Question

Who does Napoleon claim was a traitor during the Battle of the Cowshed?

• A. Boxer
• B. Snowball
• C. Squealer
• D. None

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Snowball

Understanding Napoleon's Accusation in Animal Farm

• Animal Farm is an allegorical novella by George Orwell (pseudonym of Eric Arthur Blair), first published in 1945. It reflects events leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917 and then into the Stalinist era of the Soviet Union.
• The character Snowball is widely considered to be an allegory for Leon Trotsky, a key figure in the Bolshevik Revolution and later an exiled opponent of Joseph Stalin.
• The Battle of the Cowshed was a significant event in the novella where the animals successfully defended Animal Farm against an attempted recapture by Mr. Jones and other farmers. Snowball bravely led the animals and demonstrated exceptional strategic skills during this battle, even being wounded in the conflict.
• Initially, Snowball was hailed as a hero for his leadership and courage during the Battle of the Cowshed, and he was even awarded 'Animal Hero, First Class'.
• However, as Napoleon (an allegory for Joseph Stalin) consolidated his power, he began a campaign of defamation and purges against Snowball. Napoleon, aided by his propagandist Squealer, systematically revised history.
• Napoleon's accusation that Snowball was a 'traitor' and in league with Mr. Jones during the Battle of the Cowshed was a blatant lie and a key piece of propaganda designed to:
  • Eliminate a rival: Snowball represented an intellectual and charismatic alternative to Napoleon's brutal rule.
  • Consolidate power: By demonizing Snowball, Napoleon could justify his increasingly dictatorial actions and gain absolute control.
  • Instill fear: The fabricated betrayal served as a warning to other animals, discouraging dissent.
  • Create a scapegoat: Any failures or hardships on the farm could be blamed on Snowball's supposed machinations.
• This act of historical revisionism and scapegoating mirrors Stalin's purging of Trotsky and other 'Old Bolsheviks' from Soviet history, portraying them as traitors and enemies of the state.
• The incident highlights Orwell's central themes of the corruption of revolutionary ideals, the dangers of totalitarianism, and the manipulative power of propaganda.