Assessment Task 2: Analytical Essay – Napoleon as Allegory for Stalin in Animal Farm
Unit Context
In this first-year English literature unit students study twentieth-century political allegory through George Orwell’s major works. Animal Farm serves as the core text, offering a concise yet layered critique of the Russian Revolution and the rise of totalitarianism. The novella invites close examination of character, symbolism and narrative technique to reveal how power corrupts revolutionary ideals. This task builds directly on weekly discussions of historical context and requires students to connect textual evidence with real-world events.
Task Description
Write a 1,200–1,500-word analytical essay that examines what Napoleon the pig represents and symbolises in George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Focus on the methods he uses to amass and maintain power, drawing explicit parallels to Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union. Develop a clear thesis that argues how Orwell employs Napoleon to critique the betrayal of revolutionary principles. Support every point with direct quotations from the novella and line or page references.
Requirements
- MLA 9th edition formatting, including a Works Cited page
- At least six direct quotations from Animal Farm with accurate references
- One optional secondary scholarly source for contextual support only
- Formal academic English; avoid first-person except in the conclusion if drawing a brief modern parallel
- Submit as a Word document via the unit portal by the due date in the unit outline
Marking Rubric
- Thesis and Argument (30%) – Clear, focused thesis; sustained analysis of Napoleon’s symbolism and methods; effective integration of historical parallels.
- Textual Evidence and Analysis (35%) – Precise quotations; close reading that explains how evidence supports the claim; accurate page references.
- Structure and Coherence (20%) – Logical organisation; effective introduction and conclusion; clear topic sentences and transitions.
- Academic Conventions (15%) – Correct MLA citation and formatting; adherence to word limit (±10%); grammar, spelling and presentation.
Sample Essay
Napoleon avoids the spotlight during the initial rebellion and allows Snowball to lead the charge. He quietly trains the puppies into fierce guard dogs that later chase Snowball off the farm. Napoleon then relies on Squealer to spread propaganda and rewrite the commandments overnight. These gradual changes go unnoticed until the animals have already lost their rights. He also stages forced confessions and executions that mirror Stalin’s Great Purge. One recent analysis confirms that Orwell positions Napoleon as the embodiment of Stalinist totalitarianism through calculated deception and control of historical narrative (Qamar, 2025 https://www.journals.iarcd.org/index.php/iJMS/article/view/24). In the end Napoleon lives in luxury while the other animals starve, exactly as the original revolutionary dream collapses.
Recent scholarship in literary studies continues to examine Animal Farm as a timeless warning against the corruption of power. Peer-reviewed journals and university courses across the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia regularly assign the novella because its allegory remains relevant to discussions of authoritarianism and propaganda. Students who analyse Napoleon’s tactics gain deeper insight into how leaders manipulate language and fear to maintain control long after the original revolution ends.
Submit a 1,050–1,400-word essay that analyses what Napoleon represents in Animal Farm and the methods he uses to seize and keep power, with direct parallels to Stalin.
Complete a 4-to-6-page analytical essay exploring Napoleon as Stalin’s allegory in George Orwell’s Animal Farm.
Write an analytical essay on Napoleon’s symbolism and power tactics in Animal Farm and their connection to Soviet history.
References (APA 7th edition) Qamar, A. (2025). Thematic analysis of George Orwell’s Animal Farm: A political allegory of power and corruption. iARCD Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies. https://www.journals.iarcd.org/index.php/iJMS/article/view/24
Shafiq, M. (2022). Abuse of power as a significant factor for the demise of the ideals of Animalism in Animal Farm and the corresponding demise of communism in Russia [Bachelor’s thesis, Dalarna University]. DIVA portal. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1648816/FULLTEXT01.pdf
Xiao, S. (2022). Political implications in Animal Farm – New Historicism. International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation, 5(12), 1–8. https://al-kindipublishers.org/index.php/ijllt/article/download/2946/2640/7381
Ali, F. M. S., Ubale, A., & Abdulla, A. F. M. (2025). Exploring the issue of alienation in Orwell’s Animal Farm through the eyes of Marxism. Birle Journal, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.33258/birle.v8i1.8039