Animal Farm Analysis

Point of View In Animal Farm, George Orwell shows why the animals find the disappearance of the milk to be a mystery by using third person omniscient to create dramatic irony. Although the animals agree that “all animals are equal” (Orwell 16), Napoleon and the pigs believe “with their superior knowledge it is natural that they should assume leadership” (Orwell 17). Napoleon convinces the other animals that he strives for equality of all animals when he really only strives for his own personal benefit. He hides this ulterior motive by distracting the other animals. When the animals ask, “what is going to happen to all that milk?” (Orwell 16), Napoleon quickly diverts their attention to the harvest by saying, “Never mind the milk Comrades! That will be attended to. The harvest is more important.” (Orwell 16). While diverting their attention, Napoleon places himself in front of the milk buckets. When Napoleon does this, he shows possessiveness over the milk, and if any of the animals try to get the milk, they must go through Napoleon first. None of the animals takes note of this or finds any significance in the act though, for after Napoleon’s reminder of the harvest they all “trooped down to the hayfield to begin the harvest” (Orwell 17). Although Napoleon would be the logical perpetrator of the milk theft because he was the only one who didn't go down to the fields with the others, the animals still find it a mystery. They find it a mystery because they trust Napoleon, and they believe he will not betray them as their leader. This creates dramatic irony because the reader sees Napoleon’s selfish and greedy side when he stands in front of the milk buckets, but the animals only see Napoleon as a trustworthy leader. This irony could only be shown to the reader through third person omniscient because the reader must know what all the characters think, feel, and do in order to understand why the disappearance of the milk remains a mystery even though all the