Animal Farm
(George Orwell)
Chapter 1
Animal Farm opens as Mr. Jones, farmer of the Manor Farm, drunkenly returns to his home after failing to secure the buildings. The light in the bedroom goes out, and the animals stir. Everyone is abuzz about the well-respected boar Old Major who claimed to have had a peculiar dream the previous night.
The animals gather in the barn to hear the wise old boar speak. First come the dogs, Bluebell, Jessie, and Pincher. The pigs, hens, pigeons, sheep, and cows all find a seat.
Two carthorses named Boxer and Clover arrive together. Next come Muriel the white goat and Benjamin the donkey, who was the oldest and most ill-tempered of the barnyard. Finally, Mollie, a foolish white mare, appears. All the animals arrive except the tame raven, Moses, who slept on a perch.
Old Major senses his life is coming to an end and wishes to impart wisdom from his 12 years on the farm. The life of a farm animal is a tortuous one, says Old Major. Animals are forced to work as slaves in exchange for only enough food to keep them alive.
The farm could sustain dozens of other animals, but the product of their labor goes instead to human beings. Man, says Old Major, is the enemy. Hunger and overwork would no longer be a problem if Man was removed from the picture.
Man is weak and is the only animal that consumes without producing. Yet Man is the master of all animals. He works the animals hard and gives them only enough to survive, keeping the rest for himself.
From the eggs that feed to the dung that fertilizes, animals give so much and yet lead miserable lives. Their miserable lives are cut short as well, slaughtered for the use of man.
Old Major declares the animals must rebel and overthrow the human race. He calls for camaraderie against Man. In response, the animals vote in favor of declaring wild animals, such as rats and rabbits, comrades, as well.
Old Major suggests a slogan for the movement: “Anything that walks on two legs in an enemy. Anything with four legs or wings is a friend.” He warns animals must resist becoming like Man, living in a house, sleeping in a bed, wearing clothes, drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco, touching money, or engaging in trade. In addition, no animal should tyrannize or kill another. All animals are equal.
Old Major then discusses his dream, which reminded him of a song from his childhood. He sings the song to the attentive audience. Called “Beasts of England”, the lyrics speak of a utopia where Man is overthrown, and animals are no longer slaves. The animals are delighted by the song and sing it several times.
Gunshots abruptly halt the rally. The commotion awoke Mr. Jones, who runs out of the house to track a suspected fox. The animals scurried to their sleeping areas and fall asleep. Manor Farm is quiet once again.
Chapter 2
Old Major dies three days later. His speech successfully rallies the more intelligent animals in to preparing for the rebellion. Some pigs in particular arise as leaders.
Napoleon, Snowball, and Squealer further develop Old Major’s speech into the dogma of Animalism. The animals hold secret meetings in the night where the three pigs lecture on Animalism...
Some of the animals are not so convinced, worrying about self-sufficiency or still loyal to their “Master” Mr. Jones. Mollie asks if she can still wear the red ribbons interlaced in her hair following the rebellion. Snowball calls the ribbons “badges of slavery” and questions her priorities.
Moses makes trouble for the movement with his clever talking. He claims that when animals die, they go to a paradise in the sky called Sugarcandy Mountain. The pigs are forced to argue hard to dispel the idea. The carthorses Boxer and Clover require little persuading. They are the pigs’ most loyal, yet not so clever, disciples.
Meanwhile, Mr. Jones is drinking more and neglecting his duties due to financial trouble. One day he gets so drunk, he forgets to feed the animals on a day where the lazy farm hands neglect to do so, as well.
The animals revolt in hunger. Pandemonium awakes Mr. Jones. He and his four men strike at the rioting animals with whips. This makes the animals angrier. They attack, thrashing and chasing the confused farmers.
Mrs. Jones sees the disturbance from a window and escapes. The animals chase the five men out of the farm and shut the gate. Manor Farm belongs to the animals now.
The animals ransack the farm, destroying whips, harnesses, restraints -- any reminder of the farmer’s oppression. Snowball throws ribbons in the fire, saying they should be considered clothes. Napoleon serves all the animals double rations, and they sing “Beast of England” several times.
The animals timidly enter the farmhouse, careful not to disturb anything. The animals decide the house should be preserved as a museum and no animals should ever live there.
Later the pigs reveal they had learned to read and write from a children’s book. Snowball paints over “Manor Farm” on the top bar of the entrance gate, replacing it with “Animal Farm”.
Returning to the buildings, the pigs announce they had synthesized the principles of Animalism into Seven Commandments. Snowball paints the Commandments in large white letters on the barn wall.
The Seven Commandments
1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
3. No animal shall wear clothes.
4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.
5. No animal shall drink alcohol.
6. No animal shall kill any other animal.
7. All animals are equal.
Snowball announces it is time to complete the harvest. The cows protest, uncomfortable from not being milked for a day. The pigs milk the cows. The animals suggest what should be done with the milk, but Napoleon insists they will worry about it later. When they return, the milk is missing.
Chapter 3
The animals toil in the field overcoming the difficulties of working with tools designed for humans. The pigs supervise the animals and do not take part in the physical labor. It was the biggest harvest ever, completed two days earlier than usual.
Months pass and the farm work persists. With the humans gone, the animals are eating better and have more leisure time. All the animals are working hard to share the wealth. Boxer stands out as exceptional worker. He answers every problem with “I will work harder!” -- which becomes his motto.
Stealing or fighting, which used to be common in the days of Manor Farm, all but disappears. However, there are a few that do not do their share. Mollie and the cat seem to disappear when there is work to be done.
On Sundays, there is no work and the animals hold a ceremony where a flag is raised. Snowball finds a green table cloth belonging to Mrs. Jones. He paints a white hoof and a horn on it. He explains the green represents the green fields of England and the hoof and horn signify the” future Republic of the Animals which would arise after the humans are overthrown”.
After the flag ceremony, the animals convene in the barn to discuss coming work and debate resolutions. None of the animals are intelligent enough to think of their own resolutions. The time is mostly monopolized by Napoleon and Snowball, who never agree. The meeting always ends with a singing of “Beasts of England”.
The pigs spend their evenings studying trades from books from the farmhouse. Snowball starts organizing the animals into various committees. For example, the Wild Comrades’ Re-education Committee aims to tame the wild rats and rabbits.
These projects all prove to be failures. Reading and writing classes manage to teach some of the animals to read and write, but others are not smart enough to learn more than a slight portion.
In light of some animals failing to memorize the Seven Commandments, Snowball reduces them to one axiom: “Four legs good, two legs bad”. The new slogan is painted on top of the original commandments, only in bigger letters.
Meanwhile, Napoleon’s priority is education of the young. Bluebell and Jessie give birth to some puppies. After they are weaned, Napoleon takes them away to a hidden loft to educate them in seclusion. The farm soon forgets about them. Soon it is discovered that the disappearing milk is being mixed in with the pigs’ mash.
The apples ripen and the animals are ordered to gather them for the pigs. Squealer explains this order is to preserve the health of the pigs and that he personally does no even like apples and milk.
Because the pigs are the brains behind the operation, it is for the animals’ sake that the pigs remain healthy. He warns Mr. Jones will return if the pigs fail. The warnings of Mr. Jones’ return are enough to convince the other animals that the health of the pigs is paramount.
Chapter 4
Snowball and Napoleon send out pigeons to inform neighboring farms of the rebellion and teach them “Beasts of England”. Back at the town pub, Mr. Jones complains to the other farmers about the injustice that occurred on his farm. Adjacent to the Manor Farm are the easy-going Mr. Pilkington’s Foxwood and the stern Mr. Frederick’s Pinchfield.
The two farmers do not get along but are both equally frightened about what occurred at Manor Farm. The two spread rumors that the animals are constantly fighting and starving. When the animals fail to die of starvation, the farmers insist Animal Farm is infested with cannibals practicing other forms of wickedness.
The rumors are not believed, and everywhere animals start to resist work. Human beings even hear the frightening sound of the “Beasts of England” being sang on the farm.
Any animal caught singing it was rewarded with a beating, but that did not succeed in repressing it. Dismissing it as ridiculous in sight of the animals, the farmers secretly agonize over the possible future.
One day in early October, Jones, his men, with six others from Foxwood and Pinchfield, enter the gate. Jones marches gun in hand as the men follow with sticks. The animals are prepared for this expected day.
Snowball barks orders having studied a book on Julius Caesar’s campaigns from the farmhouse. The first wave includes the pigeons and geese, pecking, fluttering and disorientating the men. After the birds are driven off by the sticks, Snowball calls for the second wave.
Muriel, Benjamin, the sheep, and Snowball bombard the men. The men fight them off and Snowball squeals for retreat. The men celebrate. However, the fight is going exactly how Snowball predicted. The attack is not over.
The three horses, the three cows, and the rest of the pigs ambush the men. Snowball catapults himself straight to Mr. Jones. Jones fires his gun, grazing Snowball and killing a sheep. Snowball deals one final blow to Mr. Jones, flinging him into a dung pile.
Boxer kicks a farm hand in the head, dropping him to the ground. The animals continue to assault the men, chasing them out of the farm. The battle is over in five minutes.
Boxer expresses regret accidentally taking a life, even that of a human. Snowball tells him not to feel guilty because the “only good human being is a dead one”. Then the animals realize Mollie is missing. They find her cowering in her stall.
When they return to the battlefield, they find the farm hand missing, apparently coming to and leaving.
The animals then celebrate the battle and the fallen sheep receives a funeral. The animals create a military decoration “Animal First Class” which is awarded to Snowball and Boxer.
They name the battle the Battle of Cowshed. The animals retrieve Mr. Jones’ gun to be set up at the foot of the flagstaff to be fired on the anniversary of the battle and the rebellion.
Chapter 5
Mollie continues to perform a lackluster job on the farm. One day she disappears, finding a new master to feed her sugar and decorate her mane with ribbons. No one mentions her name again.
The animals continue weekly meetings in the barn. They rely on the clever pigs to plan most policy, to be ratified by a majority vote. However, Napoleon and Snowball continue to passionately disagree on every aspect.
Snowball is able to captivate the audience with brilliant speeches while Napoleon proves better at garnering support in between meetings.
Snowball concocts a plan to build a windmill from reading Mr. Jones’ books. He explains the windmill would power the farm for lighting, heat, and electrical tools. The animals are extremely impressed with Snowball’s intricate schematics and often visit his workroom to view his progress. Napoleon visits the workroom and expresses his disapproval by urinating over the plans.
The windmill issue deeply divides the farm. Snowball had to argue for the feasibility of building the windmill in one year. He claims the windmill would save the animals so much time, they would have a three-day work week.
Napoleon counters by saying the windmill would be a silly distraction from increasing food production and building it would certainly mean starvation.
The animals still fear Mr. Jones returning with a more serious attack plan. Again, Napoleon and Snowball disagree. Napoleon argues the animals must procure guns to defend themselves.
Snowball argues for sending more pigeons to encourage rebellion on other farms, thus eliminating the need to defend. The animals agree with whoever is speaking at the moment.
The day finally comes to vote on the windmill project. Snowball makes a final passionate plea, promising outlandish amenities. The animals immediately join Snowball’s side. Napoleon responds with a high-pitched whimper that calls nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars.
The dogs lunge at Snowball chasing him out of the farm. The dogs return to Napoleon wagging their tails. They are the dogs Napoleon raised in the loft. Napoleon announces an end to the weekly meetings.
All matters will be resolved by a committee of pigs headed by him. Most of the animals cannot form the thoughts to argue. The pigs protest, but are quieted by the growling dogs.
The skull of Old Major is unearthed to be placed by the shotgun. The animals file past the skull on the way into the barn for the weekly meeting. Napoleon, Squealer, and another pig named Minimus, who writes songs and poems, conduct the meetings now from a raised platform.
Three weeks after Snowball’s expulsion, Napoleon announces the windmill will be built after all. He warns the animals that it will mean hard work and reduced rations. Squealer later explains that the windmill was Napoleon’s idea and Snowball stole the plans from him. He only pretended to oppose it as a maneuver to get rid of the bad influence. Squealer calls it “tactics”. Napoleon’s dogs growl and the animals accept the explanation.
Chapter 6
The animals work like slaves, yet they are happy knowing the fruits of their labor do not benefit man. Napoleon orders so much work, some task are left undone. The animals build the windmill from stone on the farm. They break large boulders into smaller rocks be roping them, dragging them up the hill, and letting them fall to shatter below.
The pigs cut the animals’ rations, so they are eating just as much as they did during Mr. Jones’ time. This does not seem to bother any of them because at least none of it goes to feed humans.
In many ways, the animals are more efficient than humans at farm tasks. However, many man-made items are missing, including the machinery for the windmill. Napoleon announces that Animal Farm will be trading with neighboring farms to earn money for the construction of the windmill.
The windmill is deemed the most important job, overriding everything else. This violates several of the original resolutions of Animal Farm: no dealings with human beings, no trade, and no use of money.
Some pigs’ protests are silenced by the growling dogs. Squealer insists the resolutions were never passed. When the animals appear unconvinced, Squealer adds that if such resolutions existed, they would have been committed to writing somewhere. Since the animals do not remember the resolutions being written down, they are convinced that their memories are deceiving them.
Mr. Whymper is the liaison for the other farms. The pigs arrange to have him visit the Animal Farm every Monday to engage in trade. The animals feel uneasy about his visits, yet swell with pride at the sight of Napoleon negotiating with the two-legged Mr. Whymper. It serves as an image that represents human beings taking Animal Farm seriously as a producing farm.
In another sign of Animal Farm’s prominence, the human beings start referring to the farm by its current name rather than Manor Farm. Mr. Jones had since given up on regaining his old farm and moved out of the area. Other rumors are flying about Napoleon opening up trade with Foxwood and Pinchfield.
The pigs take up residence in the farmhouse, sleeping in the beds. Squealer argues that the brains of the farm require a more luxurious sleeping arrangement. Clover remembers a ruling about beds. She asks Muriel to read the fourth commandment regarding beds. “No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets,” she reads.
Squealer attacks the contradiction immediately by explaining that any sleeping area can be called a bed. Sheets, however, was the real issue behind the resolution. All the sheets have been removed from the beds in the farmhouse, so there is no violation. He concludes his speech with the powerful reminder of Mr. Jones and the animals are satisfied.
One windy November night the animals awake to a crash. The windmill lay in shatters on the ground. Napoleon blames Snowball and offers apples to whoever catches him alive or dead. In a passionate speech, Napoleon declares the windmill will be rebuilt.
Chapter 7
A bitter winter descends on the animals as they labor to build the new windmill. Human beings say Snowball was not the culprit and instead blame the thin walls for the destruction.
The animals do not believe the noise, knowing the human beings would like to see them fail. They still rebuild the windmill with thicker walls. The animals are cold and hungry but inspired by Boxer’s strength.
The crops fail, and the animals fear starvation. But the animals have to hide this fact from the outside world. The human beings are recirculating rumors of starvation and cannibalism.
The animals deceive Mr. Whymper into a contrary impression by filling the bins with sand and topping them with crop and having the sheep casually mention that rations were increased in his earshot.
During these tough winter days, Napoleon is rarely seen. He spends all his time in the farmhouse guarded by the dogs. When he does leave, the exit is ceremonial with a six dog-escort.
In another violation on Animalism, Napoleon enters an arrangement with Mr. Whymper to sell eggs, so the farm can buy grain. The hens rebel and Napoleon cuts their rations completely. Nine hens die before they give up on their protest.
Rumors start to fly that Snowball is returning to the farm at night to sabotage the farm. When anything goes wrong, it is blamed on Snowball. Later Squealer announces Snowball now sold himself to Pinchfield.
In addition, documents were uncovered that proves Snowball was in league with Mr. Jones all along and planned to sabotage the Battle of Cowshed. The animals stare in disbelief. Even Boxer, whose personal motto had changed from “I will work harder” to “Napoleon is always right”, questions the assertion. He voices his concerns.
Squealer paints a new description of the battle where Snowball attempts to flea and Napoleon bites Mr. Jones’ leg. The depiction is so vivid, the animals believe they remember it. Boxer is still incredulous, but quickly changes his tone when Squealer informs him that Napoleon believes it to be true.
Napoleon orders the animals to gather. He exits the farmhouse, wearing the military medals he secretly awarded himself. He orders the dogs to attack the four pigs that protested Napoleon’s earlier orders at the Sunday meetings.
The pigs confess to being in league with Snowball and other outrageous crimes and the dogs tear them apart. Other animals confess to crimes, including the hens that lead the protest over the eggs. The dogs slaughter them. The dogs lunge at Boxer, but he easily fights them off.
The ordeal leaves the animals shaken and confused. No animals had been killed since Mr. Jones’ time. Boxer wonders aloud if it could be the fault of themselves. He resolves to work harder. The animals start singing “Beasts of England” but Squealer arrives telling them that the song has been abolished.
The song of the rebellion is no longer required because, with the assassination of the traitors, the rebellion is over. He provides a new song written by Minimus. The song fails to excite the animals the way Beasts of England did.
Chapter 8
Some animals start to remember the Sixth Commandment. Clover asks Muriel to read it. It reads: “No animal shall kill any other animal WITHOUT CAUSE.” The animals do not remember the last two words, but see, in fact, the commandment had not been violated. Conspiring with Snowball surely constitutes cause.
Meanwhile, Napoleon starts taking on a more god-like mystique. He is now never referred to as simply “Napoleon.” Instead, his full formal title is used: “our leader, Comrade Napoleon,” in addition to other titles the pigs invented.
The animals often express their love for their leader, giving him credit for anything positive on the farm. A poem praising the leadership of Napoleon is inscribed on the opposite wall of the commandments, next to a portrait of him.
Napoleon continues negotiations to sell a pile of timber to Mr. Frederick or Mr. Pilkington. Mr. Frederick appears to be purchasing the timber, and the pigs teach the animals to hate Mr. Pilkington.
Soon negotiations sway to favor Mr. Pilkington. The pigs teach the animals to hate Mr. Frederick for the same reasons they hated Mr. Pilkington. Napoleon changes the slogan from “Death to Humanity” to “Death to Frederick.”
Snowball continues to be blamed for anything that goes wrong on the farm. Squealer informs the animals that Snowball was never awarded a medal for his role in the Battle of Cowshed. It was merely a legend Snowball circulated himself. The animals are once again convinced their memories are wrong.
The animals complete the structure of the windmill. Napoleon names it “Napoleon Windmill.” Later, the animals are shocked to hear Napoleon is selling the timber to Frederick.
The slogan is changed to “Death to Pilkington”. All the rumors regarding Mr. Pilkington’s cruelty and desire to attack Animal Farm were lies, most likely started by Snowball. Snowball is said to be living in luxury at Foxwood.
The timber is traded for bank notes, and Napoleon holds a ceremony for the animals to see the money, which is just enough to buy the machinery for the windmill. Whymper informs Napoleon that the bank notes are forgeries.
Napoleon calls for the death of Frederick and tells the animals to prepare for an attack. The dreaded attack on Animal Farm comes. Frederick arrives with fifteen men with guns and easily fights off the animals.
The animals watch from the farm buildings as Frederick and his men blow up the windmill. This angers the animals into another attack. The battle is costly, killing several and wounding nearly everyone. The men are driven off the farm, and Squealer declares victory.
While the animals fail to see the victory at first, two days of celebration follow. The pigs celebrate in the farmhouse after discovering some whiskey. Merriment and singing is heard. The next day Squealer laments that Napoleon is dying.
Napoleon later makes a full recovery. One night, the animals awake to a crash. Near the commandments, Squealer is found unconscious after falling off a ladder. The Fifth Commandment now reads “No animal shall drink alcohol TO EXCESS.”
Chapter 9
Boxer is troubled by his wound suffered at the battle. He starts thinking about retirement. No one has retired yet, but the agreed retirement age for a horse is 12. He looks forward to the agreed pensions.
Boxer is not the only animal struggling. Squealer announces rations will be “readjusted” again for everyone put the pigs and dogs. Squealer, using inflated statistics, proves rations are still more than they were under Mr. Jones and overall, life is better in almost every way. With the animals’ memories of Mr. Jones dim, they believe every word.
Four pigs simultaneously give birth to Napoleon’s piglets. He announces the building of a school house despite the farm’s dwindling funds. About this time, a new rule is announced where animals must step aside if they meet a pig on the path.
In addition, pigs are allowed to wear green ribbons on their tails on Sundays. Meanwhile, rations decrease as sacrifice increases. One field is devoted to the planting of barely, which is set aside for the pigs alone. One day the animals smell the intoxicating scent of cooking barley.
The animals wonder if warm mash is coming, but none arrives. The animals later learn that the pigs receive one pint of beer a day, with a half gallon going to Napoleon.
A life grows harder, the animals still believe they are better off than they were under Mr. Jones. Napoleon begins Spontaneous Demonstrations where the animals march around the farm in military formation and share poems written in honor of Napoleon.
If anyone dare say something negative about the demonstrations, they would be drowned out by the sheep’s cries of “four legs good, two legs bad.” Most of the animals, however, enjoy the patriotic breaks.
Animal Farm is declared a Republic and Napoleon is elected President uncontested. New details regarding the Battle of Cowshed are released, indicating Snowball fought openly for the other side. His battle wounds were inflicted by Napoleon.
Moses reappears after a long absence, still crowing about Sugarcandy Mountain. Boxer continues to labor on the farm, despite his worsening health. Then one day, he falls while dragging stone to the windmill site.
Squealer informs the concerned animals that Napoleon has arranged for Boxer to be treated at a hospital. A van arrives to pick him up. For the first time, the animals see Benjamin excited.
He runs in a panic exclaiming that the van reads “Horse Slaughterer and Glue Boiler.” The animals holler at Boxer to get out of the van, but it is too late.
A few days later, Squealer announces Boxer had died at the hospital. He personally had been there for his last hours. He addresses the van by explaining that the van had changed hands recently, and the new owner had not repainted it. The animals are relieved. Memorials are held in Boxer’s honor.
Later, a crate is dropped off at the farmhouse. Merriment is once again heard coming from the farmhouse, followed by what sounded like a violent quarrel. Rumors emerge that the pigs had acquired some money some how and bought themselves another case of whisky.
Chapter 10
Years pass, animals come and go, and the memory of the rebellion fades. Even Mr. Jones dies in a far-away land. Napoleon is now a mature boar. The windmill is finally finished, but is instead used to house corn. The animals now own farming equipment, several new buildings, and extra fields purchased from Mr. Pilkington.
The fantastic luxuries Snowball once promised the windmill would bring were forgotten. Napoleon says such fantasies go against the hard working, frugal living of Animalism. While the farm was better organized and richer, none of the animals felt it. That is besides the pigs and dogs, who do not appear to produce any food but have hearty appetites. Squealer explains the pigs process paperwork, all of which is burned in the furnace once completed.
Squealer takes the sheep to a remote spot to teach them a new chant. Later, Squealer, who has become very plump, exits the farmhouse while wobbling on two legs. The animals are aghast at the sight.
A precession of pigs parades around the farm on two legs. Finally comes Napoleon, holding a whip. Before the animals can react, the sheep chant “four legs good, two legs better.” Clover asks Benjamin to read the Commandments to her. All the Commandments are replaced by a single Commandment: “All animals are equal. But some are more equal than others.”
After reading this, the animals could never question the pigs’ lifestyle as it becomes more and more extravagant and oppressive. Soon the pigs start wearing the Jones’ old clothes. One afternoon, several humans arrive, tour the farm, and disappear into the farmhouse.
The curious animals quietly approach the farmhouse to peer inside the windows. There they see the humans and several pigs enjoying a card game at the kitchen table. Mr. Pilkington toasts the end to hostilities. He mentions that, upon inspection, he see that Animal Farm has a discipline he plans to apply to his own farm. He makes disparaging remarks regarding “lower animals” and commends the pigs on finding ways to work the lower animals harder than any other farm, while feeding them the least.
Napoleon announces the end to several customs. He says animals will no longer be able to refer to each other as “comrade”, pay homage to Old Major, or salute the flag with a hoof and horn. The farm will now salute a plain green flag and be known as Manor Farm.
The men and pigs toast to Manor Farm and the animals back away from the window. A sudden uproar calls them back to the window. Mr. Pilkington and Napoleon had played an ace of spades at the same time, resulting in a violent argument.
The animals look at the pigs. They look at the men, then back to the pigs. The pigs appear to be morphing physically. The animals study the two parties and find a hard time discovering any differences between man and pig. It is impossible to tell the difference.