Independent+novel+-+Animal+Farm

Animal Farm - George Orwell

Characters

Old Major- old boar who gives the animals the idea of Animalism and taking back control of their lives Napoleon- young boar who takes over the leader role, but soon turns it into a dictatorship Snowball- former partner to Napoleon who is chased off the farm Boxer- loyal, hard working horse who gives everything he has into the windmill and farm Clover- horse who is clever enough to see the changes that are hurting the farm through the lies and cover ups Squealer- Napoleons assistant who lies to the other animals and makes them believe things that are not real Mr. Jones- former owner of Manor Farm who is run off his land by the animals themselves Mr. Frederick/Mr. Pilkington- neighbors who own the adjoining farms to Animal Farm

Mr. Jones is the owner of Manor Farm. Late one night, Major, the boar, assembles the animals for a meeting for him to discuss his recent dream. He explains passionately that he is getting older, and before he passes, he wants the animals to have a better life than he experienced. Major points out that the life of a farm animal is miserable and it is all due to Man. Humans have ruined their lives, and it is time to prepare for a rebellion. He gives them rules to live by like humans are evil, animals are friends, animals shouldn't walk on two legs, sleep in beds, or drink alcohol. Most importantly, no animal shall kill another animal. He teaches them a song called Beasts of England to inspire them. Three days later Major passes. It is not long before the two young boars, Napoleon and Snowball, take charge of the group. They want to keep Major's cause alive. They begin the process of educating the animals and introduce the new way of thinking as Animalism. One day, Mr. Jones gets drunk and forgets all about feeding the animals. At the point of starvation, the animals attempt to break into the food shed. When Jones and his help come out to whip the animals back into their place, the animals do not hesitate to fight back and run the men off the farm. Before they know it, the farm is theirs. Each animal quickly finds his place. Boxer and Clover, the horses, take pride in working hard, and the pigs take roles in leadership. Troubles soon arise between Snowball and Napoleon. They disagree on everything. Neighboring farmers cannot believe the farm is being run by animals, and they secretly fear Animal Farm. Jones and his men come to try and claim the farm their again, but the animals defend the land and chase them away again. The victory becomes known as the Battle of the Cowshed. When things settle back down, Snowball announces plans to build a windmill on the farm to help improve the living condition on the farm and bring in more success. Napoleon opposes it entirely. While Snowball is trying to convince the animals to vote in favor of the windmill, Napoleon sends in the dogs he's been secretly training attack Snowball and chase him off the farm. Napoleon then abolishes the Sunday meetings and informs the farm that he is building the windmill and that it was his idea all along. The animals put in long hours each day to build the windmill. Boxer takes up the maxim "I will work harder." Napoleon begins dealing with humans and supposedly sleeping in beds in the farmhouse. Clover questions these acts knowing that they went against the original commandments of Animal Farm, but Squealer is always there to lie to the animals and make them believe Napoleon is always right. When the weather turns for the worst and a bad storm comes, the windmill gets knocked down. Napoleon places blame on Snowball and vows to rebuild the farm to spite them. He tells the animals that Snowball has been appearing around the farm and ruining things behind their backs. The tough times continue with food shortages and cold winter months. Napoleon doesn't want the outside world to see this so he disguises the lack of food with sand. He continues to use fear tactics against the animals when he calls an assembly together to let those who have been "conspiring with Snowball" confess. When animals step forward, he slaughters them instantly. Clover thinks about the way things were supposed to be with Old Major's vision and feels sorry for everyone. Napoleon even cuts the singing of Beasts of England. Squealer keeps brainwashing the animals to believe that Napoleon is the best even though they aren't being fed enough, are working far too much, and he is acting far worse than Mr. Jones. After Mr. Frederick, a neighbor, cheats Napoleon on a timber trade and demolishes the rebuilt windmill, another fight breaks out. Yet again the animals defend the farm, although many animals are wounded this time, including Boxer. When Boxer falls one day and senses death is near, Squealer says Napoleon will send him to a vet to recover, when he actually sold him to be slaughtered in order to get more money. Years go by on the farm and the animals who are old enough to remember the old days are at a loss for words when they see Napoleon and the other pigs walking on two legs, wearing clothes, and drinking. Everything Animal Farm stood for is lost, thanks to Napoleon. At the end of the novel, the farm animals look in at Napoleon having dinner with humans and declaring the name Manor Farm will be restored. The animals look at the pigs and humans drinking and cannot tell the different between them.

Themes/Motifs

People tend to look at life through a social caste system even while hiding behind a united front. -Even though the animals pretend to be allies against the humans, the pigs quickly develop themselves to be better than the other animals who allow themselves to feel inferior

Never asking questions often keep people motionless in life. -The animals know that the pigs are breaking the seven commandments, but they allow the pigs to lie and say that they just don't remember as well. Clover is the only one to question the leaders, but she does it subconsciously.

The songs and poems in Animal Farm aid in showing the lack of equality the animals have on the farm. They are pushed unknowingly into doing the same things over and over again each day, while the pigs use them. The songs are the propaganda put in place by Squealer.

Literary Elements/Rhetorical Devices Animal Farm is an allegory where the animals overtake the humans to run a farm with the Russian Revolution during the Stalin time period. There is irony in the fact that the animals rebel against the humans making their lives miserable, when in fact the animals allow Napoleon and the pigs to make them work harder than ever and scare them into believing what they want them to believe. Orwell uses a lot of symbolism throughout the novella. The windmill shows how people can be manipulated. The pigs used the other animals to help them gain success. They developed lies and tricks to make the animals feel as though they were working to achieve something for themselves to take pride in, however all it was doing was making the pigs richer. The barn was the home to the community of animals, but it was constantly being changed. The seven commandments were being rewritten without them knowing constantly. Their rations were being cut all the time, and they were being lied to and brainwashed into believing it was for the good of the farm. Just like in Soviet Russia when the oppressed people weren't able to think for themselves anymore, the animals on the farm soon feel they have no other choice but to continue trusting Napoleon.