How Power Corrupted the Pigs

      The satire Animal Farm by George Orwell expresses


the idea of self-government through the animals.   The


animals play the role of humans, in this way using


most, if not all, of the human characteristics.


Because the animals decide that they want to run the


farm by themselves, they make up a way of living


called Animalism.   The basic principles of Animalism


are two, all animals are to be treated as equals, and


no animals shall acquire any human traits or


characteristics whatsoever.   The seven commandments


under which they live are based on these major


principles.   As soon as they develop a whole new


system, they throw out all of the humans that run the


farm.   Even though they are supposed to be equal, the


pigs begin to take control.   By the end of the novel,


the pigs have manipulated the rest of the animals into


doing everything they want.   The pigs then become


almost exactly like the humans.   The most important


pigs are Napoleon and Snowball, that is until Napoleon


throws Snowball from the farm.   It is throughout this


satire that Orwell illustrates how power corrupts by


showing the pigs actions.






        Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely is


a concept widely understood after having read Orwell’s


satire.   It is first shown when the pigs take the milk


and apples, explaining to the rest of the animals that


everyone is equal, but some are just more “equal” than


others.   They also argue that the pigs do more


thinking, and therefore need more energy to do so.   It


is in the latter part of the book, that the concept of


corruption gradually earns its meaning.   When Napoleon


forces Snowball to leave the farm, the power is all


his.   Napoleon fixes anything that goes wrong on the


farm simply...