Power Corrupts Those Who Possess It (Animal Farm)

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Power Corrupts Those Who Possess It

Too much power corrupts those who possess it just as Joseph Stalin committed sins

against Russia when he gained power, the main character, Napoleon, committed sins against

Animal Farm. In the novel Napoleon was corrupted by his power. Napoleon abused and deceived

others and finally became what he had rebelled against. Napoleon wronged the inhabitants of

Animal Farm. Napoleon terrorized animals by killing many of them. He killed four pigs for

communicating with Snowball and he killed three hens for confessing that Snowball came to them

in their dreams. Napoleon also affected the animals by making decisions for them. When

Napoleon decided that there was no longer a need to sing the Beasts of England, a favorite song,

because the rebellion was over, he banned it. He also decided how much food each animal

received. In addition, Napoleon changed the seven commandments to benefit him but not the

other animals. The fourth commandment about an animal not sleeping in a bed was changed after

the pigs started sleeping in beds to ‘no animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets.’ When Napoleon

drank alcohol he broke the fifth commandment, and so he changed it to ‘no animal shall drink in

excess.’ All the animals of Animal Farm were wronged by Napoleon when he used his power to

terrorize them, make decisions for them, and change their commandments. Another way

Napoleon abused his power was by deceiving the other animals. He first deceived by false blaming

when things went wrong. For example, when the windmill was ruined by a storm, Napoleon said

Snowball had destroyed it because he was an enemy. The second time the windmill was attacked by humans was also blamed on Snowball because he supposedly helped them. Napoleon also

deceived the animals by using Squealer to spread propaganda. One piece of propaganda arose

when Napoleon decided...