involves the reader and creates a believable suspension of reason and logic,
giving the story the feel of a fairy tale that teaches that selfishness, pride, and
hypocrisy are hard to eliminate from society. Since these are timeless
weaknesses of mankind, the story becomes a timeless tale of society’s
corruption throughout history, not just in the time of Marx, Stalin, or Lenin.
CHAPTER 3
The third Chapter begins with the efforts of the animals being rewarded at
harvestime. Despite the unsuitability of the implements they use, they work
hard and surmount every difficulty. Because of their superior knowledge, the
pigs do not actually do the labor, but direct and supervise. Boxer works the
hardest. He asks the cockerels to give him a ‘wake-up-call’ early each
morning, and his answer to every problem is to work harder. The harvest turns
out to be the largest that the farm has ever seen. There is no wastage and no
stealing.
On Sundays, the animals do not work. After breakfast, which is an hour later
than usual, there is the raising of the flag decorated by a hoof and horn and
symbolizing the power of the animals. After the hoisting of the flag, the
animals attend a meeting where they plan the work for the next week, debate,
and resolve problems. They even vote on important issues, even though most
of the animals do not understand what they are voting for. The two leaders,
Napoleon and Snowball, do understand the issues and are very vocal in their
debates; however, they never agree, foreshadowing their later struggle for
power and control. The meeting always ends with the singing of ‘Beasts of
England.’ In the afternoon, there is time for recreation.
The pigs have set aside the harness-room as their headquarters. Untiring
Snowball keeps himself busy organizing various committees, such as the egg-
production committee and the whiter wool movement; their purpose is to
improve the farm and the animals’ lives. Not surprisingly, Napoleon is
disinterested in Snowball’s committees and even tries to undermine them; but
he agrees that education is important and supports Snowball’s reading and
writing classes. By autumn almost all the animals are literate to some extent.
When the sheep, hens and ducks (the slower animals) are unable to learn the
Seven Commandments, Snowball reduces them to a single maxim that states
‘four legs good, two legs bad’. When the birds object, he states that wings
should be regarded as legs. The birds quietly accept his explanation.
The mystery of the ‘disappeared milk’ is solved, for it has been seized by the
pigs and mixed into their mush. Squealer justifies the action by stating that
milk and apples contain substances absolutely necessary for a pig’s diet.
Notes
This chapter shows the animals at harvest time, several months after the
animals seized the farm in March. By working together, they are successful,
and the harvest is plentiful and completed in less time than ever before. It also
shows the animals’ efforts at organizing themselves. The meetings and
committees shown in this chapter are reflective of the collective farms in the
earlier stages of the Russian Revolution. In a very human way, Snowball forms committees to improve the animals’
lives, but Napoleon tries to undermine his efforts. Their power struggle has a
semblance to the one between Trotsky and Stalin after the death of Lenin. The
classes of reading and writing are more successful, and most of the animals
become literate to some degree. They are also granted the privilege of voting,
even though most of the animals do not understand what they are voting for.
The pigs, aware of the ignorance of the other animals, begin to establish
themselves as the ruling class and seize special privileges. They steal the milk
and the apples for their own good and take over the harness house as their
headquarters. Squealer tries to justify the actions of the pigs through
propaganda. The over simplification of the Seven Commandments to ‘Four
legs good, two legs bad’ betrays the tricks of the power-mongers who divert
the attention of the gullible to achieve their own selfish ends. The sheep, who
are slow by nature, particularly like the simplicity of the new slogan and
repeat it often.
It is important to notice that this chapter develops the rising action of the plot;
but there is much foreshadowing of the later action in the novel. Orwell makes
it clear that Napoleon is stronger than Snowball and will seek ultimate power
on the farm. His rule will be tyrannical, and the animals will suffer under his
control, much like they suffered under Jones.
CHAPTER 4
The news of what has happened on Animal Farm spreads over half the
country. A flight of pigeons tells the story of the Rebellion and teaches the
song, ‘Beasts of England’ to other animals. The neighboring farmers talk with
exaggeration about what has happened to Manor Farm, but fail to unify
themselves into a cohesive group. Mr. Pilkington spends his time fishing and
hunting, and Mr. Frederick is always busy with his lawsuits. Farmer Jones is
seen in the taproom, complaining and grumbling to anyone who cares to listen
to his tale of woe and injustice.
Early in October, a flight of pigeons announce the approach of Jones, with his
gun. He has with him a battalion of half a dozen men, all armed with sticks.
They have come to recapture the farm. This action is not unexpected, and the
animals are prepared. Snowball give orders, and the animals are soon at their
assigned posts. When the farmers are close, Snowball launches his first attack.
Murriel, Benjamin, and all the sheep rush, prod, and lash out at the farmers.
Pigeons and geese rush at and peck them, but it is all in vain. The animals are
not strong enough, and the animals, signaled by Snowball, take flight.
The men shout in triumph and chase the animals as they leave. This is just the
moment Snowball has been waiting for. As soon as they are inside the Yard,
three horses, three cows, and the pigs emerge and cut them off. Snowball
dashed for Jones, who fires his gun. Snowball is injured, and a sheep is killed.
Snowball retaliates and hurls Jones into a pile of dung. The panic-stricken
men are kicked, bitten, and trampled. All the men fled except the stable boy,
who has been unintentionally injured by Boxer. The vain Mollie is found
hiding in the manger.
A celebration of their victory begins immediately and spontaneously. The flag
is hoisted and the ‘Beasts of England’ is sung a number of times. The dead are
given a solemn funeral, and the heroes are conferred with honors and medals.
Snowball and Boxer are named ‘Animal Hero first Class’; the dead sheep is
named ‘Animal Hero Second Class.’
After a discussion, the fight is called the Battle of Cowshed. Mr. Jones’ gun is
to be fired twice a year, once on October 12, the anniversary of the ‘Battle of
Cowshed’ and once on Midsummer Day, the anniversary of the Rebellion.
Notes
The Battle of Cowshed described in this chapter is told in an amusing way.
There is much more detail about the animals’ strategy, discipline, and success
here than there was about the initial rebellion, which was unplanned and
accidental. Orwell tells how the animals are prepared for this human attack,
fight nobly, and lure the enemy into a trap. They act almost like a trained
army, without regard to individual safety. The battle of Cowshed reflects the
troubles Russia had with Germany in 1918; warfare was averted only by the
signing of the treaty of Brest-Litovsk.. Use of propaganda by both humans and animals is seen in this chapter.
Snowball and Napoleon incite the animals to fight, calling the men tyrannous.
Farmers malign the animals by spreading rumors of their imagined excesses,
like cannibalism, torture, lawlessness, and immorality. In Russia, the same
kind of propaganda was used; and the special demonstrations, celebrations,
and conferring of medals clearly is a satire on Russian behavior.
The selfishness of human beings is clearly shown in the chapter. Even though
the neighboring farmers come to Jones’ aid in the battle, their purposes are not
pure. Both the men from Foxwood, representing England, and the men from
Pinchfield, representing Germany, are concerned about what they will gain
from the fight. They want to turn Jones’ misfortunes to their own advantage.
Orwell is equally critical of the animals. Napoleon is most interested in
gaining power from the battle, as from every situation. Most of the animals
join the fight without any clear idea as to why; they do not understand its
purpose or meaning. Later the animal “masses” will realize that they have
been duped by their leaders, but it will be too late to take any meaningful
action.
CHAPTER 5
Chapter 5 opens with Mollie being taken to task by Clover for her
misbehavior. Unable to take the criticism, she disappears and is never seen by
the animals again. The remaining animals then get down to business. It is
decided that the Pigs should decide the farm policies, which will be ratified by
a majority vote. All might have gone well if Snowball and Napoleon could
have agreed; instead, they dispute every point and develop their own
followings. Snowball’s brilliant speeches win him the majority of support, and
his followers shout “four legs good, two legs bad” at crucial moments in his
speeches. Snowball very eruditely talks about field drains, silage, and
laborsaving devices. Napoleon has no such plans, but claims that “Snowball’s
schemes would come to nothing”. The biggest bone of contention between
them, however, is the windmill.
After a survey, Snowball declares that a windmill would help supply the farm
with electric power, which, in turn, could run fantastic machines like chaff-
cutters. As always, he is interested in improving the welfare of all the animals.
Within a few weeks Snowball works out the plans for the windmill. All the
animals come to have a look at them except Napoleon, who slyly urinates on
Snowball’s masterpiece.
The farm becomes divided over the subject of the windmill. Although
Snowball agrees there are difficulties with it, he believes they could all be
overcome within a year. Napoleon, on the other hand, tries to divert attention
from the windmill question, by stressing the need for food production. He
warns that if they waste time on the windmill, everyone may starve. The
animals listen to both leaders and find themselves in agreement with the one
who is speaking at the moment. Snowball wants the issue of the Windmill to
be put to a vote, and Napoleon calls the idea nonsense. Snowball, with his
usual eloquence, is about to sway the vote in his favor when Napoleon calls
his nine enormous dogs into the barn. They attack Snowball and chase him
out, never to be seen again.
Napoleon mounts the platform and announces that the Sunday meetings will
come to an end, except for the saluting of the flag and the singing of “Beasts
of England.” He also explains that a special committee will be formed to
convey decisions to the masses. From this point forward in the book,
Napoleon becomes the undisputed leader of the animals. Every Sunday
morning, he gives his orders, and the masses file past the ‘Skill of Major’
reverently.
On the third Sunday following Snowball’s expulsion, the animals are
astonished to hear Napoleon’s announcement of his plan to build a Windmill.
At the news, Squealer, who is Napoleon’s loyal propagandist, calms the
masses with his persuasive talks, and the three dogs who happen to be with
him silence every question with their menacing growls.
Notes
In this chapter, Orwell tries to portray a classic example of a dictator
corrupted by power. The rivalry between Snowball and Napoleon reaches a
crescendo. Snowball has won the support of the masses, in spite of Napoleon’s
opposition to the building of the windmill. Napoleon refuses to loose. He
brings in his vicious dogs to attack Snowball, who barely escapes with his life.
Everything happens so quickly that there is no resistance to Napoleon’s show
of power. He has planned his moves carefully. His ‘Might is Right’ belief and
his swift takeover of power are traits of a merciless dictator who stages a
successful coup. Discontinuing Sunday Meetings and group planning,
defamation of the enemy, manipulated evidences, seasoned arguments, and
Squealer’s propaganda are the results of the rise of Napoleon to the position of
an all powerful, ruthless ruler. To gain favor with his subjects, he goes
forward the popular plan of the windmill, which he earlier opposed and now
claims as his own.
It is ironic that Napoleon has begun to act worse than Farmer Jones, the leader
he so despised. Behaving like a true dictator, he surrounds himself with
bodyguards (the ferocious dogs), gives orders for the week to the animals each
Sunday, convinces the masses that Snowball was an enemy all along, and digs
up the skull of Old Major to serve as a symbol. On the satiric level,
Napoleon’s takeover is a reflection of Stalin’s rise to power in Russia.
CHAPTER 6
This chapter shows how Napoleon rules the farm. At first the animals are
happy, thinking that they are doing everything for their own good. They work
hard, putting in sixty-hour weeks throughout the spring and summer. In
August Napoleon announces that there must be voluntary work on Sunday
afternoons, and the absent ones will receive half rations. In spite of the intense
labor, harvest is less successful than that of the previous year. The Windmill
also presents unexpected difficulties, but they are resolved under the
superintendence of the pigs and the noble efforts of Boxer, who lives by the
slogans of “I will work harder” and “Napoleon is always right”.
Napoleon announces a new policy of engaging in trade with the neighboring
farms, not for commercial purposes, but for obtaining urgent necessities. The
animals have always lived by the commandment of not human contact, and
now they feel uneasy about the violation of the commandment. Four pigs
timidly raise their voices in protest, but they are silenced by the fierce
growling of Napoleon’s dogs. The leader then says that the animals need not
contact humans because he himself has taken the responsibility of doing so.
Napoleon ends his speech with ‘Long Live Animal Farm’. After the singing of
the ‘Beasts of England’, the animals disperse and begin to grumble about
Napoleon’s new policy. As usual, Squealer, the propagandist, assures the
animals that the resolution against engaging in trade had never been official.
Every Monday, Mr. Whymper, a sly-looking man, visits the farm. He is the
first contact with the outside world, but there are rumors that Napoleon is
about to enter a definite business agreement either with Mr. Pilkington or with
Mr. Frederick. Napoleon and his pigs also take up residence in the farmhouse,
stating that they need a quiet place to do their thinking work. They also claim
that a leader needs the dignity of a house. Another of the seven
commandments is broken since they stated that “No animal shall sleep in a
bed with sheets”.
In autumn the animals are tired but pleased, for the windmill is half-built.
Only the skeptical Benjamin refuses to admire the work. In November,
progress is stopped by the weather, but Napoleon forces the animals to
continue building the windmill through the rain and cold. When a violent
storm rocks the farm buildings and the trees and knocks the windmill down,
Napoleon blames the poor weather on Snowball. He offers a reward and a title
to anyone who captures him alive, for he wants to teach the pig a lesson.
Notes
Napoleon has become dictatorial in his leadership. The animals are no longer
allowed to participate in decision making. Napoleon alone makes the rules. He
forces them to work sixty-hour weeks and then adds Sunday afternoon to their
workloads. He insists that the labor on the windmill continue in spite of the
cold and rain. He seizes the farmhouse for his own residence and begins
trading with humans on the neighboring farm. He also confers titles and
honors, expels animals who he feels are traitors, and silences dissenting
voices. When the animals complain about any of his polkas, they are quickly