- Animal Farm
Analyze the character of Napoleon. How do you feel about him? Explain why you feel this way. How does he change through the novel? Does he get better or worse? Why do you think the author made him this way? What do you think the author may be communicating to the reader about Napoleon?
You will respond to this question by leaving a comment on this post.Responses should be at least 200 words each.Remember: you must respond to at least 5 questions per novel.Extra credit will be awarded if you respond to more than 5 questions.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Question Five: Animal Farm
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I think that the character of Napoleon is a very bad and cruel character that is only searching for more power. At first, I thought that he was just a very prideful leader, but later I realized what he really was. He turned out to be a terrible and manipulative animal. He deceived all of the other animals, made them think he was this amazing hero that loved them, and tricked them into doing everything that he told them to do. Napoleon and the other pigs betrayed the other animals, and went against the original Seven Commandments. Through the novel, he changed from being just a pig with a lot of power, to dressing and acting like a human. He definitely got much worse throughout the novel. I think the author made him this way to show what can happen when someone is given too much power over everyone. They were trying to show what corruption and deceit can really do. The author made him a very cruel leader that wasn’t afraid to kill other animals. I think that the author might be communicating that Napoleon wasn’t really the other animals’ friend at all from the start. He was their enemy. They just couldn’t understand how terrible he really was.
ReplyDeleteI do not like Napoleon because he changed the commandments to make it sound like everything that the pigs do is right. I also do not like him because he ordered the dogs to kill all of the animals that did things like being in touch with Snowball after he left and stealing corn from the previous year’s harvest. Napoleon changes during the novel by at first being someone who just turns down all of Snowball’s ideas to having a poem called “Comrade Napoleon” made about him and naming the windmill after himself. Napoleon gets much worse throughout the novel. I think the author made him this way to show that having lots of power can change people. I think that the author may be communicating to the reader that he based Napoleon on Joseph Stalin. He is like Stalin because the dogs that Napoleon raised were like Stalin’s secret police that did everything that he told them to do. He is also like Stalin because Trotsky and Stalin battled for control of the Communist Party in Russia just like Snowball, who is based on Trotsky, and Napoleon battled for control of the farm. Also, Stalin had Trotsky expelled from Russia and Napoleon had Snowball expelled from the farm.
ReplyDeleteI do not really like the character of Napoleon. He does not seem like a very nice animal, and he seems like one who always wants to fight, especially since he and Snowball can never agree on anything. They seemed to be going back and forth a lot throughout the novel. I think that throughout Animal Farm Napoleon gets even worse, as he orders the other animals around and then even kills some of the other animals, which was disobeying a commandment. He also disobeyed his own commandment by sleeping in the farm house in a bed. And by doing all these things he was trying to create more power for himself, which is a selfish and horrible act. I feel that if he wasn’t so selfish and wanted so much power, and strength that the other animals would actually like him, and if they did like him more than they might work a lot harder. Also, if he would actually show love to the other animals, care for them and not be only concerned for himself and other pigs than they would also like him. I think that the author was trying to point out that there may be people like Napoleon in your life, and you have to look out for them and you can’t let them walk all over you and have too much power.
ReplyDeleteNapoleon was one mean pig, and I didn’t like him at all. He was cruel, prideful, selfish, and hypocritical. The way he walked around and talked made him sound like he was above everyone else and was ‘all that’. At the beginning of the novel, he was completely against Jones and the other farmers, but towards the end, he became way worse than Jones. The author showed that Napoleon was like a dictator. Once he got the power over everyone else, he began treating them unfairly. What was so aggravating was how he kept changing the Seven Commandments so he could use them in his favor. When he changed them, he did absolutely anything he wanted, from sleeping in a bed, to using human things, then to killing animals from their own farm. However, he was not the only one doing this. The other pigs who decided to follow him got pretty much whatever they wanted as well. They had plenty of food, stayed in the house, didn’t have to work as much, ordered other animals around, wore human clothes, and even walked on their two hind legs. I think the author made Napoleon this way to show how much people can change when they have too much power.
ReplyDeleteNapoleon was a pig who thought way too highly of himself! I did not like him. He was prideful, and did not follow the rules, and he is the one who made the rules! He did not do his fair share of work, and only wanted to tell others what to do. That was not fair. He was manipulative and a liar. The other animals did not deserve to be treated that way. He definitely did not get better though the novel, he only got worse. At first, he seemed like a prideful pig who just wanted to be leader and have power. But later on, he proves to be much worse than that. He went from being an arrogant pig that yearned for leadership, to a deceiving pig who did everything that he told the other animals to never even think about doing and threatened to punish them if they did. I think the author made him this way so we can see what would happen if we let someone manipulate us to the point where we believe that every single thing that they do and say is right. We should never let someone have that much power over us. I think the author could be communicating that Napoleon is insecure and needs more and more power in order to feel better about himself. He proved to us that he was never on their side in the first place. He just wanted to be better than everyone else. The others were never willing to see how bad he really was.
ReplyDeleteNapoloen was a pig who was in charge of Animal Farm. He was very sly and seemed to always get what he wanted one way or another. He lied many times to all the animals; many of them eventually believed him. I personally did not like Napoloen very much because he mistreated the animals by keeping much of the food for himself and the other pigs while the hard working animals did not get their fair share. In the begining of this novel he was quiet and didn't say much but when tht animals overthrough Mr. Jones, he decided to step in and become the leader after getting rid of Snowball. He gets worse toward the end of the book because he becomes more and more deceitful. The author probably made him this way because he was trying to show you that having a lot of power can corrupt you. I think the author was trying to communicate to us that no human or animal should ever have too much power.
ReplyDeleteNapoleon is the type of leader I would never want to be under the authority of. I feel that he was a dirty liar that was just there for the money and to continuously lie to the animals about everything. I feel this way because he never treated the animals right he always reduced the rations or made them work harder. At the beginning of the novel he was always in the shadow of Snowball. Later on he starts to get rough with Snowball and eventually expells him from the farm. Since that incident he was more demanding and lied more than ever and became more greedy. I think through the book he gets worse because he still continues to lie and break the laws. I think the author made him this way because he was trying to show us that lying and greediness will always end up in the failure of multiple things. I think the author was trying to say that even though a leader may seem like a great leader he can always change and become greedy and want more power.
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of the story, Napolean seemed like a prideful leader with some good intentions towards the farm. However, as the story continues and he has the taste of power, he soon changes the commandments and lies to all the animals for his own benefit. So, therefore, I did not like him since he is the type of leader would lie and deceive you and cause others harm to get his way. At the start of the story, he is on equal ground with all of the pigs, including Snowball. But as the story progresses, it is clear that Napolean's hate of Snowball has grown so much that he expels Snowball from the farm for his own means. Napolean gets worse and worse as the story continues and as he continues to gain more power. The author made Napolean evil and ruthless to highlight the terrible leadership of a socialist leader. The author is trying to tell us that unless a leader is responsible and accountable to his citizens, greed and corruption can change the leader into an evil person only out to benefit themselves.
ReplyDeleteI consider Napoleon a sketchy character. He stretches the truth to suit his own needs. In the beginning when the animals take over the farm, they set seven commandments as the law. Later, when Napoleon breaks a rule, he sends out another pig during the night to re-write the rules to fit what he's done. In the morning, the other animals can't remember if that was the true rule or had been changed. This method works so well for Napoleon that he uses it frequently. As he becomes more power-driven, his becomes more dictator-like in his demeanor. He begins to take more and more food from the hard working animals to feed him and the other pigs. He definitely becomes a worse character as the story progresses. He changes so much that by the end of the story he not only is dressing like a human and interacting with the humans, he is walking on two feet like the humans. I think Orwell uses this character to show how communism can only work in theory and not in real life. In real life, people have a sinful nature that can lead to lies, corruption and power-driven greed. Communism sounds good, but the author is telling us not to fall for its lies.
ReplyDeleteWhat I like about Napoleon: I believe that Napoleon is a good leader for the farm, because he is very smart and he knows how to run the farm very efficiently. I also think he is the smartest of all the pigs.
ReplyDeleteWhat I don’t like about Napoleon: I don’t like that he was so mean to the other animals. I also don’t like how he used the dogs to kill the animals that talked to snowball.
How he changes throughout the story: Napoleon starts off as just a regular pig. After Major dies he and snowball become the leaders. When snowball leaves, napoleon is the only leader, along with his group of pigs and dogs. Then finally at the end he basically turns into a human. He also gets much crueler as he gets more and more power.
I think the author made him this way because they needed a bad guy for the story.
What the author is communicating: I think he is saying that giving one person too much power is a bad thing and we should try to avoid it.
If I had to summarize Napoleon in two words, those words would be Communist dictator. He was always searching for more power. He was never satisfied with anything. The more power he got, the more cruel he became. He didn't care if he had to kill someone to get his own way. I would never want to be under someone with that kind of authority. I would always be frightened to speak my mind or worse, even one word. Unlike Snowball, he used his smarts for his own benefit. He didn't care if any of the other animals ate as long as he was satisfied or he was torturing someone else. He just wanted to be at the top so everyone else was at the bottom. I think the author made him this way to how show how communism could happen to anybody and anything. Like Joseph Stalin, he just wanted more power so he could have anything anytime. Also, Orwell was trying to show what happens when something is taken too far. Napoleon took his power way too far. Once it got close to his reach, he grabbed it as fast as he could and all of a sudden, it grew more and more and as it grew more and more, it became worse. My theory is that Napoleon, when just a piglet, was jealous of Snowball because Snowball was the one the animals thought was the smartest. As he aged, he finally got tired of it and put his foot down. Instead of just telling Snowball, he took it out on not only Snowball but everyone else as well. He agreed with the humans because Mr. Jones was treating him well because he was a new born. He just used the animals to get food and authority. He thought of the humans as friends.
ReplyDeleteI find Napoleon by far one of the most interesting characters in the entire novel. His manipulation of the other animals is completely cruel, yet completely ingenious. I compare the decline of his morals to the decline of the seven commandments. Every rule Napoleon breaks, he changes, until only one is left,"All animals are equal". In the end, this is changed to,"All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others". This is a perfect summary of his overall attitude towards the rest of the farm animals. With privileges far surpassing those of his comrades, such as alcohol and extra rations, he has become the epitome of corrupt leadership. Orwell put Napoleon in the spotlight for good reason. Napoleon is the center of his communist satire, turning the farm into a deluded, grim environment of nonstop work and oppression.
ReplyDeleteI think Napoleon was a really smart pig. Although it was horrible that he made all the animals think pigs had superior power over everyone, it was a smart move. He was a genius. I think he becomes a jerk and more self-centered through- out the novel. All he wanted was to be in control, which he got from very smart moves. They may not have been nice moves, but they were good for sure! I personally did not like anything Napoleon was doing, it was horrible. I think the author made Napoleon the way he is because he wanted to get across to the readers how much of a jerk some leaders can be. He wanted to show us what can happen when we get too much power. We just fall and are helpless, all we would want to do is self-centered . Napoleon breaks the commandments rules, and does not even care. He even changes the commandment “All animals are aqual” to “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”. That is so awful, all he thinks about is himself. The author is communicating Napoleon to be a flat out jerk, that only wants to seek more and more power. Napoleon is the exact opposite of the person we should try to be one day.
ReplyDeleteThroughout Animal Farm, I felt that Napoleon was prideful and a little harsh. He seemed like a powerful leader through the first part, but then it became clear that he was deceitful. After having so many arguments with Snowball, Napoleon drove him away by making the dogs chase him. He becomes hypocritical and selfish. At first, he was against the humans, but then he became worse than his enemies. He did not help the animals with the work of the windmill or any other projects. Instead, he ordered all the animals around. He had too much control, and became worse throughout the book. He did not follow the rules or do his share in work. Napoleon became more and more like a human by walking on two feet, wearing clothes, and living in the farm house while the rest of the animals worked all day long in the pastures. I think the author made him this way because he wanted to explain that having too much power can result badly and end in corruption, almost like a dictator. I think the author was communicating to us that we should watch out for people like Napoleon, and we should get to know the person better before we let them take control.
ReplyDeleteI think the character of Napoleon is mean and cruel. Napoleon acted like a dictator on the farm and forced the animals to work extra-long with little food while he got more food along with all the pigs. Napoleon could not have gotten where he was without Squealer, who would convince the farm Napoleon was the best thing that ever happened. I feel hatred towards Napoleon because of his hunger for power. The way the farm was when Snowball was in control was much better for everyone, because all the animals were equal. Once Napoleon took over, the animals suffered while the pigs had everything. The animals had to work and build the windmill with not much food while the pigs just watched. Napoleon got worse and worse every day. At first, he changed hardly anything, but then slowly took away their freedom while Squealer convinced them that they had it better off. This whole story only happened because the rest of the animals were dumb and gullible. I think the author is trying to show us that people have been easily tricked into thinking their situation is good through propaganda and the news when they are actually in a bad situation. For example, Squealer (the news) convinced the animals that Snowball was terrible even though he was good. This happens every day in the news. The news is very biased.
ReplyDeleteI don’t really like Napoleon’s character at all. I think Napoleons character is very mean to the other animals and he was kind of a power hog. Throughout the book Napoleon wanted as much power as he could get his hands on. He was also very sneaky from the start especially when he changed the commandment to say pigs were in charge and anything pigs do was the right thing to do. I do not thing Napoleon’s character changes very much throughout the novel other than the fact of Napoleon getting more powerful and Napoleon being more deceitful to the animals. I defiantly thing Napoleon gets worse throughout the novel. In the beginning Napoleon was just a harmless looking pig who wanted to be a leader and have lots of power over the other animals. Later on in the book Napoleon shows that he was using the other animals and tricking them multiple times by changing the commandments to fit whatever he did, when he broke a commandment. I think the author made Napoleon this way to show that when someone is given that much power and doesn’t use it responsibly and they let the large amount of power go to their head then something bad will come out of it because with great power come great responsibility. I think the author was communicating to the reader that Napoleon was a very cruel leader and that even if it seemed this way at first Napoleon never had the other animal’s best interests in mind from the start. Napoleon always meant to take over and he was prepared to hurt anyone he needed to, in order to get there.
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