Animal Farm By George Orwell

Knowledge is Power

The topic of education for all is of utmost importance in this digital day and age. George Orwell's novel Animal Farm uses animals to illustrate his opinion about the Russian revolution. The farm is organized in classes, the pigs and dogs are the wealthy and the other animals represent the proletariat. To briefly summarize, the novel focuses on the anthropomorphic farm animals who overthrow their masters, only to subsequently be mistreated by their own. The allegorical tale Animal Farm delves into the dangers of a lack of education ,showing a direct correlation between ignorance and oppression.The animals lack of education is the sole reason they were able to be easily oppressed because it contributed towards their gullibility,
Via many propaganda techniques, the farm’s dictator Napoleon and his accomplice Squealer implemented false ideas into the animals minds. After the rebellion the pigs formulated 10 commandments that all citizens must respect. Ensuring that none of the citizens adopt human habits. However, as the story progressed their animalistic (allegory for socialism) ideals began to deteriorate. This is illustrated by the pigs changing the commandments(Orwell 51, 65 , 76 and 91.) Moreover, the farm animals such as Boxer a hard-working cart-horse were bombarded with propaganda. The pigs appealed to their feelings instead of their intellect. Squealer a character the most notorious of this, was caught modifying the rules (Orwell 76) none of the animals understood what he was doing. Squealer utilized their gullibility to his advantage, using convoluted sentences to persuade the animals.`’He repeated a number of times, ‘Tactics, comrades, tactic!’’’( Orwell 45.)This is an example of glittering generalities. Squealer was incredibly manipulative, guilt tripping the animals into accepting unfair treatment. Justifying inequality by stating leadership is unpleasant because it is "deep and heavy responsibility"(Orwell 43) Also, they cannot understand the immense conflict of interest of Napoleon being head of every committee, not having to comply to any regulations, being exempt of laws. A propaganda technique that is very prevalent in the story is card stacking; supplying bias information but making the listener believe that they are making an informed decision. On the farm Napoleon was constantly praised as if he was a deity while any of his opposers are vilified. Some of his tactics mirror those of indoctrination, the person is subjected to unfair treatment and shamed for a lack of appreciation when they begin to protest. The animals becoming very engrossed in the pigs