RITUALS

“All men are enemies. All animals are comrades."

(Page 31)

The term "comrades" is used in two opposite manners within Animal Farm. The first is a symbol of unity; animals are united under the term and under the common purpose of rebellion. Under the guidance of Old Major, "comrades" established that all of the farm animals are a cohesive group with a singular vision of the future world.

"Comrades!" he cried. "You do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege?... Our sole object in taking these things is to preserve our health... It is for YOUR sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples."

(Page 52)

However, later within the novel, the propagandist, Squealer, co-opts the term in order to gain the animals trust; in other words, it becomes a powerful source of manipulation for the sake of power. He uses it to draw attention to the supposed benefits of Napoleon's leadership, the pigs' intelligence, and other factors that make Napoleon and the pigs appear to be the best choice for leadership.

"Comrades"