Marco Ortiz

Ms. Doar
Honors British Lit
March 4, 2016
Animal Farm: Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely
Power creates glory and prosperity, but it may also cause a leader to use corruption and
manipulation. George Orwell, the English novelist, shows in Animal Farm how corruption
changes someone. Napoleon starts off as a follower and turns into an overly confident farm
leader, but Napoleon uses his control to suit his own needs and desires. The animals trust
Napoleon as their leader, but Napoleon abuses his power and manipulates and lies to the animals.
The farm animals believe Napoleon would act as the next great leader and their farm would
prosper; however, he eventually cares only about himself and destroys the farm and the animals
lives. Orwell uses Napoleon to illustrate how power can change a leader in little time as
Napoleon grows corrupt and uses his position to his advantage.
The Seven Commandments have expectations to act as new rules to help the animals, but
they turn into rules that Napoleon changes to suit his desires. Napoleon uses the Commandments
to his advantage and to meet his desires, while he manipulates and lies to the animals. Rumors
spread about the pigs acting like humans and some of the animals were disturbed when they
heard that the pigs not only took their meals in the kitchen and used the drawing-room as a
recreation room, but also slept in the beds (Orwell n. pag.). One Commandment reads no
animal shall sleep in a bed, but Napoleon and the pigs clearly break this rule as they sleep on
human beds. Eventually, Napoleon changes the seven commandments and reasserts the words:
And revisions of the Seven Commandments are continually made to suit Napoleon's personal

wishes (Robb n. pag.). Napoleon changes the most important commandment, which states all
animals are equal, to all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others. Napoleon
acts as the next great leader and tries to make the farm thrive, but his corrupt destroys the farm.
The numerous abilities and powers that Napoleon obtains when ruling the farm makes
him an arrogant, selfish, and manipulative pig. Napoleon tries to change everything on the farm
to go his way and eventually makes a pact with the farmer to again enslave the animals
(Pearson n. pag.). Napoleons desire and need for more power makes him exactly what the
animals did not want, a dictator who controls them and did not believe in equality. Napoleons
journey turns him from a follower to a leader, and he proves that power and corruption changes
his views and makes him turn his back on those that show loyalty.

Works Cited
Orwell, George. Animal Farm -. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2016.
Pearson, John. "George Orwell." George Orwell (2005): 1-3. Literary Reference Center. Web. 23
Feb. 2016.
Robb, Paul H. "Animal Farm: Overview." Reference Guide to English Literature. Ed. D. L.
Kirkpatrick. 2nd ed. Chicago: St. James Press, 1991. Literature Resource Center. Web. 23
Feb. 2016.
Snodgrass, Mary Ellen. "Animal Farm." Encyclopedia of Fable. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABCClio, Inc., 1998. 34-39. Rpt. in Children's Literature Review. Ed. Tom Burns. Vol. 132.
Detroit: Gale, 2008. Literature Resource Center. Web. 23 Feb. 2016.
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