Psychological effects of language manipulationin George Orwell’s animal farm: A critical discourse analysis approach

Anggela, Ucha Mutiara (2025) Psychological effects of language manipulationin George Orwell’s animal farm: A critical discourse analysis approach. IDEAS Journal of Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 12 (2). 2141 -2156. ISSN 2548-4192

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Abstract

Language is an invisible yet highly effective weapon in psychological and social harassment, as its influence often works subtly and unconsciously. Through word choice, manipulation, or propaganda, language can infiltrate a person's mind, shaping how people think and influencing emotions and behaviors without even realizing it.This study analyzes the psychological impact of language manipulation in the novel usingvan Dijk’s (2017)CDA,through a sociocognitive approach. By analyzing language manipulation strategies at the micro, meso, and macrolevels, this study reveals how language is used to strengthen social control and subdue the psychology of characters. At the microlevel, the use of presupposition and implicature through word choice and sentence structure subtly instills fear, justifies inequality, and inhibits critical thinking. At the mesolevel, repeated social interactions and collective narratives, such as speeches and slogans, shape group behavior and reinforce social hierarchies. At the macrolevel, ideological change and manipulation of social structures through propaganda create chronic fear and compliance, while legitimizing corrupt power. This research highlights how the manipulation of language not only creates control in literary narratives but also reflects patterns often found in authoritarian systems in the real world. The results of this study provide important insights into the role of language as a tool of psychological and social control, while offering a foundation for further study of language manipulation in linguistic, literature and societal contexts.

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