"Animal Farm" by George Orwell - Napoleon symbolizes how quickly a leader can become corrupt.

Essay by lucas_bHigh School, 12th gradeA-, April 2006

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Throughout all of history, many great, charismatic world leaders have risen to power. These leaders have made enormous contributions to their country, and still others have had amazing impacts on their followers by leading them through horrible and difficult times of war, poverty, and other difficult times of trial. Yet over time, there have been leaders thought to have good intentions in the beginning, but as their reign of power continued, became horribly dishonest, selfish, and corrupt. We have seen this occur during World War II in Germany when Hitler was elected. Hitler had hopes of turning the state of Germany around to become a powerful and successful nation once again, but in trying to do so he exterminated nearly eleven million people. There are countless other examples as well. In the novel Animal Farm, Napoleon stands for one of these leaders. Napoleon symbolizes how quickly a leader thought to have good intentions can easily become corrupt.

As seen in the story, the animals drive out Mr. Jones and his wife and become the new owners of Manor Farm. Through their joy, hope, and excitement for their future, Snowball and Napoleon unquestionably take on the role of leadership of the newly named Animal Farm. Early on we notice how different both of these pigs' ideas for the farm are. In the third chapter we read, "Napoleon took no interest in Snowball's committees. He said that the education of the young was more important than anything that could be done for those who were already grown up" (51). It is apparent that Napoleon and Snowball had very differing ideals and goals for the Animal Farm. Napoleon goes on to training a number of puppies by "[taking] them away from their mothers, saying that he would make himself responsible...