Rebellions Never End

Animal farm is a fable which was written by George Orwell. In Animal Farm (London: The Folio Society, 2002 edition) George Orwell portrays political situation and colonization between human and animals and animals between animals. The story begins when Old Major calls all animals to a secret meeting. In the meeting, he shared his dream of a revolution against the cruelty of Mr. Jones, Major wants rebellion. Three days after the meeting Major dies but the speech gives the more intelligent animals a new outlook of life. There are two pigs who want to continue the rebellion they are Napoleon who is big and not a good speaker and Snowball who is a better speaker, very vivid and has a lot of ideas. Both of them start their action to influence others animals but Napoleon does fraudulent act. In my opinion, there are two themes in Animal Farm. The first theme is the triumph from colonization and the second theme is “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” (Lord Acton)

The first theme, the triumph from colonization, is clear portrayed in this novel. First, the colonization is done by Mr. Jones to the animals in Manor farm. One night, Mr. Jones comes home drunk and forgets to feed animals.  Because of the spirit of speech which is given by the Old Major, the animals do the rebellion to fight Mr. Jones. They destroy all whips, nose rings, reins, and all other instruments that have been used to suppress them. The same day the animals celebrate their victory with an extra ration of food. The animals’ success to dominate Manor Farm and then they changes Manor farm become Animal farm. Besides, the pigs make up the seven commandments, and they write them above the door of the big barn.

They run thus:

  1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
  2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings is a friend.
  3. No animal shall wear clothes.
  4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.
  5. No animal shall drink alcohol.
  6. No animal shall kill another animal.
  7. All animals are equal. [chapter 2]

I think that is the first triumph; they are free from the Mr. Jones’s colonization. Second, the suppression which s done by Napoleon to the Animals is also clear explained in this novel. After Old Major died, Napoleon fight to dominate Animal farm. He successes with fraudulent ways. He also successes to throw away Snowball, who have ideas to build windmill, to produce electricity for others animals and to teach other animals how to read and count. All animals work hard every day except the pigs. A few years later, Napoleon becomes same as Mr. Jones. He colonies other animals. The animals can’t do more, if they do the rebellion, the dogs of Napoleon will kill them. At the end of the novel, the pigs cannot be distinguished from the humans. ”… Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike. No question, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs? The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” [Chapter 10] However, finally the animals do rebellion too. They try to defeat Napoleon and the others pigs. In my opinion, it is the second triumph; the animals try to defeat the pigs.

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” (Lord Acton) is another theme in Animal Farm. When the animals success to dominate Manor Farm, the leaders are corrupted by their power. The success which has reached by them is corrupted by Napoleon. Napoleon uses fraudulent way to dominate the Farm. He slanders Snowball. Slowly, he use his power to colonize others farm again. He acts like human also, he sleep in a bed, drunk, and live in Mr. Jones’s house. Silently, he and the other pigs change the seven commandments.

“But a few days later Muriel, reading over the Seven Commandments to herself, noticed that there was yet another  of them which the animals had remembered wrong. They had thought the Fifth Commandment was “No animal shall drink alcohol,” but there were two words that they had forgotten. Actually the Commandment read: “No animal shall drink alcohol to excess.” “[chapter 8]

Overall, theme of this novel is the sad triumph of evil. The animals have fight and fight but they still colonized. Another theme is the misuse of power. Napoleon uses his power to colonize other animals and also to kill his competitor.

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