ANIMAL FARM ESSAY
Question: Explain how an idea was made memorable in the text
In George Orwell's famed novel Animal Farm, a main idea is how power corrupts. We start the
book with a group of animals plotting to take over their farm from the drunken farmer; Mr Jones.
Throughout the text we slowly progress from the idea of a free society into a totalitarian one, where
a single leader holds all the power. Orwell makes this idea memorable by presenting it to readers in
an interesting way, using many language features/ literary devices to elevate his writing and give it a
sense of depth.
One language feature that Orwell uses to make the idea ‘power corrupts’ memorable is
foreshadowing. (Which subtly suggests how things will progress further ahead in the text.) In
chapter 3 of Animal Farm, we find out that the pigs have taken the farm's milk and apples for
themselves. Squealer the pig, (who we later see as second in command) announces “Comrades! You
do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of
us actually dislike milk and apples.” He then goes on to say that the pigs getting the milk and apples
is necessary for the wellbeing of the farm. This incident hints at the first signs of corruption in a
revolution. That the pigs will continue taking, and the other animals' silence will continue to
enable their exploitation. By using foreshadowing, Orwell engages the reader intellectually, and
subconsciously urges them to guess further plot points. While making the idea stick through the
audience's own expectations.
Another way Orwell makes this idea memorable is through Irony. At the end of the book, we truly
see how power has corrupted Napoleon and other pigs on Animal Farm. In chapter 10, animals
look into the farmhouse where Napoleon is drinking with human farmers. It is described like this;
“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again;
but already it was impossible to say which was which.” The idea of Napoleon turning into a
human-like leader figure, just like Mr Jones, (the old farmer,) is an example of irony. Another
example is the slogan 4 legs good, 2 legs bad. Turning into 2 legs good, 4 legs better. The animals’
society almost contradicts itself and slowly turns into the very thing that they aimed to destroy. By
the end of the book Orwell’s use of irony creates a disturbing realisation that the revolution failed.
Irony also helps to challenge expectations by leaving the text in almost the same place that it started,
with slightly different circumstances.
Orwell also uses allegory to reinforce the idea that power corrupts. Allegory helps to build a sense
of accuracy and relatability for readers. Throughout animal farm, specific events in history are
mirrored. One example of this is a commandment ‘No animal shall drink alcohol’ being changed to
‘No animal shall drink alcohol to excess.’ This quote really shows how corrupted Napoleon has
become with unchecked power. He even sells Boxer the horse, the most hardworking animal on the
Question: Explain how an idea was made memorable in the text
In George Orwell's famed novel Animal Farm, a main idea is how power corrupts. We start the
book with a group of animals plotting to take over their farm from the drunken farmer; Mr Jones.
Throughout the text we slowly progress from the idea of a free society into a totalitarian one, where
a single leader holds all the power. Orwell makes this idea memorable by presenting it to readers in
an interesting way, using many language features/ literary devices to elevate his writing and give it a
sense of depth.
One language feature that Orwell uses to make the idea ‘power corrupts’ memorable is
foreshadowing. (Which subtly suggests how things will progress further ahead in the text.) In
chapter 3 of Animal Farm, we find out that the pigs have taken the farm's milk and apples for
themselves. Squealer the pig, (who we later see as second in command) announces “Comrades! You
do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of
us actually dislike milk and apples.” He then goes on to say that the pigs getting the milk and apples
is necessary for the wellbeing of the farm. This incident hints at the first signs of corruption in a
revolution. That the pigs will continue taking, and the other animals' silence will continue to
enable their exploitation. By using foreshadowing, Orwell engages the reader intellectually, and
subconsciously urges them to guess further plot points. While making the idea stick through the
audience's own expectations.
Another way Orwell makes this idea memorable is through Irony. At the end of the book, we truly
see how power has corrupted Napoleon and other pigs on Animal Farm. In chapter 10, animals
look into the farmhouse where Napoleon is drinking with human farmers. It is described like this;
“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again;
but already it was impossible to say which was which.” The idea of Napoleon turning into a
human-like leader figure, just like Mr Jones, (the old farmer,) is an example of irony. Another
example is the slogan 4 legs good, 2 legs bad. Turning into 2 legs good, 4 legs better. The animals’
society almost contradicts itself and slowly turns into the very thing that they aimed to destroy. By
the end of the book Orwell’s use of irony creates a disturbing realisation that the revolution failed.
Irony also helps to challenge expectations by leaving the text in almost the same place that it started,
with slightly different circumstances.
Orwell also uses allegory to reinforce the idea that power corrupts. Allegory helps to build a sense
of accuracy and relatability for readers. Throughout animal farm, specific events in history are
mirrored. One example of this is a commandment ‘No animal shall drink alcohol’ being changed to
‘No animal shall drink alcohol to excess.’ This quote really shows how corrupted Napoleon has
become with unchecked power. He even sells Boxer the horse, the most hardworking animal on the
