Persuasive Techniques in Old Major’s speech George Orwell – Animal Farm

George Orwell uses Persuasive techniques in the speech of old major, in order to show us how rebellion can be incited. Orwell conveys his own opinion about a beginning of a rebellion through this novel. His opinion about the beginning of a rebellion also consists of how the elders or the respected people convince for something which is always thought to be impossible. Major uses a variety of techniques to achieve his goal.

One of the techniques is the use of emotive words; Major knows that the farm animals wanted to be free and work for themselves but they always thought this as impossible, Major convinces them and makes them confident by using words such as “Freedom” to prepare them for a rebellion to achieve what they wanted for years. He manipulates the animals’ emotion by telling their current nature of their lives. He talks about words such as ‘starvation, slavery’. All these words boost the animal’s spirits which makes it easier for Major to achieve his goal.

Old Major asks the animals question which are sometimes unanswerable or he answers them by him self which stuns the listeners and make them accept what he says. He questions them ‘What’s the nature of our lives?’ He also answers them ‘…laborious and short.’ He uses these rhetorical questions to convince his listeners to prepare for a rebellion.

Orwell chooses a set of pronouns for his character’s speech which makes his other characters as equal as Major is. Major never lets the farm animals think he is not one of them. He always uses the pronouns’ I, we, us’ to tell them that he is not better than them or more equal than others.

The author uses a variety of techniques in order to link language with power. Orwell always uses a combination of techniques which makes his speech unique than others.