Tuesday, November 15, 2011

"Man's inhumanity to man is often for the sake of political gain." Can anyone tell me any events (more than one) that happen in the novella Animal...

The clearest evidence of man's inhumanity to man occurs in Chapter Five of Animal Farm when Napoleon runs Snowball off the farm during a public debate about the windmill. Sensing his impending defeat, Napoleon resorts to violence (inhumanity) to advance his position (political gain) on the farm:



At this there was a terrible baying sound outside, and nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars came bounding into the barn. They dashed straight for Snowball, who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws.



This violent reaction ensures that Snowball does not return to the farm and also makes the animals terrified of Napoleon:



Silent and terrified, the animals crept back to the barn.



From now on, Napoleon knows that violence will succeed in keeping any opposition at bay. In this respect, his inhumanity leads directly to political gain.


Another example of this quote comes later, in Chapter Seven, when Napoleon deceives Whymper about the state of affairs on the farm. Though the animals are almost starving, Napoleon wants Whymper to think that the farm is prosperous and he uses a number of deceptive tactics to make him believe this, like filling grain bins with sand so that they appear full. This example shows that Napoleon would rather fool Whymper (and gain politically) than end his inhumanity to the other animals by improving the farm's productivity.

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