Major Vs. Napoleon

Major Vs. Napoleon

I believe that Major gained so much support from his peers is because of a few variables: his age, his wisdom, his ability to make an audience sway to what he wants and how he is such an idolized figure in their community. Major, serves as the source of the ideals that the animals continue to uphold even after their pig leaders have betrayed them. Though his portrayal of Old Major is largely positive, Orwell does include a few small ironies that allow the reader to question the venerable pig’s motives. For instance, in the midst of his long litany of complaints about how the animals have been treated by human beings, Old Major is forced to concede that his own life has been long, full, and free from the terrors he has vividly sketched for his rapt audience. He seems to have claimed a false brotherhood with the other animals in order to garner their support for his vision.

From the very beginning Napoleon emerges as an utterly corrupt pig (figuratively and literally. In the beginning he is acknowledged, though only toughed on, he also didn't make any contribution to the rebellion. As soon as Old Major dies he takes over the farm and makes it how he wants it and what is good for him. It seems that he has to convince everyone, including himself, that he is best for the community. An example of this is when he "trains" the litter of puppies. By "training" them he doesn't educate them, for their own good, they become minions of his new founded army. Napoleon fits the description of a political tyrant-A government in which a single ruler is vested with absolute power. Doing minor research on Napoleon's name, he is named after the early-eighteenth-century French general Napoleon, who betrayed the democratic principles on which he rode to power. Such leaders Orwell related him to are: Josip Tito, Mao Tse-tung, Pol Pot, Augusto Pinochet, and Slobodan Milosevic.

Major seems to have a very strong voice that is easy to understand. His first speech, "Comrades, you have heard already about the strange dream that I had last night.....I do not think, comrades, that I shall be with you for many months longer, and before I die, I feel it my duty to pass on you such wisdom as I acquired. I have had a long life...What is the nature of this life of ours? Let us face it: our lives are miserable, laborious, and short..." He goes on to talk of his rebellion ideas and a song, "Beasts of England" which is a combination of Clementine and La Cucaracha. I think that the reason this is such an impactful speech is because of his pre-established reputation of leader in their community. Though he used "big" words he still used a context easily able to understand by the "lower" animals.

Napoleon on the other hand just does as he feels and contradicts the Seven Commandments in the end-which he helped create. Originally they were:
1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
3. No animal shall wear clothes.
4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.
5. No animal shall drink alcohol.
6. No animal shall kill any other animal.
7. All animals are equal.
Later they were: no animal shall sleep in a beds with sheets, no animal shall dirnk alochol with excess, no animal shall kill any other animal without reason, all animals are eqaul but some are more equal than others, and four legs good, two legs better!
I think that Napoleon only does this because he has power and he can so he will.