The Pigs

The pigs symbolize leaders of a

totalitarian society, in which those in
power seek to control every aspect of life.

Halas and Batchelor, 1954

The pigs gain this power by

persuading the animals to let them
have the milk and apples.
They justify this by explaining that they
need the energy to take care of them.
This is a form of propaganda, or biased
information used to promote a specific
cause or point of view.

Historically, totalitarian leaders

frequently used propaganda to
manipulate their citizens.
For example: During WWII, the Soviet
government was known to change photos
in order to demonize their opponents.

In Animal Farm, another example of

propaganda occurs when the pigs
abolish the song Beasts of England
The song is replaced with a new one,
which is written by Minimus....

Animal Farm, Animal Farm,

Never through me shalt thou come to harm!
- Minimus, P. 34

By making this song part of animal

culture, the pigs are creating the
perception that the regime will
protect them.

Napoleon

Napoleon is the major villain in this story.

He can be used to symbolize just about
any dictator throughout history.

His name suggests that he symbolizes

Napoleon Bonaparte; the famous 19thcentury French dictator.
Like Bonaparte, Napoleon the pig initially
sought to create a world of equality.
Both allowed greed to take over and
declared themselves the leaders.

Jacques-Louis David, 1801

Halas and Batchelor, 1954

In Animal Farm, Napoleon uses terror to

bring the animals under his control...
When Snowball is accused of being a spy,
four other pigs try to defend him.
All five of the pigs are mauled by dogs
until they admit to being spies, even
though they arent.

This parallels the

Soviet Unions
great purge, in
which Joseph Stalin
publicly tortured his
enemies until they
confessed to crimes
they didnt commit.

...Stalin killed
them anyway.

When they had finished their

confession, the dogs promptly tore
their throats out, and in a terrible
voice Napoleon demanded whether any
other animal had anything to confess.
- Narrator, P. 33

The Seven
Commandments

The Commandments first appear

right after Mr. Jones is expelled
from the farm.
Snowball writes them on the
wall of the barn...

Hallmark Entertainment, 1999

Whatever goes upon two

legs is an enemy.

No animal shall
drink alcohol.

Whatever goes upon four

legs, or has wings, is a friend.
No animal shall
wear clothes.

No animal shall
sleep in a bed.

No animal shall kill

any other animal.
All animals are equal.

Over time, the pigs begin to change the

commandments to benefit themselves...
They begin to walk on two legs.
Animals with wings become inferior.
They are allowed to wear clothes.
Sleeping in a bed without sheets is allowed.
Drinking alcohol in moderation is allowed.
Animals may kill other animals with cause.
Some animals are more equal than others.

This symbolizes the hypocrisy and

corruption found in totalitarian
governments...
...in which dictators have been
known to change laws in order to
serve their political agenda...

On September 15th, 1935, Adolf Hitler

implemented two laws known as the
Nuremberg Race Laws...

Reich Citizenship Law:

Stripped the Jewish people of
their German citizenship,
along with any associated
protections and privileges.
This law declared Reich
citizens as sole bearers of full
political rights in Germany.

Translated by Dr. Peter Vronsky

Law for the Protection

of German Blood and
German Honor:
Banned marriages between
Jewish and non-Jewish
Germans. This law also
criminalized sexual relations
between them as acts of race
defilement.

Translated by Dr. Peter Vronsky

These laws paved the way for future

laws victimizing the Jewish people.
between 1935 and 1945, thousands of
anti-Jewish decrees were passed by the
Nazi regime.
These laws also supported Hitlers plan
to create a pure race.