Animal Farm Essay, Prompt 1

I have chosen to analyze Major and Squealer in my mini-essay.

Major seemed to be a person that actually cared about everyone on the farm. He seemed to care about EVERYONE, not just the people who would benefit him the most by befriending them.He even cared about the wild animals who did not have much independent thought and did not have much intelligence. He does not speak in a condescending manner, but treats everyone as equals, even the people who look up to him and revere him. He also tells people to look towards the future, and to follow their hopes, dreams, and aspirations. Major acts like a revolutionary, trying to free the animals from their chains. For example, “And among us let there be perfect unity, perfect comradeship in this struggle. All men are enemies. All animals are comrades.” (Pg. 31) He actually CARES about the livelihoods of the other animals.

Squealer on the other hand, seems to treat the other animals as if they were second class citizens. He does not seem to give them the respect that they deserve and treats them as if they were stupid animals that did not hope to see the difference between lies and the truth. He also seems to trick the animals. When ever something happens the benefits the pigs but hurts the other animals, he would say that it was for the greater good. He would also threaten them by saying that if they did not shut up and do what they were told, then Farmer Jones would come back and mistreat them worse then they were already mistreated. This was a gesture used to help pacify the animals who thought that they were being treated unfairly and to scare them into doing whatever the other pigs told them to do. This shows that he has no respect for the livelihoods of the other animals and that all he cared about is himself. He also never talks about the animals hopes, dreams, and aspirations. Instead, all he talks about is how “great: if on the farm is and how bad it would be if they were in any other place. He also lies and talks about how Napoleon does so many things, but is instead really trying to rewrite history to put Napoleon in a better light and to make the other animals want to follow Napoleon more. He seems to be the type of person that is sneaky and would do anything to achieve their goals. “Are you certain this not something you have dreamed, comrades? Have you any record of such a resolution? Is it written down anywhere? And since it was certain true that nothing of the kind existed in writing, the animals were satisfied that they were mistaken.” (pg.77) This shows how Squealer tells half-truths and lies to the animal populace.

The Major was very persuasive. He painted a picture of a land of freedom and a land where everyone could do whatever they felt like doing, as long as it was not hurtful or morally wrong. He appealed to the animals long lost sense of hope. “Only get rid of Man, and the produce of our labor would be our own. Almost overnight we could become free and rich,” (Pg. 30) It was effective because it awakened long lost desires within the animals and gave them hopes and dreams.
Squeal was also persuasive, but for another reason. Unlike Major, who used the animals hopes and dreams to influence them, Squealer uses the animals fears against them. To influence them, he uses their fear of Farmer Jones coming back and enslaving them again. He says that Jones will come back and enslave them even when it is highly improbably the Jones is even in the area. “One false step, and our enemies would be upon us. Surely comrades, you do not want Jones back?...Certainly, the animals did not want Jones back; if the holding of debates on Sunday mornings was liable to bring him back, then the debates must stop.” (pg.70) It is effective because he preyed on the animals fears, and fear is a strong emotion that influences people enourmously.