Napoleon's Methods of Control
Napoleon uses subtle threats to intimidate, speaking "very quietly" when making points during meetings. This quiet delivery is actually more menacing than shouting - it creates "a sense of threat" suggesting he's plotting something sinister. When challenged, he unleashes violence through his dogs who "came bounding into the barn" to chase away Snowball.
His hypocritical leadership becomes obvious when he contradicts Animalism's principles. Napoleon announces "work on Sunday afternoons as well. This work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half." The word "voluntary" is meaningless when starvation is the alternative - yet Napoleon himself does no additional work.
As his power grows, Napoleon becomes increasingly tyrannical. He executes animals who challenge him, demanding confessions before his dogs "promptly tore their throats out." When he blames everything on Snowball, crying "SNOWBALL!" to create an external enemy, we see how dictators manipulate truth to maintain power.
Key insight: Napoleon's transformation from revolutionary to tyrant follows a classic pattern of dictatorship - promising equality while gradually seizing absolute power through fear, propaganda and violence.