George Orwell’s, first highly successful novel, Animal Farm, was published on the heels of World War II. Orwell wrote the book during the war as a cautionary fable in order to expose the seriousness of the dangers posed by Stalinism and totalitarian government. In Orwell’s novel he portrays many World War II leaders through the animals on the farm (GradeSaver 1). In the beginning of the book the readers find out that Mr. Jones, the farm owner is a drunk and does not remember to care for the animals. Then the readers find out that old Major, the prize Middle White boar, had a strange dream that the animals take over the farm a live without humans. Napoleon, a large rather fierce-looking Berkshire boar, is one of the few animals that Orwell uses to portray the leaders from World War II (Animal Farm 35). Throughout the chapters of the novel, Napoleon slowly gains control over the farm by letting Snowball organize things, by helping with little things, and by finally chasing Snowball off the farm.
Napoleon slowly takes control over the farm by sitting back at letting Snowball organize things after old Major dies. Shortly after old Major died the animals chased Mr. Jones off the farm. They then burned anything and everything that led them back to Mr. Jones. The next day, after all the animals had woke up, they held a meeting. Snowball says, “Comrades, today we begin the hay harvest. Now comrades, to the hay field!” (Animal Farm 42-43). This is an example of Napoleon letting Snowball organize things on the farm. In the beginning of the novel old Major dreams about the animals taking over, then dies three days later. Then the day comes where the animals chase Mr. Jones off of the farm. The pigs, assume they are the most intelligent of the animals and take it upon themselves to lead the farm. So Napoleon lets Snowball be the first to lead the animals in the right direction.
Napoleon is slowly gaining control by helping with the little things on the farm. Snowball wants the rest of the farm animals to learn how to read and write. So Napoleon helps teach some of these animals. Orwell writes:
“Jessie and Bluebell had both whelped soon after the hay harvest, giving birth between them to nine sturdy puppies. As soon as they were weaned, Napoleon took them away from their mothers, saying that he would make himself responsible for their education. He took them up into a loft which could only be reached by ladder from the harness-room, and there kept them in such seclusion that the rest of the farm soon forgot their existence.” (Animal Farm 51).
Napoleon is now starting to help lead the rest of the animals on the farm, but Napoleon does not take these puppies to help the farm, he takes the puppies to help himself. After the farm has been taken over by the animals Snowball wants them all to learn how to read a write. So Napoleon teaches some of the animals. Then after Jessie and Bluebell have puppies, he takes the puppies and says that he will give them a good education. Only later into the novel the reader discovers that Napoleon took the puppies for his own protection. Napoleon finally gains control of the farm by chasing Snowball out of the farm. While Snowball was still organizing things, he came up with the idea of building a windmill so that the animals could have heated stalls and lights in the barn. But Napoleon was against that idea, and could not get any of the other animals to reason with him and vote against the windmill idea. At the meeting to determine weather a windmill was going to be built all of the animals were voting in favor of Snowball and having to build the windmill. Napoleon whistled and in came nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars, and they went straight for Snowball. Orwell states, “…He was running as only a pig can run, but the dogs were close on his heels…. Then he put on an extra spurt and, with a few inches to spare, slipped through a hole in the hedge and was seen no more.” (Animal Farm 67-68). This is when Napoleon finally gains full control of the farm. Now that Napoleon has brought in the nine guard dogs that he has made, all of the other animals are scared to say anything. Napoleon slowly gains control over the farm by letting Snowball organize things, by helping with little things, and by finally chasing Snowball off the farm. In the beginning of the novel all of the animals were under Mr. Jones’ control. The animals then run Mr. Jones off of the farm and the pigs, which think they are the most intelligent animals on the farm, take complete control. They make a rule that is all animals are equal. Snowball has been the main leader on the farm, until Napoleon becomes tired of all the animals siding with Snowball. Then Napoleon chases Snowball off of the farm so that he can gain complete control. At the end of the book, the rest of the animals on the farm find Napoleon breaking all of the rules. Napoleon was in the farmhouse, drinking beer, and he was playing poker with humans. The inspiration for George Orwell’s Animal Farm, were the events that occurred during World War II.