Question

Prompt:Squealer says that Napoleon thinks all animals are equal. But then he tells the animals that only Napoleon can be trusted to make decisions In 250 words, analyze this apparent contradiction. What does the excerpt have to say about leadership and power?

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

"Animal Farm", the allegorical novella by George Orwell, criticizes the Soviet regime in Russia.

The passage we are analyzing here criticizes how leaders can be deceitful and authoritative. Napoleon and Squealer are two of the pigs in the farm. After expelling their human owner, the animals are now free to create their own society. Since the pigs are the most intelligent animals, they naturally take over the positions of command. However, once they have a taste of what power feels like, they quickly become corrupt.

Squealer is the spreader of false propaganda. He goes around lying to the other animals about the good deeds of Napoleon, who has become a dictator. One of the greatest lies Squealer tells is that all animals are still equal. They are clearly not, and while the pigs enjoy life, the others work hard, and eat and sleep less. The contradiction is revealed when Squealer says Napoleon is the only one to be trusted when making decisions. This means no other animal is seen as worthy of having their own opinions or demanding any change. If Napoleon always knows better, all the others can do is obey blindly - and that makes equality impossible.

What "Animal Farm" shows us is that, whether leaders are originally capable or not, they often become oppressors of the very people they were supposed to help and serve.