Q) How is Napoleon’s character revealed in this extract?
“Comrades,” he said quietly, “do you know who is responsible for this? Do you know the enemy who has come in the night and overthrown our windmill? SNOWBALL!”
Napoleon’s character is revealed in this extract through the use of direct speech which hints at his capacity for manipulation and deception. He begins his address to the farm animals with the flattery of the inclusive title, ‘Comrades’ which suggests he regards all the animals as his equals in this newly established farm society. The tone of his voice when flattering his gullible listeners is ostensibly humble as the adverb ‘quietly ‘ suggests humility and respect. It might also reinforce the idea of his seriousness and the deeply reflective thought that has brought him to this point of disclosure. Such a combination of devices set up the explicit deception of the repeated enquiry/ question, ‘ do you know..?’ which unsettles the expectant listeners as they are filled with anxious anticipation about ‘who’ is guilty. The use of repetition is deliberately designed to intimidate the farm animals and even make them start to suspect one another of being the ‘enemy.’ It is also significant that Napoleon is speaking as the ruler of the farm and is therefore in a powerful position, rendering his words both weighty and even threatening. When he answers his questions the employment of block capitals gives angry emphasis to the naming of the guilty party, ‘SNOWBALL’. The force created through the capitalisation makes it very difficult for the listeners to argue, as the changed tone feels angrily authoritative so no one dares to challenge the revelation of Snowball’s alleged guilt. Napoleon, therefore, converts the failure of his windmill project into the successful character assassination of his former partner. This deception shows how deeply political and manipulative Napoleon’s character is and how his desire for absolute power has corrupted him.
