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  • Essay / Issues of Power and Corruption in Animal Farms and Divergent

    Table of ContentsAnimal Farm Essay OutlineIntroductionPower and Corruption: InseparableThe Craving for More PowerIntellectual Superiority and Psychological ManipulationConclusionAnimal Farm Essay ExampleOutline essay on an animal farmIntroductionIntroduction to the theme of power and corruption in "Animal Farm" and "Divergent"Mention of the statement that "all power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely"Power and corruption: inseparableDiscussion on how both texts demonstrate that power cannot be achieved without corruptionExamples from "Animal Farm" and "Divergent" illustrating the use of corrupt means to gain powerThe thirst for more powerExploration of the idea that once a taste of power occurs, the individual/institution hungers for moreExamination of the characters in the two texts that exhibit this thirst for more powerIntellectual superiority and psychological manipulationDiscussion of how power is related to intellectual superiorityAnalysis of how leaders in both texts psychologically manipulate others to expand their powerExamples illustrating the use of intellect and manipulation in "Animal Farm" and "Divergent" ConclusionSummary of the central theme that " all power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts "absolutely" in both texts. Reaffirming the role of corruption, the thirst for more power, and intellectual superiority in the theme Animal Farm Essay Example “All power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” is found throughout the texts “Animal Farm” (George Orwell, 1945) and Divergent (Neil Burger, 2014). Both texts demonstrate that the struggle for power is deeply rooted in corruption and prove this by describing that power cannot be achieved without it. Furthermore, once a taste of power arises, the individual/institution craves more and this power is linked to intellectual superiority and mental manipulation is used to seize power. These ideas inherently prove that all power has a tendency to corrupt and that absolute power corrupts absolutely because to seize power one must employ corrupt means. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay First, Animal Farm and Divergent both demonstrate that power cannot be achieved without corruption. The intentions of the ambitious and power-hungry characters in both texts are reflected in their use of corrupt means to elevate their status. In Animal Farm, we see it through “Snowball's eloquence had carried them away. In glowing phrases...there was no doubt about the direction the vote would take...Napoleon stood up...nine enormous dogs...rushed straight at Snowball....” Through this use of vivid imagery, we see that Napoleon secures power by eliminating his competitors through violent means rather than by revealing himself as the most suitable candidate. Snowball is a superior orator and persuades the animals with his inspiring speech, so Napoleon resorts to violence to assert his dominance, proving that power cannot be achieved without corruption. In Divergent, when Four is under the effects of a simulation, Jeanine says "...conformity to a faction eliminates the threat of anyone exercising their independent will." The dramatic non-diegetic music and close-ups of Jeanine's intimidating face indicate that her power is based on the oppression of free thought and expression,preventing any opposition. Through her use of the serum and her plot to destroy Abnegation, she demonstrates that power cannot be achieved without corruption, which she does by manipulating and controlling the Dauntless. The necessity of corruption to achieve power in Animal Farm is also seen throughout "The Creatures Outside Were Watching". from the pig to the man, and from the man to the pig… but already it was impossible to say which was which.” Through repetition, we see that when it comes to gaining power, pigs are just as tyrannical as humans, and that corruption is a common factor in all figures of power, including humans and pigs. Therefore, Animal Farm and Divergent demonstrate that power cannot be achieved without corruption, therefore all power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Second, both texts manifest the verification that once a taste of power occurs, the individual or institution desires more of it. Power cannot be achieved without corruption, so gaining more power would require increased corruption. Since they continue to desire more, corruption would increase until they manage to achieve absolute power and absolute corruption. In Animal Farm, "...it has been established as a rule that when a pig and any other animal meet on the path, the other animal must keep clear: and also that all pigs, whatever their degree, would have the privilege of wearing green ribbons on their tails on Sundays. Orwell illustrates that as their power over the animals increases, the pigs become more and more selfish and create rules and exemptions from other rules for their personal benefit, because they crave more power and a higher status. This is also seen through “more suited to the dignity of the leader…living in a house than in a simple stable”. This use of irony highlights that with the apotheosis of their power over Animal Farm, corruption also reaches its peak since the pigs see the stable as “simple”, even though they have spent their entire lives there. In Divergent, once a taste of power. occurs, the entity yearns for more and expresses itself through the character of Eric. An example of this is when he taunts Four during the Abnegation raid. “The legendary Four, an insane drone”. The close-up of his baleful countenance accentuates the way Eric harnesses the power of his role to gain more, gloating over his current superiority over Four. We also see a high-angle shot of Eric swinging Christina from Dauntless' deck and a close-up of his trembling, slippery hands and the diegetic sound of his grunts and pleas. This demonstrates Eric's dominance and how his influence in Dauntless expands because he establishes himself as dominant through violence. Therefore, we see that in Animal Farm and Divergent, once a taste of power appears, the entity desires more of it. Third, Orwell and Burger argue that power is linked to intellectual superiority and that leaders psychologically manipulate others. Corruption is the epitome of the expansion of power, and strategically manipulating the perceptions of others is essential to creating a gateway for corruption to flourish and expand power. This form of corruption is clearly illustrated in Animal Farm, notably: “The pigs suddenly moved into the farm. …the brains of the farm should be able to work in a quiet place.” Through this personification, we discern that the pigs use their intellectual prowess to differentiate their needs from others and make themselves and their own comfort the priority of the farm. The others,.