Animal Farm- Napoleon.

Animal Farm- Napoleon.

1. Character profile- Napoleon

   • The villain of the book. Doesn't have many redeeming qualities in comparison to Snowball- his opposition.
   • Napoleon doesn't appear to fight in the battle of the cowshed- chap 4. He seems to disappear- showing him to be a coward. Again, this contrasts with Snowball, who fights bravely and strategically- also results in the victory.
   • Napoleon doesn't say much in the meetings held in the barn. But still has a reputation of getting what he wants- how he wants. This suggests he doesn't truly care about the animals future OR Animalism. At this point Orwell seems to be hinting to us the ambitious selfish nature he beholds (foreshadowing his drift from the principles once his power grows).
   • Napoleon is...
     • Cunning: "That, he said, was Comrade Napoleon's cunning"
       • Uses cunning and brutality to get his own way.
         • Is completely threatened by Snowball; who is a clever, well-spoken, military hero and charismatic leader.
           • Due to his jealousy, Napoleon belittles and undermines Snowball by teaching the sheep (brain-washing) them into interrupting his speeches at crucial points, purely because he knows he has no chance of winning over the animals and gaining power if Snowball is on the scene.
             • After his exile, Napoleon uses Snowball as a scapegoat. This results in the animals turning against him. This ensures no one will fight for Snowball to return and get rid of Napoleon as leader.
         • He promotes fear e.g dogs and patriotic feeling to get his own way/disguise from what is really happening.
           • Uses terror to control the farm and the thoughts of the animals. The animals are forced to make false confessions at the show trials in chap 7- then are executed by the dogs. Makes everyone aware of his power- prevents anyone turning against him as they know the consequences.
             • 'Show trials' mimic the purge Stalin ordered against people he believed were involved in a conspiracy against him with Trotsky (Snowball) 1930s.
     • Ruthless: "a pile of corpses lying before Napoleon's feet" following the show trials- chap 7.
       • Napoleon doesn't care about the welfare of the animals. He uses them for his own benefit: to work, to help the farm prosper through making them make sacrafices (the hens eggs- goes against OM's teachings), Boxer's death- for whiskey.
       • Napoleons ruthless attitude and drive to get his own way refers to the tyrant Stalin whom too soon drifted from original principles to his own form of rules.
         • He adopts the puppies, but only to train them to become his 'army'. Forces the other animals to work 60-hour weeks, whilst he does nothing to contribute. He, along with the other pigs steals the milk and apples- placing ownership on both items for his own good.
           • Just as bad as Jones? OR worse?
             • His transition from pig to human is complete by the end of the novel. He stands on two legs, drinks whisky (links back to Jones' constant drunk state) and wears clothes. Weren't all animals suppose to go naked?
             • By the end, the original Seven Commandments of Animalism were completely forgotten. The animals are starving and overworked, but in a much worse position than they were under farmer Jones. Refers to the cyclical structure of the novel- ended up right where they began.
             • Animalism failed because one tyrant leader (Jones) was replaced by another, Napoleon. Allegory for how the all-powerful Tsar was replaced by Stalin and his dictatorship.
     • Corrupt: "There was only candidate, Napoleon" in reference to who would be the president of 'Animal Farm'.
       • Napoleon uses the animals lack of intelligence to alter the commandments of Animalism as and when he pleases. He takes advantage of their inferior education and uses it to benefit his and the pigs increasingly human like behaviour. That being drinking alcohol, engaging in trade, sleeping in the beds, killing other animals, wearing clothes, having friendships with humans.
         • Distorts the BOTC to make himself appear as a hero and Snowball as a traitor who was infact working alongside the humans all along.
       • Gets rid of sunday meetings and effectively freedom of speech- with this he also gets rid of the animals challenging his new rules. Language is power and he prevents the animals from having the little power they previously did. The special comitee of pigs decide the debates. He suppresses criticism.
         • The animals have their doubts about Napoleon- but they don't act on their suspicions. They have been brainwashed by manipulation and propaganda (Squealer) that "Napoleon is always right"- a maxim Boxer adopts in chap 5.
           • Stalin used propaganda in the same way to glorify him as a kind, caring leader- when in reality he was the opposite.
     • Selfish (consistently places himself before the other animals): "Reputation for getting his own way"
       • Sees himself as better than the other animals in many ways- seems to believe he doesn't have to work like the rest because of this superiority.
         • Changes the principles of Animalism for his own benefit- "No animal shall drink alcohol to access"- Shows that he quickly forgets any ideals of Animalism that he may have believed in.
         • Criticises Snowball towards his plans for the windmill- abolishes him from the farm due to this- then proceeds to build the windmill himself. He takes full credit for someone elses work/ideas.
   • Napoleon soon becomes a paranoid, brutal tyrant who's revelling in the power he has- gradually descreasing as time passes. (Demise fully starts chap 5- abolishment of Snowball)