Top-Rated Free Essay
Preview

How does Orwell present Napoleon

Good Essays
744 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
How does Orwell present Napoleon
How does Orwell present the character of Napoleon in "Animal Farm"?

George Orwell's Animal Farm is written in the fairy tale style of one of Aesop's fables where it uses animals of an English farm to tell the history of Soviet communism. Napoleon's character is based directly on the communist party leader Joseph Stalin

Orwell's physical description of Napoleon is a 'large, rather fierce looking Berkshire Boar' and his character is said to be not much of a talker, but had a reputation of getting his own way. From the way that this pig is portrayed in these lines means he is going to be a strong ruler because

When Old Major dies a few nights after his famous Rebellion speech, Napoleon and Snowball, both boars, combine together and formulate his main principles into a philosophy called Animalism. A few nights later when they have defeated Mr Jones in battle and changed the farm name to Animal Farm they work together in running the farm. Snowball teaches the animals to read, whilst Napoleon educates a young group of puppies. It is here where Napoleon first begins to work on the beginning of the Rebellion when he tells Mollie and Bluebell that education was more important to the young than the old as he was preparing for the next generation. However what he was really doing was preparing for the uprising against Snowball, to take charge of the farm, when the dogs would play a pivotal role acting as body guards to him.

Orwell contrasts Napoleon and Snowball in a way that forces them to have contradictory ideas. Snowball wants pure communism where everyone benefits equally, whereas on the other hand Napoleon prefers power. Snowball invents all of the ideas and arranging the animals into committees to help the farm in the best way possible. An example of this was the idea of building a windmill which would make 'jobs around the farm a lot easier, as well as warming the animal's stalls in the winter', with the introduction of electricity. Throughout the committee meetings Napoleon was constantly disagreeing with anything Snowball said or did, even 'urinating over the plans'.

When Napoleon seizes power from Napoleon his character is shown by Orwell as jealous and cowardly. He realises that the animals are beginning to side with Snowball over the decision of the windmill so he has to act fast find a way to change this. He does this by arranging for Snowball to be chased away by 'nine enormous dogs', the ones which he had separated from Mollie at birth. This is also an act of a coward because Napoleon is too scared to pursue him as he is worried that the animals will protest and not follow him as a leader. By doing what he did it allowed him to rise above the other animals saying "Mess with me and the same treatment will happen to you."

Once Napoleon has seized power over the farm he really begins to strive as no other animal dares to stand up to him after what they witnessed with Snowball. This is where Napoleon begins to become a dictator by making numerous 'announcements' at the meetings making the farm run in the way he wants it. He does this by squashing any plans that Snowball had originally proposed and then he tells a bunch of lies to the animals about how Snowball was 'secretly' against them and was really working for Mr Jones in the rebellions. With Snowball gone, Napoleon is the big man on campus. He doesn't need to talk, because he has the aptly named Squealer do his speaking for him. He doesn't need to worry about protests, because he gets rid of public meetings. He doesn't need to worry about sharing power, because he names himself head of every committee.

Towards the end of the story Napoleon agrees into talks with the other farmers on neighbouring farms. This is where things begin to go wrong for napoleon as he begins to get follow their actions by dressing, walking and drinking like human beings. The other animals dislike the behaviour of the pigs but by now the animals are hooked and are now drunk on the alcohol.

In conclusion George Orwell presents the character of Napoleon to us as a secretive liar and bully caring only about power. He goes back on a number of the farm commandments and alters them for the sake of himself, rather than the wealth fare of the animals.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In the novel, Animal Farm, written by George Orwell, where there is one specific character, Napoleon, who took a role in this book whom was a natural leader for the sake and future for Animal Farm. Napoleon is a pig who takes upon leadership for all animals, makes roles and differences as before Mr. Jones or Snowball lead the farm, but also acts as if he was a dictator. From these facts about Napoleon, it shows how animal farm will be under circumstances of his actions and his temperament that the farm will face. Napoleon is known as the antagonist in the story, and as for the quote ‘’Napoleon took no interest in Snowball’s committees’’ (Orwell 34). In this quote, it shows Napoleon’s perspective against other leader(s) which he had no interest…

    • 565 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The novel “Animal Farm”, written by George Orwell, was written as a reference to the Russian Revolution during the Second World War. The main characters of the novel were two, Napoleon and Snowball. The animals in the farm were facing bad treatments from the owner of the farm, Mr Jones; therefore, the animals, led by Napoleon and Snowball, decided to raise a rebellion against Mr Jones and his workers. The rebellion succeeded, and the farm became owned by the animals. Throughout the novel, Napoleon and Snowball could never agree in anything. All of the sudden, one day Napoleon made a dirty move by convincing the animals in the farm that Snowball was a spy, and he was working with Mr Jones the whole time. This forced Snowball to escape from the farm leaving Napoleon the only leader in the farm. One of the most important themes…

    • 969 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    George Orwell’s Animal Farm contains a particular character named Napoleon, a fierce-looking Berkshire boar. Napoleon is conniving, a plagiarist and manipulative. At a meeting, when the animals had to make a decision, Orwell showed Napoleon’s first conniving scheme, “Napoleon stood up and, casting a peculiar sidelong look at Snowball, uttered a high-pitched whimper...dashed straight for Snowball, who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws” (Orwell 39). Here the dogs that Napoleon had raised attacked Snowball. It is apparent that Napoleon took these dogs to use them for what he needed, and at this time he needed to get Snowball out of the way. This action of attacking Snowball was very harmful, he only just barely…

    • 391 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Orwell portrays Snowball as a great organizer by showing Snowball’s actions. “first came the hoisting of the flag… the flag was green, Snowball explained, to represent the green fields of England...Snowball busied himself with organizing Animal Committees. He was indefatigable at this.” From this, readers can see that Snowball is a very innovative character; he is always keen to organize new projects.…

    • 970 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    George Orwell's Animal Farm is a satire written about the Stalin Era. The events and characters in Animal Farm parallel the early history of the Soviet Union. While all of the animals seem to have parallel characters in the real world, Orwell directly connects the character Napoleon to Joseph Stalin in a letter to the publisher in 1945. Orwell created Napoleon to represent Stalin, a dictator who was supposed to reshape the Soviet Union but instead created many problems during his regime. He used a secret police force that is also noted in animal farm by the puppies that Napoleon raises to be his secret guard dogs. Orwell shows a strong disapproval of the Stalinist corruption of socialist's ideals. This book has become well-known for showing what happens when power is overthrown only to have the over thrower become power-hungry and oppressive. This is represented by the swift transformation of the animals on the farm. The seven principles of animalism, known as the seven commandments, are reduced to a single principle that reads, "all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." The animals become more and more like the humans that they had once thought were awful. They walk upright, wear clothes and carry whips. The animals have become the very thing that they had been working against. If nothing else, we are left with the feeling that a totalitarian government is never a good idea.…

    • 639 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The novella by George Orwell, Animal Farm, is an allegory, or a piece of literature with a hidden meaning, of the Russian Revolution of 1917. Animal Farm follows the events of the farm animals and their uprising against the farmer. Despite the obvious differences between, Animal Farm, and the Russian Revolution, they are very much similar. Characters from the novella can be compared to historical figures from the revolution. While the novella is not limited to these characters, these are the most significant. These characters are: Jones and Czar Nicholas II, Old Major and Karl Marx, Snowball and Leon Trotsky, as well as Napoleon and Joseph Stalin. In addition, certain events of the Russian Revolution can be compared to those of Animal Farm.…

    • 2028 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Animal Farm by George Orwell is an allegory based on real life events which occurred in Russia between 1917-1945. George Orwell’s purpose of writing Animal farm was the political leader to be more aware of how they used their power. George Orwell has constructed his characters well and meaningfully. Animals farm is a story, animals rebelling against farmer Jones who mistreat animals in the farm. They rebel for better future and it turn out the new leader ‘Napoleon’ was no…

    • 984 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Napoleon's Integrity

    • 1085 Words
    • 5 Pages

    “The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible,” declared Dwight D. Eisenhower, the thirty-fourth president of the United States. In George Orwell’s allegory Animal Farm, the boar Napoleon, who rises to power following the overthrow of Farmer Jones, does not demonstrate integrity. As the story progresses, Orwell gradually exposes Napoleon as a self-centered, manipulative dictator. Like his real-life counterpart, Josef Stalin, Napoleon cares little for the wellbeing of his followers and employs deception and brutality to maintain control. Under his rule, the peaceful socialist government in which the beasts take pride deteriorates into a harsh totalitarian one. Because of his self-seeking…

    • 1085 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Napoleon Becoming a Tyrant

    • 1444 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Napoleon had already been marked as a prominent pig because he had a reputation of getting things his own way. By being active in the debates, he received much attention and notice from the animals. He also garnered support from those who agreed with his views but were unable to express themselves. Thus, he became a representative of these animals.…

    • 1444 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Animal Farm, written by George Orwell in 1945, portrays the Russian Revolution by using animals on a farm as symbols of political figures, such as Lenin and Stalin, and historical events as well. Orwell often wrote books such as Animal farm so that he can reflect and share his concern on the political and social circumstances of his day@. After the animals were treated brutally, they decided to revolt and rule the farm on their own. This resulted in them being in the hands of Napoleon, who was one of the pigs. Napoleon was not the leader who they thought he was, but a corrupted dominator. This was much like the Russian Revolution where the citizens revolted against Czar and later resulting in having Stalin, who was much like Napoleon as their leader. The book was very convincing in getting the message of the Russian Revolution and how power can be dangerous when in the wrong hands, across to the readers.…

    • 1780 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Animal Farm illustrates the use of power and manipulation through the characters of Napoleon, who gains much of this through the use of fear. Before Old Major's death, he preached about a land of freedom and equality for all, but the power struggle between Napoleon and Snowball leads to the corruption of the original rules. The two fight amongst each other for power and influence, and, relating to the story of Lord of the Flies, the group is unable to decide what to do with their new found freedom, in this case, the construction of the windmill. He ousts his rival, and when the animals to not agree with him, he uses his power to win their support. He spreads rumours about Snowball, saying: Comrades, do you know who is responsible for this? Do you know the enemy who has come in the night and overthrown our windmill? SNOWBALL! Snowball has done this thing!" He uses these lies to create a strong coalition in his favour and make Snowball seem to be the enemy.…

    • 852 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Napoleon Character Traits

    • 609 Words
    • 3 Pages

    There were many instances where Napoleon was shown as a barbarous animal. Napoleon was very harsh and vindictive to the others, George Orwell affirms, “Frequently he did not even appear on Sunday mornings, but issued his orders through one of the other pigs, usually Squealer.…

    • 609 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Napoleon

    • 856 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Napoleon would do anything to win battles and gain more land. This is shown when Napoleon tried to block trades to and from England (so that they will run out of money), and when Russia allowed trade to England, he attacked their capital city. Such thinking is what makes a ruler a tyrant.…

    • 856 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Animal Farm written by George Orwell tells the story of how mistreated farm animals decided to rebel against their owner, Farmer Jones, and later on face the struggles of maintaining total equality amongst themselves. After the Rebellion, it appeared to the animals that they are finally left in peace, but that relaxation becomes a memory as soon as the determined pig Napoleon comes into the picture. Napoleon’s search for absolute power is shown by him constantly manipulating the animals of the farm with fear, lies, and taking advantage of the animals’ ignorance in order to maintain his control, all of which affect the animals’ lives negatively.…

    • 1819 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    For example, he took Snowball’s windmill plan when he ran Snowball off of Animal Farm. Time and time again, when Napoleon was not happy he would fix it one way or the other. While it seem that Napoleon worked very hard for the sake of the farm, in reality, he was too selfish to care about the other animals. He only wished to rule over them and get what he wanted. The pigs use antangoges to lessen the impact Napoleon’s cruelty has on the animals. Squealer speaks to the animals after a new arrangement was made by Napoleon. He told them that Napoleon thought of his leadership was a pleasure; however, “it is a deep and heavy responsibility.” This antanagoge makes it seem as if Napoleon enjoys his leadership, but only for the sake of the other animals other than himself. This is how Napoleon kept a lot of his respect; he was looked up to as someone who was selfless. By the end of the book, however, Napoleon’s actions caused him to lose a lot of his…

    • 815 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics