Squealer

’s Role In Animal Farm Essay, Research Paper

The novel Animal Farm, by George Orwell, is an allegory portraying the evils and pitfalls of a totalitarian government. It attempts to illustrate a society where all live as equals has not existed, and cannot be obtained. Orwell, through the use of the character Squealer, demonstrates how propaganda can influence members of a communist community in a negative way. By drawing parallels to events in communist Russia, Orwell’s Animal Farm shows how propaganda was used to dominate the Soviet people. By deceiving, threatening and order was maintained and the populace remained ignorant.. The story uses clear and easily understood language to explain and expose the downfall of communist Russia.

During the story, Orwell utilizes Squealer to portray how propaganda convinced, swindled and duped Russian citizens. Squealer being a sly, clever pig has the ability to manipulate information in his speeches. His cunning is substantially significant to the deception of the other animals. Beginning in chapter three, Squealer first deceives the animals. The animals are aware that the entire stock of milk and apples are reserved exclusively to the pigs, and Squealer is dictated to clarify the uneven dispersing of farm resources. “‘Comrades’ he cried. ‘You do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege?’” (Orwell 42) He continues his speech, ” ‘Milk and apples (this has been proved by science, comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig. We pigs are brainworkers (42). At this point, Squealer attempts to reason to the animals that it is only on account of health concerns that the pigs acquire the apples and milk, but he seeks to brainwash them in different manners also. Squealer proceeds, ” ‘The whole management and organization of this farm depend on us…. It is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples’”(42). Ultimately, he sways the additional farm animals with fear. “‘Do you know what would happen if we pigs failed in our duty? Jones would come back! Yes, Jones would come back!’” (42) Squealer affrights and alarms the animals into obedience with the ominous warning of the reinstatement of Mr. Jones, the abusive farmer that was forced out of the farm by the animals. Squealer is frantic to attain the apples and milk and will not cease to manipulate and exploit the other animals into accepting and embracing that the pigs should be the sole beneficiaries of this indulgences. Through concealing their true scheme, by means of deceiving the others, the pigs are shortly capable or receiving whatever they desire with minimal opposition.

Squealer is used by Orwell to symbolize the Pravda, the Russian newspaper directed and organized by the government during the administration of Joseph Stalin. Orwell presents the corruption of the Soviet command and authority in his critique of the propaganda employed to overpower probable combat from the populace. The exclusive possession of the media, is also criticized by Orwell.

Squealer was the bearer of news for Manor Farm.. His responsibilities included notifying the animals about the handling of work dispersal and other pertinent requirements or information. Orwell proves that a government-owned and ran newspaper is ultimately unjust and biased, being the only source of data and facts. Orwell portrays Napoleon as the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. Similar to Stalin?s manner of ruling, Napoleon does not affiliate with any of the other animals starting in chapter eight. “All orders were now issued through Squealer or one of the other pigs” (89). Because of Napoleon?s new decision, the only source the animals have is Squealer. Because of this unfair and biased reporting, the animals have no method to question what they are being told. “There were times when it seemed to the animals that they worked longer hours and fed no better than they had in Jones’s day. On Sunday mornings Squealer, holding a long strip of paper with his trotter, would read out to them lists of figures proving that the production of every class of foodstuff had increased by two hundred per cent, three hundred per cent, or five hundred per cent as the case might be” (89). Squealer proves to be the only ?go-between? among the common people (the other animals) and the control (Napoleon and the other pigs). At about this time, the animals start to question the quality of life they now lead, versus the quality of life they had when Mr. Jones was in power. However, their options of what to do are limited, because all facts and figures show otherwise. Orwell believed that communism could be effective, if and only if, the public was kept ignorant. Besides merely being just a distorted and prejudiced information source, Orwell demonstrates how the Pravda was adapted to completely exalt Joseph Stalin. At the same time, the paper was used to misrepresent and distort his opponents.

Squealer is a devoted follower to the Animal Farm government. He is the method by which Napoleon communicates with the others. Squealer is not concerned with accuracy; instead he is ultimately affected with portraying Napoleon in a gratifying fashion. Orwell uses Snowball to represent Leon Trotsky, the main opposition to Stalin?s ideas during communist Russia. In the explanation of Snowball?s expulsion, Napoleon utilizes Squealer, and his manipulative speaking abilities Napoleon employs Squealer to slander his political enemy, Snowball, numerous times. In chapter five, Squealer justifies the new arrangements considering that Snowball has been exiled and calms the surprised and shocked reactions. ” ‘Suppose you had decided to follow Snowball with his moonshine of windmills- Snowball, who as we now know, was no better than a criminal?’” (60) The animals are not completely convinced at first as one of the animals reminds Squealer of Snowball?s bravery at the Battle of Cowshed . Squealer responds abruptly, ” ‘And as to the Battle of Cowshed, I believe the time will come when we shall find that Snowball’s part in it was much exaggerated’” (60). Squealers?s speaking talents are put to use by Napoleon as he attempts to subdue all disbelief of Snowball’s betrayal and simultaneously raise himself to a greater rank of significance by revealing Snowball as a traitor. Orwell obviously recognizes flaws with using a mass publication to deceive the public. He effectively demonstrates Stalin’s conscienceless use of propaganda for individual achievement, thus reprimanding the weakness of communism as an utopian society.

Animal Farm reasonably displays the evil and corruption of propaganda and the inequity of communism. Napoleon was capable of coercing an entire population into accepting any fact he found necessary to present, all by the use of the crafty and quick-tongued Squealer He capitalized on his status as tyrant and used Squealer entirely for his own good. Orwell evidently views socialism as a more satisfactory form of government compared to communism. However, Napoleon was in direct contradiction to the socialist values, as he was the sole benefactor on Animal Farm. In conclusion, it is apparent that Orwell detests the employment of propaganda for one?s self-advancement, as demonstrated through Squealer in Animal Farm.