Orwell’s last novel is not about English socialism, it is a far wider condemnation of politics and totalitarianism, and most particularly the manipulation of the truth. Orwell understood all about how empty rhetoric and sound bites, as well as high-pitched delivery, can brainwash a defeated public – again reference Hitler. Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell (1949) Instead of “All animals are equal…” now read “All Americans are equal, but some Americans are more equal than others.” Napoleon’s propaganda minister, Squealer, has been brought vividly to life by Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway, who squeaks and squeals her way through damage-limitation appearances and if her master Trump says that grass is indeed pink not green, Squealer Conway will say this is so. Napoleon is described by Orwell as “a large, rather fierce-looking Berkshire boar.” Sounds familiar? Trump is indeed “bigly”, to use his own word. True, Russia proved to be Napoleon’s downfall, but, at least for the moment Trump appears to owe a great deal to Russia and his buddy Putin. In the novel “Buzz” is eventually exiled to France, leaving a ravaged nation in his wake.Įxile, did someone mention Napoleon? Well admittedly Donald Trump bears far more resemblance to Orwell’s crazed porcine dictator of the same name than he does with the Corsican who became emperor of France. Influenced by the spectacle of Hitler’s brainwashing of the German Volk, he could see the same thing happening in America, Interestingly, the first edition carried a banner headline: “What Will Happen When America Has A Dictator” – now it does. More commentator than artist, Lewis had a genius for reading people. This is the core text, written by an American 11 years before Trump was born.
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