Methods of Control in Animal Farm

Joseph Stalin ruled his people without any doubts. He did not take an ounce of harassment from anyone. If any citizens or media harassed him, he would simply get rid of them. In the book "Animal Farm" by George Orwell, a pig named Napoleon takes control of his farm in a similar way Stalin takes over Russia. Orwell writes this to make a satire out of Stalin and his power. It's why he wrote the entire book, in fact. The most powerful people in the world are usually the smartest too. They know how to play mind games, they know how to fool others dumber than them. This can be known as propaganda, which is used by Napoleon to take over Animal Farm.

In the beginning of the book, we see napoleon as a quiet pig that doesn't really talk much, but had a reputation of getting his own way. As the book goes on, we see it more and more. When Napoleon gets what he wants, many animals disapprove of what he has happen. Napoleon simply exterminates any animals that disagree with him, with the help of the dogs. Orwell writes, "And so, the tale of confessions and executions went on, until there was a pile of corpses lying before napoleons feet." (59) What Napoleon does here is the most important and effective method of control, because this gives the other animals a warning to obey or they will end up being killed by the dogs. If this would not happen, it would make it a lot easier for the animals to rebel against napoleon and overthrow him from his power. Another example of exterminating the animals who disagreed with napoleon is how he frames the animals who opposed of him by making them accomplices to the past leader snowball. Orwell writes, " The four pigs waited, trembling, with guilt written on every line of their countenances. Napoleon now called upon them to confess their crimes. They were the same four pigs who protested when napoleon abolished Sunday meetings." (58) This shows that napoleon will take no prisoners. He will find a way to make the animals that oppose of him to pay. No matter what napoleon needs to do, he will somehow find a way to get his own way.

Napoleon is not the strongest leader. He knows how to cover the mistakes that he makes. The way he can thrive off of his own mistakes is by using scapegoating, which seems to be a pretty effective method. Napoleon uses scapegoating by blaming everything bad that happens on snowball. Squealer says, "[Comrade Napoleon] has stated categorically... that snowball was Jones's agent from the very beginning!" (Orwell 57) Napoleon makes all of his excuses on snowball. By having squealer inform the animals, squealer can convince the animals that it was snowball's fault better than he can. As the book goes on, Napoleon blames snowball for the most stupid things. Even for the things that did not need an explanation. Orwell writes, "the wheat crop was full of weeds, and it was discovered that one of his nocturnal