Imagine living in a society that was run by a dictator. A powerful, greedy, hypocritical and cunning dictator. A dictator that would run the society and live in luxury while everyone else is constantly working. This is exactly what happens in George Orwell’s Animal Farm. In this case, the dictator is Napoleon.

Napoleon has several attributes- firstly as a powerful leader is feared by the other animals.

“At first no one had been able to imagine where these creatures came from, but the problem was soon solved: they were the puppies whom Napoleon had taken away from their mothers and reared privately. Though not yet full-grown, they were huge dogs, and as fierce-looking as wolves. They kept close to Napoleon. It was noticed that they wagged their tails to him in the same way as the other dogs had been used to do to Mr. Jones.” (pg. 68)

Napoleon has the power to take away the puppies from Bluebell and Jessie, raising the puppies as merciless and vicious creatures. The puppies remind me of brainwashed children in a Communist society- younglings brainwashed by Napoleon and his ways. Because the young dogs are vicious and strong and are loyal to Napoleon, Napoleon has power- an army to protect him.

“Napoleon approved of this poem and caused it to be inscribed on the wall of the big barn, at the opposite end from the Seven Commandments. It was surmounted by a portrait of Napoleon, in profile, executed by Squealer in white paint.” (pg. 101)

Napoleon has a poem composed just for him. There is a self portrait of him. He became known as “our Leader, Comrade Napoleon.” The poem is on the opposite end from the Seven Commandments, which means that Napoleon is supposedly supposed to be just as important and powerful as the Seven Commandments.

“Napoleon stood up and, casting a peculiar sidelong look at Snowball, uttered a high-pitched whimper of a kind no one had ever heard him utter before. At this there was a terrible baying sound outside, and nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars came bounding into the barn. They dashed straight for Snowball, who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws.” (pg. 67)

Napoleon has the power to command the animals, such as the dogs, to do something he wants. He used that power to send Snowball away. Snowball and Napoleon always had disagreements, interrupting Napoleon’s rise of power.

“They were all slain on the spot. And so the tale of confessions and executions went on, until there was a pile of corpses lying before Napoleon’s feet and the air was heavy with the smell of blood, which had been unknown there since the expulsion of Jones.” (pg. 93)

Napoleon had the authority to slay the animals and cause so much death. He had the power to force the animals into confessing and mysteriously found out who attempted to betray him. In other words, Napoleon is omnipotent. He most likely has spies looking out for him.

Napoleon was corrupted by power. He was once a helpless pig being mistreated by Jones until Old Major came. As Snowball left, the traitors were killed and the men came, Napoleon gained power. He used tactics to gain it and turned incredibly greedy.

“So the animals trooped down to the hayfield to begin the harvest, and when they came back in the evening it was noticed that the milk had disappeared.” (pg. 44)

It was most likely Napoleon who drank the milk. Napoleon urged the other animals to work and ignore the milk. That might’ve been a tactic to get the animals working so he could save the rich creamy milk for himself.

“So it was agreed without further argument that the milk and the windfall apples (and also the main crop of apples when they ripened) should be reserved for the pigs alone.” (pg. 52-53)

Napoleon is really greedy. He wanted the milk and apples to himself and the other pigs. Once again, Napoleon is using Squealer to issue the demands so he could save the best for himself.

Napoleon is a very intelligent animal. He has tactics and is very cunning. He used that to his advantage to rise to power and get what he wanted.

“The windmill was, in fact, Napoleon’s own creation. Why, then, asked somebody, had be spoken so strongly against it? He Squealer looked very sly. That, he said, was Comrade Napoleon’s cunning. He had seemed to oppose the windmill, simply as a manoeuvre to get rid of Snowball, who was a dangerous character and a bad influence. Not that Snowball was out of the way, the plan could do forward without his interference.” (pg. 71)

Napoleon used Squealer to tell the other animals about Napoleon’s cunning plan: sending Snowball away. Napoleon hadn’t really opposed the windmill, but used that excuse to send away Snowball so he could have all the power. Once again, all the greediness, cunningness and hypocrisy ties in to power.

“In his speeches, Squealer would talk with the tears rolling down his cheeks of Napoleon’s wisdom, the goodness of his heart, and the deep love he bore to all animals everywhere, even and especially the unhappy animals who still lived in ignorance and slavery on other farms.” (pg. 100)

Once again, Napoleon used Squealer to promote him. Squealer is Napoleon’s mouthpiece who turned utterly loyal to Napoleon because of the amount of power Napoleon has and has granted Squealer. Napoleon was very clever using Squealer to trick the other animals into thinking he’s an excellent leader.

“The Republic of the Animals which Major had foretold, when the green fields of England should be untrodden by human feet, was still believed in. Some day it was coming: it might not be soon, it might not be within the lifetime of any animal now living, but still it was coming.” (pg. 130)

While the working animals worked incredibly hard for the windmill and harvest, that was all for Napoleon’s benefit. He just kept them working so he could have a life of luxury. At the same time, he used Squealer to issue the demands and worked the animals into looking forward to a future that would never come.

Last of all, Napoleon is hypocritical. He became hypocritical after he gained power so he could get what he wanted.

“And finally there was a tremendous baying of dogs and a shrill crowing from the black cockerel, and out came Napoleon himself, majestically upright, casting haughty glances from side to side, and with his dogs gambolling round him. He carried a whip in his trotter.”

Napoleon was walking on two legs (upright) and broke the First Commandment: Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. The Commandment was never changed, but because of the animals’ fear, they supported the fact that he was walking on two legs.

“the pigs had acquired the money to buy themselves another case of whisky.” (pg. 126)

Napoleon bought whisky for himself and most likely got the money from the slaughterer when Boxer was taken away. Thus, he broke the Fifth Commandment by drinking whisky: “No animal shall drink alcohol.” Even though the commandment was changed, Napoleon broke it beforehand so he could drink.

I was shocked at how easily and quickly Napoleon rose to power. He was greedy, cunning and hypocritical and used that to be above the other animals. Then he even rose above the other pigs and became a dictator.

Orwell, George. Animal Farm. New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1954. Print.

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