In chapter 6, rumors begin to spread that Napoleon is about to enter into a business relationship with either Mr. Frederick or Mr. Pilkington, and the pigs move into the farmhouse. Squealer is able to convince the other animals that the move is absolutely necessary in order for the pigs to have a quiet place to work and focus on the farm's efficiency. He also mentions that the farmhouse is a more suitable place to live for a revered leader like Napoleon. However, some of the animals are disturbed by the pigs' move, and Clover thinks she remembers learning that the Fourth Commandment prohibited any animal from sleeping in a bed. Clover then asks Muriel to reread the Fourth Commandment written on the wall of the barn, and Muriel reads,
"No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets" (Orwell, 22).
Similar to the other commandments, Squealer alters the rule to make it correspond to Napoleon's agenda. Squealer then explains to Clover and Muriel that the commandment had always allowed animals to sleep in beds but prohibited the use of sheets, because they are a human invention.
Clover can't read, but she could have sworn that the fourth commandment said something about animals not sleeping in beds. But just to make sure, she asks Muriel to read out the fourth commandment to her:
With some difficulty Muriel spelt it out. "It says, 'No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets,'" she announced finally. [Emphasis added.]
As with all the other commandments, the fourth has been subtly changed to serve the interests of Napoleon, who likes nothing better than to have a good rest in a nice, comfortable bed. Clover's reaction is significant in that it shows that the animals on the farm have been lied to so often by Napoleon and Squealer that they're beginning to doubt the truth of their own memories. We can also see that illiteracy is very much to the animals' disadvantage, as it makes it easier for Napoleon to lie to them and exploit their ignorance.
No comments:
Post a Comment