Animal Farm

Intelligent people can and sometimes use propaganda, lies, or deceit to get what they want. This is shown through the characters actions in Animal Farm. These actions are mostly apparent with the pigs, the leaders and head group of the animals on Animal Farm, because of their high intelligence over the rest of the animals.

The first major sign of propaganda appears when the Pigs claim that they "need" all of the milk and apples for themselves in order to work most efficiently. The pigs declare that since they are the most intelligent and most crucial role in the unity of Animal Farm, they must consume all of the milk and apples themselves, for the better of the entire farm. Since almost all of the other animals on the farm lack the intelligence to defend their own opinions, they are easily manipulated to fully believe in what the pigs say, and don't see through their deception. In his speech on the topic of the milk and apples, Squealer, who is the witty spokesman for the pigs, explains:

'"...We pigs are brainworkers. The whole management and organization of this farm depend on us. Day and night we are watching over your welfare. It is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples. Do you know what would happened if we pigs failed in our duty? Jones would come back!..."' (pg.52)

Squealer is trying to convince the animals that the milk and apples are essential to the overall stableness of the farm. However, in reality, it is obvious that the pigs only want the milk and apples to themselves for their own benefit. Squealer corners the other animals into a situation where they cannot challenge the idea by proclaiming that farmer Jones would come back to the farm. This frightens the other animals and makes them vulnerable, because they know that if farmer Jones were to come back, it would bring the animals back to their old way of life, when Jones owned the farm and mistreated the animals.

Another example similar to the milk and apples is when the pigs start sleeping in beds. When the animals took over the farm and changed their way of life, they made several Codes or Commandments, which the animals on animal farm would abide to. These commandments were to remain unchanged. However, as the farm developed, the pigs started to claim more and more power over the rest of the animals. This included altering certain commandments without letting the rest of the animals know. This was achieved, because the majority of the animals (apart from the pigs) have extremely poor memory, due to their lack of brainpower. The commandment that restricted all animals from sleeping in beds, was secretly altered by Napoleon to read, "No animals shall sleep in beds with sheets". A horse named Clover, (though not considered high on the scale of intelligence on the farm), attempted to challenge the commandment:

'"Muriel," she said, "read me the fourth commandment. Does it no say something about never sleeping in a bed?"

With some difficulty Muriel spelt it out. "It says, 'No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets,'" she announced finally.

Curiously enough, Clover had not remembered that the fourth commandment mentioned sheets; but as it was there on the wall, it must have been so."' (pg.79)

The pigs realize that altering the minds of the other animals is not a challenge. They use the other animal's vague memory to their own advantage, and yet again, claim more for their own benefit while leaving the other animals convinced that these actions are for the better of the entire society.

What captures the other animal's full unity to the leader of animals farm, Napoleon, is the abolishment of Snowball. Snowball, before he was ridden of by Napoleon, was a pig about equal in leadership with Napoleon on animal farm. Because the two were always in disagreement on issues involving the working of the farm, Napoleon had him banished to become fully in power and totally take control of the farm. Snowball, who was once known to be a true patriotic leader, was later recognized