4. Describe at least ONE minor character in a written text you have studied.
Explain how the minor character impacted events.
“‘Fear is a powerful way to enforce power, while hope is a strong counter force that is often the driving force behind what gives one the strength to fight back against fear.’
In the Novel ‘ Animal farm” through the use of the minor characters Moses the raven, and Napoleons 9 Dogs; George Orwell portrays the idea of Fear and Hope. These minor characters also impact the events in pivotal ways;
Napoleons 9 hounds impact the events as it allows napoleon to gain control over the animals of the farm through fear and oppression. While Moses the raven impacts the events by giving the other animals hope, and a vision of joyful life afterdeath.
Napoleon forcefully claims ownership of 9 puppies early on in the Novel. He claimed to “ make himself responsible for their education.” Here, Napoleon manipulates the puppies parents into letting napoleon take their puppies. He does this by manipulating the parents through his trust he has created with them. Allowing him to seize the puppies and brainwash them into his own personal force. Napoleon then revealed his dogs later on, where “ There was a terrible baying sound outside, when 9 enormous dogs wearing brass studded collars came bounding out of the barn.” Napoleon had turned them into his own force of aggressive dogs, trained to kill. Napoleon and his hounds are representative of Joseph Stalin, a soviet political leader. And the KGB, Stalins secret police. Who under stalin carrie dout the moscow purge trials where they gathered up and executed and body who was pierced as a threat. Even those who were loyal to stalin. This was done to strike fear into all the people and to let them know that no one was safe, no matter your status. In Animal farm a similar moment takes place when Napoleon gathers up the animals and forces them to admit to crimes that they didn’t do. Napoleon’s dogs are then let loose to kill the accused offenders. Here The ideas of Fear and control are portrayed.
The 9 dogs impact events as it states the beginning of Napoleon’s transition from Pig to man, and from comrade to oppressor. The dogs impact events by starting the era where the animals are now succumbed to obedience by fear.
Throughout the Novel “Animal farm’. The Minor character Moses the Raven is seen having a significant impact on events and the story.
Moses is a Raven who is constantly feeding the Animals possible lies about a “ sugar-candy mountain, where we animals shall rest forever from our labors”, a land where fear and oppression don’t exist.
Moses is representative of religion, and the historical icon Rasputin- A Self-acclaimed holy man. Moses gives the idea of hope, and the ideas he gives to the animals are closely in line with the ideas of religion, where there is a land(heaven) after death that is full of joy and happiness.
Moses is important to the text, as he impacts the events by giving the Animals hope for a better life. And a reason to work harder and persevere. The aspect of Moses and religion, as well as hope, impact the vents by giving the animals a driving force behind why they still fight to stay alive, and it allows the story to continue. And perhaps explain why religion exists.
The Minor characters of Moses and napoleons 9 dogs impact events throughout the novel ‘ Animal Farm’. Moses impacts the events by giving the animals a reason to fight, and a reason to live. When the Battle of the cowshed takes place, and the battle of the windmill is fought. The idea of Hope prevails. And the Animals hope for a better life after death, as portrayed by Moses gives the animals a reason to fight. Therefore with out moses, the story would have possibly ended sooner as the animals would have passed, and everything would have collapsed. Meanwhile the 9 Dogs impact the evets by basically giving Napoleon the strength and support he needed to seize control of the Farm. The Hounds are part of the reason that Napoleon was able to take control, and why the stroy ended the way it did. Without the dogs, Napoleon polssibly would have not been able to take control of the farm, and the Other FArm Animals would have risen above oppression, and the commandment of “ all Animals are equal” would have remained and been fulfilled instead of the mutilated corrupt idea of “ all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others” seen at the end of the Novel.
In conclusion, “‘Fear is a powerful way to enforce power, while hope is a strong counter force that is often the driving force behind what gives one the strength to fight back against fear.’
Napoleons’ 9 Dogs are used to represent fear, they impact the events in the story by giving Napoleon the support and power to take control of the farm. Hence the reason the novel ended the way it did. While Moses the Raven represents the Idea of Hope, this is what gave the Animals the strength to continue on and fight through the oppression. It is what gave them a reason to prevail and have hope for a better life after death.
Therefore the minor characters of Napoleon’s 9 dogs, and Moses the raven are pivotal to the novel through the ways they impact the text.