Question

Read the passage from Animal Farm.

That evening Squealer explained privately to the other animals that Napoleon had never in reality been opposed to the windmill. On the contrary, it was he who had advocated it in the beginning, and the plan which Snowball had drawn on the floor of the incubator shed had actually been stolen from among Napoleon's papers. The windmill was, in fact, Napoleon's own creation. Why, then, asked somebody, had he spoken so strongly against it? Here Squealer looked very sly. That, he said, was Comrade Napoleon's cunning. He had seemed to oppose the windmill, simply as a maneuver to get rid of Snowball, who was a dangerous character and a bad influence. Now that Snowball was out of the way, the plan could go forward without his interference. This, said Squealer, was something called tactics. He repeated a number of times, "Tactics, comrades, tactics!" skipping round and whisking his tail with a merry laugh. The animals were not certain what the word meant, but Squealer spoke so persuasively, and the three dogs who happened to be with him growled so threateningly, that they accepted his explanation without further questions.

How does Orwell use Squealer's explanation to support his purpose?

Squealer's explanation of Napoleon's tactics is representative of a dictator who reverses policies and lies about his reasons.
Squealer's explanation of Napoleon's tactics is meant to shed light on why it is often necessary for dictators to lie to their people.
Squealer's explanation of Napoleon's tactics demonstrates a connection between Napoleon and Squealer that was not previously clear.
Squealer's explanation of Napoleon's tactics reveals a connection with Stalin's intent to do what was right for his people.

Answer 1

The first option is correct.

Orwell uses Squealer’s explanation to show how a dictator (through a propagandist) can reverse policies, rewrite history, and lie about motives to maintain power. Squealer’s sly wording, his repeated cry of “Tactics, comrades, tactics!” and the threatening presence of the dogs persuade animals who don’t understand the term to accept a blatant fabrication—a clear satire of propaganda and historical revisionism in totalitarian regimes.