Animal Farm by George Orwell

[Kbarnes]

Hello!!!!! helping son with essay. Please tell me why an "enemy" or scapegoat is necessary for the animals. Why does the "enemy" have to change?

[bazarov]

They always need someone to fight against, so that leaders can justify their acts. Numerous examples in last century and now in this days, just for start.
Enemy is changing because someone who was good suddenly becomes bad or opposite. Just remember Germany and Italy in WWII, Trotsky...

[Don Quixote Jr]

Bazarov pretty much answered your questions, so I'll "second" his answer.
I'd also like to point out that Animal Farm is a reflection of reality that uses animals in place of people, i.e. a fable.
Having an enemy is a good way for the leaders to take their subjects minds off the fact that they're getting screwed by their own leaders...which could explain numerous current events if you stop to think about.
Changing enemies is often necessary because some enemies get chased away (Trotsky from the USSR, Snowball from Animal Farm) and naturally have to be replaced ASAP, to take the proles minds off their own lousy lives.

[Doctor Don]

Hello!!!!! helping son with essay. Please tell me why an "enemy" or scapegoat is necessary for the animals. Why does the "enemy" have to change?

When "Animal Farm" was written, the prevailing social theory was that it was necessary for society to have someone upon which most "evils" could be blamed. (Things haven't changed much, have they?) In the United States, is was the black minority upon which all the social ills were blamed; in Nazi Germany (1932-1945) it was the Jews and other "untermenchen" who were blamed for the economic collapse and the government's inability to establish the proper social order. At various times it has been the Intellectuals and Academics, Communists, Socialists, Moslems, Christians, Jews, Protestants, Lutherans, Mormons, "Papists", Chinese, Japanese, the Indian "Untouchables", and--most recently--Muslim extremists.

If you read Animal Farm closely, you will find it rife with many other veiled stereotypes.

If you read 1984 (also by Orwell) and Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury), you will find the same theme of social nonconformity as the ultimate "evil."

Hope this helps.

Doctor Don