Question

How does Napoleon react to the hen rebellion?

• A. He agrees to their demands
• B. He negotiates a compromise
• C. He quashes the rebellion with force
• D. None

Answer 1

Answer:

C. He quashes the rebellion with force

Napoleon's Reaction to the Hen Rebellion

• The hen rebellion in George Orwell's Animal Farm is a significant event demonstrating Napoleon's ruthless authoritarian rule and the suppression of dissent.
• The rebellion erupts when Napoleon decrees that the hens must surrender their eggs to be sold to humans, a direct violation of the Seventh Commandment and the principles of Animalism, which forbade trade with humans. This parallels Joseph Stalin's forced collectivization of farms in the Soviet Union and the resulting famine.
• Napoleon's response is swift and brutal: he orders that the hens' rations be cut off entirely, and any animal caught giving them food will be punished by death. This starvation tactic is a direct allegory for the Soviet government's actions against kulaks and peasants who resisted collectivization, leading to widespread famine, most notably the Holodomor in Ukraine.
• The hens are forced to surrender after several of them die of starvation, throwing their bodies down from the rafters in protest. This illustrates the futility of individual resistance against a powerful, tyrannical state.
• This incident marks a turning point as it highlights Napoleon's complete disregard for the well-being of the animals and his willingness to use extreme violence and starvation to maintain control.
• Following the hen rebellion, Napoleon orchestrates the first public executions, forcing animals to 'confess' to fabricated crimes and then having them brutally killed by the dogs. This directly mirrors Stalin's Great Purge and show trials of the 1930s, where perceived enemies and former loyalists were eliminated.
• The rebellion and its aftermath solidify Napoleon's power, instilling fear among the animals and further eroding the original ideals of the revolution. It emphasizes the theme that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.