Question

Who does Napoleon blame for the destruction of the windmill?

• A. The weather
• B. Snowball
• C. The humans
• D. Himself

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Snowball

Animal Farm Context and Characters

• Animal Farm is an allegorical novella written by George Orwell, published in 1945. It satirizes the events of the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the subsequent Stalinist era of the Soviet Union.
• The character Napoleon, a fierce Berkshire boar, represents Joseph Stalin, known for his ruthless consolidation of power and totalitarian rule.
• Snowball, another intelligent pig, is an allegory for Leon Trotsky, a key figure in the Bolshevik revolution who was later exiled and assassinated by Stalin's agents.

The Windmill: Symbolism and Initial Plans

• The idea of building the windmill was originally conceived and passionately advocated by Snowball. He envisioned it as a means to electrify the farm, operate machinery, and significantly reduce the animals' manual labor.
• The windmill symbolizes ambitious infrastructure and industrialization projects (like Stalin's Five-Year Plans) that were meant to modernize the nation and improve living standards.
• For the animals, the windmill represented a tangible hope for a better future, embodying the ideals of the revolution.

Napoleon's Manipulation and Scapegoating

• Initially, Napoleon opposed the windmill project, only to adopt it as his own after violently expelling Snowball from the farm using his trained dogs.
• When the first windmill collapses during a severe storm, Napoleon immediately and falsely blames Snowball. He accuses Snowball of being a saboteur who secretly returns to the farm at night to undermine their efforts.
• This act is a classic example of propaganda and scapegoating, a technique used by totalitarian regimes to deflect blame from internal failures (such as poor construction of the windmill) and to unite the populace against a perceived common enemy.
• Squealer, Napoleon's chief propagandist, plays a crucial role in spreading these lies and convincing the gullible animals of Snowball's treachery through fear and manipulation.
• This event parallels Joseph Stalin's purges and the show trials where former rivals like Trotsky were blamed for economic failures, sabotage, and disloyalty within the Soviet Union.