Rebellion and Repression: Animal Farm by George Orwell

The 1917 Russian Revolution, which saw the tsarist reign overthrown and the Bolsheviks take power, as well as the revolution's gradual betrayal of its followers by Stalin, are allegorized by English novelist George Orwell in his short novel Animal Farm. Orwell narrates a farmyard tale in which the revolutionary leaders Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, and Stalin are portrayed as pigs which, together with other common farm animals like horses and chickens, struggle against the oppressive regime of Mr. Jones, a farmer who resembles a tsar. The story, which takes place on a small English farm, centers on a group of laboring animals that, while the pigs continue to take advantage of them, work cruelly every day, thinking they are establishing a republic on the farm.

The animals of Manor Farm are gathered for a conference in the large barn by Old Major, an elderly boar. He shares with them a dream he had in which all animals coexisted without interference from humans. He teaches the animals a song called "Beasts of England," in which he describes his dream vision lyrically and informs them that they must strive toward creating such a paradise. The animals enthusiastically welcome Major's vision. Three younger pigs, Snowball, Napoleon, and Squealer, develop his main ideas into a philosophy known as Animalism when he passes away just three nights after their meeting.

One late night, the animals fight their way to victory against Mr. Jones, the farmer, and drive him off the land. The carriage horse, Boxer, gives everything to the cause, dedicating his immense strength to the farm's success while maintaining his personal motto, "I will work harder.". The property is renamed Animal Farm, and the pigs take command. The saying “Four legs good, two legs bad" and the Seven Commandments are written on the side of the barn:

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.

Animal Farm prospers at first. While Napoleon brings a group of young puppies to learn about the ideas of Animalism, Snowball teaches the animals how to read. The animals overcome Mr. Jones once more when he returns to reclaim his property in what is known as the Battle of the Cowshed, taking the farmer's abandoned gun as a sign of their triumph. But as time goes on, Napoleon and Snowball start arguing more and more over the farm's future, and they start to compete with one another for control over the other animals. Napoleon vehemently opposes Snowball's proposal to construct a windmill that can generate power.

Snowball delivers a passionate statement during the meeting to decide whether to move forward with the project. Napoleon only responds briefly, but then he makes an odd noise, and nine attack dogs—the puppies Napoleon had taken to "educate"—blow into the barn and drive Snowball away from the property. After taking over as Animal Farm's leader, Napoleon announces that there won't be any more meetings. He claims that from then on, the pigs alone would decide everything—for the benefit of all animals.

“No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?”

Napoleon has second thoughts about the windmill, and the animals work hard to finish it, Boxer most of all. The animals discover the windmill overturned one day during a storm. The arrogant human farmers in the neighborhood state that the walls are too thin because of the animals, but Napoleon says that Snowball came back to the property to destroy the windmill. He organizes a massive purge in which all animals that are thought to have taken part in Snowball's grand conspiracy—that is, any animal that challenges Napoleon's unquestionable leadership—instantly perish at the hands of the attack dogs.

The pigs, and Napoleon in particular, come to represent political power in three ways. First, they take an increasing share of the farms' resources. They begin by stealing milk and apples before finally selling animal items to purchase human pleasures such as whiskey. Second, the pigs get increasingly aggressive, establishing a dog police force and ordering killings. Third, the pigs claim the ability to judge what is true. Squealer alters the Commandments of Animalism and the Battle of the Cowshed. Meanwhile, the animals gradually realize that their circumstances are no better than before the Rebellion.

Squealer sprawls at the foot of the end wall of the big barn where the Seven Commandments were written (ch. viii) – preliminary artwork for a 1950 strip cartoon by Norman Pett and Donald Freeman

The story follows a typical pattern that emphasizes the sorrow of continuing to believe in a revolution that has been betrayed. For instance, Snowball is decorated as an "Animal Hero, First Class" for standing out in the fight against Jones when the animals take part in the Battle of the Cowshed. Later, Napoleon introduces contradicting elements to the history, claiming that Snowball actually battled alongside Jones against the animals. The skilled manipulator Squealer, tells the animals that their memories are false when they reject the new narrative. This recurring occurrence of firsthand experience being replaced by revisionist propaganda highlights the tragedy of ordinary people who disregard their better judgment, enabling a totalitarian regime to impose a false reality.

“They had come to a time when no one dared speak his mind, when fierce, growling dogs roamed everywhere, and when you had to watch your comrades torn to pieces after confessing to shocking crimes.”

Boxer has adopted a second motto, "Napoleon is always right," with his leadership remaining unquestioned. Napoleon starts to expand his authority and alter the history to paint Snowball as a villain. In addition, Napoleon starts to behave more and more like a normal person—sleeping in a bed, sipping whiskey, and conducting business with nearby farmers. Although Squealer, Napoleon's propagandist, convinces the other animals that Napoleon is a great leader and is improving things for everyone—despite the fact that the common animals are cold, hungry, and overworked—the original Animalist principles strictly forbade such activities.

Napoleon is deceived by a nearby farmer named Mr. Frederick into buying some timber. After that, the farmer assaults the property and blows out the windmill, which was restored at considerable expense. Following the windmill's destruction, an intense conflict breaks out, in which Boxer sustains serious injuries. The farmers get driven by the animals, but Boxer is weakened by his wounds. He realizes that his time is almost over when he trips and collapses later on while working on the windmill. One day, Boxer vanishes from sight. Squealer reports that Boxer was brought to the hospital and, before passing away, breathed his last in praise of the Rebellion. In reality, Napoleon has exchanged his most devoted and patient employee in order to obtain funds for whisky.

“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.”

As the years go by in Animal Farm, the pigs start to resemble people more and more—they start to walk straight, carry whips, and wear clothes. The Seven Commandments written on the barn's side eventually amount to only one, which states that "all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." During a meal, Napoleon hosts a human farmer named Mr. Pilkington and announces his intention to form an alliance with the farmer against the working classes in both human and animal societies. Additionally, he renames Animal Farm as the Manor Farm, asserting that this is the "true" name. The common animals can no longer distinguish between the pigs and the humans as they look in through the farmhouse window at the rich celebration.

 The ability of common people to maintain faith in a revolution that has been completely deceived is the main topic of Animal Farm. It aims to expose the ways in which the democratic promise of the revolution is undermined by those in authority—Napoleon and his fellow pigs. The common animals naively volunteer to work for the very system that cruelly takes advantage of them. Boxer, one of the two cart horses that are among the pigs' "most devoted disciples," is an example of this. After accepting the pigs as their instructors, the horses "had great difficulty in thinking anything out for themselves, but they absorbed everything that was told, and passed it on to the other animals.”.

Bibliography

Animal Farm – George Orwell

"Animal Farm: An Overview." Gale Essential Overviews: Scholarly, Gale, 2015.

 Animal Farm Full Book Analysis