George Orwell’s
Animal Farm
Quick Notes
Chapter Summaries
Chapter 1
One night, while Mr Jones, the owner of Manor Farm, is sleeping, his animals leave their pen and gather together.
Old Major, a prize-winning boar, says that the plain truth is that the lives of his fellow animals are “miserable,
laborious, and short.” He tells them of a dream he has, that one day all animals will live together with no human
beings to oppress or control them. He tells the animals that they must work toward such a paradise and teaches
them a song, “Beasts of England”. This idea is met with enthusiasm and the animals sing together.
Chapter 2
Old Major dies in his sleep and the farm animals make plans to take control of the farm. Three pigs, Snowball,
Napoleon, and Squealer, create a philosophy called Animalism. After a night of drinking, Mr Jones forgets to feed
the animals, causing the cows to break into the cowshed for food. Mr Jones begins whipping the cows and the
animals chase him and his men off the farm. The next day they explore their new lands and the farmhouse. They
are disgusted by the luxuries they find within the farmhouse and agree to preserve the farmhouse as a museum,
agreeing that no animal may ever live in it. The farm is renamed from “Manor Farm” to “Animal Farm”. They also
paint the seven key commandments of Animalism (which they have developed themselves) on the side of the
barn.
Chapter 3
Animalism is running smoothly, with the animals working the farm without a human master forcing them along.
The harvest is unprecedentedly large by the end of the summer. There are also democratic meetings, where all
animals can present topics to be discussed and new policies. Pigs Snowball and Napoleon always have the loudest
opinions and they never agree. By the end of the summer, all of the animals can read to some degree, due to
lessons being taught on the farm. Some of the animals have trouble memorising the Seven Commandments, so
Snowball reduces the principles to one maxim: “Four legs good, two legs bad.” One of the pigs, takes a group of
young puppies raises them in a loft, out of sight of the rest of Animal Farm. Shortly after this, the animals realise
that the pigs have been getting extra milk and apples. The pigs state they need them to support their brains,
which are keeping Mr Jones from returning to the farm.
Chapter 4
By the end of the summer, the news of the shocking events which took place at Manor farm has spread all across
the country. Mr Jones makes a second attempt to take back his farm but the animals quickly suppress it. There is
one casualty on the animal’s side (a sheep) and one on the human’s side (a stable boy). Boxer feels guilt over the
stable boy’s death, but Snowball assures him that “the only good human being is a dead one.” Snowball and
Boxer each receive medals for their bravery during battle. This second battle is named “Battle of Cowshed”.
Chapter 5
Things on the farm begin to falter as Napoleon and Snowball begin to struggle with each other over power and
influence over the farm. Coming into winter, Snowball suggests the animals build an electricity-generating
windmill. Napoleon argues that this would be a pointless use of labour and urinates on the plans. A meeting is
held in which the animals will vote on the proposed windmill building. Just before the vote is taken, the nine
puppies that Napoleon raised burst into the barn and chase Snowball out. Napoleon seizes control and declares
that the pigs will now make the decisions for the farm (there will be no more democratic meetings). Squealer
explains the situation to the confused animals in the following way: Napoleon has made the ultimate sacrifice by
taking on the burden of leadership and Snowball was a traitor and criminal, which is why he was expelled from
the community. Napoleon now supports the building of the windmill, insisting that he supported it all along.
Chapter 6
The animals devote themselves entirely to building the windmill and their rations are cut or depleted entirely by
the pigs. Because the animals believe they are working for themselves and the cause of Animalism, they are eager
to work. The animals soon realise they are running low on materials they cannot produce themselves: iron, nails,
and paraffin oil. Napoleon announces the hiring of Mr Whymper, a solicitor that will trade supplies for Animal
Farm. The animals are shocked at the association with humans, but the pigs insist that this does not go against
the Seven Commandments. Soon after this, there is a storm that knocks the windmill. Napoleon insists to the
animals that it was Snowball and passes a death sentence on him, offering a bushel of apples to the traitor’s killer.
He insists that the windmill must be rebuilt. “Long live the windmill!” he cries. “Long live Animal Farm!”
Chapter 7
Throughout the winter, the animals struggle to rebuild the windmill while their food supply is dwindling. To battle
food shortages, Napoleon contracts to sell 400 eggs per week, an idea that Old Major was opposed to (he insisted
selling eggs was cruel). The hens rebel and their food ratios are cut entirely, resulting in the death of 9 hens. The
animals are told that Snowball has been in cahoots with Mr Jones from the beginning and his bravery at the Battle
of Cowshed, for which he received a medal, was just an act. The pigs also convince the animals that Napoleon was
the true hero of the Battle of Cowshed. The animals are shocked at these revelations. Four days later, Napoleon
(with the help of his nine dogs) sentences many animals, so-called conspirators of Snowballs, to death. The song
“Beasts of England” is also banned from Animal Farm.
Chapter 8
Days later, the animals notice that many of the commandments on the barn have changed, one example being:
“No animal shall kill any other animal” now reads: “No animal shall kill any other animal without cause.” The
animals blame their memories for this. Napoleon takes on the title of “Leader” in addition to other titles. The
excess timber of the farm is sold to the human Mr Frederick, which shocks the animals. Napoleon is paid in cash
for this timber. Just as the windmill is completed, Napoleon reveals that the money Mr Frederick paid in was
forged and there is a battle between the two farms. The animals win the battle, but Boxer received major
wounds. The pigs find a crate of whiskey in the basement of the farmhouse and proceed to get drunk a few nights
in a row. The commandment that read, “No animal shall drink alcohol,” now reads, “No animal shall drink alcohol
to excess”. The animals once again blame their memories for being faulty.
Chapter 9
The animals again begin to rebuild the windmill but are weak from hunger and cold. Boxer’s injuries, in addition
to the level of exertion he was putting into his work, have him looking forward to retirement. Food rations are cut
again, with the exception of the pigs and dogs. In April, the government declares Animal farm to be a republic,
and Napoleon is voted into presidency with a unanimous vote, having been the only candidate. One day, Boxer’s
strength fails and the pigs tell the animals he is being sent to a human hospital for treatment. In reality, he was
sold to a glue maker to be slaughtered. The money from the sale was used by Napoleon to buy whiskey.
Chapter 10
Years pass and the farm grows more and more profitable, though only the pigs and dogs live in comfort. Many
animals die and few recall the days before the rebellion, though the pigs “remind” them. The animals believe that
they are living free of human power and that they answer to no one in a place where all animals are equals. The
pigs are now walking on two legs and Napoleon carries a whip. The final commandment, which read, “all animals
are equal,” now carries an addition: “but some animals are more equal than others.” In the coming days, the pigs
begin to smoke pipes, read magazines, listen to the radio, talk on the phone, and wear human clothing. Later on,
the pigs invite over neighbouring human farmers, at which point the humans praise the pigs for the way they run
the farm: having the animals work harder on less food. Napoleon states that the animals will now salute a flag
with a horn and hoof on it and the name of the farm will be changed back to the “correct” one, Manor Farm. The
pigs and the humans go inside to play cards and the animals realise they cannot distinguish between the pigs and
the humans.
List of Major Characters
Napoleon
The pig that emerges as the leader of Animal Farm after the Rebellion. Based on Joseph Stalin, Napoleon uses
military force (his nine loyal attack dogs) to intimidate the other animals and consolidate his power. He is a
representation of tyrants who climbed to power on the backs of hardworking citizens. In his supreme craftiness,
Napoleon proves more treacherous than his counterpart, Snowball. From the very beginning, it is clear that
Napoleon has no interest in the group cause, and aims only to benefit himself. We see this on numerous
occasions. He never shows interest in the strength of Animal Farm itself, only in the strength of his power over it.
Snowball
The pig that challenges Napoleon for control of Animal Farm after the Rebellion. Based on Leon Trotsky, Snowball
is intelligent, passionate, eloquent, and less subtle and devious than his counterpart, Napoleon. Snowball, who
emerges as an idealist dedicated to furthering the strength of Animal farm, throws his heart and soul into
spreading Animalism and improving the farms infrastructure. He is made the scapegoat by Napoleon and is
provided as a common enemy among the animals, uniting them under Napoleon.
Boxer
The cart-horse whose incredible strength, dedication, and loyalty play a key role in the early prosperity of Animal
Farm and the later completion of the windmill. He epitomises all of the best qualities of the exploited working
classes: dedication, loyalty, and a huge capacity for labour. Boxer’s naïve trust in the intelligentsia and an inability
to recognise even the most blatant forms of political corruption resulted in his demise. His two mottoes are “I will
work harder” and “Napoleon is always right.” Boxer represents all the invisible labour that is carried out behind
the political drama being carried out by the elites, and his pitiful death at a glue factory dramatically illustrates
the extent of the pigs’ betrayal, and serves to remind us that this is how the pigs would treat their most ardent
and hardworking supporter.
Squealer
The pig that spreads Napoleon’s propaganda among the other animals. A silver-tongued artist, he justifies the
pigs’ monopolization of resources and spreads false statistics pointing to the farm’s success. Squealer seems to be
completely lacking in conscience, and demonstrates and unwavering loyalty to his leader. This, alongside his
rhetorical skills, makes him the perfect propagandist for any tyranny. Squealer represents the propaganda agents
of the state, which strive to keep the dictator in power, no matter what lies they have to tell or whose lives must
be sacrificed.
Old Major
The prize-winning boar whose vision of a socialist utopia serves as the inspiration for the Rebellion. Major
represents both Karl Marx and Vladimir Ilych Lenin, and as a source of the ideals that the animals continue to
uphold even after their pig leaders have betrayed them. Through the character of Old Major, Orwell may be
criticizing those politicians and thinkers who create unrest by proposing ideas which are splendid in
theory but which are too idealistic to work out in practice.
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