Question

What does Napoleon do when the windmill is destroyed?

• A. Blames Snowball
• B. Celebrates the rebuilding effort
• C. Surrenders to the humans
• D. None

Answer 1

Answer:

A. Blames Snowball

Understanding Napoleon's Actions in Animal Farm

• In George Orwell's allegorical novel Animal Farm, the destruction of the first windmill is a pivotal moment that highlights Napoleon's manipulative tactics and consolidation of power.
• The windmill, a symbol of the animals' hard work and their dream of a self-sufficient future, collapses during a violent storm, not due to sabotage.
• Napoleon's immediate action is to blame Snowball, his exiled rival, for the destruction. This accusation serves multiple strategic purposes for Napoleon's dictatorship.
• Consolidation of Power: By framing Snowball as a saboteur, Napoleon solidifies his own authority and portrays himself as the protector of the farm, even though Snowball is no longer present.
• Scapegoating: Blaming Snowball provides a convenient scapegoat for any failures or hardships experienced by the animals. This diverts attention from Napoleon's own mismanagement or the inherent difficulties of the project.
• Creating an Enemy: Napoleon consistently uses Snowball as a fictional enemy to unite the animals against a common 'threat,' thereby justifying his increasingly oppressive rule and purges.
• Instilling Fear: The idea that Snowball, the 'traitor,' is lurking and actively trying to undermine the farm instills fear among the other animals, making them less likely to question Napoleon's leadership or policies.
• Propaganda and Manipulation: This incident is a prime example of how Napoleon, through Squealer, uses propaganda to rewrite history, control information, and manipulate the perceptions of the less intelligent animals.

Key Facts for Competitive Exams:

• Author: George Orwell (pen name of Eric Arthur Blair).
• Publication Year: 1945.
• Genre: Allegorical novella, political satire, dystopian fiction.
• Central Theme: The dangers of totalitarianism, the corruption of power, and the misuse of propaganda.
• Allegory: Animal Farm is an allegory for the Russian Revolution and the early years of the Soviet Union. Napoleon represents Joseph Stalin, and Snowball represents Leon Trotsky.
• Literary Devices: Symbolism (windmill, Seven Commandments), allegory, satire, irony.
• Significance of the Windmill: It symbolizes progress, industrialization, and the promise of a better future for the working class, but its construction is also used by the regime to exploit labor.