bed, or wear clothes, or drink alcohol, or smoke tobacco, or touch money, or engage in trade. All the habits of Man are evil. And above all, no animal must ever tyrannise over his own kind. Weak or strong, clever or simple, we are all brothers. No animal must ever kill any other animal. All animals are equal. ” After three days old Major dies and the animals led by Napoleon and Snowball, two pigs, drive Mr. Jones out of the farm. They rename the farm and starts the Animalism, another word for Communism. They set rules based on old Major ideal and starts a new society. However soon after they take over power they commence to abuse and have previleges, such as having access to milk and apples. The pigs only used old Major ideas to get to power. The pigs also use the fact they are wiser and can read and write to make the other animals work for them. They create a flag and sing the song old Major touch them “ Beast of England” which represents all their revolutionary ideas, but eventually are forbidden to sing. A heavy and forced brainwashing starts to take over and animals cannot contest anymore. Those who contest desappeares with many excuses and lies like every dictatorship. To solve all their problems or interference dictator countries make people disappear or kill them. As Napoleon and Snowball desagreed all the time Napoleon uses his dogs to get rid of Snowball and makes all animals believe he was the representation of evil. The dogs are related to the Russian secret police and Napoleon and Snowball are related to the leaders of Russia — Stalin and Trotski who had great differences. Here George Owell wants to make a point against Stalin. In fact his novel is against the communism and tried to show the world what was happening in Russia. A dictatorship starts, and Napoleon is able to rule The Animal Farm, the way he wants. Little by little animals rights are taken away and some commandments are changed “ No animal shall sleep in a bed” and they added ‘ with sheets’. They start doing everything to suit them. Squealer, another pig who starts representing Napoleon everywhere was the propaganda pig. He was responsible to make all animals believe whatever they wanted them to believe. He was so convincing that the majority of the animals believed that the rules were always the ones they wanted to make them believe. If it is not written, was never said. Squealer also threatens them to go back to Jone’s time, but the animals believed it was worse and were very scared. Everything that goes wrong on Animal Farm, Napoleon starts to blame Snowball and by doing that he changes attention to another person and make animals believe he is the good one and never make mistake. At the end Napoleon stops appearing and openly become a dictatorship. He kills openly all the animals against him, even those of his kind to keep their mouth shut and once again goes against another commandment “ No other animal shall kill any other animal. ” And it was added ‘ without cause’. Napoleon starts dealing with human beings for he depending on them to solve his food crisis. His animals begin to face poverty, but the pigs who were in power gets fat and indolent. Due to all Squealer great manipulation animals believe every word that is said and Napoleon controls everyone. At the end the pigs start to walk upright and are considered a special race. Squealer teaches the sheep to change their chant to ” Four legs good, two legs better,” and the Seven Commandments are replaced with a single commandment: ” All animals are created equal, but some animals are more equal than others”. Once power is given to an individual or a group, individual thought ends. Napoleon is never questioned, his word is the law. “ If Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right.’ This lack of belief of one’s own ideas is often the cause of an exploited society. The animal’s idiocy permitted the pigs to take advantage of them. ” So it was agreed without further argument…” The animals believed every explanation that Squealer gave, no matter how improbable. “… they had no more food than in Jones’s day…” The animals thought that they were more contented because the pigs kept saying to them they were. However, in reality they had the same amount of food as they have had before or even less, and they worked even more. The pigs in this novel are very important for they are the oppressors and have changed the life of the animals but not for so long.