Animal\'s stupidity Animal Farm essay PDF

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It is the animal’s stupidity that caused their demise. Do You Agree?George Orwell’s classical allegory, “Animal Farm” presents a criticism of the oppression of the Russian people by authoritarian leader Stalin through the microcosmic tale of Manor Farm. Throughout the text, Orwell presents that it i...

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It is the animal’s stupidity that caused their demise. Do You Agree? George Orwell’s classical allegory, “Animal Farm” presents a criticism of the oppression of the Russian people by authoritarian leader Stalin through the microcosmic tale of Manor Farm. Throughout the text, Orwell presents that it is the animal’s stupidity that allows them to be manipulated by the ruling class as he urges for awareness of corrupt leadership. Foremost, the animal’s ignorance is largely responsible for the absolute control they are subject to. Moreover, Orwell foregrounds that propaganda allows for the exploitation of the animal’s stupidity. Conversely, violence is also instrumental in the control of the animals. Overall, Orwell cynically highlights the animal’s stupidity to be responsible for their manipulation within “Animal Farm.” Foremost, Orwell critically emphasises that it is the animal’s stupidity that allows for their manipulation. Within his allegory, Orwell constructs the animals as representations of the people of the USSR, specifically illuminating the ignorance of the working class to demonstrate a need for awareness of corrupt leadership. This notion is evident from the outset of the text in Orwell’s characterisation of Boxer, an “enormous beast” of “nearly eighteen hands high” yet “not of first rate intelligence” and with a “somewhat stupid appearance.” In emphasising Boxer’s inherent stupidity, Orwell provides a criticism of the diligent yet oblivious working class, seeking to place a sense of importance upon exercising one’s intelligence. Boxer’s lack of intelligence ultimately manifests as he is made to work, “longer hours” and is “fed no better than… in Jones’ day”, exploited by the ruling class, through which Orwell warns of the manipulation that ignorance may allow. “Animal Farm” forms a cautionary tale in detailing the fatal consequences of collective stupidity through the tragic fate of Boxer, as the animals naively “chorused ‘good bye’” as the van labelled “Horse slaughterer” took the horse away. Specifically, in adopting dramatic irony through presenting Boxer’s fate to the reader before the animal’s eventual realisation, Orwell seeks to create a sense of frustration towards the animal’s patent stupidity, ultimately inclining citizens to be conscious of the potential that ignorance may be exploited. Thus, Orwell illustrates that it is the animal’s stupidity that enables for their manipulation. Moreover, Orwell illuminates the use of propaganda to exploit the animal’s stupidity within “Animal Farm.” Particularly, Orwell constructs Squealer as the knaving embodiment of USSR propaganda, highlighting the extent to which language may be used to maintain control in the context of widespread ignorance. From the outset, it is Squealer who justifies the pigs’ initial corruption as Orwell humorously highlights the animal’s ill-informed belief that the “milk and apples… contain substances absolutely necessary to the well being of a pig.” However, it is the more threatening assertion that “Jones would come back” if the pigs were not given the milk and the apples that is cynically foregrounded, as Orwell illustrates the exploitation of the animal’s stupidity and the engendering of fear through propaganda. In paralleling Squealer’s manipulation to the use of propaganda in revolutionist Russia, Orwell emphasises the need for awareness of the corruption of one’s leaders. This is further evident as Squealer vilifies Snowball, suggesting that his part in the Battle of Cowshed as “much exaggerated” and therein creating a further scapegoat for the animals to direct their hatred and fear towards. Whilst such a characterisation is easily dismissed by the reader, Orwell poignantly suggests that “several of (the animals) would have protested if they could have found the right arguments”, placing the animal’s stupidity at the forefront of Napoleon’s grasp of control and therefore noting the dangers that such ignorance may lead to. Thus, Orwell accentuates the role of propaganda in exploiting the animal’s stupidity such that they may be manipulated. Conversely, to some extent it is the violence and fear employed by the ruling class that allows for manipulation. Throughout the text, Orwell alarmingly highlights the employment of force and widespread slaughter as a means of controlling the animals, echoing similar

bloodshed used to control the population within the USSR. Employing a series of confrontational imagery, Orwell illustrates the murder of the pigs who had supported Snowball as “the dogs promptly tore their throats out”, seeking to instil a sense of fear while also foregrounding the silencing of opposition within revolutionist Russia through the slitting of their “throats”, a symbol of voice. This notion is reiterated as Orwell enumerates, “three hens… a goose… a sheep... and two other sheep”, alluding to the epidemic of government sanctioned killings which characterised the USSR. Ultimately, Orwell suggests that the killings were “far worse now.. Since Jones had left the farm”, clearly highlighting the inherent dangers of Animalism, and by extension the communism of the 1940s. The prevalence of violence as a means of manipulation recurs as the dogs, an allegoric representation of USSR Stalin-led military, continue to support Squealer, “the three dogs who happened to be with him growled so threateningly, that they accepted his explanation without further questions”, as Orwell underscores the use of fear to further entrench the manipulation of the animals. Ultimately, in presenting the dogs as members of the ruling class, “neither the pigs nor dogs produced any food by their own labour”, Orwell highlights that the corruption and control of leadership is dependent on violence, in addition to the stupidity of the masses. Overall, Orwell suggests that fear is a further essential component which enables control and manipulation of the animals. Ultimately, within his allegory “Animal Farm” Orwell critically highlights that it is the stupidity of the animals that allows for their manipulation, foregrounding the dangers of ignorance particularly within the context of communist USSR. Further, Orwell demonstrates the role of propaganda and to some extent fear in further entrenching the control of the ruling class. Ultimately, the need to remain vigilant in the face of widespread corruption cannot be underestimated....