Animal Farm | Motifs

Songs and Chants

The songs and chants the animals sing throughout Animal Farm function as propaganda, or "biased information used to promote a particular cause": Major's "Beasts of England," Minimus's ode to Napoleon and his revised anthem, and the sheep's chants. By having the animals chant the same words in unison, the pigs maintain social control by stripping the animals of their individuality and keeping them focused on the political agenda.

Religion and Ritual

As the pigs work to consolidate power, they institute rituals such as awards, parades, and songs for the purpose of creating loyalty to the state. As the rituals grow in number, the working animals become more and more vulnerable and reliant on the state to define their cultural values.