Makayla Moon

Ms. Doar
Honors British Literature
4 March 2016
Napoleons Dictatorship in Animal Farm
Leaders often abuse government power and steal that power from the citizens. George
Orwell, a British novelist, reveals the effects of misused power and socialism through his two
main characters in his novella Animal Farm. Snowball attempts to educate the hand-working
animals and create a leadership for the people by the people whereas Napoleon uses his power to
his personal advantage while breaking Animal Farms commandments. Because Napoleons
convincing schemes turns the animals against Snowball, Napoleon takes full control,
brainwashing the animals to follow his corrupt leadership. Power when used ineffectively can
damage a society, and Napoleon proves that effect through his actions and behaviors. George
Orwell illustrates the effect of Napoleons forceful exile of Snowball and how it led to
Napoleons total dictatorship over Animal Farm.
Napoleons pressing dictatorship brainwashes the animals and leads to a tyranny on
Animal Farm. Napoleon authoritative personality strives to not only the most followed leader but
the only leader. Napoleon initiates the brainwashing of the dedicated animals by developing his
two slogans, I will work harder and Napoleon is always right, which the animals believe
solves every problem (Orwell n. pag.). Napoleon uses his wicked ways to work his way up the
ladder of leadership and before the animals could realize it or even stop it, Napoleon grants
himself dictator. Napoleon wants to prove his dictator abilities, Napoleon uses his personal
bodyguard of nine vicious dogs to attack Snowball, and Snowball barely escapes from Animal

Farm with his life and then endorses Snowballs ideas as his own to convince the animals in
order to see his superiority (Brockington n. pag.). Napoleon manipulates the animals and he will
not stop at any extreme to rule Animal Farm and potentially all the neighboring farms and
humans as well. Napoleon demonstrates his brutality, malicious intents and most of all, his
devious personality as he tramples his way to dictator.
Napoleons unjust leadership leads to the spiteful banishment of Snowball and a creation
of a society that is nearly intolerable to live in. Author Veronica Claire Letemendia once said,
One thing that never arrives is equality and Napoleons unreasonable tyranny lacked just that
(127). Snowball and Napoleon fluctuate in numerous ways when it comes to leadership,
Napoleons thought of power governed his actions and Snowballs educated approach lacked
support from his fellow animals. Animal farm signifies a descriptive overlook of the ideal dream
of socialism through Snowball and Napoleon and how the act of tyranny uses its power to
compellingly move up to complete denomination.

Works Cited
Brockington, Jr., William S. "Animal Farm." Masterplots II: Juvenile & Young Adult Fiction
Series (1991): 1-2. Literary Reference Center. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
Letemendia, V.C. "Revolution on Animal Farm." Journal of Modern Literature 18.1 (1992): 127.
Literary Reference Center. Web. 23 Feb. 2016.
Orwell, George. Animal Farm. New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1954. Web.