Friday, November 29, 2013

In Animal Farm by George Orwell, what could one write about Napoleon lusting for power?

Napoleon has a lust for power so great that he will lie, manipulate, kill and run roughshod over any other animal to get his way. He doesn't care who or what he hurts. What the novel demonstrates is how one person's (or animal's) lust for power can destroy the ideals of a society. It is a cautionary tale, warning readers not to be too naive and trusting of leaders and to challenge and stop a person who is trying to amass power before it is too late.


To pursue this theme, one could write about some of the underhanded ways Napoleon achieves power. How does he do it? How, for example, does he get rid of Snowball? One could also write about key moments where the animals, such as Boxer, could have challenged Napoleon. At one point, Boxer stands up to Napoleon, who is insisting Snowball was a coward during the Battle of the Cowshed. Boxer, who has a great deal of integrity and who the other animals rightly trust, tells Napoleon that Snowball wasn't a coward. Boxer also could have killed one of Napoleon's guard dogs at that moment, reassuring the other animals that Napoleon is not all-powerful, but doesn't do it. How important is it for good people (or animals?) to stand up to and resist evil at crucial moments? Why do Boxer and the other good animals fail to do so?

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