not given nearly enough food.

Napoleon promises more food, but he uses the animals' inability to remember as a means of controlling food distribution. He tells the animals that while it seems like they are receiving less food he is really allowing them more than Mr. Jones ever did. He is also so irresponsible with the food distribution and it is largely skewed in the pigs' favor that during the winter months the animals nearly starve and Napoleon is forced to give meager rations of food to the animals who did all the hard labor to harvest it. Again the animals do not remember and so they go along with the ration system for the good of the farm. Napoleon also uses food to threaten the animals. He even threatens to punish the hens if they do not produce more food (eggs) to be sold for money to help build the windmill.

Napoleon sets up a system of rations to control the dwindling food supply. He also designs the food troughs to appear full and abundant, yet in reality, he is filling them with sand and topping it off with meal. Napoleon wants to give the impression that food is plentiful.

Napoleon also uses the food supply to control the other animals. By withholding rations, he maintains power.When the chickens refuse to allow their eggs to be sold, Napoleon cuts off their rations, and declares any that provide them with food will be put to death.

In Animal Farm, Napoleon takes control of the food supply on the morning after the Rebellion against Mr Jones. Specifically, this occurs when Napoleon steals the milk (at the end of Chapter Two) and decides, without the consent of the other animals, that it will be mixed into the pigs' mash.

It is ironic that Napoleon seizes control of the food supply on the same day that he and the other animals have developed the Seven Commandments. While these Commandments say nothing about stealing, they promote the equality of all animals and foster a spirit of brotherhood and mutual sacrifice.

In stealing the milk, then, Napoleon contravenes this spirit and demonstrates his inner selfishness and powers of deception. This act also foreshadows the events to come in which Napoleon claims absolute power and rules the farm with an iron fist. 

This question deals with the themes concerning power in this novel. Napoleon is struggling at the beginning to take control of Animal Farm. He is battling for dominance with Snowball, who seems to oppose him on every issue. 

Napoleon exerts his power in this novel by the same means in which he establishes it to begin with, force. He takes the dogs away from their mother and "educates" them in private where he trains them to obey him alone. These dogs become his force. They chase off Snowball so Napoleon can take control, and when some of the other pigs begin to object, the dogs "growl threateningly" and shut everyone up. Napoleon also exerts his power by eliminating everyone who stands against him. He kills anyone who might possibly become a threat to his supremacy.

Napoleon manipulates the other animals as well. He takes advantage of the fact that they are not smart enough to catch him in his lies. He changes the "Commandments" knowing that the other animals will not be able to prove anything. He oppresses the other animals, just like Jones before him, by working them so hard they lack the energy to revolt. He also shuts down all the education classes for older animals so they cannot educate themselves and see what is really going on.