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Animal Farm Essay Research Paper SETTING The (стр. 3 из 4)

quieted by the propaganda of Squealer. They are helpless to fight against

Napoleon and his refusal to follow the seven commandments.

Since they can no longer function as they choose, the animals think largely

about their own lack of comfort. They begin to compare their present life to

their past one under Farmer Jones. Ironically, there are many similarities, even

though Napoleon and Squealer constantly tell them that their present life is

much better than their past one. Of course, like most dictators, Napoleon has

tried to change their memories of the past, just as he changes the seven

commandments to suit his needs.

Napoleon works hard at keeping the animals in control, constantly assuring

them that he is making a better society for them and trying to appear like a

hero. He makes Snowball into his scapegoat and blames all bad events,

including the weather, on him. By making Snowball a fearful character,

Napoleon assures his subjects that he will protect them from this horrible

creature. Such tactics make the animals dependent on his leadership and divert

attention away from his dictatorial ways. The building and rebuilding of the

Windmill and other such plans are also Napoleon’s way of keeping the

common “man” busy and at bay so they will not have time to think about what

he is really doing. These plans are reflective of Stalin’s Five-Year Plans.

CHAPTER 7

This chapter begins in the bitter winter with the animals trying their best to

rebuild the windmill, but the cold and their hunger dampen their spirits. It is

only Boxer’s never-failing cry of “I will work harder” that inspires them to

continue. January brings a true food shortage, and they often have nothing to

eat but chaff.

Napoleon hides the bitter reality that exists on the farm. He instructs the sheep

to talk about an increase in rations when Mr. Whymper is in hearing distance.

He orders empty bins to be filled to the brim with sand and then covered at the

top with grain, in order to deceive Mr.Whymper, who would then report to the

outside world about ‘no shortage’ on Animal Farm.

As the situation worsens, Napoleon hardly makes an appearance. The weekly

work orders for the animals are now given through the pigs. Squealer’s

announcement that the hens should surrender their eggs, at least 400 per week,

brings forth a terrible outcry, but the hens must obey. The dogs see to it that

Napoleon’s orders are carried out, for the eggs need to be sold in order to

survive until spring.

Snowball continues to serve as Napoleon’s scapegoat and is blamed for

everything that goes wrong on the farm. Napoleon goes so far as to claim that

Snowball “was in league with Jones and was his secret agent”. It is difficult

for the animals to accept this explanation, and even Boxer questions it.

Squealer, of course, quiets them with propaganda.

One day Napoleon calls a meeting and emerges wearing medals, which he has

awarded to himself. He arrives, escorted by his nine guard dogs. After

surveying the crowd of animals, he gives a high-pitched whimper, and the

dogs attack the crowd. They try unsuccessfully to attack Boxer, who holds one

of them under his hoof. After the tumult, the dogs appear before Napoleon

with the four pigs that had earlier raised their voices against his policies.

Napoleon then orders the four pigs to confess that they had been contriving

with Snowball to destroy the Windmill and that they had entered into a truce

with him to hand over Animal Farm to Mr. Frederick.

When Napoleon demands further confessions about Snowball, the hens say

that he appeared in their dreams and instigated them to disobey. As a result,

Napoleon orders the hens to be slaughtered. The goose confesses to having

stolen and eaten six ears of corn during last year’s harvest at Snowballs’

urging; he is murdered. The sheep confess to urinating in the drinking pool

and murdering an old ram and blame their actions on Snowball; they are all

killed instantly. By the end of the confessions, there is a pile of corpses lying

before Napoleon’s feet. His reign of terror has truly begun. Frightened and

shattered, the animals start singing ‘Beasts of England’. This anthem, which

seems to inspire the animals, is soon forbidden by Napoleon. It is replaced by

Minimus’s new song, which is bland and nationalistic.

Notes

Orwell seems to have written this chapter with Russian history in mind. The

food problems of the animals in the book parallel Russia’s economic problems

in the 1920’s and the famine thereafter. In August, 1936, the Communist Party

under Stalin tried, accused, and executed many high ranking officials on a

charge that they were Trotskyists, just as Napoleon executes the animals for

being influenced by Snowball. Trotsky himself was earlier expelled from

Russia, just as Snowball is expelled from the farm.

Napoleon has become just like Stalin or any other dictator. He hides the ugly

truth from the outside world. He makes Whymper believe that their supplies

are plentiful and all is going well on the farm. He refuses to allow any animal

to question his power and uses the dogs to keep his subjects under control. He

separates himself from the masses and appears only ceremoniously, almost

like a god. He threatens his subjects with the return of Snowball and Jones,

whom he has made into totally fearful beings. He shows his strength by

publicly executing those who betray him. The only release that the animals

have is to throw themselves more fully into their work.

The substitution of the nostalgic song of rebellion by Minimus’s mild new

song is grudgingly accepted by the animals, just as they have learned to accept

their plight in life. Their dream of equality, freedom, and democracy is

shattered; in its place, they find terror, deprivation, and totalitarianism.

CHAPTER 8

In this chapter, the lives of the animals worsen. They receive just enough food

to make them work, and Napoleon takes advantage of them at every turn. But

Farmer Frederick also takes advantage of Napoleon. When he decides to sell

timber on the advice of Whymper, Frederick agrees to pay a sum of 12

pounds. Frederick wants to pay by check, but Napoleon insists on cash

payment in five-pound notes. Frederick pays up and carts away the timber.

Three days later, Napoleon learns that the notes are forged. He pronounces a

death sentence upon Frederick and wants to boil him alive.

Expressing his fear of attack from the humans, Napoleon tells the animals to

be prepared for an attack. The offensive comes while they are at breakfast.

Fifteen men with half a dozen guns open fire on the farm. Napoleon and

Boxer try their best to inspire the animals, but they find it difficult to retaliate.

Many of them are wounded and run back to the farm buildings.

The enemies capture the farm and the windmill, which Frederick blasts with a

dynamo. On seeing their windmill destroyed, the animals are incited to

retaliate with a vengeance. In the battle, two geese are killed, and many cows

and sheep are injured. Napoleon is wounded in the tail. Finally, the fierce dogs

force the men to take flight, but not until the animals have paid a heavy price.

In spite of the losses, Napoleon orders that the animals rejoice in their victory.

The flag is hoisted and tributes are paid. Napoleon makes a speech and names

the fight the ‘Battle of Windmill’.

Notes

In spite of their many troubles, the animals refuse to believe that they are not

living a utopian existence. They are constantly told by Napoleon and Squealer

that their life on Animal Farm is much better than what they had before. They

believe the propaganda, in spite of the fact that they are more hungry than

they ever had been when Farmer Jones was their owner. When they are

attacked by humans, however, they are at first too tired and hungry to react.

When Frederick destroys their windmill, which is their pride and joy, he

forces them to retaliate. They fight with a vengeance and succeed in driving

the farmers away. Napoleon, in his typical dictatorial stance, orders them to

celebrate the Battle of Windmill, which seems to be reflective of the German

invasion of Russia during World War II.

Throughout the chapter, Napoleon is portrayed as a despicable tyrant,

constantly displaying his power to his subjects. He perpetually lies to the

animals, continues to change the amendments to suit his desires, requires a

public celebration of his birthday, gives himself additional titles, and treats

himself to drinking whiskey, which is strictly forbidden. Napoleon also tries

to set farmer against farmer, but the plan backfires. He is tricked by Frederick

when he is paid for timber with counterfeit money. Napoleon vows revenge;

ironically, it is the humans that gain most of the revenge during the battle.

CHAPTER 9

Chapter 9 opens with Boxer’s heel, which was bitten by the dogs, taking a

long time to heal. In spite of the injury, he refuses to take even one day off

from the work of rebuilding the windmill. He wants to see it completed before

his retirement. When the rules were originally formulated, different animals

had different ages for retirement, and a liberal pension had been decided upon

for all. To date, no animal has retired on pension.

In the autumn four sows give birth to 31 young pigs. Since Napoleon is the

only boar, he is the father to all of them and passes some special rules to

acknowledge the young pigs. Other animals must build a school for them so

they can be educated and stand aside when the pigs pass; the pigs are also to

wear green ribbons on their tails on Sundays and brew beer for their own

enjoyment.

Winter is cold, food is even more scarce, and rations are reduced for all the

animals except the pigs and the dogs. Squealer, trying to soften the news of

less food, uses the word readjustment instead of reduction. His statistics and

oratory skills still make everyone believe him.

Rations are further reduced in February, but the pigs, as usual, are excluded

from the reduction. In fact, rumor has it that every pig is to receive a ration of

a pint of beer daily. Napoleon is to receive a full half a gallon, served to him

in the Crown Derby soup tureen. Squealer convinces the masses that the pigs

need more food and special treatment because of the important work that they

do.

In an attempt to encourage the masses, there are more songs, speeches, and

processions. There is also a weekly Special Demonstration to celebrate the

struggles and triumphs of Animal Farm. Banners, slogans, and recitation of

poems composed to honor Napoleon honor are part of the pageant. The

animals enjoy these celebrations, where they are reminded of the fact that they

themselves are the masters, not living under the two legged.

In April, Animal Farm is declared a Republic and must elect a President. The

only candidate is Napoleon. As President, he still continues to defame

Snowball and points out that his wounding Snowball and sending him away

has saved the farm for the animals. He does allow Moses, the raven, to return

to the farm. When he talks about Sugarcandy Mountain and an afterlife, it

diverts the attention of the animals away from the cruelty of their life and

Napoleon. Boxer works harder until he falls one day and is unable to get up. Everyone

runs to his help, but the authorities take control. In the middle of the day, a

van takes him away to be killed and made into glue. The animals cry out in

horror, but their cries go unheard. When Squealer later announces Boxer’s

death in a sorrowful tone, he rationalizes why he was taken in the Knacker’s

van and promises that he died in comfort and dignity. Napoleon hypocritically

pays homage to Boxer and asks others to emulate his work ethics. The chapter

ends with the arrival of a wooden crate at the farmhouse.

Notes

Orwell’s message is loud and clear. The low tactics used by Napoleon are like

those of a totalitarian dictator who makes the masses submissive. Only the

ruling class, in this case the pigs, are exempt. For all the other animals there

are short rations and hard work. Spontaneous demonstrations and celebrations

are used by Napoleon to keep the animals occupied and diverted in their free

time.

As Napoleon’s loyal henchman, Squealer is the chief spokesman of the ruling

class and appears before the animals much more frequently than Napoleon,

who sequesters himself for protection and leisure. Squealer continues to talk

of the dignity of labor and the glory of animal freedom. To control Napoleon’s

subjects, he constantly justifies Napoleon’s shifts in policies and raises the

horrible possibility of Jones’ return. To protect Napoleon, he uses propaganda,

inflammatory rhetoric, false statistics and faulty rationalization, rewrites the

history of Animal Farm, and amends the Commandments without any

principle of morality. The bigger the lie, the more convincing he sounds.

The reappearance of Mosses, the raven, and his acceptance by Napoleon

parallels the priests returning to Russia after the harassment and rigors of the

revolution. Stalin even writes pacifying and conciliatory letters to the Pope in

1944 and allows the Orthodox Church to conduct services in Russia. Religion,

symbolized by Moses, is permitted as long as it is harmless and does not

interfere with the plans of Napoleon or Stalin.

Boxer’s plight and the indifference of the pigs upset the animals. In spite of his

work ethics, Napoleon is glad to be rid of him, for he was too well liked by

the animals. The animals, who saw Boxer as their hero and inspiration, feel

betrayed.

When Napoleon declares Animal Farm a Republic and elects himself

President, the rising action reaches its climax. He has truly become worse than

Farmer Jones, creating a chosen caste of pigs, oppressing the masses, and

becoming the ultimate dictator that is in total control.

CHAPTER 10

Years have passed. No one remembers the old days before the rebellion

except Clover, Benjamin, Moses, and a number of pigs. Napoleon has become

totally humanlike in his behavior. He and his ruling class of pigs now walk

upright on their hand legs, dress in clothing, carry whips, read newspapers and

magazines, and talk on the telephone. All of the original Commandments have

been forgotten; only one remains that states that all animals are equal, but

some are more equal than others, meaning the pigs. The common animals say

nothing; they have given up the habit of criticizing, complaining, or protesting

long ago.

The farm is now better organized, more prosperous, and enlarged. The

windmill, though not used for electricity, has brought in a profit. The common

animals, however, do not share in the prosperity. They live a life of difficulty

and deprivation. They are hungry, sleep on straw, labor long hours, and are

troubled by cold in winter and flies in summer. But they are still convinced

that they are “free” since animals rather than humans run the farm. Because of

the constant propaganda, they do not realize that their plight is the same under

Napoleon that it was under Farmer Jones. Only Benjamin realizes that

“nothing has changed for better or worse.”

One day, while weeding turnips, the animals hear singing. Napoleon is in the

farmhouse celebrating with human beings. He then announces that he has

made peace with his human neighbors. Although still called Animal Farm, it

is really Manor Farm all over again. The animal dictatorship has degenerated

into human corruption, and at the end of the novel, pig and man are

indistinguishable. The circle is complete.

Notes

Orwell’s satire comes full circle in the last chapter of the book. When in

control, the animals turn Animal Farm into another Manor Farm rather than a

utopian society. They are unable to make a paradise on earth. Because the

common animals are good and simple and lack cunning, they are easily

deceived and manipulated. It is easy for Napoleon to seize and maintain

control. Sadly, he uses the power unwisely and becomes a despicable dictator

that imitates human beings in every way. Through Napoleon, Orwell satirizes

human nature; but his main target of criticism is man as a political animal.

CHARACTERS

Old Major

Old Major is a twelve-year old Berkshire Boar who provides the political

philosophy on which Animal Farm is founded. His philosophy of Animalism