Animal Farm - Squealer's Propaganda

Comrades! I hope you all are as exited as I am to celebrate the success of Animal Farm and our great leader, Comrade Napoleon. You have been called here because of some rumors that have been spreading around the farm. I speak to you now to put those irrational statements to rest.

Firstly, I have heard that some animals are complaining about their rations compared to mine and the other pigs rations. The reason, comrades, is quite simple. We pigs do different work than other animals. We use our brains which require certain nutrients that happen to be found most commonly in apples and milk. I hope, comrades, that you do not think that we were doing this for our own benefit! We are merely taking into account self-preservation for the good of the farm.

Secondly, many of you seem to be uneasy about the trade agreement Comrade Napoleon has made with Mr. Whymper. You should know that Napoleon is only thinking toward making Animal Farm as efficient as possible. Some of you even seem to recall a resolution that was made against trade and money. I assure you that such a resolution was never passed. In fact, you probably were told about the revolution by Snowball in an attempt to break your trust in Comrade Napoleon. You shall all soon see what we can earn from trade and purchase.

Thirdly, I know how disappointed many of you were after the Battle of the Windmill. I was disheartened myself, but I know we can rebuild the windmill to it's former glory and the we could make six more if we wanted! Many of you thought of the battle as a loss, but I see it as a battle that will always represent animals' victory over humans. We drove man off of our earth once and for all! He shall no longer toil for our land. 

Finally, I wish to put to rest the misunderstanding about the death of our dearest comrade, Boxer. I can only imagine the horrors all of you must have been feeling when you saw Boxer being escorted away in that knackers van. As you should know, that van was previously owned by a knacker but was bought by the vet of Wilingdon. He just hadn't had a chance to repaint the side of the van yet. As you see, it just a simple case of misunderstanding.


In Animal Farm, the pig Squealer is supposed to represent the Pravda, the Russian newspaper that was edited by Leon Trotsky. It was the main source for of propaganda at the time and was used to make large groups of people believe ideas formulated by the hierarchy of Russia.  
 

Memorials and Memories

The Brandenburg Gate: In 1730, the city of Berlin constructed a system of 18 gates, with one of these being the Brandenburg Gate. It was meant as a sign of peace and religious tolerance. Today, it is the last of the 18 gates that are still standing. It is a common site for celebrations of the razing of the Berlin Wall. In the 4th grade, my mom and I took a trip to Berlin. When we were there, I got to see this gate along with parts of the Berlin Wall that were still standing.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial: Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American freedom rights activist working toward the equality of black and white people. In 1968, he was shot while on a balcony in Memphis, TN because a person didn't agree with him. This was a shock to the world and is still remembered as a horrific incident. In 2011, in Washington, DC, a  memorial in his name was created. Last year, I went to Washington, DC and got to see the sculpture as it was being built.

The Iwo Jima Memorial: Iwo Jima is an island in the Pacific that was controlled by the Japanese during World War II and was used as a base for kamikaze attacks against the Allies. The island was very strategic: If the Allies took hold of it, they would not only stop the attacks, but would also have an airstrip that B-29 Superfortress bombers could use to attack the heart of Japan. The Americans attacked Iwo Jima in February 1945. The main objective was to get control of Mount Suribachi. As the attack was unfolding, news photographer, Joe Rosenthel, saw a navy corpsman and 5 marines raising a flag at the highest point of the hill. The photograph he took became a symbol of the Pacific war. In 1954, a life-sized, bronze cast was sculpted and brought to Washington, DC. This memorial shall always help in remembering the 26,000 U.S. casualties of the battle. I have also seen this memorial in person.

All of these sculptures have similar significances but all also have contrasting points.
These three monuments are all completely different but are all meant to celebrate national freedom and pride. The Brandenburg Gate is used as a symbol of the fall of the Berlin Wall; the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial was made to remember a man's dream of equality; and the Iwo Jima Memorial was made to remember the thousands of men lost in battle. 


Even thought these are all monuments, not all were made for that purpose. The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial and the Iwo Jima Memorial were both made to remember important people and events from the past, but The Brandenburg Gate was used as an actual gate, as a security point for Berlin, and only later became something associated with the fall of the Berlin Wall, the end of Communism, and the reuniting of Germany. Only after the Wall fell, did it turn into a memorial.


Monuments like these contribute to feelings of patriotism and help people remember the sacrifices made to achieve important national  goals.