By George Orwell
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May be read on four levels:
(1) An entertaining animal story, fable, or (as
Orwell himself called it) a fairy story.
(2) A history of the development of
Communist theory under Lenin and Stalin.
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(3) A history of Russia including its foreign
relations from the October Revolution (1917)
to the uneasy relationship between Russia
and the Western democracies as the Second
World War drew to its close (1944-45).
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(4) An account of the way revolutions are
made and subsequently corrupted, of the way
men form political societies and exercise
power in those societies, and finally, an
illustration of the famous dictum on the
nineteenth-century British historian Lord
Acton: “Power corrupts, and absolute power
corrupts absolutely.”
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Satire – a literary work holding up human
vices and follies to ridicule or scorn with the
goal of improving human institutions.
Fable – a story in which animals speak and
act like human beings.
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But “fable” can also mean “a story which was once
believed but has since turned out to be untrue.”
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Animal Farm is thus a fable of Communist
revolutionary ideology; part of its structure
involves a movement by certain animals on the
farm away from that which was believed to be
objectively true (Marxist ideology, on which the
Russian Revolution was presumably based),
toward the weakening and ultimate death of
belief in such ideology, and finally its
replacement by a sham used to keep the less
intelligent members of its community from
finding out the truth.
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Orwell never uses the words Communism,
Russia, Germany, Marx, Stalin, Lenin, or
Trotsky.
How do we know that he meant for readers to
draw political meaning out of the story?
First of all, the similarities are too strong to
ignore. (Isn’t there a disclaimer at the
beginning of South Park that says the show is
not about real people?)
Secondly, Orwell stated himself that he meant
the book to have a political purpose.
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One of his purposes in using beasts is to portray
that the actions of men in their political
communities are often no better than beasts.
Orwell’s satire is less pessimistic than Jonathon
Swift’s in Gulliver’s Travels. Swift comes across in
some places as being completely disgusted with
humanity.
Man’s follies and his almost limitless capacity for
being duped and tricked are both funny and
tragic to Orwell, but in Animal Farm he keeps the
humor and tragedy in balance.
1984 has less humor.
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Orwell reduces the history of the Russian
Revolution and the historical characters and
events down to the scale of a farmyard.
He wants the readers to take a closer look at
the politics and the consequences of
Communism (anywhere – not just in Russia).
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Manor Farm = Imperial Russia prior to 1917.
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Mr. Jones = The Tsar (Nicholas II, the last
Tsar of Russia who was executed by the
Russian revolutionaries in 1918).
An incompetent ruler, he has lost control of
the farm. He must be replaced, according to
Major, but who will replace him?
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Major = Karl Marx + Vladimir Lenin.
Talks about the oppressed condition of the
animals (the workers) and introduces them to
a new and stirring revolutionary song, “Beasts
of England” (which represents the Communist
Internationale).
Arise ye prisoners of starvation
Arise ye toilers of the earth
For reason thunders new creation
`Tis a better world in birth.
Never more traditions' chains shall bind us
Arise ye toilers no more in thrall
The earth shall rise on new foundations
We are but naught we shall be all.
Chorus
Then comrades, come rally
And the last fight let us face
The Internationale
Unites the human race.
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Karl Marx (1818-1883) – Prime theoretician
of Communism and proletarian (laboring
class) revolution.
Wrote The Communist Manifesto.
The first line is this: “The history of all
hitherto existing society is the history of class
struggles.”
Another famous quote: “From each according
to his ability, to each according to his needs.”
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Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924) – Saw the
Revolution into being but rules Russia after
the Revolution for less than seven years,
dying prematurely at age 53 and leaving to
others the task of completing the work of the
revolutionary government.
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Major’s speech sounds very Marxist.
The animals (the workers, “proletariat”) are
the only producers, while man (the
bourgeoisie, or middle class) consumes
without producing.
Man enslaves animals. (What would Marx
think?)
The animals should therefore revolt against
man and his domination.
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Major: “Even when you have conquered man,
do not adopt his vices.”
(Marx wanted to remove the class system and
instate a form of government where all were
equal.)
Major: “All animals are equal.”
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1. What is significant about how the animals
arrange themselves as they gather to hear
Major? What might this arrangement say
about future meetings or events?
2. According to Major, what is the cause of all
the animals' problems?
3. What motto does Major give the animals?
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4. What are the commandments Major gives
the animals? Can you think of ways each of
them could be considered a vice?
5. Why do the animals like the song "Beasts of
England" so much that they memorize it on
the spot? To what emotions and needs does
it appeal?
6. What's the name of the farm?
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7. In one word, what is Old Major's message
to the animals?
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8. Who were voted in as comrades?
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9. Who was the farmer?
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10. What did the singing do?
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Manor Farm
→
Animal Farm
Russia
→
Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics (U.S.S.R.)
Communism → Animalism
◦ Napoleon, Snowball, and Squealer elaborate Major’s
teachings into a complete code of behavior and
system of thought which they call Animalism.
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Moses tells the animals of a shadowy nevernever land called Sugarcandy Mountain, to
which the animals go when they die –
meanwhile, they should continue to work
uncomplainingly for their human masters.
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Moses = Orthodox Church which was
disestablished in Russia after the downfall of
the Tsar. (The pigs manage to argue most of
the animals out of belief in such doctrines,
and when Jones is driven off the farm, Moses
goes after him flapping his wings.)
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Karl Marx: “Religion is the opium of the
people.”
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Mollie – Still hopes to be able to wear a
ribbon, as she likes ribbons. Snowball
cautions her that ribbons are clothing and the
mark of human beings. She discards the
ribbon, but is not really convinced.
Mollie = petty bourgeoisie that fled from
Russia a few years after the Russian
Revolution.
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Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings,
is a friend.
No animal shall wear clothes.
No animal shall sleep in a bed.
No animal shall drink alcohol.
No animal shall kill any other animal.
All animals are equal.
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What happens to it? This is the first of many
unexplained events. We don’t know, but we
can guess. Pretty obviously, the pigs have
disposed of it, either by selling it or more
likely consuming it themselves. The pigs are
emerging as the leaders.
Remember what Lord Acton said – “Power
corrupts, and absolute power corrupts
absolutely.” Basically, with power comes
corruption. Keep an eye on the pigs.
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1. After Major's death what happens to the
idea of rebelling against man?
2. Why don’t the pigs like the pet raven
Moses' stories about Sugarcandy Mountain?
3. What causes the animals to finally rebel
against Mr. Jones and his four farmhands?
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4. When the humans have been chased from
the farm, what do the animals do?
5. What do the animals do to the farmhouse?
6. How does the behavior of the pigs
foreshadow their eventual leadership
positions?
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7. What two pigs were emerging as leaders?
Describe each of them.
8. What name did they give to old major's
teachings?
9. What animal committed the first rebellious
act? What did he or she do?
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10. What had the pigs taught themselves to
do? How?
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11. What was the name of the farm?
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12. List the Seven Commandments.
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The new society is supposedly classless,
which is the kind of society Marx imagines as
the goal of Communism.
But even this early, the pigs seem aloof from
the others. Instead of actually working, they
“directed and supervised the others.”
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They are the self-appointed leaders in a
society of “comrades” where there should be
no leaders.
They alone are the ones who present the
resolutions.
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Most of the animals are much happier than
they were under human control. Almost all
work harder, and the harvest is done more
quickly and is much more abundant.
Most of the animals are happy to work more.
Boxer starts getting up earlier and does the
work of three horses. Remember, they are
working for themselves and not for cruel
masters.
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Boxer = unthinking masses. He is extremely
loyal to the farm, but he is not clever enough
to think for himself. He is a follower but is
still valuable because of his tremendous work
capabilities.
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The cat – Vanishes at certain times in order to
avoid work. Tries to use the teachings of
Animalism to her advantage (telling birds that
all animals are equal and that they’re
welcome to perch on her paw).
Benjamin – Does exactly as he had done
under Mr. Jones, never volunteering and
never doing less. Offers no opinions.
Mollie – Gets up late and leaves work early for
trivial reasons.
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Snowball is a great organizer, but his
committees designed to educate and improve
the other animals meet with limited success.
Most can’t read for themselves, so they will
be dependent on the pigs. Many are even so
stupid that they can’t even memorize the
Seven Commandments. Snowball reduces
them down to one maxim: “Four legs good,
two legs bad.”
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It’s interesting to note that Napoleon doesn’t
even try to educate the older animals. He
focuses his attention on the young, taking the
nine new puppies away to educate them
himself. This is another unexplained event.
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Green tablecloth with a white horn and a
white hoof. Green represents green fields of
England, while the hoof and horn represent
the future republic of the animals.
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USSR’s flag – Red background with a yellow
hammer and sickle and a yellow five-pointed
star. Red represents the blood of the workers
that has been spilt in the fight for their
emancipation. The sickle represents the
peasants and the hammer represents the
workers. Notice that they are together; a
unity of peasants and workers formed the
Soviet Russian state.
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1. What further examples of the difference
between the pigs and the other animals occur
in these two chapters?
2. What are Napoleon's ideas about
education?
3. Did the pigs actually work? Discuss.
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4. How long did it take the animals to do the
harvest?
5. What was Boxer's personal motto?
6. Describe Animal Farm's flag. What did it
represent?
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7. Describe the ceremonies that took place on
Sundays.
8. What did the pigs use as their
headquarters?
9. To what extent did Boxer learn the
alphabet?
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10. What single sentence did Snowball reduce
the 7 Commandments to?
11. Who repeatedly talked to the animals on
behalf of the pigs?
12. What were the animals completely certain
of?
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Napoleon and Snowball have been spreading
the news of the Revolution to the neighboring
farms by means of pigeons, who have been
subverting the animals on those farms and
teaching them the anthem “Beasts of
England.”
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Many nations feared the spread of
Communism, including Germany, England,
and the United States, to name a few.
Luckily for Animal Farm, its two neighbors are
enemies and cannot agree even though
they’re both in danger.
Otherwise, Jones (Nicholas II) might have had
more outside help in suppressing the
Revolution.
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Mr. Pilkington of Foxwood = Winston
Churchill of England.
Pilkington is an easy-going farmer for the
most part, but he does not get along with
Frederick.
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Mr. Frederick of Pinchfield = Kaiser Wilhelm
(and Adolph Hitler) of Germany.
He is a tough, shrewd man, always involved in
lawsuits; has a name for driving hard
bargains.
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At first, the two neighbors of Animal Farm are
too busy with their own quarrel (World War I)
to pay much attention to what is going on at
Animal Farm (Hitler was not involved in World
War I).
They laugh at the experiment, but when they
see Animal Farm flourishing and when their
own herds give evidence of rebellion and
learn “Beasts of England,” they conclude that
they must take action.
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The Battle of the Cowshed corresponds to
attacks of both internal and external enemies
of the new Soviet regime.
March 3, 1918, Germany and other countries
of the Central Powers in the First World War
were battling Russia, and Russia signed the
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany, settling
temporarily with one of its enemies (at great
cost).
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In addition, there was civil war in Russia. By
August 1, 1919, Russia was deep in civil
turmoil.
White Guards (White, as opposed to Red,
armies were composed of Russians loyal to
the Tsar) were fighting inside Russia.
This war lasted four years (1917-1921), but
the White forces were finally defeated.
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Snowball = Leon Trotsky. Lenin appointed
Trotsky as Commissar of Defense, where he
founded the Red Army (Snowball leads the
animals during the Battle of the Cowshed).
Like Snowball, Trotsky was a great organizer.
He formed many committees with the goal of
improving worker production and quality of
life.
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Napoleon = Joseph Stalin. Slower than his
archrival, Snowball (Trotsky). He is not
particularly creative in ideas, but he does
know when to take over an idea from
someone else, and he knows how to control
others, as did Stalin.
He uses assistants, such as Squealer, who
may be cleverer than he is, but he knows
their limitations and how to keep them in
line.
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Napoleon is characterized by great force of
will and personality, total lack of scruples,
and some uncontrolled personal habits which
he is careful to keep out of sight of the
masses, though his trusted followers who are
dependent on his good will know about them.
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Keep in mind where each one is during the
Battle of the Cowshed.
Snowball is the tactical leader and leads the
animals in defense of Animal Farm.
Where is Napoleon?
◦ He is not mentioned once during the passage about
the battle. He wasn’t significantly involved.
Remember that.
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1. Who was sent out to tell the story of the
rebellion?
2. What two farms were beside Animal Farm?
3. What time of year did the first battle take
place?
4. What book did Snowball study in preparing
the farm's defenses?
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5. Who was killed?
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6. What animal was wounded?
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7. Which one of the humans was injured?
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8. What two military decorations were
created?
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9. What did the battle become known as?
10. What was set up at the foot of the
flagstaff?
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11. What was Snowball's part in this battle?
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12. Where is Napoleon during the battle?
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In January the animals begin to experience
hard times on the farm.
The weather was cold, and the ground was
hard like iron. Similarly, Soviet crop failures
and agricultural inefficiencies in the 1920’s
brought about severe famine in the country.
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It becomes clear that there is a major split
between Napoleon and Snowball on almost
every issue.
Snowball is the better speaker at meetings,
and he sways the animals to his side
whenever he speaks.
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But Napoleon builds up his support in
between times.
He is most successful in persuading the
sheep and using them to strengthen his
cause (they bleat “Four legs good, two legs
bad” during crucial moments in Snowball’s
speeches).
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The breaking point between Napoleon and
Snowball is the windmill.
Snowball insists that although it will not be
easy to build, it will make the animals’ lives
much easier and better in the long run.
Napoleon argues that the animals should be
focusing on food production or they may
starve.
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Windmill = Russia’s economic policy +
mechanization of agriculture
(industrialization).
Yes, it would require a lot of work, but
according to Snowball, the animals could use
the windmill to harness electric power.
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This power could be used to operate
machines, provide light, hot and cold water,
and even electric heaters, to name a few
things. In fact, he claims it would cut the
animals’ workweek down to three days.
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It becomes clear that most of the animals will
definitely side with Snowball’s plans to build
the windmill.
Just before they vote, Napoleon calls in the
dogs. These are the same dogs that he took
from Jessie and Bluebell so that he personally
see to their education.
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Hearing Napoleon’s whistle, the dogs
immediately spring at Snowball, who barely
escapes. Trotsky was exiled from Russia by
Stalin and later assassinated in 1940. Lenin
favored Trotsky over Stalin and wanted
Trotsky to succeed him.
Dogs = Stalin’s Secret Police. These dogs are
trained by Napoleon to remove his threats
and to intimidate anyone who challenges the
pig.
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A question I’d like to raise now: How long has
Napoleon been planning a move like this?
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No more debates. On Sundays, animals are
now given orders for the week. The pigs are
now in charge, presided over by Napoleon.
Plus, Napoleon announces that the windmill
will be built after all! Remember that
Napoleon (Stalin) is very good at stealing
ideas.
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The animals now have to march by Major’s
displayed skull.
After Lenin’s death in 1924, his body was
preserved in a glass coffin near the Kremlin,
where the people could file by to look upon
the founder of the Revolution.
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Boxer’s new motto is “Napoleon is always
right.” Remember, loyalty is a good thing, but
what if that loyalty is misdirected?
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1. Who disappeared? Where was she later
seen?
2. What happened at crucial moments in
Snowball's speech?
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3. What did Snowball want to build? Why?
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4. What did Napoleon do to Snowball's plans?
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5. What happened to Jessie and Bluebell's
puppies?
6. What happened to Snowball?
7. What did Napoleon announce would come
to an end?
8. What was set up on a stump at the foot of
the flagstaff?
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9. Who had a remarkable gift for composing
songs and poems?
10. Why does Mollie run away from the farm?
11. What is the importance of the dogs
accompanying Squealer when he comes to
talk to the animals?
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The animals complained about human rule
because they were essentially slaves to the
humans.
But they’re practically working as slaves now,
though they don’t realize it since they are
working for themselves and their
descendants.
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Not only do they have a sixty-hour workweek,
they are required to “volunteer” for work on
Sundays.
If they don’t volunteer, their rations are cut in
half.
Why call it volunteer? So that the animals
think that they have a choice.
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Even though the animals are working harder
than ever, the harvest is disappointing. Not
only that, but the windmill is presenting great
unforeseen difficulties.
The failure of the windmill represents the
failure of Russia’s modified economic system
designed by Lenin.
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In order to get the necessary materials, the
animals are forced to trade with humans.
Even though the Soviets had been fighting
against the Western nations that supported
Nicholas II, Lenin did engage in trade with
them in order to resist the famine.
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This violated Marx’s plans for Communism
just as trading with humans violates the
resolutions the animals agreed upon as the
basis for Animalism.
In both cases, there is little choice. What do
you do if your philosophy leads to death?
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It is rumored that Napoleon will enter into a
business deal with one of his neighbors
(Pilkington or Frederick).
Russia did negotiate both with the Allies
(England, United States) and with the Axis
powers (Germany, Italy).
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The pigs start to break the resolutions that
Major proposed: “No animal must ever live in
a house, or sleep in a bed…or touch money,
or engage in trade.”
They even begin to break the
Commandments, beginning with the fourth:
“No animal shall sleep in a bed.”
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How do they get around this?
Simple – change the rules (and deny that the
rules were different to begin with). “No
animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets.”
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Here Orwell is probably thinking more of Nazi
propaganda put into practice by Hitler and his
Propaganda Minister, Dr. Goebbels. They
believed that if a lie were repeated often and
emphatically enough, the unthinking people
would accept it as true.
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This is Squealer’s job: repeat the lie (and
intimidate those who really do know the
truth) until everyone accepts the lies as truth
and, in most cases, actually comes to believe
the lies.
And always remember that if these things
don’t happen, Jones is sure to come back!
And you don’t want Jones to come back, do
you?
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Why does Napoleon blame the collapse of the
windmill on Snowball?
For a couple reasons:
First, he removes all blame from himself. If
it’s an outsider’s fault, it can’t be because
Napoleon didn’t ascertain how thick the walls
should really be.
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Second, he unites the animals behind him.
Now, despite any differences between the
animals on Animal Farm, they all have a
common enemy against which to fight.
According to Orwell, all totalitarians need a
scapegoat for these very reasons.
Why do the animals believe him so promptly?
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Mainly because Boxer, the animal that is most
respected on the farm, believes every word
Napoleon says (“Napoleon is always right”).
Also, they’re used to Napoleon’s dogs
following him around and growling whenever
anyone disagrees with him.
He rules by utilizing fear, just like Stalin,
Hitler, Mussolini, Mao Tse-tung, and Saddam
Hussein.
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1. What did Napoleon announce about
volunteer work? What was the penalty for not
volunteering?
2. How did the animals deal with the huge
boulders?
3. What were Boxer's two slogans?
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4. What new policy did Napoleon decide upon
in order to get necessary materials for the
farm?
5. Who was hired to handle the affairs of
Animal Farm?
6. What sight brought a certain pride to the
animals?
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7. What commandment did the pigs break?
How did they cover it up?
8. Which animal refused to grow enthusiastic
about the windmill?
9. What happened to the windmill? Why does
Napoleon blame Snowball?
10. What did Napoleon offer for the capture
of Snowball?
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The animals are experiencing continuing food
shortages, causing them to impose corn and
potato ration reductions.
Even though they’re suffering these
shortages, the outside world must not know
(it would add truth to the rumors the humans
have been spreading).
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Napoleon contrives a way to counter the
rumors of famine.
By filling the food bins most of the way with
sand and then topping them off with food, he
gives Mr. Whymper the impression that
Animal Farm is quite prosperous.
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Napoleon sets up a deal with Whymper to sell
400 eggs a week. The revenue created from
these sales will keep the farm prosperous up
until summer comes, bringing easier working
conditions.
One problem: the hens do not agree to this
solution and resist Napoleon’s plan by
dropping their eggs from the rafters, making
it impossible for the eggs to be sold (if I can’t
have them, no one will).
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Napoleon decides to cut their rations
completely, starving them into submission.
After nine hens die of starvation, the rest
submit to Napoleon’s agreement.
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Snowball.
Now he’s blamed for everything. Not only did
he single-handedly topple the windmill, he
also has been appearing on the farm at night.
He’s guilty of such deeds as stealing corn,
dumping milk pails, breaking eggs, trampling
seedbeds, and destroying fruit trees.
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In fact, he’s apparently behind every problem
that occurs on Animal Farm.
Again, Napoleon is using Snowball as a
scapegoat in order to remove the blame for
all these blunders from himself.
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Squealer keeps reporting lies about
Snowball’s treacheries. He even distorts
Snowball’s and Napoleon’s actions at the
Battle of the Cowshed.
According to him, Snowball was a traitor and
was working for Jones from the beginning.
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In fact, the only reason the animals were
victorious is due to the fact that Napoleon
valiantly saved the day by inspiring the
animals with his cry: “Death to Humanity!”
and by biting into Jones’ leg.
Squealer has been repeating similar lies for a
long time, and so emphatically, that the
animals are actually beginning to believe
them despite that their memories recorded
the events differently.
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Hitler and Dr. Goebbels would be very proud.
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Napoleon starts to kill off his opponents,
starting with the four pigs that initially spoke
out when Napoleon abolished the Sunday
Meetings, then also including three hens, a
goose, and three sheep.
All the “traitors” are killed on the spot, and all
the onlookers are so shocked, none of them
realize that a second Commandment has
been broken (number six).
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This symbolizes Stalin’s purge trials of the
late 1930’s. A similar thing from Napoleon’s
and Stalin’s purges is that the “traitors”
confessed to outrageous crimes.
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Some speculate that Stalin’s enemies
confessed because they feared torture.
Incredibly, more and more came forward!
Because Stalin (and Napoleon) demanded
unwavering loyalty, many people’s loyalty to
Russia was so intense, they became their own
accusers!
Those Soviets, like these animals, were so
brainwashed they actually believed they
deserved to be punished.
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
At the end of the chapter, Squealer
announces that “Beasts of England” should no
longer be sung.
Remember, that is a song of the Rebellion. It
calls for a better future and revolt. The pigs
no longer want the animals to revolt.
The new song is supposed to instill firm
loyalty to Animal Farm – as it is.



1. How was the building of the windmill going
to be different?
2. How did the animals attempt to fool Mr.
Whymper?
3. Why were the hens upset? What do they do
to revolt?




4. What rumor was circulating about
Snowball?
5. Who was said to be in league with
Snowball?
6. Who had difficulty believing Snowball was a
threat?
7. What did Napoleon award himself?

8. Which animals were the first killed by
Napoleon?

9. What happened to "Beasts of England"?

10. Who wrote the new song?

11. Explain why the animals confessed to
being traitors. Or is there any explanation?


At the beginning of the chapter, Squealer
reads off papers citing that the farm’s
production is increasing, saying that sections
are producing at 200, 300, or even 500
percent better productivity.
The animals say that they’d rather have fewer
figures and more food. These are just more
lies that Squealer wants the common workers
to accept.


Two Commandments are changed in this
chapter. The Sixth Commandment: “No
animal shall kill any other animal” has the
words “without cause” added.
And the Fifth Commandment: “No animal
shall drink alcohol” has the words “to excess”
added to it.

The astonishing thing is that Squealer is
caught changing the wording of the
Commandments in the middle of the night,
and the animals, with the exception of the
taciturn Benjamin, do not figure it out! Why
not?


Orwell’s point is that truth is whatever the
leader (whether it’s one person or a group)
says it is.
Orwell wrote, in his essay “Politics and the
English Language,” that this idea – the
relativity and changeability of truth –
bothered him more than bombs or bayonets.


Napoleon engages in negotiations with
Frederick (Germany) and Pilkington (England).
At first he leans toward Pilkington because
the animals are more afraid of Frederick, who
is believed to be far more brutal in his
treatment of animals.
Suddenly, Napoleon veers toward Frederick
and agrees to sell the timber to him.

But the money Frederick uses to buy the
wood is counterfeit, and in the same moment
as the animals find out this deception,
Frederick attacks the farm and dynamites the
new windmill.


In 1941, Stalin did sign a non-aggression
pact with Hitler, to the dismay of many of his
supporters and even his enemies.
This pact was as worthless as the counterfeit
money Frederick gave to Napoleon, for Hitler
and the Nazis attacked Russia very soon
afterwards and wreaked havoc on the U.S.S.R.


Napoleon ordered his propaganda-carrying
pigeons to stay away from whichever
neighboring farm he wasn’t currently
negotiating with, and he switched back and
forth a few times.
Similarly, Stalin had negotiated with the
English about allying, and then he switched to
siding with Germany.


When he was double-crossed by the Nazis in
June 1941, Stalin loudly called for English
help.
The difference is that Stalin got help from
England, while Napoleon got a message
saying, “Serves you right,” from Pilkington.

The Battle of the Windmill corresponds with
the Nazi attack on Russia.


The drunken party and the setting up of a
winery at the end of the chapter represent the
special privileges, which the leaders of
Animal Farm have assumed with no authority
from the “comrades.”
So it is, Orwell implies, and so it will always
be, that once a revolution is made and
leaders get into power, they will be corrupted
and will seek special privileges.

If you learn only one thing from reading this
book, let it be Lord Acton’s quote: “Power
corrupts, and absolute power corrupts
absolutely.”




1. How was the sixth Commandment
changed?
2. What titles did the pigs invent for
Napoleon?
3. What poem did Minimus write in honor of
Napoleon?
4. What terrible stories concerning Mr.
Frederick were circulating around the farm?




5. What name was given to the windmill?
6. Why was Napoleon upset with Mr.
Frederick?
7. What battle took place in this chapter?
8. Did the animals win the battle? Why or Why
not?




9. What new decoration did Napoleon create?
10. How was the fifth Commandment
changed?
11. What purpose is served by the production
figures Squealer reads to the animals?
12. How is Napoleon becoming more and
more like a typical dictator?


13. Why are the animals so easily fooled, even
when they find Squealer with a ladder and
white paint beside the barn at night?
14. What makes the battle against
Fredericks's men different from the Battle of
Cowshed?


Even though Squealer is always ready to recite
lists of production “victories,” still the fact is
that rations are once more reduced, except
for the rations of pigs and their guards, the
dogs.
One class of exploiters (humans) has simply
been replaced by another (pigs). The
ordinary inhabitants of the farm, Orwell says,
have seen little or no improvement in their
lives.


It’s interesting how Squealer uses
euphemisms to make the changes sound
better: He calls the reductions in rations
“readjustments.” On a side note, used cars
used to be called “used cars.” Now they’re
called “pre-owned cars.” This happens all the
time.
Not only do the pigs suffer no ration
“readjustment,” they also are allotted a
quantity of beer every day (and Napoleon gets
even more).


The animals are now forced to participate in
“Spontaneous Demonstrations” that are
anything but spontaneous.
These are designed to be morale-boosting
celebrations, where the animals are reminded
of how great their leader is and what he’s
done for them. These types of things easily
fool idiots.


When Animal Farm becomes a republic, it
becomes necessary to hold elections to
induct its president.
The catch is that there is only one candidate
running for this office: Napoleon – big
surprise there. All of his enemies seem to
end up chased off the farm or killed.

Either no one wants to run against him since
everyone is so brainwashed and convinced
that he’s the best thing that ever happened to
Animal Farm, or everyone is too afraid for his
or her life (understandably so) to run against
him. Think about Saddam Hussein’s
elections; just one candidate there, him.


In return for Boxer’s lifetime of hard work
and service to Animal Farm, he is rewarded
by being turned into glue and dog food.
The animals don’t realize this until Benjamin
finally speaks up, but they soon forget this
when Squealer explains that Boxer died in a
hospital only after extraordinary expenses
failed to keep him alive.



This is how Napoleon repays those who are
loyal to him when they are no longer useful –
he uses their death as profit.
Where do you think the pigs got the money
for all the whisky that is delivered at the end
of the chapter?
They did say that they were having a banquet
in Boxer’s honor…



Animals meeting one of the pigs on a path
are now required to stand aside and let the
pig pass.
Also, the pigs are granted the privilege of
wearing green ribbons on their tails on
Sundays.
The Seventh Commandment has been losing
power ever since the Rebellion took place.
Now it’s beginning to lose all meaning.


It seems very odd to many readers and to the
animals that Moses, with his stories of
Sugarcandy Mountain (heaven), is allowed by
the pigs to return even though they don’t
agree with his teachings.
The pigs even go so far as to supply Moses
with a ration of beer while not requiring him
to do any work. Remember that Moses
represents the church.



The pigs initially disliked Moses because they
were afraid that his ideas of Sugarcandy
Mountain would cause the animals to accept
their master (Jones) and not revolt.
Now the pigs permit him to stay so that the
animals accept their master (Napoleon) and
do not revolt.
Karl Marx – “Religion is the opium of the
people.”

1. What was Boxer's one real ambition?

2. How old was Boxer?


3. What was going to be built in the
farmhouse garden?
4. How much beer were the pigs receiving
daily? What about Napoleon?

5. According to Moses, what were the
Sugarcandy Mountains like?

6. How did Boxer get hurt?

7. What was Boxer's fate?

8. What did Squealer announce to the animals
concerning Boxer's death?



9. What did the pigs purchase at the end of
the chapter? Where do you think they got the
money?
10. What are living conditions like for all of
the animals except the pigs and dogs?
11. Why does Napoleon allow Moses to return
and to tell his stories about Sugarcandy
Mountain?


There are many new inhabitants of the farm
now, none of whom can remember the
Revolution.
The farm is run more efficiently, and the
windmill has been rebuilt and is used not for
electric power but for milling corn, which
provides a good profit (for the pigs)



How does having few animals that remember
the Revolution around help the pigs?
Now there are very few that remember the
goals of Animalism and the goals of the
Revolution. Basically all of the new animals
accept the way things are on the farm as
normal and don’t know any better.
They have no reason to think it was better
before.


The pigs start walking around on two legs,
and Napoleon even carries a whip! The sheep
are trained by Squealer to now chant “Four
legs good, two legs better!”
And when Clover asks Benjamin to read her
the Seven Commandments, they find that
they are all replaced by the words: “ALL
ANIMALS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE
MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS.”


Shortly thereafter the neighboring farmers
(namely Pilkington) come to the farm at
Napoleon’s invitation to a banquet to see
Animal Farm for themselves.
Remember that Animal Farm represents
Russia, and Pilkington represents the leader
of England (Winston Churchill).


England had been very suspicious of the
Soviet Union, but Orwell is here signifying
England’s cooperation with Stalin during
World War II (although this did also help
England).
The banquet probably symbolizes Germany’s
defeat, which occurred just as Orwell was
writing the conclusion of Animal Farm.

The humans even compliment the pigs on
how they are even more effective in making
their workers do more work for less food.
Pilkington says, “If you have your lower
animals to contend with, we have our lower
classes!”


While the animals are looking through the
windows, they notice that they can no longer
tell the difference between the pigs and the
humans.
The new rulers have just replaced the old,
and the situation for the normal (less equal)
animals is the same as it had always been
under human reign.



The circle is now complete. The farm went
from human rule, to shared animal control, to
pig rule, and now back to human rule.
Not only that, the name of the farm has gone
through a similar cycle:
Manor Farm → Animal Farm → Manor Farm.


Even though the humans and pigs are getting
along for the most part and are celebrating
together, they do have a major disagreement
near the end of the chapter.
Both Napoleon and Pilkington have played the
ace of spades during a card game. As there
is only one ace of spades, clearly they cannot
both have it. What does the ace of spades
symbolize?

I think it symbolizes the fact that Russia and
England (along with the United States) no
longer got along very well after the war.
Russia and the other Allies disagreed
vehemently about what should be done with
Germany after World War II.


That is why it was split into two sides, one
practicing capitalism and one practicing
Communism.
Remember the Berlin Wall? That separated the
capitalist side from the Communist side of
that city.


Benjamin gets a lot of flack for being aware of
what’s happening and doing nothing to stop
it. A lot of readers look down on him
because of this. I say that he has his reasons.
I propose that Benjamin is so smart that he
knows what is happening and knows that
living under pig control is no different than
living under human control.



He knows that whatever he does will not
change anything, and he knows that these
events would happen despite his involvement
or lack of involvement.
He’s pessimistic, but he’s right (at least in the
book).
Have you ever heard people say they won’t
vote because it won’t make a difference? It’s
the same cynicism.

1. Who were the only animals to remember
the old days with Mr. Jones?

2. What was the windmill used for?

3. What do the pigs learn to do?

4. What do the pigs now carry in their
trotters?



5. What do the Sheep now say?
6. What remains of the Seven
Commandments?
7. What did Napoleon announce would be the
new name of Animal Farm?


8. What was the source of the violent quarrel
between Mr. Pilkington and Napoleon?
9. What is the difference between man and
pig at the end of Chapter 10?