Squealer's Role in Animal Farm Essay example

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The novel Animal Farm, by George Orwell, is an allegory portraying the evils and pitfalls of a totalitarian government. It attempts to illustrate a society where all live as equals has not existed, and cannot be obtained. Orwell, through the use of the character Squealer, demonstrates how propaganda can influence members of a communist community in a negative way. By drawing parallels to events in communist Russia, Orwell's Animal Farm shows how propaganda was used to dominate the Soviet people. By deceiving, threatening and order was maintained and the populace remained ignorant.. The story uses clear and easily understood language to explain and expose the downfall of communist Russia.
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<br>During the story, Orwell utilizes Squealer
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Because of this unfair and biased reporting, the animals have no method to question what they are being told. "There were times when it seemed to the animals that they worked longer hours and fed no better than they had in Jones's day. On Sunday mornings Squealer, holding a long strip of paper with his trotter, would read out to them lists of figures proving that the production of every class of foodstuff had increased by two hundred per cent, three hundred per cent, or five hundred per cent as the case might be" (89). Squealer proves to be the only "go-between" among the common people (the other animals) and the control (Napoleon and the other pigs). At about this time, the animals start to question the quality of life they now lead, versus the quality of life they had when Mr. Jones was in power. However, their options of what to do are limited, because all facts and figures show otherwise. Orwell believed that communism could be effective, if and only if, the public was kept ignorant. Besides merely being just a distorted and prejudiced information source, Orwell demonstrates how the Pravda was adapted to completely exalt Joseph Stalin. At the same time, the paper was used to misrepresent and distort his opponents.
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<br>Squealer is a devoted follower to the Animal Farm government. He is the method by which Napoleon communicates with the others. Squealer is not concerned with accuracy; instead he is ultimately affected with portraying