Year 10 English Assessment 2012 – Animal Farm – Nicholas Power

Year 10 English Assessment 2012 – Animal Farm – Nicholas Power

“Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike. No question, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and then from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” Quotes like these show the concerns that George Orwell is trying to portray about society in the novel Animal Farm. Orwell uses many literary techniques such as allegory, the use of a fable and satire. These styles are a contributing factor to help Orwell show some of the concerns about society like the need for human rights, the use of education and intelligence as tools of oppression and using violence and terror as a means of control. These three concerns can be seen in the competition and rivalry between Snowball and Napoleon. People argue that this novel is linked to the Russian Revolution as the events that happen between Snowball and Napoleon can be linked to the events that happened between Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky. Others argue that it is a timeless piece as George Orwell didn’t write a date as to when all these events where happening and how he guessed that these concerns will still be apparent today, and are still very apparent in today’s society. The first concern that Orwell has highlighted is Human Rights. Human rights means to be treated fairly and have the right to be equal among all. It is to be given freedom and to be able to have choice, the choice to believe in your own religion, the choice to say what is on your mind and the choice to do what you like inside the law. Human rights are to be able to say whatever you like and not have the fear of being prosecuted for your speech. George Orwell shows human rights in his novel Animal Farm though the treatment of all the animals by the pigs who thrive from the other animals work such as when Napoleon had the original seven commandments changed to suit his lifestyle “Somehow it seemed as though the farm had grown richer without making the animals themselves any richer except, of course, for the pigs and the dogs.” This quote explains how the pigs and dogs had used the animals on the farm unfairly to make themselves richer. “Everyone without decimation has the right to equal pay for equal work” This is an extract for the UN Declaration of Social Justice, and it means that it shouldn’t matter what race a person is they should be equal to everyone and anyone. “Once again all rations were reduced, except those of pigs and dogs” The literary technique used for this quote was the use of a fable as the reduction of rations was used as a form or motivation to the animals on the farm. They were thought to believe that they needed to work harder and plant more crops so that they would have more rations. The Animals freedom of speech is taken away from them through to fear of being killed, this is shown when Napoleon threats all the other animals on the farm that is his spies hear bad things being said and if the song Beasts of England is sung they will be put to death. This is linked to the Russian Revolution as the same treatment was given to all the population of the U.S.S.R by Stalin if his spies heard them talking badly of mother Russia or of Stalin himself.

The second concern highlighted by George Orwell in Animal Farm is Education and Intelligence as tools of Oppression. Intelligence as a tool of Oppression is when particular classes in society such as the higher class have more power over other classes because of their level of intelligence. This is apparent in the novel animal farm between the pigs and the other animals such as the horses and sheep. Generally in society the more intelligent people have better access to power as they can use their intelligence to manipulate and convince lower classes to do what they’re told. This can be seen when the pigs announce that they won’t have to do as much physical labour because they have more important jobs that require intelligence rather than muscle. “We pigs are brainworkers. The whole management and organization of this farm depends on us. Day and night we are watching over your welfare. It is for YOUR sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples.” The pigs made all the new rules for Animal Farm. They also tried to teach the rest of the animals how to read. The pigs realised that the other animals not being as intelligent as them could come to their advantage and used it to manipulate some of the other animals. An example of this is when Squealer uses propaganda to show how much of a great leader Napoleon is and how much of a traitor Snowball is. “That, he said, was Comrade Napoleon’s cunning. He had seemed to oppose the windmill, simply as a manoeuvre to get rid of Snowball, who was a dangerous character and a bad influence” The technique George Orwell has used is Allegory to show the class conflict in Animal farm and the Russian Revolution, making Napoleon, Stalin who was Russia’s leader during the time, and Snowball Trotsky who was Stalin’s opposition when he was running to be the dictator of Russia, who was eventually banished from Russia.
The third and final concern brought to attention in Animal Farm by George Orwell is violence and terror as a means of control. The use of violence as a means of control in the novel could be seen as the most important concern that George Orwell is trying to portray.”At this there was a terrible baying sound outside, and nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars came bounding into the barn. They dashed straight for Snowball, who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws”.This quote directly shows the concern of using violence to control and manipulate animals on the farm. Snowball was viewed as a traitor to animal farm and the pigs used propaganda to scare the animals that they would be injured or even killed if they were traitors to animal farm. This worked successfully to show to scare the animals and convince them to do what they are told to by the pigs. The use of violence and terror as a means of control helped to keep the animals at bay at stop them rebelling against Napoleon. The pigs showed that they have the power and incentive to kill any animal. This works to scare the animals on the farm into co-operating and working hard. Violence and the implementing of terror into people’s minds are still used today to make people co-operate and get things done.
George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm was written to inform people of the corruption of society not only in the Russian revolution but also in today’s society as these concerns will always be apparent in life as humans can’t help but have a desire for power or be greedy. “Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike. No question, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and then from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” As much as humans evolve there will always be a fine line dividing man from animal as both species contain a lust for control and power, which is why the novel Animal Farm will forever be timeless.