Animal Farm Reflection

Animal Farm was an interesting book, I enjoyed the idea and the plot of it, but something I didn’t like was how all of the animals believed everything Napolean told them. Even at the most ridiculous times when he would tell them outrageous things, they would end up agreeing with him. I can understand he was their leader and had authority over the farm, but there were times when he was truly in the wrong, but the animals figured out a way so it made sense of why he did what he did. When he would change the ten commandments so he wasn’t breaking any of the laws was just plain obnoxious. Throughout the entire book the animals would chant, “four legs good, two legs bad” and the second they saw all the pigs walking on their hind legs they changed their saying to, “four legs bad, two legs good” because Napolean was now walking on two legs, yet, all of the animals walked on four legs.

Napolean is a very clever character, in which he can manipulate almost anyone to do or believe what he says. I hate his character so much, I almost love him at the same time. To be able to mold the minds of so many to think just about anything you say is right is some real talent. His life is so easy because if he ever makes a mistake he has to develop a reason for why it wasn’t his fault, blame something or someone, and he’s in the clear. For example, when Snowball becomes a threat to Napolean because he challenges him for control of the farm and the popularity from the other animals, he obviously has to get rid of him.

Propaganda was heavily influenced by Squealer because he was Napolean’s right hand man. Because Squealer was so helpful with convincing the other animals what Napolean wanted he represents propaganda and how it can manipulate everything in one’s life. For example, one newspaper could show you a picture of something that makes you believe one thing. While another newspaper could show you the same picture but cropped differently, and you might believe the complete opposite from what you thought from the first newspaper just because of what they wanted you to see.

Something I thought was weird was how none of the animals ever questioned Napolean. There were times where he was obviously in the wrong and no one ever called him out. In reality, someone would have said something seemed weird or they noticed something was up. Even if one of the animals did say something, Napolean probably would have gotten rid of them, but there wasn’t an animal to say something seems slightly off. If one of the animals, like Boxer, would have said something I think they would have been able to revolt against Napolean and take the farm over, again, and possibly make it a better place for the to live. They might not ever live in the perfect place, but things might have run smoother, and better overall if someone who wasn’t power hungry was leading the farm.