The Evolution of Commandments in Animal Farm: A Fascinating Tale of Power and Manipulation

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How Did The Commandments Change In Animal Farm

The commandments in Animal Farm evolved as the pigs gained more power, ultimately changing to suit their own interests and benefiting themselves.

Animal Farm, George Orwell’s renowned novel, depicts the rise of a revolution that eventually leads to the creation of a totalitarian society ruled by pigs. As the story progresses, the pigs develop a set of commandments that are meant to serve as guidelines for all animals to follow. These commandments start off as simple and moralistic principles, but as the pigs become more power-hungry, they begin to alter them to suit their own needs. In this paragraph, we’ll explore how the commandments in Animal Farm changed over time, and how these changes ultimately contributed to the downfall of the animal utopia.

Animal Farm is a novel written by George Orwell that depicts the story of farm animals who rebel against their human owner and run their own farm. The animals create a set of commandments to govern their society, but as time goes on, the commandments change to favor the pigs, who take control of the farm. This article will explore the changes in the commandments and how they reflect the corrupt nature of power.

The Original Commandments

When the animals first take over the farm, they create seven commandments to guide their society. These commandments include phrases such as All animals are equal and No animal shall kill any other animal. These commandments reflect the ideals of equality and fairness that the animals hope to achieve. The original commandments are a symbol of the initial pure intentions of the animal rebellion.

Changing the Commandments

As the pigs take control of the farm, they begin to alter the commandments to suit their own needs. The first change comes when the pigs start sleeping in beds, despite the commandment stating No animal shall sleep in a bed. The pigs change the commandment to No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets. This change shows how the pigs are beginning to manipulate the commandments to suit their own desires.

The Slaughter of Animals

As the pigs consolidate their power, they begin to justify their actions by changing the commandments. When the pigs start slaughtering animals for food, they change the commandment stating No animal shall kill any other animal to No animal shall kill any other animal without cause. This change allows the pigs to rationalize their slaughter of the animals and maintain their power over the farm.

The Commandment Revisions

The pigs continue to revise the commandments to maintain their control over the farm. They change the commandment All animals are equal to All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. This revision shows how the pigs are becoming more corrupt and self-serving. They are willing to twist the language and meaning of the commandments to justify their actions and maintain their power.

The Final Commandment

The final commandment of the farm is changed to a single phrase: All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. This commandment represents the final and complete corruption of the pigs’ control over the farm. The pigs have completely twisted the ideals of the original rebellion to serve their own interests, and the other animals are left powerless to stop them.

The Symbolism of the Commandments

The changing commandments in Animal Farm represent the corrupting nature of power and the manipulation of language to justify immoral actions. The pigs initially use the commandments to create a sense of equality and fairness, but as they gain more power, they begin to change the commandments to justify their own actions. The revised commandments show how language can be used to manipulate people and maintain control over a society.

The Lessons of Animal Farm

Animal Farm serves as a warning against the dangers of unchecked power and the manipulation of language. It demonstrates how easily those in power can twist the ideals of a society to suit their own needs. The novel’s message is particularly relevant in today’s society, where misinformation and propaganda are rampant. Animal Farm reminds us to be vigilant in our quest for equality and to be wary of those who seek to manipulate us for their own gain.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the changing commandments in Animal Farm represent the corrupting nature of power and the manipulation of language. The pigs initially use the commandments to create a sense of equality and fairness, but as they gain more power, they begin to change the commandments to justify their own actions. The revised commandments show how language can be used to manipulate people and maintain control over a society. Animal Farm serves as a warning against the dangers of unchecked power and the importance of remaining vigilant in our quest for equality.

Animal Farm, written by George Orwell in 1945, is a political satire that portrays the Russian Revolution through the eyes of a group of farm animals. The story follows the animals as they overthrow their human farmer and establish their own society based on the principles of Animalism. The seven commandments, which were written on the side of the barn, became the foundation of their new society. However, as the pigs who led the revolution gained more power, they began to change the commandments to suit their own interests.

The first change that occurred was to the commandment All Animals are Equal. In the beginning, this commandment was the most important one, and the animals believed that they were all equal. However, as the pigs became more powerful, they changed it to All Animals are Equal, but Some are More Equal than Others. This change essentially meant that the pigs were now more important and had more power than the other animals. They used this new commandment to justify their privileges and to control the other animals.

The second change was made to the commandment No Animal Shall Kill Any Other Animal. This commandment was changed to No Animal Shall Kill Any Other Animal Without Cause. This change allowed the pigs to justify their killings of other animals, as they could always find a reason to do so. The pigs would often accuse animals of betraying the revolution or being in league with the humans, and then use this commandment to justify their executions.

The third change was made to the commandment Whatever Goes Upon Two Legs is an Enemy. This commandment was changed to Whatever Goes Upon Two Legs is an Enemy. Whatever Goes Upon Four Legs, or Has Wings, is a Friend. This change was made to allow the pigs to form alliances with the humans. The pigs began to trade with the humans and to invite them onto the farm. This change also allowed the pigs to justify their own use of tools and other human inventions.

The fourth change was made to the commandment No Animal Shall Wear Clothes. This commandment was changed to No Animal Shall Wear Clothes Without Permission. The pigs used this change to justify their own use of clothes, as they claimed that they needed them for their work. This change also allowed the pigs to control what the other animals wore and to prohibit any clothing that they deemed inappropriate.

The fifth change was made to the commandment No Animal Shall Sleep in a Bed. This commandment was changed to No Animal Shall Sleep in a Bed With Sheets. The pigs used this change to justify their own use of beds and sheets, as they claimed that they needed them for their health. This change also allowed the pigs to control where the other animals slept and to prohibit any bedding that they deemed inappropriate.

The sixth change was made to the commandment No Animal Shall Drink Alcohol. This commandment was changed to No Animal Shall Drink Alcohol to Excess. The pigs used this change to justify their own use of alcohol, as they claimed that they needed it for their health. This change also allowed the pigs to control how much alcohol the other animals drank and to prohibit any drinking that they deemed excessive.

The seventh change was made to the commandment All Animals are Comrades. This commandment was changed to All Animals are Comrades, but Some are More Comrades than Others. This change allowed the pigs to establish a hierarchy within the animal society. The pigs claimed that they were the most important animals and that they needed to make all the decisions for the good of the farm. This change also allowed the pigs to take more power and control over the other animals.

The eighth and final change was made to the commandment Four Legs Good, Two Legs Bad. This commandment was changed to Four Legs Good, Two Legs Better. This change symbolized the final transformation of the pigs into human-like beings. The pigs began to walk on two legs, wear clothes, and to behave like humans. This change also allowed the pigs to justify their takeover of the farm and to claim it as their own.

In conclusion, the changes to the commandments in Animal Farm demonstrate the danger of unchecked power and the importance of staying vigilant. The pigs used their power to manipulate the other animals and to establish a hierarchy that favored them. The changes to the commandments allowed the pigs to justify their actions and to control the other animals. The story of Animal Farm serves as a warning about the dangers of totalitarianism and the need to remain vigilant against those who seek to abuse their power.

The Commandments were the backbone of Animalism, the ideology that guided the animals in their rebellion against human oppression. The original Seven Commandments were clear and simple, but as time passed, they underwent several changes that eventually led to their complete abandonment. Here’s how the Commandments changed in Animal Farm:

At the beginning of the story, the Seven Commandments were:

Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
No animal shall wear clothes.
No animal shall sleep in a bed.
No animal shall drink alcohol.
No animal shall kill any other animal.
All animals are equal.

After the rebellion, the pigs took charge of the farm and started changing the Commandments to suit their interests. One of the first changes was:

No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets.

Another change came shortly after:

No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets or without permission.

As the pigs became more corrupt, they continued to modify the Commandments to give themselves more privileges. For instance:

No animal shall kill any other animal without cause.
No animal shall drink alcohol to excess.
No animal shall smoke tobacco.
No animal shall drink alcohol to excess and then return to work.

The final Commandment, which summed up all the previous ones, was changed to:

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

From the perspective of the animals, the changes in the Commandments were confusing and disheartening. They had fought for a world where every animal was equal, but now they saw that some animals were more equal than others. The pigs had gradually become like humans, and the principles of Animalism had been corrupted beyond recognition. The animals had lost their freedom and dignity, and the Commandments were just a cruel reminder of what they had once hoped to achieve.

From the perspective of the pigs, however, the changes in the Commandments were necessary to maintain order and stability. The pigs believed that they were the most intelligent animals on the farm, and therefore they deserved special treatment. They also argued that some activities, such as drinking alcohol or sleeping in a bed, were necessary for their well-being and productivity. In their minds, the Commandments were not strict rules, but rather guidelines that could be bent or broken depending on the circumstances.

In conclusion, the changes in the Commandments in Animal Farm reflect the corrupting influence of power and privilege. The pigs went from being revolutionary leaders to tyrants who exploited the other animals for their own benefit. The Commandments, which had once represented hope and freedom, became a tool of oppression and manipulation. The story of Animal Farm is a warning about the dangers of totalitarianism and the importance of staying true to one’s principles, no matter the cost.

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As we come to the end of this article, it is important to recap on how the commandments changed in Animal Farm. It all began with Old Major’s dream of a society where animals were treated as equals. The commandments were established to ensure that the principles of Animalism were upheld. However, as time went by, the pigs’ thirst for power and control led to the gradual alteration of these commandments.

At first, the changes were subtle. For instance, the original commandment All animals are equal was changed to All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. The pigs had convinced the other animals that they were superior and therefore deserved better treatment. This was just the beginning of their quest to manipulate the commandments for their own benefit.

As the pigs’ power grew, so did their greed. They began to change the commandments more frequently and drastically. They even went as far as re-writing history to make themselves seem more heroic. The commandment No animal shall kill another animal was changed to No animal shall kill another animal without cause. This allowed the pigs to justify killing any animal that opposed them, labeling them as traitors.

In conclusion, the changes in the commandments of Animal Farm reflect the corruption of power. The pigs started with good intentions but became corrupted by their own desire for control. They manipulated the commandments to suit their needs and used them to justify their actions. Ultimately, the commandments became a tool for oppression rather than a guiding principle for a fair and equal society.

Thank you for reading and I hope this article has shed some light on the changes in the commandments of Animal Farm. Let us remember the lessons learned from this story and strive to prevent corruption from taking hold in our own lives and society.