Animal Farm

Introduction

Animal farm is a story written by George Orwell in which the animals rebel against the farm's owner, and they start running the farm by themselves. However, this will not be an easy task, as you will see in the book. Although simply written, the book actually has a lot of meaning. It is supposed to parallel the Russian Revolution in many ways.

Main Characters

• Napoleon
  

  Napoleon is a pig who manages to, through cunning ways, gain power of the farm, and kick out his rivals.
  

• Snowball
  

  Snowball is another pig on the farm. He is a good leader, but he is expelled by Napoleon's dogs.
  

• Boxer
  

  Boxer is an extremely strong horse who is a source of inspiration for the animals, but he is sent to be slaughtered by Napoleon when he grows old and becomes weak.
  

• Benjamin
  

  Benjamin is a donkey on the farm. He is the longest living animal on the farm.
  

Detailed Analysis of Characters

Napoleon

• Greedy
  
  • He steals the milk from the hens to drink.
    
• Cunning
  
  • He breeds the puppies secretly, and trains them to become fierce dogs, and uses them to chase away, or scare other animals who are against him.
    
• Vain
  
  • He has a chicken cluck every time he leaves the farm house.
    
• Manipulative
  
  • He lies that Snowball destroyed the windmill even though it is his fault that the windmill is not properly built.
    
  • He lies that Snowball was all along Jones's agent, so that the animals will hate him.
    
• Determined
  
  • He continues building the windmill, even after it is destroyed.
    

Snowball

• Leadership qualities
  
  • He organises many committees.
    
  • He skillfully led the animals in to victory in the Battle of the Cowshed.
    
• Good speaker
  
  • He wins his votes by giving better speeches.
    
• Brave
  
  • He is in the forefront of the fight in the Battle of the Cowshed, and he continues the attack even after being injured by Jones's gun.
    
• Task-oriented
  
  • Snowball is knowledgeable about field-drains, silage, and basic slag. He even works out a complicated scheme for the animals to be more effective in their work. The windmill that is later built is based on Snowball's plans.
    

Boxer

• Hardworking
  
  • He wakes up earlier than other animals to work.
    
  • He decided to spend his time after retiring learning the alphabet
    
• Helpful
  
  • He always helps the animals in need.
    
• Follower
  
  • His motto' Napoleon is always right' shows that he just follows whatever Napoleon says or orders him to do.
    
• Kind-hearted
  
  • He feels very sad when he thinks that he has killed the stable boy in the Battle of the Cowshed.
    

Benjamin

• Unenthusiastic
  
  • He never laughs and says he sees nothing to laugh at
    
  • He continues working in the same slow way as he did in Jones time    
    
• Passive
  
  • He never volunteer or do extra work
    
• Negative
  
  • He makes cynical remarks
    
  • He comments that regardless of the presence of the windmill, life will still go on badly.
    

Comparison of Characters

Napoleon	Snowball
In Common: Both Napoleon and Snowball are pigs who are more intelligent than other animals on the farm. They both are popular with the animals in the beginning. Both of them possess leadership qualities.
Difference: Napoleon is much more cunning and manipulative. He accuses Snowball for all the misdeeds, and makes all the animals believe Snowball is a traitor. Napoleon has better foresight. He predicts that he will need the dog's help to gain control. Snowball only focuses on the task at hand, such as designing the windmill.

 

Boxer	Benjamin
In Common: Both are loyal followers, they hardly challenge the rules set by Napoleon, hence both are not prosecuted by Napoleon. Both are manual workers, they do not use their brain much in the process of working.
Difference: Boxer is much more enthusiastic and single- minded. His two slogans , 'I will work harder' and ' Napoleon is always right'. Boxer is more hardworking and helpful, he wakes up earlier to work. He even helps in other's duties. Benjamin is more clear- minded, he seems to know and understand what is going on in the farm, although he never openly says so.

 

Reasons Why Napoleon gained Power

• He is intelligent and becomes one of the early leaders after the Jones are thrown out.
  
• He has good foresight. He keeps and trains the puppies from the beginning.
  
• He has control of the dogs which are like armies in human world, the presence of these dogs scares away other animals who may challenge his power.
  
• He is a very good speaker. He can talk graphically and is so convincing that other animals believe him even though what he says is not true.
  
• He is shameless. He has no qualms of claiming all the credit, and pushing all the blame to Snowball.
  
• He is ruthless. He prosecutes all animals who question his authority.
  
• He knows the importance of propaganda and picks the right person, Squealer, to be his mouth-piece.
  
• He is practical. Even though he dislikes humans, he continues to trade with them in order to get the machinery for the windmill.
  

The Seven Commandants

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.
   

Imaginary Scenario

• Boxer, Clover, and a few hens are concerned that Commandment 3, 'no animal shall wear clothes', is broken, as the pigs are seen wearing clothes in their farmhouse. They are talking about this at the barn, when Squealer comes by.
  
• Squealer is a pig that is the mouth-piece of Napoleon. He has his way to explain any changes made to the Seven Commandments.
  
• I try to use the methods and words Squealer uses in the story book. I think Squealer might have said the following to explain away the changes
  

Squealer's speech

Comrades! You do not think, I hope, that we pigs are doing this out of vanity, or that is a privilege to us pigs. Many of us dislike wearing clothes. I dislike it myself. It makes our skin itch. Our sole objective in wearing clothes is to look presentable to the humans. If we do not wear clothes, do you know what the humans will think of us? They would look down on us! Surely, my comrades, you do not want them to look down on us?

Hope you enjoyed this review. Animal Farm is a good book that you should read. Although simple, it is unparalleled in its depth and meaning.