Sunday, October 25, 2015

In Animal Farm, how does Squealer use language to control the animals?

Squealer represents the propaganda machine in Communist
Soviet Union.  He twists meanings and carefully selects words in order to serve
Napoleon's purpose and get the pigs to fall in line with Napoleon's unjust policies.  He
often takes advantage of the animals' lack of education by using long words and
complicated phrasing in order to fool the animals into thinking Napoleon's policies are
in the animals' own best interest. Some examples of this is when Napoleon makes the
commandment "Four legs good, two legs bad," the birds originally complain since this
excludes them.  Squealer confuses and ultimately appeases the animals by saying, "A wing
is an object of propulsion, not maniuplation.  Therefore, a wing should be regarded as a
leg."  In another example, the animals are working longer hours and getting smaller
rations than ever.  Squealer gets them to accept this by saying the extra working day is
not mandatory; however, rations will be cut for those who don't work it.  Anyone with
any intelligence could see the exploitation here, but Squealer uses words in a crafty
way to confuse the uneducated masses into working harder to help the pigs
prosper.

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