In Chapter One of Animal Farm, the whip is a symbol of human oppression. It is first mentioned in the song, Beasts of England, which Old Major teaches the animals in Chapter One. This reference to the whip ("No more the whips shall crack") shows that humans use violence to maintain their power over animals.
In Chapter Two, the whip is used by Mr Jones and the farmhands to subdue the animals when they complain about not being fed:
The next moment he and his four men were in the store-shed with whips in their hands, lashing out in all directions.
It is this action which prompts the animals to rebel and to run Mr Jones and his men off the farm. In this respect, the whip changes its significance because it comes to symbolise the animals' revolution. When Mr Jones has gone, the animals throw the whips into a fire and this shows that the whip is a symbol of their new-found freedom.
Later, in Chapter Ten, Napoleon is seen carrying a whip. In this instance, the whip signifies his absolute power over the other animals and reinforces the idea that he is just as cruel as Mr Jones.
No comments:
Post a Comment