Read the passage from Animal Farm.

Question

The animals were thoroughly frightened. It seemed to them as though Snowball were some kind of invisible influence, pervading the air about them and menacing them with all kinds of dangers. In the evening Squealer called them together, and with an alarmed expression on his face told them that he had some serious news to report.

"Comrades!" cried Squealer, making little nervous skips, "a most terrible thing has been discovered. Snowball has sold himself to Frederick of Pinchfield Farm, who is even now plotting to attack us and take our farm away from us! Snowball is to act as his guide when the attack begins. But there is worse than that. We had thought that Snowball's rebellion was caused simply by his vanity and ambition. But we were wrong, comrades. Do you know what the real reason was? Snowball was in league with Jones from the very start! He was Jones's secret agent all the time. It has all been proved by documents which he left behind him and which we have only just discovered. To my mind this explains a great deal, comrades. Did we not see for ourselves how he attempted—fortunately without success—to get us defeated and destroyed at the Battle of the Cowshed?"

How does Orwell use satire to achieve his purpose in this passage?

Squealer represents the widespread range of Napoleon's authority.
The animals' fear shows how a dictator manipulates people.
Squealer's speech mocks the obvious lies of political propaganda.
Jones assists with Snowball's illegal activities against Animal Farm.

Answer 1

In this passage from "Animal Farm," George Orwell employs satire primarily through Squealer's speech, which serves to critique the nature of political propaganda and the manipulation of truth by those in power.

1. Squealer's Representation of Authority: Squealer embodies the way in which authorities, like Napoleon, manipulate language and information to maintain control. His alarmed demeanor and the dramatic presentation of “serious news” portray a leader who stirs fear among the populace to consolidate power.

2. Manipulation of Fear: The animals' deep fear of Snowball highlights how dictators can exploit fear to control and manipulate people. By suggesting that Snowball is a constant threat, Squealer redirects the animals' anxieties toward a common enemy rather than questioning Napoleon’s leadership.

3. Mockery of Political Propaganda: Squealer’s speech itself is rife with absurd claims (e.g., that Snowball was in league with Jones from the start and sold himself to Frederick) that parody the ridiculous lengths to which propaganda can go. Orwell uses this to satirize how political figures often spread blatant lies, fully aware that their constituents may either believe them out of fear or apathy.

4. Portrayal of Jones: While Jones does represent an external threat, the focus here is less on his specific activities and more on how Squealer blames Snowball for being associated with him. This tactic is satirical in nature, representing how governments often distract from their failures by scapegoating others.

Overall, Orwell utilizes Squealer’s rhetoric and the manipulation of fear to satirize the mechanisms of totalitarian regimes and highlight the ways in which language can be twisted to serve a political agenda.