Animal Farm
A Political Satire on the Corrupting Influence of Power
byGeorge Orwell, Russell Baker, C.M. Woodhouse
Book Edition Details
Summary
"Animal Farm (1945) is a classic satirical novella that allegorically depicts the Russian Revolution of 1917 and its aftermath by transplanting events to a small English farm. After animals stage an uprising against their human farmer, a political battle ensues between an idealistic pig, Snowball, and a power-hungry pig, Napoleon, illustrating the evolution from revolution against tyranny to a new totalitarianism."
Introduction
In the rolling countryside of England, a group of farm animals gather in secret to hear the dying words of an old pig whose vision will ignite a revolution. What begins as a noble dream of freedom and equality slowly transforms into a nightmare of tyranny and betrayal. This powerful allegory unfolds with the inexorable logic of corruption, showing how the highest ideals can be twisted by those who hunger for power. Through the eyes of hardworking horses, clever pigs, and bewildered sheep, we witness the tragic cycle of oppression that mirrors humanity's darkest political moments. The story serves as both a gripping tale of barnyard drama and a profound meditation on the nature of power itself. As the animals' utopian society crumbles under the weight of ambition and propaganda, readers encounter timeless questions about leadership, justice, and the price of freedom. The narrative's genius lies in its ability to make complex political truths accessible through the simple lives of farm animals, creating a fable that speaks to readers across generations and cultures. Through this retelling, we explore how revolutionary ideals can be corrupted, how language becomes a weapon of control, and why the pursuit of power often leads to the very oppression it sought to eliminate.
The Seeds of Rebellion: Old Major's Vision
On Manor Farm, where drunken farmer Mr. Jones stumbles to bed each night, the animals live in quiet desperation. Their lives are marked by endless toil, meager rations, and the constant threat of slaughter when they outlive their usefulness. But one winter evening, everything changes when Old Major, the prize boar respected by all, calls a secret meeting in the barn. Under the flickering lantern light, the animals gather in hushed anticipation. Boxer the cart-horse stands alongside Clover the mare, while the pigs settle importantly in the front rows. Benjamin the cynical donkey maintains his usual skeptical silence, and even Mollie the vain white mare abandons her preening to listen. Old Major's words pierce through their acceptance of suffering like lightning through darkness. The wise old pig speaks of a dream, but more importantly, he reveals the brutal truth of their existence. Man, he declares, is the source of all their misery—the parasite who consumes without producing, who takes their milk, their eggs, their very lives for his own enrichment. Major's vision is intoxicating in its simplicity: remove man from the equation, and the animals could live in abundance and dignity. His voice grows stronger as he outlines the principles that will govern their future: whatever walks on two legs is an enemy, whatever walks on four legs or has wings is a friend, and above all, all animals are equal. The meeting reaches its crescendo when Old Major teaches them an ancient song, "Beasts of England," whose stirring melody and prophetic words speak of a golden future when tyranny shall end and the fields belong to those who work them. The animals sing with growing fervor until their voices shake the barn rafters, and for the first time in their lives, they taste the intoxicating flavor of hope. Though Mr. Jones's shotgun blast scatters them back to their stalls, the seed of revolution has been planted in soil made fertile by years of oppression.
Revolution and Early Idealism: The Animals Take Control
Three months after Old Major's death, the animals have transformed his teachings into a complete philosophy called Animalism. Led by the pigs Snowball and Napoleon, along with the eloquent Squealer, they hold secret meetings where these new ideas spread like wildfire through the barn. The revolution, when it comes, arrives with stunning suddenness on a day when Jones's neglect reaches its breaking point. Driven by hunger when their drunken master forgets to feed them, the animals break into the store-shed for food. Jones and his men respond with whips and violence, but this time something is different. With spontaneous fury born of desperation, the animals fight back. In moments, Jones and his workers flee the farm in panic, and Manor Farm belongs to its true workers for the first time in history. The early days of Animal Farm pulse with revolutionary energy and genuine hope. The animals destroy every symbol of their oppression, burning whips and noserings in a great bonfire while singing "Beasts of England" with tears of joy streaming down their faces. Snowball proudly paints the Seven Commandments on the barn wall, establishing the laws that will govern their new society. The harvest that follows proves their capabilities—working together with unprecedented dedication, they bring in the crops faster and more completely than Jones ever managed. During these golden months, every animal contributes according to their ability. Boxer's tremendous strength becomes legendary as he pushes himself beyond all limits with his motto "I will work harder!" The pigs naturally assume leadership roles, directing operations with their superior intelligence, while even the smallest animals participate in the great work. Sunday meetings buzz with democratic debate, educational committees flourish, and for the first time, the animals taste the satisfaction of laboring for their own benefit rather than for a master who gives them only scraps in return.
The Rise of Tyranny: Napoleon's Consolidation of Power
As seasons pass, the utopian dream begins showing cracks beneath its surface. The growing rivalry between Snowball and Napoleon splits the farm into factions, with every decision becoming a battleground between competing visions. Snowball champions grand projects like the windmill that would bring electricity to the farm, while Napoleon quietly builds his power base among the less educated animals, particularly the sheep who bleat "Four legs good, two legs bad" at strategic moments during debates. The turning point comes with shocking brutality during a crucial vote on the windmill project. Just as Snowball's passionate speech seems to sway the crowd, Napoleon utters a strange whimper that summons nine enormous dogs—the puppies he secretly raised as his personal guard. The vicious hounds chase Snowball from the farm forever, and Napoleon announces the end of democratic meetings. From now on, all decisions will be made by a committee of pigs under his leadership alone. With Snowball gone, Napoleon systematically consolidates control through a combination of propaganda and terror. Squealer works overtime to rewrite history, convincing the animals that Napoleon had actually supported the windmill all along and that Snowball was a traitor who had been working with their enemies from the beginning. The pigs gradually adopt the privileges of the former human masters—sleeping in beds, drinking alcohol, and trading with neighboring farms—all while Squealer explains why these violations of the original commandments are actually necessary for the farm's survival. The corruption accelerates as Napoleon becomes increasingly isolated from the common animals, appearing in public only for ceremonial occasions surrounded by his snarling bodyguards. The Seven Commandments are quietly modified to justify each new privilege, and the animals find their memories increasingly unreliable when Squealer's smooth words contradict what they thought they remembered. Fear becomes a constant presence as Napoleon's enemies are discovered everywhere, and the loyal Boxer's simple faith that "Napoleon is always right" becomes the refuge of animals too confused and frightened to question what their revolution has become.
The Complete Transformation: From Animals to Oppressors
The final descent into tyranny accelerates with terrifying momentum as Napoleon's paranoia transforms Animal Farm into a police state. Show trials and executions become routine as animals confess to impossible crimes under the watchful eyes of the guard dogs. The windmill, finally completed through backbreaking labor, is destroyed in a human attack, but Napoleon declares even this devastating defeat a glorious victory, demonstrating how completely propaganda has replaced reality. Boxer, the revolution's most faithful believer, finally collapses from overwork, his mighty body broken by years of superhuman effort. The animals watch in horror as he is carted away in a van marked "Horse Slaugherer," but Squealer assures them that their beloved comrade died peacefully in a hospital, whispering Napoleon's name with his final breath. The money from Boxer's body buys whiskey for the pigs' increasingly frequent celebrations, marking the complete abandonment of the values that once inspired them all. Years pass, and most animals who remember the original rebellion are dead or too old to matter. New generations know only Napoleon's version of history, in which the Leader has always been their savior and any other story is dangerous heresy. The farm prospers under efficient management, but the animals themselves grow thinner and work longer hours while the pigs grow fat and multiply their privileges. The Seven Commandments gradually disappear from the barn wall until only one remains: "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." The transformation reaches its logical conclusion on a day when the horrified animals witness their pig leaders walking upright on two legs, carrying whips and wearing human clothes. The sight is so shocking that the sheep must drown out potential protests with their new chant: "Four legs good, two legs better!" When neighboring human farmers come to visit, the animals peek through the farmhouse windows at a scene that captures their complete betrayal. Around the table, pigs and men drink and laugh together, their faces so similar that it becomes impossible to tell which is which. The revolution has come full circle, with the oppressed having become indistinguishable from their former oppressors.
Summary
This timeless fable reveals the eternal struggle between idealism and the corrupting influence of power, showing how even the most noble revolutionary dreams can be perverted by ambition and greed. Through the simple story of farm animals seeking freedom, we encounter profound truths about human nature and political systems that resonate across all cultures and historical periods. The tragedy lies not just in the betrayal of the animals' trust, but in the gradual process by which their liberators become their new oppressors, using the very language of equality to justify inequality. The story's enduring power comes from its recognition that tyranny often grows not from external conquest but from internal corruption, as leaders discover that maintaining power requires abandoning the principles that brought them to power. The animals' confusion and manipulation reflect humanity's own struggles with propaganda, memory, and the difficulty of recognizing gradual change until it becomes irreversible. Ultimately, this tale serves as both a warning about the fragility of freedom and a call for eternal vigilance against those who would exploit our highest aspirations for their lowest purposes, reminding us that the price of liberty truly is constant watchfulness.
By George Orwell
