Introduction
“Animal Farm” is a symbolical political satire in which animals take the
place of humans. These animals can talk and are just as intelligent as humans. They
learn to read and each type of animal a different aspect of humanity.
(Ex.: Pigs- Politicians; Horses- Laborers; Sheep- Gullible People; etc. )
This book shows how a government that is set up to serve the people turns against
them, just like communism did to the Russian people. Animalism symbolizes
communism and the characters symbolize Russian leaders and people of
importance. This is a tale with no happy ending.
Characters
The Pigs
They symbolize politicians in a stereotypical sense. Some of them lie, cheat,
and steal from the animals they are supposed to serve. They make promises
that are never kept. Propaganda is spread to the animals they are supposed to
represent.
Old Major
He is a pig who is very old. He has seen the lifestyle the animals live and is
dissatisfied with it. He creates a government ideology called animalism which
represents communism. He is the Karl Marx of this world.
Napoleon
He is a large, fierce looking Berkshire boar, who is not much of a talker. He
uses animalism only to increase his power and the dogs to terrorize the other
animals. Napoleon symbolizes the dictator Joseph Stalin in this world.
Snowball
He is a pig that fights with Napoleon over the power on the farm. He is a very
energetic, eloquent speaking, brilliant leader who organizes the defense of the
farm. Napoleons jealousness of him makes him try to kill Snowball. Snowball
flees the area and every misfortune in Animal Farm after that is blamed on
him. He represents Leon Trotsky in this story.
Squealor
He is a short, fat, twinkle eyed pig who is a brilliant talker. He justifies the
horrible actions of Napoleon and most of the animals buy into it. He has a sly,
persuasive air to him. This is why he is head of Napoleon’s propaganda plan.
Boxer
He is a large, very powerful horse who is not too bright. He buys into
animalism and works the hardest on the farm. He saves the farm on multiple
occasions and declared a national hero. After he gets too sick to work
Napoleon secretly sells him to a glue factory. Boxer symbolizes the hard
working Russian class that Stalin abused for his own benefit.
Mollie
She is a mare who abandons Animal Farm for sugar and ribbons at the human
inn. She represents the nobles of Russia that abandoned the people after the
Russian Revolution.
The Dogs
These animals are the military force and secret police of this totalitarian
government. They were trained at birth to be completely loyal to Napoleon.
They are Animalism only true physical force and without them the pigs would
be powerless.
The Sheep
These animals are totally gullible. They will believe whatever they are told
and repeat it. Their role in this communist society is self explanatory.
Farmer Jones
He is a human who is drunk and neglects the farm. He is later thrown out of
the farm at the Animal Revolution. Humans in this story represent cruelty and
evil.
Setting
This story takes place in England in the countryside on a farm. The name says
basically where it is; On a Animal Farm.
Plot
After decades of the animals being suppressed they have a meeting in the
barn. Mr. Jones, the drunken human owner of the farm, is sleeping soundly in his
bed. The oldest animal there, Old Major who is a pig, talks of their submissive
existence in which man uses their labor for his benefit while abusing them. He next
talks about Animalism, a government in which Animals rule themselves without
humans for the benefit of animals. The old pig dies shortly after. The animals begin
a revolution in which Mr. Jones is forcibly banished from the farm. The pigs learn to
read and write very quickly. They write commandments for all animals to follow
and for the good of all animals. The commandments are:
1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
3. No animal shall wear clothes.
4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.
5. No animal shall drink alcohol.
6. No animal shall kill any other animal.
7. All animals are equal.
The pigs organize the animals to run the farm. The animals do very well in
running the farm. Snowball organizes the animals and creates a defensive
force in case Mr. Jones returns. Napoleon finds two litters of puppies and
takes them away to be trained for his own purposes. He trains them to be
loyal without question and for his own secret police. Mr. Jones tries to retake
the farm, but Snowball’s clever defense fights off Mr. Jones. The growing
conflict between Snowball and Napoleon builds up when Snowball proposes
that a windmill be built. Napoleon gets agitated with Snowball and sics the
dogs on him. Snowball just barely escapes and goes into hiding. Napoleon
orders that all debates be done only between the pigs. He uses the dogs to
enforce his orders through terrorization. Apples go missing along with the
milk. Animals are now working with little food.
Squealor then explains that the pigs need the apples and milk for their
brainwork. Squealor begins other propaganda and most of the animals buy
into it. Napoleon decides that a windmill should be built after all. After half
completing it a tornado blows it down. Napoleon blames it on Snowball. The
pigs become more like people and start to slowly change the commandments
to justify their actions. The pigs create a final commandment:
All animals are equal, but some are more equal than
others.
As one animal looks into Mr. Jones house he sees Napoleon playing poker
with a human. The two are calling each other cheaters. The animal looks back
and forth and each of them and can not tell which is which because Napoleon
has become just like one of them..... a human.
Theme
The theme of this book is “rebellion.” Just because you rebel against a force
you believe that is oppressing you does not mean that if you succeed you will
be better off. There are many bumps along the road and you could become
what you initially rebelled against.
My Thoughts
I enjoyed this book tremendously because it showed the problems with
communism very clearly. The government may have been set up to serve the
animals, but when a corrupt leader came along he pressed the animals into
basically slavery for his own power and glory. The government then served
the ruling class not the rest. This book shows the true nature of a totalitarian
government.
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