Propaganda in Animal Farm

Propaganda in Animal Farm

Using propaganda effectively allows one to manipulate others for their own personal gain. In Animal Farm, by George Orwell, a pig Squealer is so persuasive he can even “turn black into white”(36). He uses his persuasive talents to make the rest of the animals on the farm believe that Napoleon, who is also a pig, actually a great leader. Through an analysis of Squealer’s changing of the Seven Commandments, the lies spread about Snowball and the lies spread about Boxer it is evident that without Squealer Napoleon could not have maintained his role.

In the beginning of the novel, old Major teaches the animals Animalism. Shortly after his death, the pigs inscribe the Seven Commandments of Animalism, which include “No animal shall sleep in a bed, no animal shall drink alcohol, no animal shall kill any other animal”(43). During the course of the novel the pigs do not follow any of the Commandments but Squealer happily alters them to their own benefit. For example, the pigs want to sleep in a bed, but unfortunately for them it is against the rules to do so therefore Squealer changes the fourth Commandment to “No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets”(79). He also alters a few other Commandments such as “No animal shall kill any other animal without cause”(99) and “No animal shall drink alcohol to excess”(113). When the other animals question on how the Commandments change, Squealer convinces them that they did not change at all.
There are so many lies spread on the farm from Squealer, but the biggest lie of all is about Snowball. He uses propaganda to make the other animals of the farm believe Snowball actually destroys the windmill “those traitor has crept here under cover of night and destroyed our work of hardly a year”(82). He accuses Snowball of having “sold himself to Frederick of Pinchfield Farm, who is even now plotting to attack us”(89). Squealer even tells the animals that Snowball is Jones’ spy and he changes the role that...