Question

What is the significance of the pigs walking on two legs?

• A. It shows their progress and success
• B. It is a symbol of their complete corruption
• C. It marks the beginning of their rebellion
• D. None

Answer 1

Answer:

B. It is a symbol of their complete corruption

Significance of Pigs Walking on Two Legs in Animal Farm

• Ultimate Symbol of Corruption and Betrayal

  The act of the pigs walking on two legs is the ultimate and most chilling symbol of their complete corruption and the betrayal of the Animalist revolution's ideals. It signifies their full transformation into the oppressive human tyrants they initially vowed to overthrow.

• Violation of Founding Principles

  • One of the most fundamental tenets of Animalism, established by Old Major and enshrined in the Seven Commandments, was "Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy" and the rallying cry "Four legs good, two legs bad."
  • The pigs' adoption of bipedalism directly violates this core principle, demonstrating their abandonment of revolutionary ideals for human-like power and privilege.

• Pinnacle of Pig Hegemony and Human Emulation

  • This act marks the final stage in the pigs' gradual assumption of human characteristics, including sleeping in beds, drinking alcohol, wearing clothes, and engaging in trade with humans.
  • It signifies their complete transition from revolutionary leaders to a new ruling class, indistinguishable from the humans they replaced.

• Allegory for Totalitarianism and Soviet Betrayal

  • In George Orwell's allegorical novella, the pigs represent the Bolshevik leaders, particularly Joseph Stalin and his inner circle.
  • Their adoption of two legs symbolizes the Soviet leadership's betrayal of communist ideals and their eventual embrace of oppressive, totalitarian practices mirroring those of the overthrown Tsarist regime and Western capitalism.
  • Orwell uses this imagery to highlight how power corrupts, and revolutions can devour their own children, leading to new forms of tyranny.

• Evolution of the Commandments

  • The pigs' bipedalism culminates in the final, chilling alteration of the Seven Commandments to a single principle: "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."
  • This single commandment legalizes their new human-like status and superiority over other animals.

• Irony and Orwell's Message

  The scene where the animals look from pig to man, and from man to pig, and find they can no longer tell the difference, is a powerful moment of bitter irony. It underscores Orwell's grim warning about the dangers of unchecked power, propaganda, and the perversion of revolutionary ideals.