Animal Farm

"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal to others."

Animal Farm: A Fairy Story is a 1945 novella by George Orwell. It tells the story of a group of farm animals rebel against their human farmer and live free from their owner's tyranny, until their society becomes a corrupted totalitarianism.

At the time of its publication, the Russian Revolution was occurring and the Soviet Union was rising. The novella is an allegory with its characters and events loosely based on Russia's leader Joseph Stalin and the USSR, and that Orwell made it a satire to express his concern of the Russian politics and society during his time.

Plot Summary
Old Major, an elderly prize-winning boar, gathers all the farm animals of Manor Farm in the barn one night for a meeting. He describes to them a dream that he had where all animals lived free from their human masters' tyranny. He persuades them to work hard and prepare for the rebellion that would soon come in order to make his dream a reality.

After Old Major died 3 days later, two younger pigs, Napoleon and Snowball, begin to take lead and formalize Major's principles into a philosophy they called Animalism. The animals manage to defeat their drunk, negligent owner Mr. Jones by running him off the property. They rename their home Animal Farm and create the Seven Commandments of Animalism posted on the side of the barn. The farm animals work together to govern themselves, with the cart-horse Boxer being the most hard-working. Animal Farm begins to improve.

The pigs become the main supervisors, with Snowball teaching the animals how to read and Napoleon taking in a group of puppies to teach them the principles of Animalism. When Mr. Jones returns to try to retake his land along with a group of other men, the animals successfully defeat them in an event they called "The Battle of the Cowshed". Shortly after, a conflict forms between Napoleon and Snowball, especially when Snowball makes plans to construct a windmill.

One day, while Snowball was giving out a speech about the windmill, Napoleon summons his guard dogs (the puppies he had trained himself earlier) and they chase Snowball off Animal Farm. After he is gone, Napoleon takes over as leader and he will make the decisions himself. But he decides to allow the animals to build the windmill anyway. Everyone, including Boxer, constructs the windmill for a whole year, despite experiencing gruelling, difficult working hours. As food shortages start to run low, Napoleon makes trades with other farms nearby.

After the windmill was destroyed during a storm, the pigs and Napoleon blame Snowball for causing the structure's sabotage, and even see him as a threat towards Animal Farm. Any animal who opposes Napoleon and took part in Snowball's conspiracy would be executed for treason. He expands his powers, becomes a totalitarian dictator, and he and the pigs act like humans; such as sleeping in beds inside Mr. Jones' house (despite it being against the rules of the Seven Commandments). He even enlists a pig named Squealer to be his propagandist, who defends his actions by justifying to the animals that Napoleon is doing the right thing; except that the animals are starved and overworked while the pigs thrive in a lavish lifestyle.

A local farmer named Mr. Frederick swindles Napoleon after a purchase of timber and attacks the farm by destroying the windmill with dynamite, which the animals had worked so hard on for a greater expense. But they managed to fend him off in another battle. They continue more work on rebuilding the windmill, but after Boxer collapses from being weak and exhausted, Napoleon sells him to a glue factory and Squealer tells the animals that Boxer died peacefully in an animal hospital.

Years went by, and Napoleon and the pigs behave like humans; such as walking on two legs and drinking whisky, while the rest of the animals' lives remain the same as before. The Seven Commandments are now induced into one principle, which says, "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others". Animal Farm has now been changed back to Manor Farm and everyone else has forgotten that the rebellion had happened. The animals witness the pigs and farmers playing a card game, and can't decide who are the humans or pigs.

The Animals
Napoleon- A fierce-looking boar who gains power as leader of Animal Farm. He rules the farm as a corrupted, totalitarian dictator, such as making the animals' working lives miserable and keeping his power and wealth to himself. He is ruthless towards his enemies, and constantly sees one of the pigs, Snowball, as a potential threat to his power.

Snowball- One of the pigs who takes part in the rebellion of Animal Farm. He challenges against Napoleon for leadership but is popular and loyal to the animals and tries to improve the Farm's environment by having a windmill constructed. After he is permanently chased off the Farm by Napoleon, he becomes forgotten by the others and rewritten as a villain.

Squealer- One of the pigs who is Napoleon's second-in-command and his propagandist. He convinces the animals that the pigs are working hard in everyone's best interest, and also gives out false statistics that makes the others believe in him what he says. Whenever the pigs disobey the Animalism principles, he defends it by using his powerful, energetic speaking style the best way possible.

Boxer- A cart-horse. He is a strong believer in the revolution and is always loyal and determined. He uses his strength and dedication to help build the windmill and be a faithful follower to Napoleon. He trusts the pigs in everything they say and that problems can be solved by hard-work and perseverance.

Old Major- An elderly, prize-winning boar. At the beginning of the story, he tells the farm animals about his dream of freedom and revolution, and is the one who convinces them to take part in the rebellion. He creates the ideas of Animal Farm and originates the principles of Animalism. He dies shortly after his announced his plans of rebellion.

Clover- Another cart-house at Manor Farm who is a close companion to Boxer. She is supportive and devoted to the Revolution, but she witnesses the pigs' corruption and isn't smart enough to resist it. She also serves as a motherly figure to the others animals.

Benjamin- An elderly, cynical donkey. He is as clever and intelligent as the pigs but refuses to take part in their revolution, especially when he senses things are about to go wrong. His personality doesn't become infected by the Animal Farm rebellion and believes life remains the same afterwards.

Mollie- One of the mares who once pulled Mr. Jones' cart. She enjoyed being pampered and looked after, and wearing ribbons in her mane. She misses her old lifestyle once Animal Farm is formed and later flees from the Farm to find a different life elsewhere.

Moses- A tame raven who tells the animals stories of a heavenly place called Sugarcandy Mountain, where the animals would supposedly go to after their death.

Muriel- A goat who reads out loud the Seven Commandments whenever Clover suspects of the pigs' corruption and tyranny.

Minimus- One of the pigs who writes propagandist songs and poems dedicated to Animal Farm and Napoleon.

Bluebell, Jessie and Pincher- The dogs of Animal Farm. Jessie and Bluebell gave birth to some puppies, but Napoleon takes the puppies in to "educate" them and make them his guard dogs.

The Humans
Mr. Jones- The owner of Manor Farm. He is often drunk and neglectful to his livestock. The animals managed to overthrow him by running him off the property and claiming it as their own.

Mr. Frederick- A farmer who is the owner of Pinchfield, a neighbouring farm. Napoleon tries to look at him for help, but Mr. Frederick ends up betraying him by swindling him and trying to sabotage Animal Farm.

Mr. Pilkington- Another farmer who owns Foxwood, also a neighbouring farm. He is bitter enemies with Mr. Frederick but is a close ally to Napoleon.

Mr. Whymper- A human solicitor who Napoleon uses to represent Animal Farm to human society and to the outside world.

Writing History/Reception
George Orwell first began work of Animal Farm in 1943-44, during WWII and the UK's alliance with the Soviet Union against Nazi Germany. The story was inspired by the events of the Russian Revolution in 1917 that was written by Orwell's point of view. It involved with barnyard animals rebelling and overthrowing their human master and establishing a dystopian society of their own that were based on the figures of the Revolution. The novella was rejected by 4 publishers since the Soviets were at war with Germany at the time, and the story was deemed controversial. They also worried that publishing the novel would be offensive towards Britain's Russian allies.

On August 17th, 1945, Animal Farm was finally published, selling out 4,500 copes in two weeks and becoming a success in both England and the United States. It was met with mostly positive reviews, with some critics praising its intelligent writing on satire and moral values, which would later make Orwell an inspirational writer. Other reviewers, such as George Soules of New Republic, criticized it for being 'clumsy' and a disappointment. Animal Farm was banned in the Soviet Union, mainly to keep their faith with their alliance with Britain and that selling the novel would receive backlash.

Power and Corruption
The majority of the animals in Animal Farm use power and corruption that made their home a wretched society. When Mr. Jones was the original owner, he was not only neglected to look after his livestock, but that he may had also been physically abusive towards them to have power and violence over them. After the animals use their own power to take over the farm, they fight back again Mr. Jones and his men by physically kicking them off their property. But as time went by, the animals, mostly the pigs, become corrupted from the power they have to manipulate and exploit the animals with their leadership. An example includes Squealer and the dogs being used by Napoleon to intimidate fear and lies to the animals, especially when the animals asked questions about the windmill. Another example is when the Seven Commandments of Animalism are established, they were usually meant to represent that all animals are equal and to protect their rights. But as the Commandments underwent major changes, the pigs use their corruption to persuade the others that they are right and it is how it has always been. Overall, the evolution of the Commandments causes the pigs to be consumed by corruption.

Totalitarianism
Just like 1984, Orwell used totalitarianism in Animal Farm as a description of how it could easily to corrupt communism. The premise of the novella was for the animals to create their own utopia without humans and be more equal. However, as the story progresses, the leaders of Animal Farm, including Napoleon, have lost their equality and become more corrupt and hypocritical. Compared to Hitler’s Nazi Germany and Stalin’s USSR, Napoleon dictates his empire with an iron fist. He displays the Seven Commandments as propaganda, and has several other pigs such as Squealer to defend him and justify his actions. Old Major’s final wish was for animals to live free from humans, but should have realized about the dangers Napoleon had placed in his own society. Orwell also used this theme to explain the harsh truth about totalitarianism and how leaders like Napoleon abuse their power until they become corrupt themselves.

Power of Language
The pigs use the power of language and eloquence to manipulate and take control over Animal Farm. With the power of their words, they were able to banish Mr. Jones from the farm and allow Napoleon to take over. Prior to the main events, the pigs spent most of their time educating them about speech and language, including coming up with the main principles of what would be called Animalism. They also attempt to educate the animals by reading, but only a few of them manage to become fully literate. Language would cause the pigs to slowly abuse their power, such as when they broke the important rule “Four Legs Good, Two Legs Bad”, when they somehow taught themselves how to walk on their hind legs. Without words and languages, the rebellion would have likely never been established and Napoleon’s disastrous reign wouldn’t have happened either. But with the power of Napoleon’s words, he had managed to have the gullible animals fall under his control and his own power of language. By the end of the novel, the language theme became more understandable in every sense, especially when they ended up creating the famous principle “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”.

Tyranny
In Animal Farm, Orwell used tyranny as a result of the consequences when one abuses their leadership. The animals have attempted to build a democracy to improve their lifestyles, but ends up going awry due to the pigs' tyrannical actions. Napoleon depicts tyranny much like his inspiration Joseph Stalin, whose corrupt dictatorship in Soviet Russia caused millions to starve and live in poverty; those who opposed Stalin were arrested and executed. Napoleon ruled Animal Farm with an iron fist, and with his tyrannical behaviour, he did some heinous actions such as training innocent puppies into vicious guard dogs, selling his loyal cart house to a glue maker, and thriving in his own lavish lifestyle while the rest of the animals lived the opposite. Old Major had convinced Napoleon to not pursue tyranny, but mainly to handle his dictatorship in order to make his dream come true. Napoleon evidently did not listen to the guidelines given to him, and to make matters worse, he subsequently becomes a lot like Mr. Jones, who mistreats and neglects his own comrades. In addition, the naïve, gullible animals were responsible for causing the tyranny as they cannot understand the basics of creating a utopia where all animals are meant to be equal, such as attempting to be more literate and living without humans.

Animal Farm
Originally called Manor Farm, it was later renamed Animal Farm before being changed back to its original name at the end of the novel. Symbolizes the communism of the Soviet Union, as well as a human society run by animals, whenever it is capitalist, socialist, fascist or communist.

Names
A majority of the characters’ names represent different historical figures and events from history; mostly the Soviet Union. Mr. Jones symbolizes the Russian Tsar and the falling aristocracy in Russia; his name is one of the most common English surnames, meaning he symbolizes any human. Old Major symbolizes revolutionaries Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin; Major’s name is also used for the most highest ranking officials in the army. Napoleon symbolizes Soviet leader Joseph Stalin; as well as his name based from French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, who was a powerful ruler. Snowball symbolizes revolutionary Leon Trotsky; his name, associated with winter fun, could also represent fragility and safety.

The Barn
The Barn, where the Seven Commandments are displayed, (as well as the pigs' revisions of their Farm) symbolizes the consciousness of the working-class animals and the animals' vision of building their society.

The Windmill
A structure the animals spent gruelling hours constructing, the windmill symbolizes industry of the Soviet Union. The pigs manipulate the animals into building the windmill by making some promises of food and warmth. Instead, Boxer and the animals experience back-breaking labour, while the pigs make money off the construction and thrive in their own lifestyle.

Foreshadowing

 * Old Major tells the animals during his speech, "You young porkers who are sitting in front of me, everyone one of you will scream your lives out at the block within a year." Instead of being killed at Mr. Jones' butcher "block", it foreshadows Napoleon executing the animals at his execution "block".
 * Napoleon's dogs attack Boxer but survives. Foreshadows Napoleon's decision to not only have Boxer sold to a glue factory and potentially killed, but also the fate of the other aging animals as Napoleon betrays his former comrades by tricking them into believing they will retire peacefully.
 * Mollie the mare questions if she would be able to thrive in her old lifestyle during the rebellion, such as eating sugar and wearing ribbons, and isn't convinced when Snowball says ribbons are the badge of slavery. Foreshadows her disappearing from Animal Farm and living a new life on a different farm.
 * After Animal Farm, the cows' milk disappears and the text hints that Napoleon drank most of it. Foreshadows his ruthless betrayal on the farm.