Animal Farm Essay

Animal Farm Essay
Topic 2:
Snowball represents a morally legitimate political alternative to the corrupt leadership of Napoleon. Do you agree? Discuss with close reference to the text.
In the novella Animal Farm written by George Orwell, Snowball appears to be the more ethical leader in comparison to the corrupt Napoleon, however there is uncertainty about Snowball’s character. In the short time that Snowball had authority over Animal Farm, he seemed to be a righteous head of power. On closer inspection though, it is revealed Snowball is not completely honourable. Ultimately, it is hard to know whether Snowball would have carried on his moral leadership, due to his brief time in power. Snowball, in contrast to Napoleon, is conveyed as having more integrity.
Snowball’s control of Animal Farm is seen as decent, whereas Napoleon’s is corrupt. Snowball actually contributed as a political head with ideas to improve Animal Farm. He “buried himself with organising the other animals into what he called Animal Committees. He was indefatigable at this.” –pg 19. Snowball devoted time and effort for the success of the other animals. Napoleon said, “Comrade Snowball will lead the way. I shall follow in a few minutes.” –pg 16. This shows that Snowball did direct the animals as a respectable leader. Also, this demonstrates how already Napoleon secluded himself from the others, by acting narcissistic. Napoleon’s dishonesty continues to grow when he makes paradoxical laws, where the “work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half.” –pg 35. In Animal Farm Snowball is depicted to be a reasonably moral leader in opposition to Napoleon’s bent leadership.
In Animal Farm not everything Snowball did was in the best interest of the animals. Snowball never contested that it was unfair to all the other animals besides the pigs, that “the milk and the windfall apples... should be reserved for the pigs alone.” –pg 22 and, “all the pigs were in full agreement on this point, even Snowball and Napoleon.” –pg 22. This is evidence that Snowball was equally appalling as Napoleon on this idea of the pigs being the top of the hierarchy. Snowball also is portrayed as a coward, when he “slipped through a hole in the hedge and was seen no more.” –pg 32. It suggests that Snowball was not a whole-hearted leader of the farm, due to his lack of fighting for the leadership and abandonment of the animals. Animal Farm under Snowball’s authority is not completely righteous.
From the short time Snowball had leadership it is hard to decide whether he would have continued to be an ethical leader. He was absent for so long that the animals believed “it was he who had actually been the leader of the human forces, and had charged into battle with the words ‘Long live Humanity!’” –pg 66. This is evidence that Snowball’s authority really was short lived when his image had been totally twisted. There came a point where simply “Snowball was forgotten” –pg 72, that his time spent on Animal Farm was too diminutive to be a lasting memory. Whether Snowball’s status would have remained pure if he had stayed as a leader on Animal Farm is unknown.
Snowball is depicted to be the more morally legitimate head of power compared to the corrupt leadership of Napoleon, yet there is doubt regarding Snowball’s nature in the novella Animal Farm. Snowball’s control over Animal Farm is portrayed as decent. Through further examination though, it is evident that Snowball is not fully moral. Due to lack of time in power, it is unclear if Snowball would continue to be an honourable leader unaffected by corruption.