Animal Farm

📘 Basic Details

  • Title: Animal Farm

  • Author: George Orwell

  • Published: 1945

  • Genre: Allegorical novella / Political satire

  • Setting: A fictional farm in England

🧠 Main Themes

  1. Power and Corruption – "Absolute power corrupts absolutely."

  2. Class Struggle – Division between the ruling pigs and other animals.

  3. Propaganda and Control – Use of lies and slogans to manipulate.

  4. The Betrayal of Ideals – The original goal of equality is lost.

  5. Ignorance and Education – The uneducated animals are easier to control.

🐷 Main Characters

🐷 Napoleon

  • A large, fierce-looking pig who becomes the farm’s dictator.

  • Uses fear, violence (the dogs), and lies to control the animals.

  • Changes rules to suit his own needs.

  • Symbolic meaning: Represents Joseph Stalin, leader of Soviet Russia.

🐷 Snowball

  • A smart and passionate pig who wants to improve the farm.

  • Believes in education and progress (like the windmill).

  • Driven out by Napoleon’s dogs.

  • Symbolic meaning: Represents Leon Trotsky, a rival of Stalin who was exiled.

🐷 Old Major

  • An old and wise pig who inspires the idea of rebellion.

  • Gives a powerful speech about animal freedom and equality.

  • Dies before the rebellion begins.

  • Symbolic meaning: Represents Karl Marx (who created Communist ideas) or Lenin (who led the Russian Revolution).

🐴 Boxer

  • A strong, hardworking horse who believes in the farm and its leaders.

  • His mottos are “I will work harder” and “Napoleon is always right.”

  • Betrayed and sold to the glue factory when injured.

  • Symbolic meaning: Represents the working class—loyal, but exploited.

🐖 Squealer

  • A pig who acts as Napoleon’s spokesperson and propaganda agent.

  • Twists the truth to convince animals that Napoleon is always right.

  • Uses complex words to confuse and mislead.

  • Symbolic meaning: Represents propaganda/media under dictatorships.

👨‍🌾 Mr. Jones

  • The careless and cruel owner of Manor Farm before the rebellion.

  • Starves and mistreats the animals.

  • Overthrown by the animals but tries to return (Battle of the Cowshed).

  • Symbolic meaning: Represents Tsar Nicholas II, the last Russian monarch.

✍️ Important Quotes

  1. “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” – Shows the betrayal of the revolution.

  2. “Four legs good, two legs bad.” – Simplified propaganda to control the animals.

  3. “I will work harder.” – Boxer’s motto, shows blind loyalty.

  4. “Napoleon is always right.” – Shows how loyalty replaces critical thinking.

🔧 Literary Devices

  • Allegory – The story represents the Russian Revolution and its aftermath.

  • Satire – Critiques political systems, especially totalitarianism.

  • Irony – The animals become what they fought against.

  • Symbolism – Characters and events symbolize real-world figures and ideas.

📚 Chapter-wise Summary 

📖 Chapter 1

  • Old Major, a wise old pig, gives a speech to all the animals on Manor Farm.

  • He speaks about how humans exploit animals and dreams of a rebellion.

  • He teaches them a song called "Beasts of England" that becomes a symbol of hope.

📖 Chapter 2

  • Old Major dies soon after the meeting.

  • The pigs (especially Napoleon, Snowball, and Squealer) plan the rebellion.

  • The animals successfully chase away Mr. Jones and take over the farm.

  • The farm is renamed "Animal Farm".

  • The pigs create Seven Commandments to guide animal life.

📖 Chapter 3

  • Animals start working together and enjoy some freedom.

  • The pigs take leadership roles and don’t work but supervise.

  • Snowball tries to educate all animals.

  • Boxer adopts the motto: “I will work harder.”

  • The pigs keep all the milk and apples for themselves.

📖 Chapter 4

  • News of the rebellion spreads to other farms.

  • Mr. Jones and other farmers try to retake the farm (Battle of the Cowshed).

  • Snowball leads the animals to victory.

  • Snowball is declared a hero.

📖 Chapter 5

  • Snowball and Napoleon disagree on many plans, including building a windmill.

  • Napoleon uses dogs to chase Snowball away.

  • Napoleon becomes the sole leader.

  • The animals are told that the windmill was Napoleon's idea all along.

📖 Chapter 6

  • The animals work harder and start building the windmill.

  • Trade begins with human farmers.

  • The pigs move into the farmhouse.

  • The windmill is destroyed in a storm, but Napoleon blames Snowball.

📖 Chapter 7

  • The animals face starvation and hardship.

  • Hens rebel but are punished.

  • Napoleon uses fear and violence; many animals are executed after false confessions.

  • “Beasts of England” is banned.

  • The animals grow confused and frightened.

📖 Chapter 8

  • The animals rebuild the windmill.

  • Napoleon becomes more powerful and is treated like a king.

  • Frederick, a human farmer, tricks Napoleon and attacks the farm.

  • The second windmill is destroyed.

  • More animals die, and life becomes harder.

📖 Chapter 9

  • Boxer gets injured while working.

  • Instead of being treated, he is sold to a glue-maker.

  • The pigs lie and say he died peacefully.

  • The animals become sad but helpless.

  • The pigs continue to live in luxury.

📖 Chapter 10

  • Years pass; many animals have died, and the original ideals are forgotten.

  • The pigs start walking on two legs and behaving like humans.

  • The Seven Commandments are replaced with:
    “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”

  • The animals cannot tell the difference between pigs and humans.


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