quieted by the propaganda of Squealer. They are helpless to fight against
Napoleon and his refusal to follow the seven commandments.
Since they can no longer function as they choose, the animals think largely
about their own lack of comfort. They begin to compare their present life to
their past one under Farmer Jones. Ironically, there are many similarities, even
though Napoleon and Squealer constantly tell them that their present life is
much better than their past one. Of course, like most dictators, Napoleon has
tried to change their memories of the past, just as he changes the seven
commandments to suit his needs.
Napoleon works hard at keeping the animals in control, constantly assuring
them that he is making a better society for them and trying to appear like a
hero. He makes Snowball into his scapegoat and blames all bad events,
including the weather, on him. By making Snowball a fearful character,
Napoleon assures his subjects that he will protect them from this horrible
creature. Such tactics make the animals dependent on his leadership and divert
attention away from his dictatorial ways. The building and rebuilding of the
Windmill and other such plans are also Napoleon’s way of keeping the
common “man” busy and at bay so they will not have time to think about what
he is really doing. These plans are reflective of Stalin’s Five-Year Plans.
CHAPTER 7
This chapter begins in the bitter winter with the animals trying their best to
rebuild the windmill, but the cold and their hunger dampen their spirits. It is
only Boxer’s never-failing cry of “I will work harder” that inspires them to
continue. January brings a true food shortage, and they often have nothing to
eat but chaff.
Napoleon hides the bitter reality that exists on the farm. He instructs the sheep
to talk about an increase in rations when Mr. Whymper is in hearing distance.
He orders empty bins to be filled to the brim with sand and then covered at the
top with grain, in order to deceive Mr.Whymper, who would then report to the
outside world about ‘no shortage’ on Animal Farm.
As the situation worsens, Napoleon hardly makes an appearance. The weekly
work orders for the animals are now given through the pigs. Squealer’s
announcement that the hens should surrender their eggs, at least 400 per week,
brings forth a terrible outcry, but the hens must obey. The dogs see to it that
Napoleon’s orders are carried out, for the eggs need to be sold in order to
survive until spring.
Snowball continues to serve as Napoleon’s scapegoat and is blamed for
everything that goes wrong on the farm. Napoleon goes so far as to claim that
Snowball “was in league with Jones and was his secret agent”. It is difficult
for the animals to accept this explanation, and even Boxer questions it.
Squealer, of course, quiets them with propaganda.
One day Napoleon calls a meeting and emerges wearing medals, which he has
awarded to himself. He arrives, escorted by his nine guard dogs. After
surveying the crowd of animals, he gives a high-pitched whimper, and the
dogs attack the crowd. They try unsuccessfully to attack Boxer, who holds one
of them under his hoof. After the tumult, the dogs appear before Napoleon
with the four pigs that had earlier raised their voices against his policies.
Napoleon then orders the four pigs to confess that they had been contriving
with Snowball to destroy the Windmill and that they had entered into a truce
with him to hand over Animal Farm to Mr. Frederick.
When Napoleon demands further confessions about Snowball, the hens say
that he appeared in their dreams and instigated them to disobey. As a result,
Napoleon orders the hens to be slaughtered. The goose confesses to having
stolen and eaten six ears of corn during last year’s harvest at Snowballs’
urging; he is murdered. The sheep confess to urinating in the drinking pool
and murdering an old ram and blame their actions on Snowball; they are all
killed instantly. By the end of the confessions, there is a pile of corpses lying
before Napoleon’s feet. His reign of terror has truly begun. Frightened and
shattered, the animals start singing ‘Beasts of England’. This anthem, which
seems to inspire the animals, is soon forbidden by Napoleon. It is replaced by
Minimus’s new song, which is bland and nationalistic.
Notes
Orwell seems to have written this chapter with Russian history in mind. The
food problems of the animals in the book parallel Russia’s economic problems
in the 1920’s and the famine thereafter. In August, 1936, the Communist Party
under Stalin tried, accused, and executed many high ranking officials on a
charge that they were Trotskyists, just as Napoleon executes the animals for
being influenced by Snowball. Trotsky himself was earlier expelled from
Russia, just as Snowball is expelled from the farm.
Napoleon has become just like Stalin or any other dictator. He hides the ugly
truth from the outside world. He makes Whymper believe that their supplies
are plentiful and all is going well on the farm. He refuses to allow any animal
to question his power and uses the dogs to keep his subjects under control. He
separates himself from the masses and appears only ceremoniously, almost
like a god. He threatens his subjects with the return of Snowball and Jones,
whom he has made into totally fearful beings. He shows his strength by
publicly executing those who betray him. The only release that the animals
have is to throw themselves more fully into their work.
The substitution of the nostalgic song of rebellion by Minimus’s mild new
song is grudgingly accepted by the animals, just as they have learned to accept
their plight in life. Their dream of equality, freedom, and democracy is
shattered; in its place, they find terror, deprivation, and totalitarianism.
CHAPTER 8
In this chapter, the lives of the animals worsen. They receive just enough food
to make them work, and Napoleon takes advantage of them at every turn. But
Farmer Frederick also takes advantage of Napoleon. When he decides to sell
timber on the advice of Whymper, Frederick agrees to pay a sum of 12
pounds. Frederick wants to pay by check, but Napoleon insists on cash
payment in five-pound notes. Frederick pays up and carts away the timber.
Three days later, Napoleon learns that the notes are forged. He pronounces a
death sentence upon Frederick and wants to boil him alive.
Expressing his fear of attack from the humans, Napoleon tells the animals to
be prepared for an attack. The offensive comes while they are at breakfast.
Fifteen men with half a dozen guns open fire on the farm. Napoleon and
Boxer try their best to inspire the animals, but they find it difficult to retaliate.
Many of them are wounded and run back to the farm buildings.
The enemies capture the farm and the windmill, which Frederick blasts with a
dynamo. On seeing their windmill destroyed, the animals are incited to
retaliate with a vengeance. In the battle, two geese are killed, and many cows
and sheep are injured. Napoleon is wounded in the tail. Finally, the fierce dogs
force the men to take flight, but not until the animals have paid a heavy price.
In spite of the losses, Napoleon orders that the animals rejoice in their victory.
The flag is hoisted and tributes are paid. Napoleon makes a speech and names
the fight the ‘Battle of Windmill’.
Notes
In spite of their many troubles, the animals refuse to believe that they are not
living a utopian existence. They are constantly told by Napoleon and Squealer
that their life on Animal Farm is much better than what they had before. They
believe the propaganda, in spite of the fact that they are more hungry than
they ever had been when Farmer Jones was their owner. When they are
attacked by humans, however, they are at first too tired and hungry to react.
When Frederick destroys their windmill, which is their pride and joy, he
forces them to retaliate. They fight with a vengeance and succeed in driving
the farmers away. Napoleon, in his typical dictatorial stance, orders them to
celebrate the Battle of Windmill, which seems to be reflective of the German
invasion of Russia during World War II.
Throughout the chapter, Napoleon is portrayed as a despicable tyrant,
constantly displaying his power to his subjects. He perpetually lies to the
animals, continues to change the amendments to suit his desires, requires a
public celebration of his birthday, gives himself additional titles, and treats
himself to drinking whiskey, which is strictly forbidden. Napoleon also tries
to set farmer against farmer, but the plan backfires. He is tricked by Frederick
when he is paid for timber with counterfeit money. Napoleon vows revenge;
ironically, it is the humans that gain most of the revenge during the battle.
CHAPTER 9
Chapter 9 opens with Boxer’s heel, which was bitten by the dogs, taking a
long time to heal. In spite of the injury, he refuses to take even one day off
from the work of rebuilding the windmill. He wants to see it completed before
his retirement. When the rules were originally formulated, different animals
had different ages for retirement, and a liberal pension had been decided upon
for all. To date, no animal has retired on pension.
In the autumn four sows give birth to 31 young pigs. Since Napoleon is the
only boar, he is the father to all of them and passes some special rules to
acknowledge the young pigs. Other animals must build a school for them so
they can be educated and stand aside when the pigs pass; the pigs are also to
wear green ribbons on their tails on Sundays and brew beer for their own
enjoyment.
Winter is cold, food is even more scarce, and rations are reduced for all the
animals except the pigs and the dogs. Squealer, trying to soften the news of
less food, uses the word readjustment instead of reduction. His statistics and
oratory skills still make everyone believe him.
Rations are further reduced in February, but the pigs, as usual, are excluded
from the reduction. In fact, rumor has it that every pig is to receive a ration of
a pint of beer daily. Napoleon is to receive a full half a gallon, served to him
in the Crown Derby soup tureen. Squealer convinces the masses that the pigs
need more food and special treatment because of the important work that they
do.
In an attempt to encourage the masses, there are more songs, speeches, and
processions. There is also a weekly Special Demonstration to celebrate the
struggles and triumphs of Animal Farm. Banners, slogans, and recitation of
poems composed to honor Napoleon honor are part of the pageant. The
animals enjoy these celebrations, where they are reminded of the fact that they
themselves are the masters, not living under the two legged.
In April, Animal Farm is declared a Republic and must elect a President. The
only candidate is Napoleon. As President, he still continues to defame
Snowball and points out that his wounding Snowball and sending him away
has saved the farm for the animals. He does allow Moses, the raven, to return
to the farm. When he talks about Sugarcandy Mountain and an afterlife, it
diverts the attention of the animals away from the cruelty of their life and
Napoleon. Boxer works harder until he falls one day and is unable to get up. Everyone
runs to his help, but the authorities take control. In the middle of the day, a
van takes him away to be killed and made into glue. The animals cry out in
horror, but their cries go unheard. When Squealer later announces Boxer’s
death in a sorrowful tone, he rationalizes why he was taken in the Knacker’s
van and promises that he died in comfort and dignity. Napoleon hypocritically
pays homage to Boxer and asks others to emulate his work ethics. The chapter
ends with the arrival of a wooden crate at the farmhouse.
Notes
Orwell’s message is loud and clear. The low tactics used by Napoleon are like
those of a totalitarian dictator who makes the masses submissive. Only the
ruling class, in this case the pigs, are exempt. For all the other animals there
are short rations and hard work. Spontaneous demonstrations and celebrations
are used by Napoleon to keep the animals occupied and diverted in their free
time.
As Napoleon’s loyal henchman, Squealer is the chief spokesman of the ruling
class and appears before the animals much more frequently than Napoleon,
who sequesters himself for protection and leisure. Squealer continues to talk
of the dignity of labor and the glory of animal freedom. To control Napoleon’s
subjects, he constantly justifies Napoleon’s shifts in policies and raises the
horrible possibility of Jones’ return. To protect Napoleon, he uses propaganda,
inflammatory rhetoric, false statistics and faulty rationalization, rewrites the
history of Animal Farm, and amends the Commandments without any
principle of morality. The bigger the lie, the more convincing he sounds.
The reappearance of Mosses, the raven, and his acceptance by Napoleon
parallels the priests returning to Russia after the harassment and rigors of the
revolution. Stalin even writes pacifying and conciliatory letters to the Pope in
1944 and allows the Orthodox Church to conduct services in Russia. Religion,
symbolized by Moses, is permitted as long as it is harmless and does not
interfere with the plans of Napoleon or Stalin.
Boxer’s plight and the indifference of the pigs upset the animals. In spite of his
work ethics, Napoleon is glad to be rid of him, for he was too well liked by
the animals. The animals, who saw Boxer as their hero and inspiration, feel
betrayed.
When Napoleon declares Animal Farm a Republic and elects himself
President, the rising action reaches its climax. He has truly become worse than
Farmer Jones, creating a chosen caste of pigs, oppressing the masses, and
becoming the ultimate dictator that is in total control.
CHAPTER 10
Years have passed. No one remembers the old days before the rebellion
except Clover, Benjamin, Moses, and a number of pigs. Napoleon has become
totally humanlike in his behavior. He and his ruling class of pigs now walk
upright on their hand legs, dress in clothing, carry whips, read newspapers and
magazines, and talk on the telephone. All of the original Commandments have
been forgotten; only one remains that states that all animals are equal, but
some are more equal than others, meaning the pigs. The common animals say
nothing; they have given up the habit of criticizing, complaining, or protesting
long ago.
The farm is now better organized, more prosperous, and enlarged. The
windmill, though not used for electricity, has brought in a profit. The common
animals, however, do not share in the prosperity. They live a life of difficulty
and deprivation. They are hungry, sleep on straw, labor long hours, and are
troubled by cold in winter and flies in summer. But they are still convinced
that they are “free” since animals rather than humans run the farm. Because of
the constant propaganda, they do not realize that their plight is the same under
Napoleon that it was under Farmer Jones. Only Benjamin realizes that
“nothing has changed for better or worse.”
One day, while weeding turnips, the animals hear singing. Napoleon is in the
farmhouse celebrating with human beings. He then announces that he has
made peace with his human neighbors. Although still called Animal Farm, it
is really Manor Farm all over again. The animal dictatorship has degenerated
into human corruption, and at the end of the novel, pig and man are
indistinguishable. The circle is complete.
Notes
Orwell’s satire comes full circle in the last chapter of the book. When in
control, the animals turn Animal Farm into another Manor Farm rather than a
utopian society. They are unable to make a paradise on earth. Because the
common animals are good and simple and lack cunning, they are easily
deceived and manipulated. It is easy for Napoleon to seize and maintain
control. Sadly, he uses the power unwisely and becomes a despicable dictator
that imitates human beings in every way. Through Napoleon, Orwell satirizes
human nature; but his main target of criticism is man as a political animal.
CHARACTERS
Old Major
Old Major is a twelve-year old Berkshire Boar who provides the political
philosophy on which Animal Farm is founded. His philosophy of Animalism