How Power Changes People in Animal Farm Essay Example

Around the world people are greatly affected by one another. Everyone had been affected at least once in their life. For example, someone may be affected by someone else's use of influencing. For example, rich people bribe people to take their children's SATs. This example connects to one of the many main ideas in the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell. In Animal Farm, animals rebel against humans causing animals to be in charge of a farm. One of the animals to put themselves in a dictator position, making everything his way on the farm to make everything benefit him. George Orwell portrayed in the novel how people in modern day still act the same way as the animals in charge in the novel, which shows how society will never change, even though it should.. 

In Animal Farm it is shown that when given power, people never use it in the right way and ends up being corrupt because of it. One example of this was when Napoleon was acting corruptly by selling wood to Frederick's farm after saying he would not. Napoleon said he would never think of “selling the pile of timber to Frederick; he considered it beneath his dignity,”(Orwell 93) since Fredericks farm hurt animals. But later on, Napoleon did end up trading with them because he wanted the money.

Another example of Napoleon acting corrupt was shown in chapter 9 of Animal Farm. In this chapter, Napoleon ended up being corrupt with his power when he cuts food rations at the farm for everyone but himself, the other pigs, and the dogs. This made everyone but the animals in charge who got cut down rations miserable and starve because he was being selfish. In today’s world, people still act corrupt. For example, the Venezuelan ruler made their army block off a international bridge that connected Columbia and Venezuela. This is causing parts of Venezuela to not receive food so they are starving, which is kind of like what Napoleon did on the farm. This shows how badly power can corrupt people and how no matter what time period it is, the person with power will end up being corrupt. 

Throughout the story, fear was used a lot against the animals, by scaring them, to do something they would not normally do, which relates to the modern world and how people act today. This was first shown during Old Major’s speech convincing the animals they should rebel against Mr. Jones. He shared how the humans are only using them to kill them and that they should rebel so they will live. In addition, this was shown in the book by the dogs because they used so the animals will not stand up against what Napoleon or Squealer say.

The animals know that if an animal were to do something against the rules, they will attack or threaten them. For example, during one of the meetings, “four young pigs who had protested when Napoleon abolished the meetings raised their voices timidly, but they were promptly silenced by tremendous growling from the dogs.” (Orwell 66) The animals on the farm have no voice and when they do speak out, they have the chance of being killed. In real life, commercials scare people to not to smoke. This relates to Napoleon and how he used fear to convince the other animals to do work or Mr. Jones would come back. These examples show how commonly used propaganda is used in the novel compared to now and how it is very similar. 

In Animal Farm and modern life, people use fear, peer pressure, and their power to influence one another to do certain things that they want done. One example found in the novel was how Napoleon said the hens have to have four hundred eggs by the end of the week. This influenced them a lot because he never asked if they were willing to do it, he just said they were, which makes it seem like they have an obligation to do it. Another example was shown when Napoleon spread rumors that Snowball knocked down the windmill. He used not reliable clues like smelling random spots and sharing “he has been here! I can smell him, distinctly,”(Orwell 78) which no other animal could back up. But just because Napoleon said it, all the animals believed him. Just like influencing in the book, people influence in the real world too. One example of this would be bribing. Occasionally when someone wants something or wants to get away with something they will bribe the person. For example, many rich people have been caught with bribing elite schools to accept their children. These examples show how people can influence each other and how times have not changed from 1945 to present day. 

In Animal Farm, it is displayed that the animals and modern day people act similar, which shows how society has not changed since 1945. Influence and using fear to make people do things can be very easy, which is why Napoleon does it many times throughout the novel. In present day, people influence each other the same way Napoleon did. This displays how similar the time from when the book was written and now is. Power was another big thing Napoleon and other animals in charge abused in the novel. While comparing the novel to present day, it is shown that the world can relate to 1945 Russia times. Comparing modern times to 1945, society should have changed a lot, while in reality society is still living a similar way.