1. Napoleon - Napoleon (Joseph Stalin) was a cruel, power-hungry and “rather fierce-looking Berkshire Boar,” (p.35).He cheated and lied his way to the respect and leadership of Animal farm. He spread rumors around the farm about his enemies to make it seem like was far better than his true self. Napoleon also used many animals. He used squealer to talk his way into persuading them to work harder to get what they deserved. He raised the dogs when they were only puppies showing that he plans ahead.
1.1. Napoleon is also very sneaky. He redirects the animals attention. This is a consistent theme through out the book.
1.1.1. Explanation / examples
1.1.2. An example of this, is the milk and apple incident, when the animals actually find out that the milk was being mixed in the pigs mash, Napoleon states ' never mind the milk, that will be attended to ' therefore redirecting the animals so that he could drink the milk for himself. He also acts as if his mistakes are only petty, and when the animals do find out he acts as if he was doing the animals a favour in which he should be applauded for. I
1.1.2.1. Another example of this is when Napoleon sends Squealer to convince the animals of his ideas. Squealer does not say 'I' his says comrade Napoleon as if it was actually him there.
1.1.2.1.1. Analysis
1.2. Napoleon very secretly cares about the people below him, as without squealer he wouldn't be able to convince the animals of many things.
1.2.1. Examples / expanations
1.2.1.1. Napoleon is very dependent of Boxer as boxer is his main source of power, and uses him to make the windmill.
1.2.1.1.1. He also is very dependent open the dogs, for they are his main source of defence and actually define napoleons power.
1.3. Key characteristics
1.3.1. Napoleon is an example of a more dictatorial leader, hungry for power he is the complete opposite of snowball. Napoleon does not show much interest in the welfare of the animals. He is quiet and Squealer is like napoleons, representative. Napoleon uses the dogs to keep the ' unspoken hierarchy ' between the animals and therefor rules in fear.
1.3.1.1. Explanation and examples
1.3.1.1.1. Napoleon always keeps the dogs around him like his body guards, he does this as he is not very powerful talker and has to use power to justify his position. In chapter 5 after the dogs have chased snowball of the farm, they come bounding back to Napoleon showing that they were under his control. Later in in the book we are told tha Napoleon does not come out often except for ceremonial matter and when he does he keeps a ring of dogs around him and if anyone approaches the dogs would growl. Therefor stopping the animals approaching him, and therefor stopping any of the animals even thinking about trying to over throw him.
1.3.2. Napoleon is also very manipulative and ' binds' his time, as when snowball is making plans for the windmill he is scheming to against him.
1.3.2.1. Explanation / explanation
1.3.2.1.1. Napoleon plans his' take over ' very early from the begging, as he takes the puppies ( which are identified in chapter 5 to be the ruthless dogs ) very early and therefor showing his intelligence. Napoleon also binds his time as when snowball is busy making his plans Napoleon finds ' followers ' in secret ( like Voldemort from Harry Potter ), and uses them to ruin snowballs speeches, as that was napoleons main threat from snowball, as many if the animals like him because of his excellent speeches, therefor at crucial moments in snowball's speeches the sheep would bleed out ' four legs good, two legs bad '
1.4. Napoleon is also very easy to change tradition. He doesn't care about tradition and tries to take the credit for many others ideas. There is numerous occasions in the book where he asks the Squealer to change the seven commandments.
1.4.1. Explanations/ examples
1.4.1.1. When Napoleon first comes to power he very quickly changes tradition to some that he approves of and almost completely changes Animalism. When he first comes to power he makes sure that the animals know he is in power by making a very strong statement, like the meetings would no longer happen.
1.4.1.1.1. He also changes the seven commandment from no animal should sleep in a bed to no animal should sleep in a bed with sheets. H e convinces the animals that the extra comfort he is in is almost like a burden as he says, that he will become leader but orwell wrote those four words very cleverly, as it makes Napoleon appear to be doing the animals a favour, even though this is what he wanted, because by doing he is making the animals seem like the bad people. He also establishes a commen enemy and uses the fear of the past to control the animals. For example when squealer is making his 'speech' about beds with sheets he ends it with ' surely you don't want jones to come back' which is completely irrelevent however the use of this rhetorical questions convinces the animals.
2. Snowball - He is a clever, strong speaking, and who represents Leon Trotsky in the Russian revolution. Snowball was known to be a “more vivacious pig than Napoleon,” but at the same time, was “not considered to have the same depth of character” (p.35). He had positive thoughts towards the future, hoping for animalism to flourish among all the farms, not just his own ( such as pinch field and fox wood ) . He used his wits, and planned to build a great windmill that would produce electricity for the animals' advantage. He hoped for a better future for all his comrades. However he was brutally chased of the farm by a pack of Napoleons' dogs after his speech to build a windmill was beginning to convince the animals to join his side at a meeting.
2.1. Key characteristics
2.1.1. Snowball is very intelligent and in numerous occasions has provided solutions to many problems.
2.1.1.1. Example / explanations
2.1.1.1.1. In the battle of cowshed, snowball was in charge of defence operations, and was relied / looked up to from all the animals. Snowball uses Witt and smarts to defend animal farm and is clearly very intelligent as he is tasked to form a plan to defend animal farm with out using violence because of the seven commandments. And at the end of the battle of cowshed he was given the title of 'animal hero first class' for not just his bravery but his intelligence also.
2.1.2. The battle of cowshed.
2.1.3. One of snowball's dominant characteristics is that he is an idealist, constantly Snowball is trying to improve the farm and the animals way of living, he is always proposing knew ideas being very optimistic in the animals abilities. Snowball is meant to represent Leon Trotsky, also a very strong idealist, Trotsky had verbal power just like Snowball and was able to deliver very good speeches
2.1.3.1. Example / explanations
2.1.3.1.1. Snowball's main idea is the windmill and to modernise the farm, and supply it with electrical power. From this electrical chaff cutters, mangel slicers and milking machines can be made. In chapter 5 we are told that snowball used an old shed to display his plan showing that he is very ambitious as the plans covered the floor but also very naive for not realising that the animals are not at the same intelligence as him and not seeing that Napoleon was secretly plotting against him.
2.1.3.2. New node
2.1.4. Although Orwell depicts Snowball in an optimistic lights, snowball does have some moral flaws, for example, Snowball accepts the superiority of the pigs over the rest of the animals very quickly.
2.1.4.1. Examples/ explanations
2.1.4.1.1. An example of this is when the animals learn to read, yes it was admirable that Snowball proposed the idea to teaching how to read, if he truly believed in COMPLETE equality he would not have given up on teaching all the animals on how to fluently read. Also snowball and Napoleon are the first learn how to read, and even though some animals like Benjamin and Muriel can read there is still a hierarchy in terms of intelligence as there is the pigs as the top the ones who knew how to read first, Han those who can read and those who cant. We dont Know if snowball completely agreed about the intelligence hierarchy because in chapter 5 we are told that it was decided that the pigs were the most intelligent, and snowball did not protest against this.
2.1.5. Snowball is always seeking the opinion and approval of others. After he delivers his speech he will ask for a vote.
2.1.5.1. Explanations / examples
2.1.5.1.1. An example of this is after snowballs speeches, he will ask for the animals approval, and it was decided that vote would have to be made in chapter 5 due to Napoleon and snowballs debates.
2.1.6. Snowball is always stuck in the past, he is definitely an idealist however he continues to refer to the original beleifs and keep things the same, but why wouldn't he times were better when the rebellion just started law was in order and everything continued to run smoothly, snowball does not want to deviate from good things and change the past he likes to expand and grow on the old things
2.1.6.1. Examples and explanations
2.1.6.1.1. An example of this is when snowball actually writes the 7 commandments he stays true to the original beliefs of old major, but he expands on that by adding more rules like no animal shall drink alcohol, or no animal shall sleep in a bed as majors belief was simply that all animals are equal.
2.1.7. New node