In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Napoleon has a controlling and manipulative approach to education. He believes that education is a powerful tool that should be used to maintain authority and ensure the loyalty of the other animals.
Napoleon prioritizes the education of the young pigs, understanding that they are the future leaders of the farm. He establishes a separate school for them, where they receive an education designed to reinforce their positions of power. By focusing on the pigs, Napoleon ensures that they are groomed to be the ruling class, while the other animals remain uneducated and easily manipulated.
Moreover, Napoleon uses propaganda to influence the perceptions of both the educated and uneducated animals. He employs Squealer, who spins the narratives to justify the pigs’ decisions, often portraying the other animals as incapable of leading themselves. This further cements the idea that only the pigs, through their education and intellect, are fit to govern the farm.
In summary, Napoleon’s ideas about education are tied to his desire for control. He believes in educating the pigs exclusively to ensure that they remain in power, using education as a means to manipulate and limit the knowledge of other animals.