Animal Farm character assessment - Boxer.
Orwell first introduces Boxer in Chapter 1, when the animals are all coming in to hear Old Major's speech. Orwell describes Boxer with a strong appearance "Boxer was an enormous beast, nearly eighteen hands high", Boxer is also known for the amount of strength he has as he is "as strong as any two ordinary horses put together". But, even if his physical appearance might be extremely good, we cannot say the same about his mental capabilities because he was "not of first-rate intelligence". Even if it is the first time we have been introduced to Boxer, we can already see his kindness, "walking very slowly and setting down their vast hoofs with great care lest there should be some small animal concealed in the straw." Later on in Old Major's speech he tells Boxer "the very day those great muscles of yours lose their power, Jones will send you to the knackers", this is ironic because later on in the novel, when he does lose that power the pigs do exactly what Jones would have done - send him to the knackers. In the second chapter Orwell starts to show Boxer's natural loyalty to his leader, "Their most faithful disciples were the two cart-horses, Boxer and Clover". "Once having accepted the pigs as their teachers they absorbed everything that they were told." In just two pages ahead again it shows his loyalty to the pigs, "When Boxer heard this he fetched the small straw hat
Analysis of the role of Boxer in Animal Farm
Animal Farm Coursework Analysis of the role of Boxer in Animal Farm Orwell's Animal Farm is an allegory of the situation in Russia during the communist years and a satire of the political situation at that time. The story is about political ideals and what can happen to them, as well as what happens to ordinary people when other people have power over them, and what happens to people when they get complete power over others as shown in the behaviour of the pigs. Orwell chose to create a character that would represent the common people of Russia at the time of the Revolution. This character was Boxer, who not only represented the Russian peasant, but also the idealized worker, someone ordinary, decent and totally necessary to the success of any social system. He is the type of person who in a revolution, is inevitably exploited and it is this that comes through in the story. Boxer's name suggests a strong but stupid animal, which proved to be true, as he was unable to read or write: "Boxer could not get beyond the letter D" because of his short memory. Orwell points this out to the reader to warn him of the danger of illiteracy in a society. Despite this lack of intelligence, however, Boxer plays a very important role in the success of the farm. Many things would not have been accomplished, such as the building of the windmills or the general farm work, had it not been for
In the novel, Boxer is the central force that holds Animal farm together- without him, Animal Farm would have never prospered.
Animal Farm is linked to and represents the period in Soviet history known as the Russian Revolution. In writing in the novel, George Orwell, its author, intended to attack Totalitarian communism (a political system in which one ruling party plans and controls the joint action of a state/ region). He wrote it in fable style because it enabled him to criticize certain characters and the whole idea of communism in general without endangering himself. Also, because fables allow for character development, Orwell used characterization to add sympathy to his argument against communism. This applies more emotion than a political essay- showing that fables allow a writer to argue against ideas with risking his/her own life, and to get his his/her point across more effectively. George Orwell was inspired by two other books, both written by the German economic and political philosopher Karl Marx- Das Kapital and The Communist Manifesto. Orwell may have wanted to show that communism, in concept, is an inspirational notion, but when incorporated into society, there will always be a power struggle, which inevitably leads to one dictator turning the people back to the capitalist ideas they denounced. However, his criticism through Animal Farm has little to do with Marx's ideas but rather with the distortion of those ideas by later leaders. In the novel, Boxer is the central force that
Comparison of the two characters Boxer and Napoleon in George Orwell's Animal Farm
Comparison of the two characters Boxer and Napoleon in George Orwell's Animal Farm Animal Farm is often described as a satire on political power. George Orwell uses the animal characters to represent different historical figures and ideas. George Orwell's novel is a satire of the Russian revolution and of communism in general. He does this through his portrayal of his characters, which is generally done in a negative way. For example, the public are seen as sheep and the revolution leaders as pigs. The novel is particularly a warning about the ways that power can be abused by individuals. The characters of Napoleon and Boxer are particularly important because they highlight how power and the communist ideals can be used in both a positive and a negative way. As characters they represent both the best (in the form of Boxer) and the worst (in the form of Napoleon) aspects of communism. Napoleon is the typical dictator. In many ways he represents Stalin, the tyrannical ruler of the USSR, but he embodies many characteristics of the typical dictator and Orwell uses the character of Napoleon to paint the worst characteristics of this type of person. Napoleon's character gradually changes for the worst as his power over the animals increases. At the start of the novel Napoleon is simply one of several pigs but by the end of the novel Napoleon has turned events to his own
To write about the importance of the character of Boxer in Animal Farm
Task set: To write about the importance of the character of Boxer in Animal Farm Animal Farm is a novel the represents what happened In Russia under communist party rule and it also symbolizes human nature. Orwell wrote in this way in order to get it published as the subject matter was not really acceptable. The pigs represent the governments, dogs represent the police. The other animals are just common people - the working class. Boxer is an ordinary cart-horse, one of the working class. Boxer is very naïve and gullible because he is not very clever. He is the most sympathetically drawn character in the novel but Orwell doesn't let his reader get sentimental about him. He puts up with pain, he is also dependable and represents all of the best qualities of the exploited animals (working class). This means Napoleon uses him selfishly to get the windmill built. Because Boxer thinks that Napoleon is always right and the other animals respect Boxer it helps to keep all the animals under control. Even when things don't seem to be following the seven commandments the animals including Boxer accept the pig's explanations, for example on page 51 Boxer is arguing about Snowball to Squealer but when Squealer shows Boxer some papers which he claims to show hat Snowball was on Mr. Jones's side from the beginning, Boxer cannot complain because he can not read so he just says "ah that is
Animal Farm
Animal Farm Animal Farm was published on 17th August 1945 and written November 1943 - February 1944. It was written by George Orwell. He was born in 1903 in India. His first book was published in 1933 and this was called "Down and Out in Paris and London." He wrote many other books for example "The Road to Wigan Pier", "Homage to Catalonia", "A Clergyman's Daughter", "Coming up for Air" and "Keep the Aspidistra Flying." This story is a political allegory, which means that the animals stand for different people. It was also based on the Russian revolution, which had just happened. This story is about a rebellion. Old Major a pig was extremely old and he told the animals of a rebellion that would change all of their lives, he also taught them the song Beasts of England. A few nights later Old Major died but the cleverer animals on the farm the pigs took this into account and started organising things, Snowball, Napoleon and Squealer thought of a complete system which they called animalism. On Midsummer's eve Mr Jones the owner of Manor Farm ran away because he was so drunk. The rebellion came before the animals had least expected. The animals burned everything that reminded them of Mr Jones even Mollie the white mare through her ribbons on the fire and Boxer put his straw hat on the fire which kept the flies out of his ears in the summer. The day after the rebellion the two
Animal Farm
Animal Farm "Animal Farm" is a novel written by George Orwell in 1945. The story takes place on a farm in England. The owner of the farm, Mr. Jones, comes into conflict with the animals. The animals rebel, and finally scare him away. Two of the animals, Napoleon and Snowball (two pigs), assume control of the farm. George Orwell saw himself as a political writer and used the characters in this book to represent important people of the time. Napoleon represents Stalin who was the leader of the USSR after the Russian revolution. Snowball represents Trotsky who was the planner and strategist who was eventually exiled after a struggle for leadership. Squealer is the Propaganda Machine as he is the pig who tells the animals the things they want to hear and often covers the truth as was done by the Communists. All the other characters represent other important figures also. Napoleon, could be seen as a strong powerful character in 'Animal Farm' but has also been described as a "classic example of a modern day dictator corrupted by power". I agree that Napoleon was corrupted by power. From the very beginning of the story there are features within Napoleon's character which suggest that he is crooked. Even from the initial description of Napoleon in chapter 2 where he is described as a "large rather fierce looking Berkshire boar on the farm, not much of a talker but with a
Animal Farm.
Animal Farm Context George Orwell was the pen name of Eric Blair, a British political novelist and essayist whose pointed criticisms of political oppression propelled him into prominence toward the middle of the twentieth century. Born in 1903 to British colonists in Bengal, India, Orwell received his education at a series of private schools, including Eton, an elite school in England. His painful experiences with snobbishness and social elitism at Eton, as well as his intimate familiarity with the reality of British imperialism in India, made him deeply suspicious of the entrenched class system in English society. As a young man, Orwell became a socialist, speaking openly against the excesses of governments east and west and fighting briefly for the socialist cause during the Spanish Civil War, which lasted from 1936 to 1939. Unlike many British socialists in the 1930s and 1940s, Orwell was not enamored of the Soviet Union and its policies, nor did he consider the Soviet Union a positive representation of the possibilities of socialist society. He could not turn a blind eye to the cruelties and hypocrisies of Soviet Communist Party, which had overturned the semifeudal system of the tsars only to replace it with the dictatorial reign of Joseph Stalin. Orwell became a sharp critic of both capitalism and communism, and is remembered chiefly as an advocate of freedom and a
Animal Farm.
David Stanage 4c 7th December 2003 Animal Farm. George Orwell wrote the novel Animal Farm to show what the Russian Revolution was for and what kind of things happen during a Revolution. He also wrote the novel to show us, the reader the terrifying predictability of the fate of all revolutions, the cold, orderly, predictable process by which decency, happiness and hope are systematically and ruthlessly crushed. The novel Animal Farm was written by George Orwell, The novel is about Animal's that decide to rebell against their farmer, Mr Jones and drive him of the far so that they can run Manor Farm on their own. The points for discussion are the comparison to the Russian Revolution, power and the rise of the dictator, propaganda and the victims created from the revolution. The first point for discussion is how Animal Farm compares to the Russian Revolution. Old Major is the pig at the beginning of the novel who tells the Animal's about the revolution, he wanted the farm to be an equal society. "Only get rid of man, and the produce of our labour would be our own. Almost overnight we could become rich and free. What then must we do? Why, Work night and day, body and soul, for the overthrown of the human race!" Karl Marx from the Russian Revolution believed that the ownership of private land should be abolished. He wanted the workers to become equal and everyone to share
Animal Farm.
AMDG Breda Sweeney Animal Farm 22-11-01 Recently I have read the novel 'Animal Farm' by George Orwell. It is about a group of animals on a farm that all dream to be free. Old Major, a boar, hopes for farms to be run by animals and for everyone to be equal. However, after he dies, his vision goes terribly wrong. Napoleon, the pig, and Boxer, the horse, are good examples to show us how Orwell has used these creatures to make a political point. Napoleon takes power over the farm after Old Major dies. He is an untrustworthy leader, as he does not do any work. He tells the rest of the animals that all the pigs will work on plans for the farm but really they just order everybody about. Orwell describes, 'the pigs did not actually work, but directed the others.' As we read on in the novel we realise Napoleon and the pigs are acting like humans, walking like humans and dressing like humans. In relation to the Russian Revolution I would say that Napoleon would represent the power-mad Stalin who treats his people badly and keeps all the money and food for himself. Orwell persuades the reader to dislike Napoleon for many reasons. For example, if someone came up with an idea other than himself he is not happy, he does not agree. Orwell describes, 'only Napoleon held aloof. He had declared himself against the windmill from the
