Downfall by all the Characters in “Animal Farm”

Downfalls can be provoked by many actions that are being done incorrect. In George Orwell's novel, Animal Farm, the downfall was lead by all the characters in this fiction story. There are many occasions in the story that lead to the downfall of the republic. First, the ethics that they had planned for Animal Farm were too laborious for them to handle. Next, no one enforced the checks and balance system, which made the leader too powerful. Then, it was the gullibility of the republic citizens who didn't do anything about the problems at Animal Farm. Last, the citizen's greed of the republic only cared about themselves, and not about the other citizens. Greed, not taking action, gullibility, and ideals being too difficult to handle, were events that lead to the downfall, which could have been interfered.

Ideals that can't be put into action can lead to this appalling downfall. Old Major introduced the Seven Commandments that were later written on a wall, which all citizens should follow. Many of the commandments were being changed, but no one seemed to do anything. No one stepped up to Napoleon, or asked him any questions. Napoleon later started selling timber to Frederick. Which later turned out that Frederick's bank notes were forgeries. There were plenty of rumors that Frederick and his men were trying to attack Animal Farm. These rumors were out before the republic citizens knew Napoleon was selling timber to Frederick. Napoleon wasn't listening to these rumors, or the republic citizens, which turned out Frederick was getting free timber. Their luxurious lifestyle aspects was to not drink alcohol, not to sleep in a bed, or not to wear clothes. These luxurious lifestyle aspects were in the Seven Commandments. The upper class started to break these rules, which lead to everyone else doing the same. This made it hard for the republic citizens to live their luxurious lifestyle aspects that Old Major would have wanted them to have.

The propaganda technique that was used in this novel was Bandwagon. When a fraction of the citizens started to break the rules, the rest of them followed. They thought if everyone else is breaking the rules then it was the right concept. For example, when some of the farm citizens started drinking alcohol, no one stopped them. When the fraction of farm citizens started drinking alcohol, this was breaking the fifth commandment. The group of citizens that broke the commandment tried to be smart, so they added at the end of the fifth commandment, in excess.

First, all of the farm citizens broke the Seven Commandments. Next, Napoleon got played by Frederick by trying to sell timber to him. Last, the farm citizens didn't follow the luxurious lifestyle aspects that Old Major would have wanted them to. It had become usual to give Napoleon the credit for every successful achievement and every stroke of good fortune. (35:4) When Napoleon did something wrong they didn't blame him. Napoleon always had an excuse when something didn't go as planned.

There are times that citizens agree with each other, and believe what they're doing is the right thing. All the farm citizens worked together on the windmill. The citizens thought that it was a good idea to build the windmill. They believed the windmill will help them with the farm by giving them electricity, so the work would be done faster. The farm citizens finished the windmill, which was later destroyed. Napoleon later convinced all of the farm citizens to believe that Snowball was a spy. No one argued with Napoleon, or questioned him. Everyone believed that Napoleon was right, so all the farm citizens accepted this change. The result to this was that Snowball left Animal Farm, and was never heard of again. At first, all the farm citizens were following the commandments when they were introduced to them. The commandments were new to farm citizens which made all of them follow the rules. The farm citizens wanted to rebel against humans which made having rules important to them. The result was that they soon would break them.

The propaganda technique that was used was Slogan. Slogan is a short phrase that is catchy, and memorable. One of the slogans Boxer used was, [he] will work harder. (11:2) This was catchy, and memorable. The farm citizens believed in this quote, which is why they won't stop working till Napoleon says stop.

First, all of the farm citizens worked on the windmill together. Next, everyone believed that Snowball was a spy. Last, all of the farm citizens were following the Seven Commandments at the beginning of the novel. When the commandments were rewritten at the end of the novel, it states, ALL ANIMAL ARE EQUAL, BUT SOME ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS. (51:10) The slogans were easy to memorize, and they lead to the unacceptable commandments to be followed.

Being gullible can be easy to manipulate. The sheep's would believe in anything Napoleon said. At the end of the novel, all the farm citizens thought some of them are more equal than others. Which is wrong, since the Seven Commandments said that everyone is equal. When Napoleon was treating all the other farm citizens unequally they didn't have any questions, or felt uneasy. The dogs that were used as guards for Napoleon were manipulated mentally. They didn't get to choose to be guards. They followed Napoleon's orders since they were young. This made all the citizens fear Napoleon, which is wrong. The dogs protected Napoleon no matter what, even if it means biting any of the other citizens. Boxer is a hardworking horse who is easily convinced to work. This is significant since all the other farm citizens found out where Boxer was actually being taken. He is a hard worker, but works too hard that he is later murdered for money. It didn't matter if he's a hard worker, Napoleon only wants money.

The propaganda technique that was used on the citizens was Name Calling. Name Calling uses fear against people so they would listen to the leader. In the novel, Napoleon uses fear against the farm citizens to get what he wants. Napoleon scared the farm citizens by telling them that Mr.Jones will come back if they didn't do what he says.

First, the farm citizens believed anything Napoleon said. Next, the guard dogs had no choice, and were forced to protect Napoleon. Last, Boxer worked so hard that he was later murdered for money. Boxer stated, Napoleon is always right. (22:3) Napoleon made the farm citizens fear him to get what he wanted. He didn't give the republic citizens a choice in the farm. All of the farm citizens agreed to his action, as what the quote said. If Napoleon did something wrong, they couldn't say anything since he is right no matter what.

Greed is a strong emotion that won't help in life. Napoleon wants more power than what he already had. Napoleon didn't want to share any of his power, so he made up a scheme that will make Snowball run away. No farm citizen should have more power than others, which is why it is contrary to Animalism. This lead to Snowball never to be heard of again. The higher class aren't sharing their food equally. They lie that they need the food to manage the farm. The higher class kept getting more amounts of food, and weren't questioned. All the farm citizens should be considered equal, but they were all treated unequally. No one did anything about this problem. The higher class wanted money for whiskey so they sold Boxer to be slaughtered. The higher class got what they wanted. In the Seven Commandments it stated, No animal shall kill any other animal. (9:4) They had no right to sell Boxer. The citizens later lived in fear.

The propaganda technique that was used was Glittering Generality. Glittering Generality uses a pleasant-sounding statement. Napoleon made him being a leader a good idea. He would give a speech how his ideas are good, and why the farm citizens should follow them. For example, Napoleon made breaking all the Seven Commandments sound good, since everyone is breaking them.

First, Napoleon wanted more power than what he already had. Next, the higher class wanted more food than other. Last, the higher class wanted Boxer to be slaughtered to get more money for alcohol. Boxer stated, [he] have no wish to take life, not even human life. (17:4) The citizens greediness broke all the Seven Commandments, which lead to the downfall by killing other citizens.

The real world significance of the novel, is that citizens aren't doing anything with what our president is doing today. The government wants the citizens to listen to them, and to them only. The first amendment states that the United States have freedom of speech, but the government isn't allowing citizens to say what they believe is right. The government is trying to make citizens fear them by letting these accused people of sexual misconduct, or other horrible actions into authority.

This whole novel was based on the Russian Revolution. All the republic citizens represented someone from the Russian Revolution. For example, Snowball represents Trotsky. Trotsky was the leader of the Red Army. Napoleon represents Joseph Stalin, who ruled the Soviet Union. Orwell wanted to show how people were acting during the Russian Revolution. Orwell also wanted to show how the Russian Revolution was through this novel. The wars that they had in the novel also happened in real life. The Battle of the Cowshed represents how the British invaded Russia at Archangel. Little events that happened in the novel actually represented something that happened in the Russian Revolution. There was plenty of chaos during the Russian Revolution, which Orwell showed through this novel.

Citizens should know what's happening around them. Citizens shouldn't be gullible as the republic citizens in the novel. Citizens shouldn't follow the crowd, especially as the lower class. It's fine to stand up, and be alone in a fight. At least the citizens tried to fight for something that was in their belief. Citizens should ask questions if something seems wrong, not stay silent and let the leader deals with the problems. Citizens should work together, and fight as a team.

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