Animal Farm: Themes (Edexcel GCSE English Literature)

Exam responses that are led by ideas are more likely to reach the highest levels of the mark scheme. Exploring the ideas of the text, specifically in relation to the question being asked, will help to increase your fluency and assurance in writing about the novella.

Below are some ideas which could be explored in Animal Farm. This list is not exhaustive and you are encouraged to identify other ideas within the novella.

• Propaganda
• Education
• Equality
• Leadership

Propaganda

Throughout the novella, many characters use propaganda to control the other animals on the farm. The characters use propaganda in different forms such as speeches, songs and poems.

Knowledge and evidence:

• Propaganda is used by Old Major to inspire the revolution and through him, Orwell demonstrates how propaganda can be used to create division and inspire rebellion
• In Chapter I, Old Major’s commanding use of rhetoric persuades the animals to rebel:
  • He adeptly reduces complex philosophy to simple maxims so that all of the animals can understand: for example, “four legs good, two legs bad”
  • He teaches them the song “Beasts of England” which inspires, unifies and motivates the animals
• Old Major’s use of absolutist language could be viewed as serving to drive one group against another and his use of propaganda could be viewed as preparing the way for Napoleon, by instilling authoritarian attitudes in the animals
• Orwell demonstrates the willingness of populations to believe propaganda without question and this is exemplifiedin, for example, the character of Boxer:
  • Boxer is committed, generous and self-sacrificing though his lack of intelligence means he is inevitably exploited by the totalitarian regime in which he exists
  • He becomes one of Napoleon’s and Snowball’s most devoted followers and his blind allegiance to Napoleon means that he fails to understand that the ideals of the revolution are being corrupted 
  • This is evident through his repeated phrase, “Napoleon is always right”
• While Orwell uses Boxer as representative of the decent, ordinary, working-class worker majority, he also uses his character to demonstrate the flaw of the working-class in their inability to comprehend obvious forms of corruption
• Orwell also uses the character of Napoleon to explore ideas about propaganda as he uses it to reassure the animals but also to threaten them:
  • His slogan “Vote for Napoleon and the full manger” is used to instil fear, as they may starve without his leadership
  • It is evident that Orwell is fiercely critical of the use of fear to manipulate the masses as he believes it could cause collective paranoia and suffering
• Squealer acts as Napoleon's spokesperson and his Minister of Propaganda throughout the narrative:
  • Squealer’s function in the narrative is to spread misinformation and propaganda
  • He deceptively limits the animals’ understanding of events on the farm and tries to mitigate any potential challenges to the elite’s authority
• As a character, Squealer is presented as one with a lack of a conscience and he manipulates information for his own selfish purposes:
  • His speeches are full of persuasive language techniques such as repetition, rhetorical questions, emotive language and direct address
• Orwell also demonstrates the power of propaganda to show how it can unite populations:
• Old Major’s “Beasts of England” song and Snowball’s single maxim of "four legs good, two legs bad" helps to unite the animals on the farm, if only for a brief period
• Orwell also contends that propaganda can be an important instrument for preserving leadership:
  • The animals are fearful of the consequences of defying authority and thus want to have faith in their leaders
• Although Jones used to keep the animals in chains, nose-rings, etc., the propaganda that is used by many characters could be viewed as psychological chains that are used to control the animals

What is Orwell’s intention?

• Orwell explores ideas about the use of propaganda in numerous ways and demonstrates how propaganda can be used to create division and inspire rebellion but that it can also unite populations
• While propaganda can also be an important instrument for preserving leadership, Orwell also demonstrates his concern at the willingness of populations to believe propaganda without questioning it

Throughout the novella, Orwell emphasises the importance of education. One of the reasons why the pigs can rule so easily is because they possess the ability to read and it enables them to maintain their power over the other animals.  

• In Animal Farm, Orwell contends that education makes people less susceptible to misinformation and helps them to perceive injustices
• Most of the animals on the farm are poorly educated and therefore the written word is used to keep the other animals under control:
  • As so few of the animals can read, the pigs have complete freedom to rewrite the commandments without being questioned
• The emphasis on education could be viewed as having the dual purpose of making the animals more capable and also freeing them from their ignorance
• Snowball is fervent in his belief in education and this is demonstrated by his yearning to educate all of the animals:
  • Although he attempts to teach the other animals to read, his efforts are ultimately doomed as many of the animals lack the motivation to do so
  • His admirable efforts are also in sharp contrast to Napoleon, who educates the puppies in isolation
• As Snowball is depicted as the animal most in agreement with Old Major’s philosophy, he makes many attempts to use his knowledge to the other animals’ advantage, for example: “Snowball read it aloud for the benefit of the others”
• The pigs’ greater levels of literacy amongst the animals and their willingness to use language to manipulate, makes them appear to the animals as too powerful to overcome:
  • The pigs read books about carpentry and blacksmithing which are significant as it enables them to learn essential trades, while the other animals simply learn basic reading
• There is a huge difference in the intelligence among the animals and they do not all do the same amount of work, in terms of effort or productive value:
  • • The pigs quickly persuade the animals to accept their different status and privileges
• Snowball’s meetings demonstrate how the animals, because of their lack of understanding, take little part in the particulars of politics, instead allowing a few to dominate:
  • Due to their lack of education, the animals are merely enthusiastic with the ceremonial aspect of the meetings rather than the details of the policies being proposed
• Benjamin is one of the other characters on the farm, besides the pigs, who can read and write, however he fails to utilise his skills as he “never exercised his faculty. So far as he knew, he said, there was nothing worth reading”
• He appears oblivious and indifferent towards the situation on the farm though his intelligence could have helped the other animals:
  • When the animals urge him to read the amended commandments to them, he simply refuses to “interfere in such matters” and it is only at the final collapse of Animalism that Benjamin agrees to read the commandments to the others
• In numerous instances, the animals' incapacity to read and write is used against them:
  • The commandments are continually rewritten and amended in order to manipulate and confuse the animals
  • Further, in order to validate their decisions, the pigs refer to documents that only they can read:
    • This means that the animals must obtain all of their information second hand
  • Also, due to his illiteracy, Boxer is unable to read the sign on the van which takes him to the slaughter house 
• Orwell conveys his message that education is vital for people to fully engage in society and to comprehend how societies are governed:
  • Snowball desires full involvement from everyone because he feels it will help animals to achieve equality
• Due to the animals’ poor literacy, Old Major’s original philosophy, which was quite complex and far-reaching, has to be reduced to basic slogans such as “four legs good, two legs bad”
  • Orwell demonstrates how this is far too simplistic and dangerously misleading but for the animals it is easy to remember and repeat
• Many of the animals display differing attitudes to learning, for example:
• • Benjamin is able to read just as well as the pigs but chooses not to
  • Both Boxer and Clover are committed to learning but struggle to do so
  • Mollie’s vanity is revealed as she only learns the letters of her own name, despite the fact she is intelligent enough to learn more

What is Orwell’s intention?

• Orwell conveys his message that education is vital for citizens to fully engage in society, so that they can comprehend how societies are governed
• Orwell contends that education makes people less susceptible to misinformation and manipulation which helps them to perceive injustices

Orwell explores many ideas about equality and inequality throughout the novella. Old Major’s original philosophy that “All animals are equal” demonstrates how equality on the farm is fleeting as the pigs begin to manipulate the rules until inequality returns to the farm.

• Orwell uses the character of Old Major to explore ideas about power, control and inequality:
  • He attempts to present the animals with values in order to inspire them, for example: “All animals are equal”
• From Old Major’s perspective, Man consumes without producing and he contends that the life of animals is one of “misery and slavery” due to their exploitation by man:
  • He appeals to the animals to “remove Man from the scene” so that “the root cause of hunger and overwork is abolished forever”
• While Old Major’s intentions can appear worthy, his rhetoric could be viewed as serving to drive one group against another which goes against the idea of equality for all
• Orwell demonstrates that no one wishes to oppose Napoleon's power since equality is no longer attainable on the farm:
  • Orwell could be viewed as presenting absolute equality as an impossible dream
  • While the aim of the rebellion was to achieve equality among all animals, full equality is never attained on Animal Farm
• Most of the animals are hard-working and uncritical and it is only when an abuse of inequality arises in the sharing of apples that they begin to show dissatisfaction
• The animals are treated badly by Jones and his men and they are therefore seen as less powerful, less important and less worthy:
  • After Jones’s eviction, the animals’ first harvest could be perceived as being a success for equality: most of the animals work hard for the collective good, the planning is collaborative and there is no quarrelling
  • However, it could also be viewed as a failure for equality: the pigs are superior and do no work, the pigs propose all of the motions and they keep the apples and milk for themselves
• The first amendment to the commandments is important as it reveals Napoleon's willingness to rewrite them without consulting the animals
  • The commandments have been modified to the advantage of the pigs, which demonstrates how laws are frequently altered to favour those in positions of power and authority
• Snowball is presented as a character who believes in and fights for equality among all animals and he believes that education is a means to create this equality

What is Orwell’s intention?

• Orwell could be viewed as presenting absolute equality as an impossible dream and while the aim of the rebellion was to achieve equality amongst all animals, full equality is never attained on Animal Farm

Throughout the novella, Orwell explores one main form of leadership style: authoritarian leadership. This is evidenced through the character of Napoleon, the dictatorial leader who governs the farm after the rebellion.

• One of Orwell’s purposes was to illustrate show how a revolutionary leader may be corrupted by power, which could occur in any country
• From the outset, Orwell explores ideas relating to leadership through the character of Jones, whose neglect and brutality is the cause of the rebellion:
  • Jones is immediately characterised as an irresponsible and self-indulgent leader who is “too drunk to remember to shut the pop-holes” on his farm
  • Further, his fondness of alcohol also signifies his weakness as a leader which ultimately enables the animals to drive him off his farm
• Jones is sharply contrasted with Old Major’s leadership style which commands great respect amongst the animals and provides inspiration:
  • Orwell depicts Old Major as both visionary and inspirational and he appears almost god-like when he preaches to the other animals 
• Old Major’s leadership at the beginning of the novella could be viewed positively as his speech is the basis for Animalism which then leads to the eviction of Jones as the leader of the farm:
  • However, Old Major’s actions also becomes the catalyst for Napoleon’s rise to power and the subsequent brutality on the farm which follows
  • Therefore, it could be argued that without Old Major, there would have been no rebellion
• Orwell presents Napoleon as having strong leadership skills and both him and Snowball are the natural leaders during the early part of the rebellion:
  • Whilst Snowball has a much wider vision of an improved future, Napoleon is more narrow-sighted and merely thinks of short-term gains
• Napoleon has essential leadership skills such as astuteness and intelligence
  • However, he uses these skills to exploit the weaknesses in others and to play on their fears, ignorance and stupidity:
    • Napoleon understands that knowledge is power and therefore keeps the other animals in ignorance while the pigs learn useful skills
• Orwell presents the idea that leaders can be a force for positive change and this is demonstrated through Snowball’s intelligence and forward-thinking plans for the farm:
• • The inventiveness of Snowball’s imagination is evident in both his long-term vision of a golden age and in practical details such as building a windmill, which indicate that he is an inspirational and forward-thinking leader
• Snowball is presented as a natural leader: he is intellectual, eloquent and inspirational and attempts to present a vision of the future
• Although Orwell also presents Snowball as a flawed leader, as he exploits the other animals for his own gain, he is still intended to be presented as a better alternative to Napoleon:
  • Orwell demonstrates that no leader is immune from greed and self-centredness
• Orwell overtly disapproves of Napoleon's authority and leadership by depicting him as an appalling authoritarian
• Orwell presents Napoleon as a ruthless dictator, solely concerned with his own power who will stop at nothing to gain absolute control:
  • His amendments to the commandments illustrate his willingness to subvert the laws for his own gain
  • His final act of propaganda is to rewrite the seventh commandment to: “All animals are equal but some are more equal than others”
• Throughout the novella, Orwell is implying that there are various types of leaders, and that conflicts arise frequently when different styles of leadership and opposing goals clash:
  • While both Snowball and Napoleon wish to lead Animal Farm and enhance productivity, they are ineffective leaders at doing so:
    • Snowball is intelligent and fearless yet overly trusting, while Napoleon is powerful but too ruthless
• Whilst Orwell condemns the leaders on the farm, he also condemns the other animals who are complicit in this corruption through their inaction, fear, and ignorance

What is Orwell’s intention?

• Orwell intends to demonstrate that if a leader is permitted to do whatever they want and if they are held accountable, the leader will become corrupted:
  • This could be viewed as a vicious cycle in which the more authority leaders acquire, the more corrupt they become
• Orwell may also signify the senselessness of electing principled figures to positions of power and leadership as it is power itself that corrupts