Nilaja Simon
Draper Animal Farm Essay
5/7/12
Period: 1-2
Oppressionm6o8luykutyj yjujviyk jyujmcyjhn t o9g

Animal farm is a book written by George Orwell about the communist takeover of Russia. The pigs, Napoleon, Squealer, and Snowball, represent the communist leadership, Stalin, the media/propaganda, and Trotsky. The rest of the animals on the farm symbolize the different parts of Russian society and how the communist takeover of Russia affected them. In this satire the most significant theme was that Intelligence and Education can be used as tools of oppression, this is shown in the story when the pigs take the milk and apples, change the commandments, and manipulate the other animals. At the very beginning of the novel when Old Major gives wind of a revolution and dies shortly after, the pigs are the ones who step in and take charge of running the farm and organizing/mobilizing the other animals. They are loyal to the other animals and revolutionary cause at first. They even translate Old Majors vision of the farm into seven commandments. But it’s not long before the pigs’ intelligence and education turn from tools of enlightenment to implements of oppression. As soon as the pigs are faced with something material they want (the milk and apples) that loyalty goes straight out the window and they use their intelligence to swindle the other animals. Squealer, the media/propaganda, says how it’s been "scientifically proven that milk and apples are essential to the well-being of a pig". And since the pigs are the ‘brains’ behind this whole operation he argues that they should get all the apples and milk. Squealer warns that if the other animals do not heed this, farmer Jones will come back, and because of this the other animals buy his argument. After the revolution begins seven commandments that ALL animals should follow are put in place. These commandments being: “1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy 2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend 3. No animal shall wear clothes 4.No animal shall sleep in a bed 5. No animal shall drink in alcohol 6. No animal shall kill any other animal 7. All animals are equal” The pigs use the advantage of the animal’s lack of education to twist and change these commandments. Whenever a commandment goes against something that the Napoleon, Stalin, wants then he changes it. For example when the pigs want to start living in the farm house and sleeping on beds Napoleon changed the commandment to “No animal shall sleep in a bed. With sheets.” Squealer explained to the animals how sheets make a bed not the mattress. Some animals protest but squealer soon puts them to rest by saying how "I can tell you, comrades, with all the brainwork we have to do nowadays. You would not rob us of our repose, would you, comrades? You would not have us too tired to carry out our duties? Surely none of you wishes to see Jones back?" And with this no more is said about the pigs living in the farm house. As