Napoleon and abuse of power/totalitarianism

Context for Jones

Manor farm represents Russia under part-feudal, part-capitalist system of the tsars. Mr Jones stands for the negligent Tsar.

Context for Napoleon crushing revolt by hens who refused to surrender their eggs

1928 Stalin crushes revolt by farmers who refused to surrender their harvest.

(chapter 1 - Jones) “but was ^^too^^ drunk to remember”

adverb - excess - irresponsible

(Chapter 1 - Old Major talking about Jones) “^^miserable^^ conditions”

highlights unfair inequality + extreme discomfort

(Chapter 1 - Old Major talking about Jones) “produce of our labour ^^stolen^^ by humans”

unfair/unjust

(Chapter 3) “with their ^^superior^^ knowledge it was only natural that they should assume the leadership”

adj - implement hierarchy

(Chapter 3 - Napoleon took the dogs away from their mothers) “kept them in such ^^seclusion^^ that the rest of the farm forgot their ^^existance^^”

extreme. manipulation - animals easily confused

(Chapter 5) “silent and terrified”

terrinical rule

(chapter 5) “Napoleon is always right”

Boxer’s stupidity/foolishness/naiveness consolidates Napoleon’s power

“four young pigs who protested… raised their voices ^^timidly^^ but were ^^promptly^^ silenced by a ^^tremendous^^ growling”

control through fear + quick supression

“this work was strictly ^^voluntary^^ but any animal who absented himself from it would have is rations reduced by half”

adj - connotes freedom - illusion of choice - manipulation

(chapter 7 - hens that attempted egg rebellion) ”were ^^slaughtered^^”

shift in language - Napoleon = Human

(chapter 7 - other animals that admitted to working with Snowball) “^^slain^^ on the spot”

human-like

(chapter 7 - pigs that admitted to working with Snowball) “when they had finished their confessions the dogs ^^promptly^^ tore out their throats”

brutal - immediate/instant - planned - dictator

context for the pigs move towards capitalism

Started trading in the west (1933)

context for the dogs

Stalin uses secret police to eliminate opposition

(Chapter 10) “He carried a ^^whip^^ in his trotter. There was a ^^deadly silence^^”

All whips burnt earlier - symbolic of man. Fear

(Chapter 10) “if you have your lower class animals to contend with we have our lower classes”

repetition - mirroring of man - move towards capitalism

“^^foolish^^ custom of adressing ine another as ^^comrade^^ was to be supressed”

ridicule. Symbols of rebellion destroyed.

“All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others”

paradox - state of absolute impossibility