Violence and Terror as Means of Control in Animal Farm

Violence and Terror as Means of Control in Animal Farm

Animal Farm is a classic fable by George Orwell. This book reflects some events during the Stalin era or well known by Russian Revolution. It was a time when a totalitarian society ruled by a mighty dictatorship. The original title was Animal Farm: A Fairy Story, but A Fairy Story was dropped by the U.S. publishers for its 1946 publication. In Animal Farm (London: The Folio Society, 1984), Orwell tells a story of animals’ rebellion against human and they try to conduct a farm by themselves. The story begins when animals in Manor Farm were encouraged by Old Major to band together to fight their common enemy, Man. When Old Major died, Snowball, Napoleon, and Squealer replaced him. One day, Mr. Jones gets drunk and he forgets to feed the animals. Then, the animals revolt and scare men away. Everything goes well until Napoleon had the dogs charge Snowball to gain his place in leadership. He becomes a power-hungry leader who uses violence and terror as means to control other animals. This essay will elaborate violence and terror as means of control as a theme in Animal Farm.

The animals in Manor Farm take over the farm by violence. It is the way for animals to be free. They attack Mr. Jones and his men in the Battle of Cowshed. They win the war against human successfully.

The use of violence also occurs when Napoleon had the dogs charge Snowball to gain his place in leadership (p.42). He uses the dogs to be his guard and frighten the animals. Napoleon begins to control the other animals by asserting himself as a president of a special committee of pigs.

The most terrible use of violence which reflected in this novel is the pattern of public executions. In chapter seven, p. 63-64, one day, Napoleon ordered animals to assemble in the yard. He orders the dogs to attack four pigs that were confessed that they had entered into the agreement with Snowball to hand over Animal Farm to Mr....