Lorena Barrera

March 26, 2018

Period 1. 10H

Chain Reactions

Dictators have evolved throughout the centuries in real life and in fictional stories​. These

dictators represent mirror images of one another because they have similar beliefs, traits, and

actions.​ The novel “Animal Farm”, the play ​Macbeth ​and other historical documents have

proved many ways dictators mirror each other. For instance, most dictators are willing to express

their beliefs and demonstrate their traits which will later on led them to take drastic actions in

order to gain power. ​Dictators have been using their beliefs and traits for many centuries as a

motivation to take action during their quest for power.

When someone allows one thing to lead to another they begin a chain reaction that helps

them accomplish their quest.​ The play​ Macbeth ​by William Shakespeare introduces the idea of

prophecies and how they can be deceiving. ​In the play, the main character Macbeth is tormented

because he believed in the prophecy that was announced to him by three witches and it led him

to take dreadful actions that showed a new form of him.​ In the play, Macbeth claimed, ​“If

chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me/ Without my stir”​ ​(Shakespeare

I.iii.145-148). ​ ​Macbeth was explaining to one of his friends that he believes in the prophecy and

that fate will come true. This quote is significant because it demonstrates how Macbeth was sure

he would become king, but in order to become king he had to murder King Duncan and his wife.

The death of the king brought out Macbeth’s ambition of gaining more power. Macbeth strongly

believed in the witches prophecy and killed King Duncan witch caused him to become ambitious
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for more power.​ Similarly,​ ​the German dictator name Adolf Hitler had his own belief that made

him take drastic actions which brought out a new trait of his. Hitler wrote a book called “Mein

Kampf” or “My struggle” in his book he mentions the idea of taking control and expanding

Germany. He also, mentioned that he believed that Germans were the master race and that Jews,

Slaves, and Gypsies were less than Germans. ​The Modern World History ​textbook by McDougal

Littell states ​“Hitler asserted that the Germans, whom he incorrectly called “Aryans,” were a

“master race.” He called the Versailles Treaty an outrage and vowed to regain German lands.

Hitler also declared that Germany was over crowded and needed more lebensraum, or living

space...promised to get that space by conquering eastern Europe” ​(Littell page 478).​ ​During

Hitler’s rise he believed in Aryan Race and he also believed that Germany needed more living

space. This quote is important because Hitler was very passionate about his ideas and he

managed to express them to the German citizens. Most Germans believed that Hitler was going

to help Germany and its people rise so they allowed Hitler to take power. Once, Hitler is in

power he began to take harsh actions such as murdering non-Aryans to create living space and he

invaded many countries to expand Germany. Many of Hitler’s followers didn’t know he was

ambitious and power hungry until he began to slaughter innocent people.​ In these quotes, we can

infer that one’s beliefs may lead to drastic actions which lead to new traits that helps them in

their quest for power.

Another way​ ​dictators demonstrate a domino effect is when they allow their actions to

create an idea of them being invincible which leads them to form a new trait. ​George Orwell the

author of the short story “Animal Farm” shows how people are constantly opening up to new
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traits. In the novel the main character Napoleon was always arguing with his opponent Snowball.

One day Snowball introduced the idea of building a windmill and all of the other animals on the

farm were in favor.​ The novela states ​“...no doubt as to which way the vote would go. Napoleon

stood up and, … a high-pitched whimper of a kind no one had ever heard him utter before. At

this there was a terrible baying sound outside, and nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded

collars came bounding into the barn. They dashed straight for Snowball”​ ​(Orwell page 67).​ ​This

passage is significant because it demonstrates how Napoleon did not tolerate his opponent and

ordered his army to kill him. When Napoleon realized that his army of dogs went after Snowball

he soon began to believe that he was invincible. In addition, Napoleon believed he could control

everyone in the barn by scaring them with his army of vicious dogs. Napoleon’s actions lead

him to think he was invincible and it made him into a dangerous leader.​ ​Likewise,​ during the

Russian Revolution there was a dictator name Joseph Stalin who also, allowed his actions to

create this idea of him being invincible which lead to him turning out as a dangerous leader.

During Stalin’s rise he had an opponent who he despised because they had many contradicting

ideas.​ ​The Modern World History ​textbook by McDougal Littell states ​“By 1928 Stalin was in

total command of the communist party. Trotsky, forced into exile in 1929, was no longer a

threat. Stalin now stood poised to wield absolute power as a dictator” ​(Littell page 439).​ ​Once

Stalin was in control he decided to get rid of his opponent so he would stay in power. This quote

is significant because Stalin used his secret police to take out his opponent. Stalin’s actions

allowed him to believe that he was unstoppable and that no one would challenge him. Since

Stalin felt this way the citizens of the Soviet Union began to see him as a dangerous man.​ Both
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Napoleon from “Animal Farm” and Stalin from ​Modern World History ​textbook demonstrate

how actions can change the way you view yourself and leads to you become a dangerous leader

who gains power by terrorizing his people.

Over time most dictators have demonstrated how one thing leads to another. In literature

and in historical documents dictators have shown how their traits lead to their beliefs which

affect the actions they take later on.​ In the novel “Animal Farm” by George Orwell the dictator

Napoleon is very ambitious and wants more power. ​Napoleon believes he can achieve more

power if he had a stronger army who obeyed his every command. ​The novel remarked ​“And a

moment later, out from the door of the farmhouse came a long file of pigs, all walking on their

hind legs...And finally there was a tremendous baying of dogs and a shrill crowing from the back

cockerel, and out came Napoleon himself, majestically upright..”​(Orwell 132). ​The animals who

live on the farm had a rule to follow which was that animals should not walk on two legs but

instead they should walk on four. Napoleon felt that pigs were superior than other animals on the

farm so, he taught every one of them including the piglets to walk on their hind legs. This quote

is significant because it demonstrates how Napoleon is teaching the rest of the pigs his way of

viewing life and he’s even brainwashing the younger pigs. By doing so Napoleon is making his

army stronger because now it is not only the dogs who obey him but it is also the pigs and their

piglets.​ ​Identically, ​a 21st century dictator was also power hungry and believed that he could

gain more power by increasing his army. ​Dictator Than Shwe of Burma was a power-hungry

dictator who forced children to join his army. ​Than Shwe was dictator from 1992 to 2011. The

article “Dictators of 21st century” by Dr. J. Alva Scruggs published by Freepress states​ “Burman
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has more child soldiers than any other nation, and the Burmese regime continues to kidnap

ordinary citizens and force them as porters for the military in various conflicts against

non-Burmese ethnic groups”​(Scruggs #3).​ Than Shwe forced innocent children to join the

military for his own benefits and needs. This passage is important because it proves how

dictators who are power hungry will not stop until their beliefs turn into actions that will benefit

them.​ Both literature and historical documents show how Napoleon from “Animal Farm” and

Than Shwe from “Dictators of 21st century” believed in using children to build up their military

force so they gain power. These dictators represent how one thing may lead to another.

In closing, most dictators in literature, history, and today’s modern world mirror each

other due to how they all allow a chain reaction to occur. ​ The play ​Macbeth, ​the novel “Animal

Farm” and the article “Dictators of 21st century” show how leaders allow a chain reaction to

occur during their quest for power. A chain reaction starts when a leader allows his or her beliefs

lead them to take drastic actions that will change their traits later on. Another way dictators

demonstrate a chain reaction is when they take harsh actions that allow them to believe certain

things that later on change their traits.​ All these different types of chain reactions lead to one

thing, which is the lust for power. As shown in literature, history, and in the modern world most

people will go out of their way, to a certain extent in order to satisfy their ambition for power.
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Work cited

Orwell, George. Animal Farm: a Fairy Story /by George Orwell ;with a Preface by Russell

Baker, Introduction by C.M. Woodhouse. Harcourt Brace, 1996.

Shakespeare, William. Crowther, John, ed. “No Fear Macbeth.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes

LLC. 2005. Web. 26 Mar. 2018.

Beck, Roger B.; Black Linda; Krieger Larry S.; Naylor, Phillip C.; Sjabala. Dahia Ibo, Patterns

of Interaction: Modern World History. Evanston, McDougal Littell, 2006

Dictators of the 21st Century.” ​The Columbus Freepress,

freepress.org/article/dictator-21st-century.