Power Corrupts In Animal Farm

The novel Animal Farm written by George Orwell is a story that has many different themes presented through the novel. The many themes can teach us valuable life lessons, all in which show that having too much power is never a good situation, and the majority of the time ends badly.
First and foremost, a theme highly emphasised in this novel is that power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Orwell has the entire plot of this book revolving around how all the animals want equality and to all be treated the same. One of the pigs; Napoleon, becomes more of a dictator figure and all the animals just accept it. Because of Napoleon and the pigs having too much power over the other animals; their power corrupts. After all the problems equality causes,
In the beginning of the book when Old Major the “head pig” wants the other animals to join in on his idea of a rebellion, he uses fear in order for them to listen to him. “But no animal escapes the cruel knife in the end...everyone of you will scream before your lives within a year...Jones will send you to the knacker who will cut your throat and boil you down” (Orwell 8). Old Major controls the animals by scaring them, resulting them to rebel against the humans. Making the animals fear for their lives really has them start to agree with Old Major, and carry out his ideas. Fear to control was not only used by Old Major, but Napoleon as well. He being the “dictator” of the animals uses this strategy throughout the novel. “But suddenly the dogs sitting round Napoleon let out deep, menacing growls, and the pigs fell silent and sat down again” (Orwell 54) Napoleon is so hungry for power and control over everyone else, it can be seen that he has the animals fearing him and his dogs in order for them to listen and respect what he has to say. Furthermore, fear and violence are used to control and manipulate