Animal Farm and 1984 Comparison

1984 and Animal Farm comparison

1984 and Animal Farm are both literary works written by George Orwell.  Through Orwell’s two pieces of major work we notice many similarities. Both these novels share similar themes, corresponding characters and identical events. Orwell utilizes similar characters such as Napoleon and Big Brother and identical events to prove that absolute power corrupts.

                One of the main themes Orwell explores is the corruption of power.  Big Brother and Napoleon are treated as the dictators of their region and both of them abuse their authority and comrades. We notice both leaders strive to maintain balance and order at any cost. Whenever comrades misbehaved they would be similarly vaporized or subject to torture. Also competition for the role of leader such as Snowball and Rutherford were immediately taken care of. Furthermore both Big Brother and Napoleon tried blaming their competitors by associating them with enemies (e.g. Eurasia and Jones).  Through their actions we notice similarities between Orwell’s novels.

                Orwell also includes familiar characters between the two novels. Characters such as Boxer and Parsons resemble one another as “model citizens”; Boxer is a hard working individual with the motto “Napoleon is always right”. Parsons, similar to Boxer is a hard working party member who is involved throughout the community. However they both suffer a cruel fate having been forsaken by their leaders. Big Brother and Napoleon are both very alike in many ways. They are both oppressive rulers who enjoy celebrations such as the two minute hate or “Napoleon Day”.  They both try abolishing their rivals in order to assure full power over their territory, for instance Rutherford and Snowball were either vaporized or expelled and they were both associated with the enemy. The resembling characters between both novels prove Orwell’s similar choice of character and personality.

                Various characters influenced events that took place quite identically such as Winston and Squealer who both are assigned the job of “erasing” history. Winston aided in erasing the existence of foul party members while Squealer changed the commandments then animals had created. Another instance is the fluctuation between allies and enemies at war. At the beginning of 1984 Big Brother claims Oceania is at war with Eastasia, however Winston remembers being at war with Eurasia four years ago. At the end of the novel Oceania seems to be at war with Eurasia at the end. This also appears in Animal Farm when the neighbouring farms wish to trade materials with Animal Farm and complications occur. The events play a major role in both novels, having been written by the same author it reveals many similarities between the two.

                The theme of power, the resembling characters and matching events all contribute with the comparison between both novels. Nevertheless every animal in Animal Farm and every comrade in 1984 fell victim to the power of Napoleon or Big Brother. Even Napoleon and Big Brother themselves were corrupted by their own power.