Animal Farm

"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal." This statement is true when pertaining to George Orwell's Animal Farm. The first half of this quote embodies some of the fundamental ideals of the animalist visionary Old Major. The second half signifies the ideas after being doctored to meet the pig's wants and needs.

The pigs of Animal Farm used their relatively high intelligence to their advantage. In chapter 6, the pigs clearly altered the "seven commandments" to say "No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets," (p.79). This allowed them to take up residence in Mr. Jones's house, a privilege only granted to them. The pig's ability to read and write, and other animals' lack of such knowledge widens the gap of "equality" between the species of Animal Farm.

The pigs do many things that may seem unfair or unjust to the other animals. The pigs selfishly mixed milk and apples with their mash and on a separate occasion saw it fit for themselves to sleep in beds. Pigs like Napoleon used Squealer to justify their actions. His sophisticated diction confuses the animals, but at the same time convinces them that what the pigs do is in their favor. He proposed that theses things were "... absolutely necessary to the well being of a pig." The animals lack the ability to disagree or form arguments against the pigs, so they are free to selfishly increase their "equality," unopposed.

Napoleon, the chief pig, eventually used force to carry out his orders in Animal Farm. His attack dogs drove Snowball away, and inspired the fear necessary to gain total control of the Farm, as these beasts left the animals "... too amazed and frightened to speak." His foresight to train these dogs, and his use of force, slowly move Animal Farm away from its original utopian equality and more towards Napoleon's totalitarian ideas.

The cunning of pigs like Napoleon allowed them to begin what seems to be an underhanded attempt to take over Animal Farm. There dominant role in this new society gave them the opportunity and perhaps the incentive to acquire what ever privileges they wished. Aside from reduction of rations, the other animals have the same freedoms and rights they had at the establishment of Animal Farm. The pigs, on the other hand, have obtained much more rights and less restrained freedom, so in comparison they are "more