Compare and Contrast Snowball and Napoleon

Compare and contrast Snowball and Napoleon. Discuss.

Animal Farm is a novel by George Orwell, published in England on 17 August 1945. In this novel Snowball and Napoleon are shown as two of the main protagonists in the story. Both pigs, Napoleon being of larger size but Snowball being more articulate and able to come up with more ideas and is very vivid. Both characters strive for the title of "leader" after Mr Jones is removed from the farm. Both agree on their theory of "animalism" and their seven commandments by which the farm shall run, but agree on very little else. Old Major who had a vision where all animals shared in the labor of the farm and all enjoyed the fruits of that labor equally. This egalitarian ideology was quickly perverted by the likes of Napoleon after Old Major's death.

Snowball and Napoleon displayed similarities throughout the novel. Both had loyal followers, and they demonstrated that they are smarted than the other animals when it came to thinking, studying and problem solving; this guaranteed them a higher status than the rest of the animals. Although alike in many ways both have very distinct personalities and ways of displaying their leadership.

Snowball, when it comes to leadership, follows in the footsteps of Old Major by sincerely attending the seven commandments of Animalism. He is the type of leader that the other animals looked up to and admired greatly. His strongest attraction is his persuasive speeches, which captured the animals’ hearts and minds into supporting him. Snowball was sincere and followed through with his intentions; he was working day and night towards an idea that was going to benefit not only him but the entire Animal Farm- the Windmill. This illustrates that Snowball was a respectable and capable leader.

Napoleon, on the other hand, leads the government of dictatorship ever since he came into power. After Snowball’s historical overthrow, Napoleon turned corrupt and intoxicated with power.   The...