“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.