Propaganda in Animal Farm & The Russian Revolution.
Propaganda is the manipulation and bias of information to promote a group of people or ideology. Propaganda has been used ever since the inception of government; and was an important tool in the Russian Revolution and in Animal Farm. The propaganda took the form of:
In Animal Farm:
- Beasts of England - Seven commandments written on barn wall - "Four legs good, two legs bad" - Napoleon's portrait - Squealer's speeches |
In the Russian Revolution:
- Propaganda posters - Labor songs, songs of the Red Army - The Pravda |
The Faces of the Revolution.
The animals had more extensive verbal propaganda, since logistically it would have been harder for the animals to create pictures. Visually, the similarity between Animal Farm propaganda and propaganda in the Russian Revolution is most prominently shown in the portrait of Napoleon. Stalin produced similar propaganda depicting him positively, such as posters of himself and children looking to him with admiration. These were easy to understand and carried the message across effectively without the use of words for the illiterate and so, was able to reach the widest audience possible. The newspaper in the revolution, the Pravda, was also used as a platform for information and is represented by Squealer in Animal Farm. Squealer is the one to calm down and persuade the other animals when they begin to get suspicious and also delivers direct messages and information from Napoleon, representing the biased newspaper.
The other parallel in propaganda between Animal Farm and the Russian Revolution was the use of song. In Soviet Russia, music was used quite extensively with a range of different songs, but the one that mirrors the purpose of the phrase "four legs good, two legs bad" in Animal Farm are perhaps the labor songs. "Four legs good, two legs bad" is often chanted by the sheep, representing the public, and is used to rouse their enthusiasm. This mirrors the songs that the people in the Russian Revolution were taught, sung, and listened to while working (Abamedia, 1999).
The other parallel in propaganda between Animal Farm and the Russian Revolution was the use of song. In Soviet Russia, music was used quite extensively with a range of different songs, but the one that mirrors the purpose of the phrase "four legs good, two legs bad" in Animal Farm are perhaps the labor songs. "Four legs good, two legs bad" is often chanted by the sheep, representing the public, and is used to rouse their enthusiasm. This mirrors the songs that the people in the Russian Revolution were taught, sung, and listened to while working (Abamedia, 1999).
Was orwell successful?
Orwell mentions every time the sheep begin chanting "four legs good, two legs bad" , highlighting how they are almost hypnotized and robotic with their chanting. He highlights effectively through Squealer and the chanting of the sheep how propaganda may be used to manipulate the public very easily.
A labor song (Budte Zdorovi, 1937):
Sources.
Abamedia. (1999). Propaganda Investigative Assets: Insights. PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved April 2, 2013, from http://www.pbs.org/redfiles/prop/inv/prop_inv_ins.htm