Experiments to test the validity of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis have been conducted in a variety of areas and fields. Among the areas that have received an extensive attention is memory. It has been found out that language plays a considerable role in distorting, modifying and orienting the retrieval of information memorized. "Memory for the real-life events, of course, is also subject to the distortions imposed by verbal encoding", (Slobin, 1974). The same idea is spelt out by Dale (1976) who sees language "as flexible and multiple as possible," which means that "there is seldom exact fit between reality and language, so that the verbalization of reality "often results in distortion", (Slobin, 1974)
Ideological institutions find this linguistic impact upon memory quite productive in shaping and directing people's consciousness in their interests. "Language is an instrument of control as well as of communication. Linguistic forms allow significance to be conveyed and to be preferably manipulated while they suppose they are being informed. Language […] involves systematic distortion in the service of class interests", (Kress and Hodge, 1981). This is evidently true in case of propaganda and rumours, "where it is very clear that verbal memory for events has changed with time, under the influence of stereotypes and expectations", (Slobin, 1974).
People with short-span memories are easy to manipulate and deceive. This fact makes the process of revising history quite easy a task. Orwell has a strong conviction that history is subject to distortions and modifications at the hands of ruling classes:
I saw, in fact, that history is being written not in terms of what happened but of what ought to have happened according to various party lines [….] The implied objective of this line of thought is a nightmare world in which the Leader, or some ruling clique, controls not only the future but the past. If the leader says of such and such an event, "it never happened"- well, it never happened. If he says two and two are five- well, two and two are five.
(Orwell, "England Your England")
In ANIMAL FARM, history is continually distorted and is in a progressive process of alterations to suit Napoleon's interests and to strengthen his grip on the farm. Napoleon, through his propaganda agency, Squealer, prepares a 'big lie' against Snowball and his role in the 'Battle of the Cowshed', as well as other incidents which happen on the farm like the building of the windmill and the issue of the Seven Commandments. "Since the animals can no longer remember the life before the Rebellion, they can't be sure if things are better or worse, whether the Revolution was worth it or not. They have no standard of comparison. All they have to go on is Squealer's figures, 'which invariably demonstrated that everything was getting better and better'," (Ball, 1993).
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