George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a razor-sharp fable wrapped in the deceptively simple guise of a barnyard rebellion—a tale where the bleating of sheep and the oinking of pigs conceal the grinding gears of political tyranny.
Beneath its allegorical surface lies a chilling reflection of power’s corrupting allure, where the animals’ dream of equality curdles into a grotesque parody of the very oppression they sought to overthrow.
Orwell’s genius turns a pastoral satire into a timeless warning: revolutions may begin with ideals, but they often end with the same old boots stomping on the same downtrodden faces.”
In Animal Farm, George Orwell uses the setting of Manor Farm, later renamed Animal Farm, as a powerful symbol for political regimes, specifically the Soviet Union under Stalin.
This seemingly simple farmyard is transformed into a microcosm of society, representing the dynamics of power, corruption, and betrayal. Through the changes that occur on the farm—the revolt, the rise of the pigs, and the eventual dictatorship—Orwell reflects on how revolutions, despite promising equality and freedom, often lead to a new form of oppression.
The setting of Manor Farm plays a crucial role in emphasizing the novel’s themes of totalitarianism and the manipulation of ideals, becoming not just a background but a character in its own right.
Table of Contents
Overview
Conceived and written as a satire, Animal Farm is generally acknowledged as presenting many of Orwell’s views on humanity and politics. The novel relates the overthrow of a farmer’s tyrannical rule by the animals in his barnyard and the animals’ abortive efforts to establish an ‘egalitarian’ society.
Clearly alluding to political events in Russia from the Revolution to World War II, Animal Farm primarily attacks the extremes of Stalinism, yet goes beyond to dissect the anatomy of revolution and the lure of power.
The weighty political implications of the novel, however, are deftly interwoven into a fantastic tale of animals that talk, walk on their hind legs, write laws, spout propaganda, and commit crimes, all in the name of equality. Once the animals have attained freedom and begun to organize the farmyard themselves, it becomes obvious that the depiction of their behaviour is a parody of human political and social hierarchies.
SETTING
The novel takes place on Manor Farm, which is renamed Animal Farm after the animals expel Mr Jones, the farmer, from its grounds. It is a typical barnyard, except that the animals have assumed the farmer’s tasks.
Their aspirations are high; they write seven commandments on the wall of the barn, including ‘All animals are created equal’, and ‘Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy’, and thus stake their claim. They build a windmill—an object of much contention—which later has to be rebuilt several times after being destroyed by a storm and then by a band of farmers with dynamite.
Initially, the animals pledge to preserve the manor house as a museum, but as the power structure becomes more unbalanced, the pigs move into the house and it becomes their domain.
The farmhouse symbolizes the new totalitarian rule of the pigs and is indicative of the ‘revised’ commandment: ‘All animals are created equal but some animals are more equal than others.’
By restricting all the action to the farmyard, Orwell creates a microcosm of society.
Animal Farm: A Plot Summary
Introduction to the Revolution
Animal Farm opens at the Manor Farm, a modest property in rural England owned by the often-intoxicated and neglectful Mr. Jones. The animals—underfed, overworked, and mistreated—gather in the barn for a secret meeting led by Old Major, a venerable boar with a vision. In a stirring speech, Old Major declares, “Man is the only real enemy we have… Remove Man from the scene, and the root cause of hunger and overwork is abolished forever.” He shares a dream of a society where animals govern themselves, living in freedom and equality, and introduces a revolutionary song titled “Beasts of England.”
Three nights later, Old Major dies, but his ideas ignite a revolutionary fire in the hearts of the animals, particularly the pigs—Snowball, Napoleon, and Squealer—who develop Old Major’s teachings into a doctrine known as Animalism.
The Rebellion Begins
After months of secret organizing and ideological debates, the rebellion arrives unexpectedly. When Mr. Jones neglects to feed the animals, they revolt spontaneously and successfully oust the humans from the farm. The animals rename the estate Animal Farm and inscribe their guiding laws—the Seven Commandments—on the barn wall. These include principles such as “Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy” and “All animals are equal.”
The pigs assume leadership, with Snowball and Napoleon as the de facto rulers. While the pigs do not do physical labor, they direct and supervise the work with surprising effectiveness. One of the cart-horses, Boxer, adopts the personal maxim “I will work harder,” which becomes symbolic of the blind loyalty that many animals display throughout the story.
Early Success and Growing Tensions
The first harvest after the rebellion is bountiful. The animals feel free and satisfied, proud to produce for themselves rather than for humans. They institute Sunday meetings where policy decisions are debated and voted upon. Snowball and Napoleon emerge as rival leaders, with Snowball showing brilliance in oratory and innovation, while Napoleon focuses on behind-the-scenes control—especially of the sheep, who interrupt debates by chanting, “Four legs good, two legs bad.”
Despite challenges, the animals work cooperatively. The pigs educate themselves and attempt to teach literacy to the other animals, with mixed success. Some animals struggle to remember the commandments, prompting Snowball to condense them into a single phrase: “Four legs good, two legs bad.”
The Battle of the Cowshed
Rumors of the rebellion spread to neighboring farms, causing fear and ridicule among humans. Eventually, Mr. Jones and others attempt to retake the farm by force. Snowball, drawing upon strategy from a book on Julius Caesar’s campaigns, leads a successful counterattack in what becomes known as the Battle of the Cowshed. The animals defend their territory with surprising ferocity.
Snowball is wounded but heralded as a hero. The victory cements the animals’ confidence in their revolution. Boxer is honored for his bravery but shows remorse after believing he killed a human: “I have no wish to take life, not even human life.”
They commemorate the battle with ceremonies and create two military decorations: Animal Hero, First Class and Animal Hero, Second Class. The fallen sheep receives the latter posthumously.
The Windmill Controversy and Power Struggles
As time passes, the ideological split between Snowball and Napoleon deepens. Snowball envisions ambitious plans for progress—most notably, the construction of a windmill to generate electricity and ease the animals’ workload. He gives eloquent speeches, promising that the windmill will reduce labor and modernize Animal Farm.
Napoleon, however, opposes the plan at every turn—until he doesn’t. In a dramatic meeting, just as Snowball wins popular support for the windmill, Napoleon signals his secret weapon: nine massive dogs, raised from puppies in seclusion, who storm into the barn and chase Snowball off the farm.
From this moment forward, Napoleon rules by fear, not consensus. There are no more debates. Squealer, Napoleon’s loyal propagandist, rewrites history, claiming Snowball was a traitor all along, and that “tactics, comrades, tactics” justified Napoleon’s actions.
Strangely, Napoleon suddenly adopts the windmill plan himself, declaring it was his idea from the start. This contradictory reversal goes unquestioned—thanks to Squealer’s slick manipulation of facts and fear of Napoleon’s dogs.
The Rise of Totalitarian Rule
Life on the farm grows harder. The animals work longer hours to build the windmill under grueling conditions. Their rations shrink, but they are continually assured that things are improving. Boxer, the loyal workhorse, pushes himself to the limit, repeating his mantra: “Napoleon is always right.”
Despite setbacks—including the windmill being destroyed in a storm—Napoleon uses deception to maintain control. Squealer convinces the animals that Snowball sabotaged the windmill and is collaborating with Mr. Jones. Snowball becomes the convenient scapegoat for all problems, though he is never seen again.
The pigs begin to enjoy luxuries: milk, apples, alcohol, and eventually trade with humans—something once forbidden. Meanwhile, the Seven Commandments are subtly revised to suit their behavior. For instance, the rule “No animal shall sleep in a bed” becomes “No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets.”
Most animals are too illiterate—or frightened—to challenge these changes. When the pigs begin drinking alcohol, another commandment mysteriously changes to: “No animal shall drink alcohol to excess.”
The Purges and Reign of Terror
In one of the novel’s darkest turns, Napoleon initiates a wave of purges. Animals are forced to confess to imaginary crimes—collaborating with Snowball, undermining the farm—and are executed on the spot by the dogs. The bloodshed horrifies the animals, who recall that killing fellow animals was once forbidden.
But when they look at the barn, the Sixth Commandment has been altered: “No animal shall kill any other animal without cause.”
The atmosphere grows heavy with fear and silence. Even Boxer, steadfast in his loyalty, begins to question things silently. Still, he blames himself and resolves to work harder: “I must work harder.”
Only Clover, the female horse, senses something is terribly wrong but cannot articulate it: “If she could have spoken her thoughts, it would have been to say that this was not what they had aimed at when they had set out years ago to set the animals free.”
Trade with Humans and the Dismantling of Ideals
To the animals’ confusion, Napoleon begins trading with neighboring farmers Frederick and Pilkington, despite earlier oaths never to deal with humans. The pigs even start living in Mr. Jones’s house and wearing clothes.
Napoleon sells a pile of timber to Frederick, who pays with forged banknotes. When Napoleon realizes he has been duped, it is too late—Frederick’s men attack Animal Farm and destroy the windmill with dynamite. The animals repel the attackers, but at a terrible cost.
Wounded and exhausted, the animals feel defeated. They rebuild the windmill again, though no longer with the hopeful enthusiasm of the past. The project becomes a symbol of endless suffering, not progress.
Napoleon increasingly adopts the behaviors of human tyrants. He is referred to as “Our Leader, Comrade Napoleon,” and the pigs rewrite history constantly to glorify him. Squealer produces fake statistics to convince the animals they are better off than ever, though their stomachs say otherwise.
The Betrayal of Boxer
Boxer, now old and injured, sustains a serious wound while working on the windmill. The animals believe he will be sent to a veterinary hospital, but when a knacker’s van arrives, Benjamin the donkey is the first to notice the sign: “Horse Slaughterer and Glue Boiler.”
The animals scream in panic, but Boxer is too weak to escape. The betrayal is devastating. Squealer later claims the van was from the vet, and the writing on it hadn’t been repainted yet.
This moment is the novel’s emotional climax—a direct representation of how totalitarian regimes discard even their most loyal followers when they are no longer useful.
In a final insult, Napoleon hosts a banquet in Boxer’s honor—serving alcohol purchased with the money from selling Boxer’s body.
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The Inevitable Decline
With Boxer gone, so too is the last thread of hope for many of the animals. He had symbolized the spirit of the working class—loyal, determined, and tragically expendable. The animals work harder than ever but live in worse conditions than under Mr. Jones. And yet, they continue to believe—or are forced to believe—that life is better.
Squealer constantly bombards them with manipulated statistics: production is up, rations are fair, morale is high. But the reality is stark. The animals often go hungry. They rarely speak out, save for brief moments of shared doubt, which are quickly quelled by fear of Napoleon’s dogs or guilt instilled by Squealer.
The animals have long ceased to question the Seven Commandments, for they can barely read anymore. But one day, Clover notices that the wall now displays a single rule:
“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”
This line perfectly encapsulates the betrayal at the heart of the story. The dream of equality has been twisted beyond recognition. Language itself, the tool of revolution, has become the mechanism of repression.
The Humanization of the Pigs
The pigs, under Napoleon’s leadership, begin to take on more human characteristics. They walk on two legs. They carry whips. They wear clothes and dine from fine china. “Four legs good, two legs better!” becomes the sheep’s new chant—an Orwellian corruption of the revolution’s original slogan.
The animals, confused and frightened, look from pig to man and back again, unable to tell them apart.
“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” (Final line)
This haunting conclusion is one of the most powerful in modern literature. It underscores Orwell’s central warning: that revolution without morality becomes indistinguishable from tyranny. The rulers change, but the oppression remains—and sometimes worsens.
Over the course of Animal Farm, Orwell charts the corruption of revolutionary ideals and the cyclical nature of power. Beginning with Old Major’s utopian dream of freedom and equality, the animals slowly exchange one form of oppression for another—first under humans, then under their own kind.
Napoleon, a once relatively silent figure, becomes a symbol of authoritarianism. His rise is not through oratory or wisdom, but through coercion, manipulation, propaganda, and fear. Snowball, though flawed, represented a more idealistic vision that is extinguished early on. The pigs systematically dismantle the principles of Animalism until only tyranny remains.
The working-class animals, especially Boxer, are duped into thinking their loyalty will be rewarded. But instead, they are exploited and discarded—a potent allegory for real-life revolutions such as Stalinist Russia, which Orwell specifically had in mind.
Even Benjamin, the cynical donkey who sees everything, says nothing until it is too late. His inaction reflects the dangers of political apathy and detachment.
By the end, Animal Farm is no longer about animals. It’s about us. It’s about what happens when those in power rewrite history, erase memory, and twist language. The tragedy lies not just in the suffering, but in how easily a population can be made to accept it.
The story lingers because its truth is eternal: Tyranny doesn’t arrive with a roar—it creeps in, cloaked in promises, and codified in slogans. And the saddest truth of all? That those who dream of freedom can become its fiercest enemies when they abandon their conscience in pursuit of control.
THEMES AND CHARACTERS
Modelled on a relatively simple premise, the novel begins as the animals of Manor Farm unite against farmer Jones to overthrow his tyrannical rule.
Understandably ecstatic over their sudden and rather unexpected good fortune, the animals create a new order for the future based on equality and equity. The paint is hardly dry on their barnyard manifesto, however, when the hated forces and attitudes that triggered their revolt begin to re-emerge, eventually destroying their dream of emancipation.
Orwell passes judgement on the outcome of revolution, comparing the ideological promises made in its name with the reality of their application.
In essence, Orwell does not condemn revolution but agonizes over the betrayal of its ideals. Possessing superior knowledge, the pigs assume leadership of the farm, taking a first step towards replacing the tyranny of the past with a new and more terrifying threat for the future. The pigs learn to control the means of communication and literally create their own truth to dispense to the inhabitants of the farm; this is perhaps the most pessimistic aspect of the novel.
In the end, pigs are indistinguishable from farmers and the ideals of the revolution seem distant in the face of terror, manipulation, and despair.
The idea of revolution appears in a dream to old Major, a pig renowned for his wisdom and benevolence. But as the dream becomes reality, responsibility falls on the two most ‘pre-eminent’ pigs, Snowball and Napoleon.
Thinly disguised, the pigs represent the principal figures behind the emergence of the Soviet Union—Major and Snowball are Lenin and Trotsky, and Napoleon is Stalin.
Although a clear distinction is made at the beginning of the novel between Jones, as the representative human, and the community of animals inhabiting the farm, the focus quickly shifts to the animals once Jones has been overthrown and specifically to the rivalry that develops between Snowball and Napoleon.
The novel follows the ruthless Napoleon in his quest for individual power. Driving Snowball into exile, Napoleon imposes his oppressive authority on the animals through the manipulation of language, as demonstrated by Squealer, the voice of the revolution who is capable of turning ‘black into white’, and the menacing presence of a private army of fierce watchdogs capable of enforcing adherence to his regime.
The failure of the revolution is largely the result of self-defeatism, cynicism, and the inability of the animals either to recognize or resist the oppression imposed on them by Napoleon.
Even the basic goodness of the animals, as characterized by the horse Boxer, a symbol of strength, self-sacrifice, and trust, cannot prevent the demise of idealism into blind allegiance and delusion.
LITERARY TECHNIQUE
An extremely disciplined writer, Orwell consistently used language to enhance the development of plot while providing insight into thematic concerns.
This is especially true in Animal Farm, an imaginative examination of the interaction of language and political method. Written in a pure, subtle, and simplistic style, among Animal Farm’s strengths are its use of descriptive imagery and its clarity of purpose. Although the novel begins with a relatively light tone, throughout the course of the story the mood gradually becomes more menacing.
Coming full circle, the novel ends with a tremendous sense of futility and loss as even the memory of the revolution fades into quiet and passive oblivion.
Orwell conceived of Animal Farm as an allegorical beast fable, drawing on a literary convention attributed to Aesop dating from the 7th century BC. The beast fable was intended to satirize human folly and provide moral instruction. Orwell was undoubtedly influenced by the work of the 17th-century French writer La Fontaine and in his own century by Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book and Just So Stories.
Orwell was working in the tradition of the 18th-century satirists Dryden, Swift, and Pope.
Animal Farm is consistently and appropriately compared to Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels as having the capacity to entertain the reader while also pointing an accusing finger at the limitations of human kindness and decency. In the 20th century, satire is generally employed in fictional narrative, as it is in Animal Farm, to criticize with the ultimate goal of improvement.
In this capacity, Orwell joins the company of Evelyn Waugh and Aldous Huxley, as well as the American writers Mark Twain and Sinclair Lewis.
HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL CONTEXT
During the mid-1930s Orwell, like many of his literary contemporaries, became increasingly preoccupied with the social and political concerns of the age.
This period would ultimately define his artistic purpose and direction as a writer and simultaneously crystallize his prophetic vision of the future. Unquestionably a literary extension of Orwell’s political development, Animal Farm is most often seen as a satire on totalitarian communism and the dictatorship of Joseph Stalin.
Orwell recognized the tendency of emerging political regimes to replace poverty with a form of security based on social and economic servitude.
Committed to the preservation of intellectual liberty, he further realized the inherent danger of sacrificing this ideal to governmental control.
Top 5 Lessons We Can Learn from George Orwell’s Animal Farm Today
1. Power Corrupts and Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely
One of the key lessons in Animal Farm is the corrupting influence of power.
Napoleon, who initially fights for equality, becomes indistinguishable from the oppressive rulers he sought to overthrow. This highlights how revolutions, no matter how well-intentioned, can lead to authoritarianism when power is unchecked.
Today, this serves as a reminder of the importance of accountability and checks on power in any system.
2. The Dangers of Political Manipulation and Propaganda
The character of Squealer, who manipulates information to control the other animals, represents the role of propaganda in shaping public opinion and controlling the masses.
Orwell shows how truth can be distorted to serve those in power. In modern times, with misinformation and “fake news” rampant, this lesson is more relevant than ever—critical thinking and media literacy are essential.
3. The Betrayal of Revolutionary Ideals
Orwell’s Animal Farm illustrates how ideals like equality and justice can be compromised when leaders prioritize their own interests.
The gradual erosion of the Seven Commandments reflects how revolutionary ideals are often betrayed by those who assume power.
This serves as a warning that vigilance is necessary to ensure that leaders uphold the values they claim to represent.
4. Social Class and Exploitation
The novel shows how the working class, represented by Boxer the horse, is exploited by the ruling elite. Despite his loyalty and hard work, Boxer is discarded when he is no longer useful.
This teaches us about the importance of standing up for workers’ rights and ensuring that labor is respected and rewarded fairly, a message that resonates in today’s conversations about economic inequality and labor exploitation.
5. The Importance of Education and Awareness
Orwell demonstrates how the pigs’ control over education and information allows them to dominate the other animals.
The lack of education among the rest of the animals makes them susceptible to manipulation. In today’s world, this emphasizes the need for access to quality education and the ability to question authority as vital to the health of a democracy.
The Seven Commandments:
- Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
- Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
- No animal shall wear clothes.
- No animal shall sleep in a bed.
- No animal shall drink alcohol.
- No animal shall kill any other animal.
- All animals are equal.
As the pigs, particularly Napoleon, gain more power, they alter these commandments to suit their own needs, leading to the infamous final revision: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”
This gradual manipulation reflects Orwell’s critique of how revolutionary ideals are often corrupted by those in power.
Main Characters and Their Symbolism:
1. Napoleon (Boar) – A dictatorial leader, representing Joseph Stalin. He gradually consolidates power, eliminates rivals, and enforces a totalitarian regime.
2. Snowball (Boar) – An intelligent and visionary pig representing Leon Trotsky. He is ousted by Napoleon, symbolizing Stalin’s purging of Trotsky.
3. Squealer (Pig) – A propaganda master who manipulates language and information to control the animals, symbolizing state propaganda in Soviet Russia.
4. Boxer (Horse) – A hardworking and loyal but naive laborer, embodying the proletariat who trusts the government blindly. His personal motto, I will work harder,” reflects his undying faith in the regime.
5. Clover (Horse) – A maternal figure, caring yet powerless, representing the disillusioned working class.
6. Benjamin (Donkey)– Cynical and skeptical, representing intellectuals who understand the oppression but choose inaction.
7. Mollie (Mare)– A vain and materialistic horse who enjoys luxuries, representing the aristocracy who fled the Soviet Union.
8. Mr. Jones (Human, Farmer) – The neglectful and cruel original owner of the farm, symbolizing Tsar Nicholas II.
9. Mr. Frederick (Human, Neighboring Farmer) – A ruthless and deceptive farmer representing Adolf Hitler.
10. Mr. Pilkington (Human, Neighboring Farmer)– A capitalist farmer symbolizing Western nations like Britain and the United States.
11. The Sheep – Followers who mindlessly repeat propaganda slogans.
12. The Dogs – Napoleon’s enforcers, representing the secret police (KGB).
RELATED TITLES AND ADAPTATIONS
Similar in theme to Animal Farm, Nineteen Eighty-Four is both an indictment of political oppression and a vigorous attack on the corruption of language.
Throughout the novel, Orwell is relentless in his disparaging analysis of totalitarian society, demonstrating how language can be used as a tool of government to exercise and ensure control over its people.
An animated film version of Animal Farm aimed at adults was made in 1954, directed and produced by John Halas and Joy Batchelor.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born Eric Arthur Blair in Motihari, Bengal, India, on June 25, 1903, George Orwell was the son of a British civil servant and belonged to what he considered ‘the lower-upper-middle class’.
He returned to England with his mother in 1905 and attended preparatory school before winning a scholarship to Eton College, where he first demonstrated an apparent animosity towards convention and authority. Orwell decided against continuing his studies at either Oxford or Cambridge and instead enlisted with the Indian Imperial Police in Burma, a decision that would permanently affect his philosophical perspective, political consciousness, and creative legacy.
Orwell returned to Britain in 1927, ostensibly on leave after serving overseas for five years.
Within a month of his arrival he had resigned from his post, announcing to his parents his intention of becoming a writer. Attracted to a bohemian, artistic lifestyle, he travelled to Paris in 1928, where he lived for 18 months.
He started a career in journalism in Paris, but did not fully realize his literary potential until after his return to Britain. His work began to appear in the journal Adelphi, most notably with the publication in 1931 of his enduring and masterful essay ‘A Hanging’. His first book, Down and Out in Paris and London, was rejected by several publishers, including T. S. Eliot of Faber and Faber, before it was accepted by Victor Gollancz and released under the pen name of George Orwell in January 1933.
As a result, Orwell continued to use this pen name for the remainder of his life and literary career, although he never legally changed his given name.
As a work by a relatively unknown author, the book received unusually high praise from critics, but it was commercially unsuccessful and Orwell found the experience disheartening.
Undaunted, he earned his livelihood as a journalist while continuing to publish both fiction and non-fiction. At this point Orwell left Britain to observe and fight in the Spanish Civil War, where he was later seriously wounded, necessitating his return home in 1938.
That year, Orwell wrote about the experience with horrific realism and perception in Homage to Catalonia.
In 1939 Orwell published Coming Up for Air, the first of his novels to attain commercial success. This personal triumph, however, was soon overshadowed by the outbreak of World War II. Excluded from military service for health reasons, Orwell was nonetheless active in civil defence.
During the war years Orwell came up with the idea for Animal Farm, a novel that was initially rejected by British and American publishers, who feared the repercussions of promoting a work critical of the Soviet Union, then a military ally. When Animal Farm finally appeared in May 1945, however, it met with unprecedented public attention. As a result, Orwell achieved overnight recognition and financial independence.
In 1947 Orwell settled on the island of Jura off the west coast of Scotland. Here, although physically ill and increasingly pessimistic about the state of the world, he completed Nineteen Eighty-Four, a work of immense critical and cultural importance.
The novel was published in 1949 just months before Orwell’s premature death from a tubercular haemorrhage on January 23, 1950.
Conclusion
The setting and symbolism of Manor Farm are integral to understanding Animal Farm’s critique of political revolutions and the dynamics of power.
The farm itself, once an idyllic symbol of equality, quickly becomes a dystopian representation of how ideals are manipulated and corrupted by those in power. Through Orwell’s portrayal of the farmyard, the windmill, and the farmhouse, he explores the themes of inequality, propaganda, and the cyclical nature of oppression.
As a microcosm of society, Animal Farm serves as a cautionary tale that remains deeply relevant today, reminding us of the dangers of unchecked authority and the betrayal of revolutionary ideals.
