LINKING PROPAGANDA TO ANIMAL FARM
PropagandaPropaganda is used to persuade to believe in something, particularly an idea, opinion or thought. In some cases, it is also used to spread information and rumors about someone or something (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). Propagandists attempt to hide the truth by providing the audience with false, but realistic, facts as a common and effective method of persuading others (Source Watch, 2010). Propaganda is used to help defeat opposing parties, particularly in political affairs (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). Fear is a common propaganda techniques used to effectively persuade people. It makes the audience scared that something terrible will happen if they do not agree with the propagandist's idea, opinion or thought (Source Watch, 2010). Propaganda uses some censorship and manipulation of important information by either altering or removing it (Source Watch, 2010). |
How Propaganda is represented in animal Farm (Represented by the three Main pigs)In Animal Farm, propaganda was frequently used by the three main pigs (Napoleon, Squealer and Snowball) to persuade the animals to agree with their ideas and decisions. When the windmill was knocked down, Napoleon used propaganda by hiding the truth to explain why Snowball was to blame on destroying the windmill.
Napoleon frequently provided false information to the other animals to persuade them that he made the farm highly successful. For example, Napoleon told the animals that although the van which took the injured Boxer away had the words "Horse slaughter" on it, the truck was actually taking Boxer to the hospital. He explained that the truck was previously owned by the knackers, but is used by the hospital, who did not bother removing the words on the truck.
Napoleon and Snowball opposed each other before and on the day of elections for a leader because both of them wished to become the leader, but the farm could only have one leader. Therefore, the pigs used propaganda to persuade the other animals to vote for them, such as using the mottos "Vote for Snowball and the three-day week" and "Vote for Napoleon and full manger" (pg. 33/34). Napoleon, Squealer and Snowball (before he got exiled) occasionally told the animals "If the pigs fail, then Jones would come back" whenever the animals were confused or complained about Napoleon and/or Snowball. The pigs knew that the animals would have definitely not wanted Mr. Jones to come back, so the pigs used it to their advantage to create effective propaganda. All of the animals became afraid whenever the pigs said they needed a certain thing, or accomplish a certain task, or else Mr. Jones would come back and reconquer the farm. Therefore, the animals had no other choice but to agree with all of the pig's decisions. Napoleon manipulated information about himself by changing it to trick the animals into believing that he was the one who accomplished all of the outstanding things on the farm. For instance, Napoleon told the other animals that he was the one who actually thought of building the windmill, when in fact, Snowball was the one who originally thought of that idea. |
WHY DID ORWELL REPRESENT PROPAGANDA THIS WAY?
By representing the pig Squealer, Napoleon and their method of persuading other animals that Napoleon is the perfect leader of the farm and not Snowball this way, Orwell wants to show that propaganda is a powerful tool of persuading people, thus it can be used to easily influence the opinions, ideas and thoughts of people (Merriam-Webster, April 1, 2013; Source Watch, 2010). Orwell believes propaganda can end up being used by the wrong people because they might use propaganda to persuade and trick people to agree with evil or wrong opinions, ideas or thoughts, similar to the way Stalin got his citizens to believe that he would create a better country as a leader. In addition, propaganda may trick people into following ideas because propagandists may only tell us the benefits of following his or her opinions, ideas or thoughts while we might not be aware of the limitations of it (Source Watch, 2010). In some cases, the benefits do not even out weigh the limitations, so the readers may be persuaded into a situation far worse than the original situation. Therefore, Orwell wishes to teach the readers that we should not be easily tricked into an opinion, idea or thought just because someone attempts to use propaganda to persuade us. Instead, we should always consider the benefits and limitations before agreeing and disagreeing with someone or something. By doing so, we can all make sure that propaganda people use are to persuade us to agree with something beneficial.
WAS ORWELL SUCCESSFUL?
Orwell was successful because propaganda was effectively used by Squealer and Napoleon to show the readers its bad sides. Propaganda has been used at appropriate times throughout the novel, such as when the animals start to think about Napoleon as a bad leader, to show the power of propaganda and its use. In addition, the reaction of the animals to the propaganda used is clearly expressed to show propaganda's effects on how we believe, think about or view a certain idea, opinion or thought.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Merriam-Webster (n.d.). Propaganda. Retrieved April 2, 2013, from: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/propaganda
Source Watch (2010). Fear. Retrieved April 2, 2013, from: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Fear
Source Watch (2010). Propaganda techniques. Retrieved April 2, 2013, from: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Propaganda_techniques
Source Watch (2010). Fear. Retrieved April 2, 2013, from: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Fear
Source Watch (2010). Propaganda techniques. Retrieved April 2, 2013, from: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Propaganda_techniques