One of boxers flaws, as was the flaw of the labouring class of Russia. Is his lack of inteliigence “Boxer could not get beyond the letter D”. Orwell cleverly demonstrates this to alert the reader of the consequineccs of illetracy and how stupid animals where more exploited than the smarter ones. The name “Boxer” creates an image of a powerful character and this is what boxer is, what he lacks in brains he makes up in brawn
“’I have no wish to take life, not even human life,’ repeated boxer and his eyes were full of tears”. As can be seen boxer truly is a fine individual at heart. Boxer is a character who shows sympathy and a great respect for individulas.
Boxer labours tirelessly in the belief that if he works hard enough, he will eventually get ahead. It is due to his intense labour and commitment that the windmill can be built. he continuesly repeats the slogan “I will work harder” as he strains himeself and uses every once of his energy. And even after the windmill has been sabotaged he does not lose faith “the other animals found more inspiration in Boxer’s strength “and hence he is the main reason that the windmill is rebuilt.
Boxer has a blind loyalty for Napoleon. At the beginning of he novel boxer is portrayed as the kind and caring character, unfortunatly as time goes by he begins to change “Boxer looked at Napoleon to know whether he should crush the dog to death or let it go” this once sympathic cart horse whom felt guilty about killing is now ready without a moments hesitation to kill another animal at napoleans signal. However what makes it worse is he is ready to disobye one of the seven commandements “No animal shall kill any other animal”. ” Orwell shows us how much influence the pigs are having on the characters and how they are changing their persoanlities .Boxer is confused and cannot truly see what is happening around him and even when things are obviously at fault “A pile of corpses lying before Napoleon’s feet and the air was heavy with the smell of blood,” Boxer still convinces himeself that Napoleon is the good guy and that “’It must be due to some fault in ourselves.’
Boxer does not view himself as a target from Napoleon “’That is the true spirit comrade!’ cried squealer, but it was noticed he cast a very ugly look at boxer” but another thing he is also unaware of is that he is the most formidable opponent for Napoleon. Orwell reminds us again the importance of education, that if boxer could read he could easily overthrow Napoleon as he had the strength and the support. Napoleon is fearful of boxer, he views him as a threat, and that is why he wants to kill him. However he does not realise that boxer is too loyal and dim witted to ever opose him showing again how brain dominates brawn in a society.
Boxer’s death is the most touching part of the novel. The reader has become attached to him and understands just how far he was exploited. The irony of boxer’s life is that he belived he was working to make animal farm more prosperous and making a more comfortable future for the other animals however, it was he who had strengthened the dictatorship of napoleons with his slogans and eventualy caused a worse standard of living for the animals. It’s sad to know that the windmill he had worked so hard to complete was not used to generate electricity for the animals but was used for milling corn and brought in a handsome profit.
Orwell’s goal was to alert us of how cruel the pigs were and he uses boxer to do this, and this is why he is such an important character in the novel. Orwell He uses language to illustrate just how harsh existence was for the proliterates (boxer) and how they had worked their whole life beliving in the prospect of a better future, to be killed by their superiors (The pigs) once they could not work anymore, proving in a society how “absolute power corrupts absolutly”.
