The book Animal Farm by George Orwell is a political novel about animals running their own farm. In this novel, the animals are striving to create a working community where everyone is equal. However, the pigs establish a hierarchy and manipulate others through words to follow the orders of their leader, Napoleon. Language is a powerful tool utilized by the pigs, especially Squealer, the animal personification of propaganda, as well as the crow, Moses. Language is constantly seen as manipulating the animals’ thoughts. In the book, the pigs use language to benefit themselves and convince everyone that Napoleon is a hero and twist ideology to shape the animals’ beliefs.
Throughout Animal Farm, the pigs use the lack of intelligence and fears of the other animals to use language to benefit themselves. Squealer says, “Comrades! You don’t imagine, I hope, that we are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of us dislike milk and apples[…]Apples contain substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig[…]It is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples” (35-36). Squealer convinces all the animals that the pigs need the milk and apples to keep their health, and not to indulge themselves. He is saying that without the milk and apples, the pigs would fail their duty. The pigs do not need milk and apples and are just using language for selfish gain, elevating themselves to a more beneficial position in leadership on the farm. Squealer used his words to hide the fact that the pigs were indulging themselves and expressing their desires as a hardship. Squealer also says, “‘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?’” (67). Here, Squealer is arguing that the pigs need to rest so they can boss people around. He uses the fear-inducing argument that Jones would come back if the pigs were not in top condition again. Through guilt-tripping and manipulative language, Squealer convinces others that the pigs need plenty of comfortable rest, which benefits them. Squealer consistently exploits the brainlessness and concerns of the other animals to maintain the pigs’ status, which highlights the dangers of propaganda and how power can be easily abused.
Throughout Animal Farm, the pigs use titles to influence the animals' perception of them. These titles helped the pigs gain further power over the other animals and made the animals respect the pigs’ actions. By constantly repeating names such as “comrade” or “traitor”, the pigs cause the animals to think of them in a different light. For example, the pigs have convinced everyone that Napoleon is greater than the rest by gradually changing their way of addressing him. They gradually refer to Napoleon as “Our Great Leader, Comrade Napoleon” instead of “Comrade Napoleon”(93). They are forcing the animals to accept that Napoleon is the leader while at the same time displaying him as their equal, which he is not in this case. By hearing Napoleon being praised over and over again, the animals start to believe the title accurately describes him. In contrast to making Napoleon look good, they also label Snowball as “‘Jones’s secret agent’”(79). Squealer convinces the animals that Snowball is a criminal and a traitor. Portraying Snowball as a traitor only benefits Napoleon, since it leaves him as the only leader, and changes the animals’ perception of Snowball from a hero to a traitor. Snowball was a threat to Napoleon’s rule and had garnered a lot of followers. Ultimately, the use of titles by the pigs not only strengthens Napoleon's power but also manipulates the animals' perceptions, reinforcing the notion that language can be a powerful tool for control and deception.
The manipulation of the ideology of Animalism through language gives the pigs absolute power over the other animals. Early in Animal Farm, Old Major gives a speech about rebellion and creates the ideology of Animalism. Animalism outlined principles that prohibited animals from being similar to man, hoping to create an environment where all animals are equal. However, the pigs twist the ideology so much so that, in the end, Animalism is practically nonexistent. Napoleon strives to have more power, so he gradually twists and removes the rules to become more like man. The foundational principle of Animalism is that “All animals are equal”(11), with other principles as additional rules. However, over the years, the pigs consolidate the rules into “All animals are equal but some are more equal than others”(134). By changing this, Napoleon implies that while animals are all equal, the intelligent ones will always be more powerful. This raises an important point about the dynamics of power and influence within societies. Old Major’s entire speech was about how man was evil and how the animals must break free from their reign. Napoleon and the pigs entirely contradict this and become so much like the man by the end of the book that the animals cannot even tell man and pig apart. “It was a pig walking on his hind legs[...]Napoleon was seen strolling in the farmhouse garden with a pipe in his mouth[...]Napoleon himself appearing in a black coat, ratcatcher breeches, and leather leggings.”(133,135). Napoleon has become man, using man’s habits and manners. Contrary to Animalism, he is indulging in the luxuries of humanity and associating with man. He twisted the ideals of Animalism so much that he has become the dictator the animals fear. Animal Farm serves as a reminder of how language and ideology can be manipulated to consolidate power, displaying the dangers of allowing authoritative figures to reshape the principles that make up a society.
Throughout Animal Farm, the pigs are depicted as tyrannical animals who use language to exert power over the other animals. The reader can see that the pigs are manipulating the thoughts and beliefs of the animals to reach the desired goals. In the book, the pigs use language to benefit themselves, exalt Napoleon as the leader, and twist ideology to give them absolute power. George Orwell's use of animals shows how the manipulation of language takes its grip on people. In conclusion, Orwell's portrayal of the pigs emphasizes the dangers of manipulation and the corrupting influence of power, serving as a powerful allegory for the realities of communist reign.