Use of Language in Animal Farm Essay

Animal Farm Analytical Essay

George Orwell uses the language in Animal Farm to show the dangers of totalitarianism. It is an allegory in which he uses animals to symbolise a much more serious issue. Orwell demonstrates that the power of language can inspire and control through the use of propaganda, irony, satire and the fear and intimidation it causes the animals. Orwell uses powerful language in both a negative way and a positive way. These ways are primarily expressed through Snowball, Napoleon and Squealer. Through propaganda Squealer is able to manipulate the other animals into believing the lies and stories Napoleon wants them to believe. Snowball uses propaganda to try and change Manor Farm into a better place for all animals. Propaganda is used by Napoleon and Squealer to control and by Snowball to inspire.

Orwell uses propaganda to inspire and control through manipulation, repetition, statistics and lying. These tactics are used by the majority of the pigs throughout the novel to gradually twist Old Majors idea of socialism and the rebellion. One of Snowballs speeches, in which he uses propaganda, is to explain to all birds that a birds wing is an organ of propulsion and not of manipulation therefore the maxim four legs good, two legs bad is still applicable. This speech manipulated the birds into believing that they were not the enemy as the hand (is) the instrument with which (man) does all of his mischief. The first negative use of propaganda is by Squealer, Napoleons representative, who uses repetition, statistics and lying all in one speech to manipulate the animals actions and feelings. He assures the animals that the pigs did not take the milk in a spirit of selfishness and privilege but to preserve (the pigs) health. To persuade the animals Squealer uses repetition to pinpoint the enemy. He reminds them that Jones would come back! Yes, Jones would come back if the pigs did not take the milk. Through the fear inflicted by this speech the animals, of course, did not want to see Jones back so the importance of keeping the pigs in good health was all too obvious. All subsequent speeches contain propaganda that is effective in controlling and inspiring the animals.

Irony and satire are used extensively throughout Animal Farm to control and inspire. Orwell uses these tactics to illustrate the variation between what the animals are being told and what is really happening. Irony and satire are used repeatedly through the constant alterations of the Seven Commandments to reflect the changing ideals and behaviour of the majority of the pigs. When the animals read the Fourth Commandment, No animal shall sleep in a bed, as No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets they begin to question the pigs. Squealer, who happened to be passing when the animals were reading the Commandment was able to put the whole matter into perspective. The animals are manipulated into believing what Squealer is telling them and as (the commandment) was there on the wall it must be right. Even after the animals find Squealer in the barn with a ladder and paint they still could not form any idea as to what this meant. Another use of irony and satire is Squealer trying to defend the battle of the windmill and their victory; Thanks to the leadership of Comrade Napoleon (the animals) have won every inch of (the farm) back. Orwell uses dramatic Irony and satire to help illustrate the adversity that abused power can cause. He is effective in using these tactics as we see the hypocrisy that the animals do not.

Orwell uses the power of language to emote fear and intimidation in the animals. Napoleon and Squealer successfully use many different devices to cause these feelings. The device that is primarily used by Napoleon is the nine dogs. When the dogs are first seen by the animals no one had been able to imagine where these creatures came from. Soon they work out that they were Bluebell and Jessies puppies whom Napoleon had taken away and reared privately. The dogs first victim is Snowball whom they chase out of the farm. Snowballs cruel explosion leaves the animals silent and terrified. Throughout the novel more and more animals are added to the list of the dogs victims. When Napoleon orders a meeting in the yard and has his dogs growling around him it sends shivers down all the animals spines. At this meeting the dogs promptly tore (four pigs) throats out and slaughtered many more animals. To the amazement of everybody Boxer also gets attacked by the dogs. Another device that is used to cause fear and intimidation is the possible return of Jones and, after Snowballs expulsion, the return of Snowball. Both Jones and Snowball are frequently identified as the enemy and as the animals memory of the two goes, the fear increases. Through causing fear and intimidation on the animals Napoleon and the pigs are able to gradually gain more power.

Animal Farm effectively shows how the power of language can inspire and control through the use of propaganda, irony, satire and the fear and intimidation it causes the animals. All of these tactics manipulate the animals into believing everything they are told thus enabling the pigs to obtain full power and to finish their transformation from pig to human. By the end of the novel it is clear that the pen is mightier than the sword and that the principle of the farm is All animals are equal but some are more equal than others.