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What Is The Abuse Of Power In Animal Farm

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Animal farm is a novel written by George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair) about the Russian revolution of 1917 and the following Stalinist era of the Soviet Union. This book depicts animals as humans, following the style of many older fables. Animal Farm could be read by many ages. It relates to historical figures without directly referencing them. As the story begins, it describes a farm where the animals are not treated fairly by humans and they believe that it is time for change. So after an inspiring speech by Old Major (an old wise boar) the animals dream of a better place, one without humans.

One of the main themes the story portrays is how “power tends to currupt and absolute power currupts absolutelty”. This is depicted by the pigs in the novel. They show greedy characteristics like disputing each other’s decisions. Their authority and strength, along with their motive force develops into too much power. Napoleon, a pig, with this power later forms a dictatorship government. …show more content…

And unlike Napoleon from later in the novel, Old Major uses his power with the respect and trust of the other animals and wisdom. Old Major initially had all of the power but his dictatorship proves that power leads to corruption in a communism style government. The power Old Major had, led his friends into taking action in what they desire to happen leading to the rebellion and future tragedies such as the death of Boxer, a work horse, who said"Napoleon is always right." Chapter 5, pg. 48. Power corrupted the society so absolutely that is everything eventually obtained becomes corrupt

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