Question- Describe a memorable conflict in the text (Explain how this conflict highlighted an important issue
In the novel “Animal Farm” by Geroge Orwell a memorable conflict was between Snowball, a smart pig and Napoleon, a big power hungry boar. The conflict between then was for power over Animal Farm to be able to control it and every animal on it. The conflict first started to take place midway through the novel after the animals had chased Mr Jones off the farm. Mr Jones was the farm owner who hardly fed his animals anything and worked them very hard, he also drank alcohol all day and would get nothing done. Animal Farm is an allegory Russian Revolution using animals to represent people. Napoleon represents Joseph Starin and Snowball represents Trotsky.
The Novel “Animal Farm” Geroge Orwell was trying to get a message out. The message was that if the wrong person ends up in power it can often lead to corruption and oppression. And that the wrong person in power will lie to you to make you think that they’re right and doing the right thing and say this is for your benefit.
The conflict first starts off when Napoleon walks in on a meeting with Snowball and the other animals when they were making a plan on how to build the windmill, Napoleon walked in and peed on the plan and then walked out again. This showed that Napoleon is a careless immature boar who only cares about himself. It also shows Napoleon didn’t care how Mr Jones was chased away as long as he was gone off the farm Napoleon could have all the power, and run the farm how he wants. This conflict between Napoleon and Snowball for power highlighted that Napoleon did not care about the other animals, because he wanted Mr Jones to be gone so he could get rid of Snowball and run the farm his way. Although this didn’t happen at the start of the novel Napoleon still acted as if he was running the farm, e.g taking dogs pups off her to raise them into his own private security, the pups represent the KGB.
The conflict didn’t ever stop in the novel, Napoleon ended up chasing Snowball away with his dogs as he couldn’t do it himself. This shows that Napoleon is selfish and will use fear as a way of controlling the animals. Once Snowball had been chased off the farm things took a turn for the worst, all the committees were closed so the animals didn’t get any ideas of what Napoleon was doing wrong. The communities where is the “Whiter Wool Movement” for the sheep, the “Clean Tails League” for the cows and even a committee for the rats, called “Wild Comrades Re-education.” Sowball formed all these to help educate the other animals and to teach them skills that could be used on the farm Napoleon knew if he shut these committees down it would keep the animals from learning anything and they would stay dumb and not question anything Napoleon did. Napoleon also used Snowball as his scapegoat so anything Napoleon did wrong would be blamed on Snowball, e.g when Napoleon broke the eggs, he said that it was Snowball and that Snowball was staying nearby coming in at night and vandalising Animal Farm.
Napoleon ends up being just like Mr Jones by the way he treats and works the other animals on the farm. He starts to drink alcohol, and changes the 7 commandments to suit his life. e.g “No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets.” Napoleon changes other commandments as well so the pigs can wear clothes, drink alcohol, and even kill other animals. This proves that Snowball would have been a better leader as Napoleon led Animal Farm to corruption by abusing the power he had, and using fear to drive the animals to work. e.g Napoleon cut the rations he gave the animals if they didnt work. Another example was when Napoleon offered there will have to be some volunteer work down around the farm and if you don’t help your rations will be cut in half.
George Orwell’s book “Animal Farm” links to the real world today how if a leader has too much power they can lead a whole country to corruption. And how power in the wrong hands could easily ruin a country and lead to war and conflict.
In conclusion the conflict between Napoleon and Snowball really set a tone in the book and shows the readers how people can use fear to gain power and manipulation to run a country. And how Napoleon became just like Mr Jones and ran Animal Farm to the ground. This conflict highlighted a massive issue not just in the novel but in the real world today how countries are getting ruined by the wrong people in power which is leading to war and hate.