Chapter 1 (Summary)
• Drunken Mr. Jones to bed/animals meet in the barn
• Major Wishes to pass his wisdom
– Talks about miserable lives and manipulation/born as slaves
• Could live in luxury given the resources
• Use the products of their labors
• Dream from the Previous Night
– Live free and happy
– Animals vs. humans (2 legged walking ‘creatures’)
– Once they take the humans they can’t acquire their traits
• Ex: live in a house, sleep in beds, drink, smoke, $, clothes, trade
(p. 31)
– “Beasts of England” ---an animal Utopia
• Mr. Jones fires a shotgun and stops the commotion
Chapter 1
(Analysis)
• “Beasts of England”- the animals will finally be free from man’s
domination—enjoy the fruits of their labors
• The song words lead to a ‘false reality’
– (Reality vs. a Dream Utopia)
• Major’s simple belief is that ‘Man’ is the only reason for their evil (makes
it easy for anyone non human to buy in to the situation
– Idea touches on class struggle, surplus value, and domination
– Idea is sincere, but it’s only a fantasy—just like . . .
– Major states: “All animals are equal”
• Lenin dies just as Major-leaving his work unfinished
• Ch. 1=Historic to period before and during WWI
– Ends with great unrest!
Chapter 2 (Summary)
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Napoleon/Snowball description (35)
The Rebellion-Animals take farm and preserve the house
Animalism
Moses-Sugar Candy Mountain
7 Commandments:
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2 legs is the enemy
4 legs or wings is a friend
No clothes
No bed
No alcohol
Not kill any other animal
All animals are equal
Chapter 2 (Analysis)
• Russian Revolution Becomes very clear
– Manor Farm- Part feudal, Part capitalist = Russia
• Major represents Marx’s philosophy of communism, and Lenin
who enacted it = Animalism
– Animals=working class (esp. Boxer and Clover)
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Pigs = intelligentsia (organized and controlled the Rev.)
Squealer = Propaganda
Moses = Russian Orthodox Church
Mollie = Bourgeoisie (Luxuries)
Russia began with noble ideas including moral dignity and
equality-quickly gone on Animal Farm
• Orwell’s description of pre-rebellion misery-social inequality
and mistreatment of workers
Chapter 3 (Summary)
• “4 legs good, 2 legs bad” • Pigs take charge/superiority– take the milk
– Raise the pups
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A lot of work is done- BOXER “I will/must work harder”
Flag with hoof and horn (Russian Flag)
Snowball and Napoleon fight
Pigs take human ways
Socialists goals became meaningless tools used for control
4 legs/2 legs—what about wings?
Dog Army
Manipulation by Squealer-(p52 or last page of Chapter 3)
Chapter 3 (Analysis)
• Boxer’s (People’s) blind faith in the system
• Imbalance of knowledge and literacy
– Pigs/Stalin-sole guardians of Animal Farm/Russian principals
• 7 Commandments
– Antihuman directive (no clothes), moral values (no kill other animal),
utopian ideas (all animals equal)
• 4 legs good/2 legs bad=not part of the above ideals
– Propaganda was used to ignore their own unhappiness/shift focus
• Squealer = Propaganda to control the people
• Satire – “Good of the State” –emphasizes Russia’s own
downfall-pokes fun
Chapter 4 (Summary)
• The Short Version
– Battle of Cowshed
– Medals: Animal Hero First Class
• Snowball and Boxer
Chapter 4 (Analysis)
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Allusion: Julius Caesar (Snowball studying JC’s campaigns)
Russian Interwar Period
Trotsky: In order for Communism to work, it has to be global
Domino Effect = Non communists become communist
– Pres. Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson used this to justify
military involvement in Turkey, Greece, and Vietnam
• Rumors spread of Russia
• People fight but don’t understand what their fighting for
– Their own oppression = Irony
• Orwell was (perhaps) denouncing Comm. & non-Comm.
– Mr. Jones = Irresponsible/Neglect
– Mr. P = Doesn’t do anything
Chapter 5 (Summary)
• Mollie decides to change sides
• Napoleon/Snowball argue a lot
– Each campaign for supporters
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Windmill plans completed – debate over the project
Snowball is attacked and ousted
Napoleon takes power (Pig Power)
Boxer adds to his ‘catch phrase’ “I will work harder”
– “Napoleon is always right”
Chapter 5 (Analysis)
• Napoleon rises as did Stalin
– Snowball/Trotsky is banished
• Stalin has his own secret police (intelligentsia) = Dogs
• 3rd World Country (p64)- Build technology/electricity
– Stalin first balked at it, then adopted it as his own idea
• Orwell was part of a Trotskyist group in the late 1930’s during the
Spanish Civil War
– Could be why Snowball is looked at in a positive manner
• Importance of technological advances in Russia is essential
– Much effort was put into the overall change
– As previously mention-Stalin shunned it at 1st, then took it as his own
Chapter 6 (Summary)
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Work weeks were now 60hr/wk and work on Sundays
Food rations were cut
Animals eager to take more work b/c it’s for their own benefit
Mr. Whimper-Human solicitor introduced
– Used to obtain outside goods needed (iron, nails, paraffin oil)
• Pigs now live and sleep in farm house
• Commandments changed
– No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets
• Storm destructs windmill
– Supposed work of Snowball
• Snowball is given a death sentence
Chapter 6 (Analysis)
• Government Oppression (not just in Russia)
– Overworked working class
– Government justified luxuries
– Propaganda is used to cover up mistakes
• Governments tend to blame others for their own deficiencies
and wrong doings to keep their own standing
– Ex: Communist Russia vs. Trotskyism
– Ex: U.S.A. vs. Communism
• By shifting the blame it is easy to manipulate
• Orwell’s idea: Tyranny is Cyclical
– More Power = More Corrupt = Become what is was in 1st place
• Pigs evolve into grotesque human beings-increased resemblance of humans
Chapter 7 (Summary)
• Harsh winter w/ food shortage – Animals are misled
• Humans don’t believe Snowball ruined wall-rebuilt at 3’ thick
• Egg shortage- increased export/morally wrong
– Hens rebel and 9 die
• Snowball’s supposed visits to farm- Everything blamed on him
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‘Tied’ to Pinchfield (associate of Mr. Jones)
Battle of Cowshed bravery taken away and used against him
Napoleon’s battle bravery is hyped up
Squealer’s persuasion makes them believe
• Napoleon stages a purge and takes more power
– Pigs are forced to falsely confess to conspiracy w/ Snowball
• They are said to be ‘Trotskyists’ and immediately killed
• Boxer stands up for the animals-Napoleon immediately stops Boxer
• Egg rebellion confession- 3 more hens killed
Chapter 7 (Summary Cont.)
• Boxer’s explanation of problem at hand
– The fault is our own = WORK HARDER
• Clover wonders how farm could have gotten like it is
– Animals not smart enough to figure it out
• Squealer: “No more beasts of England”
– Song only applies to the rebellion-no need for rebellion now
• New song with no inspiration
– “Animal Farm. . .”- Glorifies the situation
Chapter 7 (Analysis)
• Stalin’s 5 year plan for agriculture resulted in starvation of
millions
– Industrial production was also down
• Violent tactics of oppressive governments
– Massive class divisions in egalitarian/true communist society
• Stalin also had ‘show trials’ (trials w/ preset outcome)
– Forced people to admit Trotskyism
– People tortured until admission then executed
• Stalin kept a common enemy- Trotsky
– Create fear for people-no one challenged his rule
• Manipulated statistics- illusion that all is good/better
• Fear installed b/c people believe propaganda
• An indestructible dictatorship formed-far from communism
Chapter 8 (Summary)
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No kill commandment is changed to “. . . w/out cause”
Animals work harder to rebuild windmill
Very cold winter with famine
Napoleon takes title of “Leader”
Minimus writes a poem on barn praising Napoleon
Controversy between Frederick and Pilkington w/ firewood
Windmill is finished-Mr. F. and men blow it up
– Several animals are killed/Boxer is injured
• Pigs get drunk
• Squealer caught w/ paint brush (changing commandments)
– Animals not smart enough to figure it out
• Alcohol Commandment Changed to “. . . In excess”
Chapter 8 (Analysis)
• Overall idea of manipulated rules and govt. to benefit the
politically and militaristic powers
• Minimus’s Poem: great irony/satire of patriotic rhetoric
– Creates a misdirection (propaganda) for the public
• Pilkington vs. Frederick Incident
– Russia/Stalin’s back and forth nature of siding with Germany and then
the Allies at the outset of WWII
– @ last moment, Stalin signs a non-aggression pact with Hitler
– Hitler (Frederick) betrays his word and invades Western Russia killing
25 million Russians and destroying much of the infrastructure built up
during the Russian Revolution
– This is known as the Battle of Stalingrad
Chapter 9 (Summary)
• Start to rebuild the Windmill
• Boxer grows weak
• Food Shortage Evident (but not for Pigs and Dogs)
– They say it’s still better than Mr. Jones’s era
• Napoleon has 31 piglets w/ 4 sows-builds a schoolhouse
• Spontaneous demonstrations promoting animal farm
• Animal farm declared a Republic- Napoleon named Pres.
• Snowball has rumored to say “Long live humanity” during the battle of
cowshed
• Sugar Candy Mountain stories started again by Moses
• Boxer fails and collapses
– Arranged for ambulance (Glue Factory)
– Boxer announced as incurable and had died (False info)
Chapter 9 (Analysis)
• Blatant downfall of Animal Farm/Russia
• Boxer’s death is ironic
– He worked for the good of all, but is sold for the good of a few
– Boxer is sold for alcohol
– His death breaks a lot of commandments
• Death in a Glue Factory increases the dramatic power of
Orwell’s words
• Russian administration exhausted its worker resources and
then discarded them
• Return of Moses means shift of focus of working class
– Stalin brought back the Russian Orthodox Church after WWII
• Spontaneous Demonstrations= Ironic b/c they weren’t
spontaneous, they were all planned out for propaganda
Chapter 10 (Summary)
• Many years have now passed (Dead: Muriel, Pincher, Bluebell, Jessie, Mr.
Jones, . . .)
• Windmill is now used for corn = more $
• Pigs and dogs are still in luxury
• Other animals still accept the goals of the original Rebellion
– This is a world free of humans with equality for animals
• Squealer is now walking on his hind legs only
– Sheep adopt the maxim: “4 legs good, 2 legs better”
• Only 1 commandment is left!
– “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others”
– Napoleon smokes pipe, others read, use radio/phone, wear clothes
• Napoleon and Pilkington toast each other- No more Comrade
• Name changed back to Manor Farm
• Card Game-Ace of Spades played at the same time (Nap/Pilk)
• No longer distinguish the card players from the humans/pigs
Chapter 10 (Analysis)
• Totalitarian Communism (controlled by the state/dictator)
– No socialism or utopia at all
• Napoleon B. (France) used to be thought of as great during his
conquest until he crowned himself emperor of France
– Instead of abolishing aristocracy, he formed it around himself
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Hope is help until the end-provides dramatic contrast
Original ideas by Major/Marx = Dream/Philosophy
Very shocking language- evolution of events
Cooperation of Russia and the West during WWII is evident
Quarrel over what both desire but can’t have is evident
– WORLD DOMINATION
• Banquet shows coop w/ Eng./U.S.A./Russia during WWII
• Stalin dies in 1953