Power Through Propaganda in Animal Farm

Power Through Propaganda in Animal Farm From the song Beasts of England to the commandments and their gradual changes, the main source of power throughout Animal Farm results from language and propaganda. Propaganda is information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view Because of Squealers use of this mechanism, and the manipulation of other characters, the reality for Animal Farm is shaped by the words of the powerful. Although one could say that visuals are the strongest type of propaganda, Words are much more powerful. By demonstrating how easily convinced the animals of the farm are by powerful speech or strong words, Orwell shows how people can fall victim and believe lies because of strong persuasive language or the power of words, without understanding the true intentions behind the propaganda they are fed. One could say that the power of words is not the most influential type of propaganda. One could argue that pictures are more influential than words, because of imagery and visuals. But that is not the case. One example of the way that words are the most influential type of propaganda is the song, Beasts of England. Beasts of England Unifies the animals at the beginning of the story. The animals are drawn to words that give them a common enemy and unite them. The song Beasts of England Uses the power of speech to make the animals feel as if they are all united. Even if theyve never gotten along before. Tyrant Man shall be oerthrown, And the fruitful fields of England shall be trod by beasts aloneBright will shine the fields of England, Purrer shall its waters be (Orwell, George). These lyrics make the animals feel as if they are united, and better off without man. Calling men tyrants and evil, while saying that the world will be a better place when men are gone, definitely affects how the animals singing this song will think. Another example of how strong words can be is Old Majors speech. Old Major uses a Hobbesian figure when he declares: Let us face it, our lives are miserable, laborious, and short. And he also speaks in Marxist terms when he declares that Man is the problem. Only get rid of Man, and the produce of our labor would be our own. Almost overnight we could be rich and free. What then must we do? Why, work night and day, body and soul, for the overthrow of the human race! That is my message to you, comrades. Rebellion!'(Robb, Paul H.) Old Major uses propaganda when convincing animals that they should all be against man. This type of propaganda is called pinpointing the enemy. This type of propaganda is used extremely often during wartime, and also in political campaigns and debates. This is an attempt to simplify a complex situation by presenting one specific group or person as the enemy. Old Majors words This type of propaganda is shown in the commandments of animalism. Another way the animals are persuaded by words are the commandments and their changes. The Commandments were made with the intention to unite all animals in mutual equality while identifying the human race as the only significant enemy. The rules made were meant to make the animals feel as if they were in a new, organized political Utopia. However, the words used to sway the animals were not going to stay equal for all. Eventually, the pigs establish themselves as leaders over the other animals. These masses are cleverly displayed through Squealers doubletalk and kept content, initially, by their share in the benefits that follow from increased labor (Laurie Lanzen Harris). Squealer is a pig on Animal Farm. Squealer spins stories into showing how great napoleon is and showing everyone how he can do nothing wrong, or how everything he does is for the greater good of the animals, when its really for his personal gain or just for the pigs. One example is when Squealer commented on The w ar between the three farms. .Russia entered the European war on the side of the Allies (culminating in victory for the Soviet Union, as Squealer claims for Animal Farm, though the only victory was in gaining back what they had before), increasing attempts were made by Stalin to achieve some level of entente, or agreement, with the other Allied nations. A series of meetings were held between the leaders of the various nations, and one particular conference resulted in the protracted Cold War. This conference is represented in the novel by the meeting between the pigs and the humans at the end, at which a quarrel breaks out over cheating at cards (Fitzpatrick, Kathleen). Squealer tells the animals that they had won the war. However, they had not really won anything. The animals do not get mad, however, because squealer strayed them from the truth. He made the animals believe that they had won a war that was unnecessary and unhelpful. One story that squealer drastically changes is boxe rs death. All the animals were working on a windmill. However, while working, boxer gets injured. , and all the animals believe Squealers lies. Especially at Boxers betrayal and tragic death, as well as soon after each event Squealer appears, making the animals feel as if the death was excusable, constructing his versions of events, and explaining that what happened was justified, or what they just say was not what really occurred. Out of context the idea that a pig on hind legs, wiping hot tears from his eyes in memory of a departed friend, is absurd. Butit assumes a very sinister note. Orwells very silence would seem to carry much weight here, it is in such marked contrast to the agitation in the novel (Elbarbary, Samir). However, although the speech is now negative toward the rest of the animals, (representing the common people), the way Squealer adapts the stories of Boxers death so the animals are persuaded to think that its ok. This has been done with the power of words, therefore it is the strongest type of propaganda. In conclusion, The animals in Animal Farm are persuaded by the most influential type of propaganda, the power of words. This is because of squealers persuasion of the animals, the changing of the commandments, and the song Beasts of England. Some may say that imagery is the most influential type of propaganda, but that is not true. The animals in Animal Farm are the most persuaded by the power of words. Works Cited Robb, Paul H. Animal Farm: Overview. Reference Guide to English Literature, edited by D. L. Kirkpatrick, 2nd ed., St. James Press, 1991. Literature Resource Center Fitzpatrick, Kathleen. An overview of Animal Farm. Literature Resource Center, Gale, 2016. Literature Resource Center Elbarbary, Samir. Language as Theme in Animal Farm. Short Story Criticism, edited by Joseph Palmisano, vol. 68, Gale, 2004. Literature Resource Center

Healing in Judith Guests Ordinary People :: Judith Guest Ordinary People Essays

The Question of Healing in Ordinary People How do you define healing? In the dictionary it says that to be healed you are cured, resolved, free from worry. But is that what everyone else thinks of healed as. In the novel Ordinary People, written by Judith Guest, Conrad Jarret goes from being a young boy to an adult within a year. He did not know what he was like himself, in the beginning of the story, then there were things that made him grow, and lastly did he heal? At first Conrad did not know who he was or what his purpose was, when he came home form the hospital. Con had no sense of direction because at the hospital there was an everyday routine that he got used to. When he came home he made up his own routine in the beginning. He tried to go back to what every thing was like before his decsion. But he was unable to. He was trying to take one day at time. One thing was true though "Things were so different at the hospital. People were, you know, turned on all the time. And u just cannot live like that. You cannot live with all that emotion floating around, looking for a place to land. It is do exhausting (55, Guest)." This quote is trying to say that at the hospital people were like machines. The staff told them what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. Outside the hospital you get to make your own choices. The things that made him change would be the relationships he had with his elders, Mom, Dad, and Berger his therapist. Con could always talk to him and also looked to him for good advice. Another person would be his girlfriend Jen. She made him open his eyes to see the world and opened his heart to feel. One more thing would be his music. Music made him feel accepted; he didn't have to care about any thing else when he was singing or playing his guitar. Berger even told con that, "People don not change on command for other people (121, Guest). Meaning that Con cannot change instantly when someone tells him to.

The debate between essentialism and social construction

The debate between essentialism and social construction is a very complicated one. Since both essentialists and social constructionists have different perspectives on matters, in order to be able to decide whether or not there was a presence of homosexual persons over time and place certain aspects have to be taken into consideration. Such as, was it biologically inherited, was it brought about with a preference on acts and desires or overtime influenced by religion, culture, beliefs, social norms, and acceptance has a define answer is a tough decision to make. Essentialists are stereotypical; they choose to have a set definition of a homosexual, whereas a social constructionist would have variations in their idea of what makes a homosexual. A social constructionist would disagree with whether the presence of homosexual persons over time and place have a set thought as to homosexuality was biologically inherited because they would feel that, that would be limiting the thought of other aspects influencing homosexuality. Social constructionists would feel that there is not just one set category or definition that makes you a homosexual. For example, an essentialist would say that a homosexual is someone who has black hair; therefore everyone who has black hair to an essentialist would be a homosexual. Whereas, a social constructionist would say black hair, brown, yellow, purple it doesn't matter it is in fact what that person felt that made him a homosexual. So taking an essentialist point of view stating that there was homosexual persons throughout time and place would discriminate other homosexuals who had different sexual desires, preferences, and acts that transcended through time due to other influencing matters. Matters such as culture, social norms and acceptance, beliefs, and backgrounds are good examples. Whereas Gordon and Abott state, â€Å"Social Constructionism usually has to do with categorizing. † This statement could be viewed as someone stating that religion is a deciding factor to whether someone is homosexual and someone else saying that background is a deciding factor to deciding homosexuality. There are two ideas or theory's stated here that both do influence homosexually. A social constructionist would be able to figure out what is means to be influenced by religion and what is meant to be influenced by background, and be versatile between the two the groups allowing homosexual individuals themselves to decide which factor influenced them even if it was both religion and background.. While an essentialist would simply state those definitions and state which category he/she would fall into there would be not switching into groups. (Gordon and Abott). In the article the Hijras of India by Serena Nanda, the Hijras of India are viewed as a separate group just like gay, lesbian and bisexual people in any other cultures, countries, religions, etc, just because their differences are not viewed as a social norm. They are also treated differently in every aspect because of different influences such as births and weddings. Hijras are a religious group of men who dress and act like women either because they are men who are bisexual and gay, or because when they were young boys they were castrated because of religious beliefs. The Hijras that were castrated when the where young boys are neither men nor women and cannot reproduce so they are viewed as powerful, able to curse those who disrespect them, yet outsiders in their contribution to this India society. Considering gay, lesbian and bisexual lives are not accepted in this culture, would it be reasonable to say that these men who started this religious belief where gay or bisexual men are looking for a way to express there emotions in this non accepting society? This would be a social constructionist view because over time actions and desires have changed in this society because acceptance, beliefs, culture, etc have become more accepting and understanding of the true meaning behind this religious belief. Some other things that came up were are these acts still being performed to younger boys and is this against their religion to deny a human being the right to be male and reproduce (source: Nanda)? In Class on Tuesday September 23, 2003 we had a class discussion on biological differences or mishaps that happen to babies that make it confusing to decide what sex that baby really is. In this class discussion we looked at different examples of baby girls who had their chromosomes in tact but their ovaries were inside of them and had larger clitorises. Should they have been men? We also looked at many other different situations pertaining to that subject. This could also relate back to the Hijras because they could not help what was done to them and this was only done because of social norms and social acceptance. This being an essentialist point of view there was a need for order and meaning. A social constructionist would just simply say that they could fall into many categories and find out what it means to be an XYYY baby or an XX baby with no vagina hole. â€Å"Thus, social constructionists spend much time â€Å"deconstructing† things: demonstrating that a group of categories have no truth and showing how they are socially accomplished (Gordon and Abbott)† Instead of the doctors, parents or the Hijra men who decided what sex a child should be a social constructionist would not follow the social norm in a need to have order and find an answer they would except the difference and make it a category with meaning. Ancient Greece provides another example of how there has always been a presence of homosexuality with an influence from culture. There was presence of homosexuality then and still is today but it has been influenced throughout time by culture, acceptance, social norms etc†¦ , because over time religion, cultures, etc have become more important and more needed for order to place people by the essentialists (Vance). Social constructionist views are more acceptable to differences and variations form the social norms of order and judging. They have shown that there has been a presence of a homosexual person over time and place but not just one type of homosexual person variations of unique homosexual persons. Social constructionism proves that there is not just one way to be but many ways and many categories we can all fit in not judging upon sexual orientation.

Learn 10 Facts About Sochi Russia

Sochi is a resort city located in the Russian Federal Subject of Krasnodar Krai. It is north of Russias border with Georgia along the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains. Greater Sochi stretches 90 miles (145 km) along the sea and is considered one of the longest cities in Europe. The City of Sochi covers a total area of 1,352 square miles (3,502 sq km). Geographic Facts About Sochi The following is a list of the ten most important geographic facts to know about Sochi, Russia: 1) Sochi has a long history that dates back to Ancient Greek and Roman times when the area was inhabited by the Zygii people. From the 6th to the 11th centuries though, Sochi belonged to Georgias kingdoms of Egrisi and Abkhazia. 2) After the 15th century, the region making up Sochi was known as Ubykhia and was controlled by local mountaineer clans. In 1829,  however, the coastline region was ceded to Russia after the Caucasian and Russo-Turkish Wars. 3) In 1838, Russia founded the Fort of Alexandria (which was renamed Navaginsky) at the mouth of the Sochi River. In 1864, the final battle of the Caucasian War took place and on March 25 a new fort Dakhovsky was established where Navaginsky had been. 4) Throughout the early 1900s, Sochi grew as a popular Russian resort city and in 1914, it was granted municipal rights. Sochis popularity grew further during Joseph Stalins control of Russia as Sochi as he had a vacation home, or dacha, built in the city. Since its founding, Sochi has also been the served as the location where various treaties have been signed. 5) As of 2002, Sochi had a population of 334,282 people and a population density of 200 people per square mile (95 per sq km). 6) Sochis topography is varied. The city itself lies along the Black Sea and is at a lower elevation than surrounding areas. However, it is not flat and has clear views of the Caucasus Mountains. 7) The climate of Sochi is considered humid subtropical at its lower elevations and its winter low temperatures rarely dip below freezing for long periods. The average January temperature in Sochi is 43 °F (6 °C). Sochis summers are warm and temperatures range from 77 °F to 82 °F (25 °C-28 °C). Sochis receives about 59 inches (1,500 mm) of precipitation yearly. 8) Sochi is known for its various vegetation types (many of which are palms), parks, monuments and extravagant architecture. Around two million people travel to Greater Sochi during the summer months. 9) In addition to its status as a resort city, Sochi is known for its sports facilities. For example, tennis schools in the city have trained such athletes as Maria Sharapova and Yevgeny Kafelnikov. 10) Due to its popularity among tourists, historic characteristics, sports venues and proximity to the Caucasus Mountains, the International Olympic Committee selected Sochi as the site of the 2014 Winter Olympics on July 4, 2007. Sources: Wikipedia. Sochi. Wikipedia- the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sochi