Animal Farm: Rebellion, Power, and the Pigs’ Rule
Animal Farm: Revolution, Power, and Betrayal
Old Major’s Dream and Animalism
One night, all the animals at Mr. Jones’s Manor Farm assembled in a barn. They gathered to hear Old Major, a venerable pig, describe a dream he had: a world where all animals lived free from the tyranny of humans. A few days later, Old Major died, but the animals, inspired by his philosophy of Animalism, plotted a rebellion.
The Rebellion and Manor Farm’s Fall
Two pigs, Snowball and Napoleon, became the key figures planning this uprising. The revolution occurred when Mr. Jones forgot to feed the animals, and he was driven off the farm. Manor Farm was triumphantly renamed Animal Farm, and the Seven Commandments of Animalism were painted on the barn wall. Initially, the animals met weekly to debate farm policy. Due to their intelligence, the pigs became the supervisors of the farm.
Pigs in Charge: Early Conflicts
However, signs of trouble soon appeared. Napoleon began to steal milk and apples. Squealer, another pig, skillfully made the other animals believe that Napoleon never acted badly. Days later, Mr. Jones attempted to reclaim the farm, but thanks to Snowball’s brilliant tactics, the animals successfully defended their territory in what they named The Battle of the Cowshed.
Snowball’s Exile, Napoleon’s Rise
As winter arrived, Snowball began drawing plans for a windmill to generate electricity and make the animals’ lives more comfortable. Napoleon vehemently opposed this plan, arguing it would divert time from food production. Just as the animals were about to vote on the windmill project, a pack of furious dogs, secretly raised by Napoleon, stormed into the barn and chased Snowball off the farm. He never came back. Napoleon then announced that all important decisions would be made by the pigs. Shortly thereafter, he decided they would build the windmill after all. He then began to use Snowball as a scapegoat, blaming him for any misfortunes that occurred on the farm.
Windmill Struggles and Growing Tyranny
Much of the following year was spent building the windmill. Boxer, an incredibly strong and diligent horse, proved himself to be the most valuable animal. Meanwhile, Mr. Jones moved to another part of the county. In a clear violation of Animalism’s principles, Napoleon hired a solicitor and began trading with neighboring farms. When a storm destroyed the windmill, Napoleon blamed Snowball and ordered the animals to rebuild it immediately. Napoleon then forced false confessions from animals accused of aiding Snowball, having them brutally killed by his dogs. He and the other pigs moved into Jones’s house and began sleeping in beds and drinking alcohol (among other things), all of which were forbidden by the original Commandments of Animalism.
Commandments Corrupted, Boxer’s Fate
Further betrayals followed. Napoleon was cheated by a human neighbor, who then attacked the farm and destroyed the rebuilt windmill with explosives. The pigs gradually altered the Seven Commandments to justify their increasingly human-like behavior. Boxer, ever loyal, again offered his strength to help build a new windmill. However, when he collapsed from exhaustion, Napoleon, instead of providing care, sold the devoted horse to a glue-boiler. Squealer masterfully deceived the indignant animals, claiming Boxer was actually taken to a veterinarian and died peacefully in a hospital—a lie the animals tragically believed.
The Pigs’ Final Transformation
Years passed, and life for all animals (except the pigs and dogs) was harsh. Eventually, the pigs began walking on their hind legs, wearing clothes, and took on many other qualities of their former human oppressors. The Seven Commandments were ultimately reduced to a single, paradoxical law:
“All Animals Are Equal, But Some Animals Are More Equal Than Others.”
One night, the other animals overheard the pigs and local humans drinking and playing cards in the farmhouse. As Napoleon and one of the human farmers began to argue, the onlookers found they could no longer differentiate the pigs from the humans.