Initially the two pigs rule the farm together. Snowball, considered in chapter two to be ‘vivacious’ and ‘inventive’ writes the seven commandments of their philosophy ‘Animalism’ on the barn wall; the most important of these being ‘all animals are equal’. He tells the animals that the commandments form ‘an unalterable law’ (Ch 2, p14), a code for them to live by on the farm. The animals work together and the first harvest is collected in record time, ‘…nobody shirked, nobody grumbled…’ (Ch 3, p17). Snowball assumes the role of innovator and educator, he organizes committees such as the ‘Clean tails League’ in an effort to make the animals self sufficient; and tries to teach them to read and write. He soon realizes that some animals are more intelligent than others. In an effort to make the principals of ‘Animalism’ accessible to the less intelligent, Snowball simplifies Major’s ideas into slogans. For example, the statement that ‘Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.’ (Ch 1, p6) is reduced to the slogan ‘Four legs good, two legs bad’ (Ch 3, p 20). Snowball promotes the ideals of the revolution by criticizing Mollie the horse for wearing ribbons because these represent luxury and being pampered by humans. She represents the middle classes and nobility who fled to the West after the Russian Revolution. Mollie soon leaves Animal Farm and is only mentioned once again. He further demonstrates his solidarity by dismissing the killing of humans when he says ‘The only good human is a dead one’ (Ch. 4, p25). This demonstrates a ruthless side to Snowballs character, however this pails into insignificance when compared to Napoleon.
Being able to read and write, the pigs use their intelligence to dominate and become the managers and administrators in order to avoid physical work. Led by Napoleon they take control and begin to take advantage of the other animals rather than helping them. Napoleon shows the devious nature of his character by taking charge of the milk and control of the food supply, knowing that this will get him the support of the other animals. He immediately commandeers the puppies so that they can be instructed, along with the young pigs, in the principles of ‘Animalism’ just as dictators like Stalin sought to indoctrinate the young and vulnerable. The dogs are given the job of guards or police to oversee the work of the rest of the animals. These measures are designed to maintain and further Napoleons power and influence over the other animals (the working classes) in the same way that Stalin established a ruthless ‘secret service’ called the KGB. The pigs show their elitism by having exclusive access to the milk and apples.
Snowball, like Trotsky is a good strategist. In chapter four the humans try to recapture ‘Animal Farm’. Snowball carefully plans a strategy and takes command; thanks to his brilliant tactics the animals succeed in driving the humans away. Snowball is acclaimed as a hero, and the ‘Battle of the Cowshed’ is declared a national holiday to commemorate the saving of the farm; in a similar way to the Soviets celebrating the anniversary of the November 1917 revolution by parading through Red Square in Moscow.
Soon the struggle for leadership between Snowball and Napoleon becomes apparent as the two disagree on virtually everything, and when Snowball suggests building a windmill to ease the burden of farm work, as Stalin sought to modernize the Soviet Union in his ‘Five Year Plans’; Napoleon immediately opposes the idea. When Snowball makes a speech defending his idea Napoleon sends nine dogs to chase him away, just as Trotsky was exiled in 1929; and in Snowball’s absence Napoleon declares himself leader and begins to make more profound changes so that he can consolidate his leadership. Sunday meetings were no longer held, replaced by a committee of pigs who decided what happens on the farm, in the same way that the Politbureau ruled the Soviet Union.
The strongest weapon of control used by Napoleon is Propaganda; here he used a young pig called Squealer as his political mouthpiece. He creates a ‘cult of personality’ around Napoleon, just as Stalin did in the Soviet Union; Napoleon is seldom seen in public and when he is present he simply criticizes Snowball. Indeed Snowball’s character is assassinated by Squealer who blames any problems the farm encounters on him; it is even suggested that Snowball was in league with the humans and tells the other animals of written evidence, although it is never produced as he knows that they cannot read. Snowball is also blamed for the destruction of the windmill, and so he is made scapegoat for all that goes wrong, cleverly deflecting attention away from Napoleon. Squealer reads out lists of forged statistics, invents questionable scientific evidence to convince the animals that the pigs should have the apples and milk, shows propaganda films on ‘Animalism’ with hens goose stepping and uses rhetorical questions such as ‘Surely, comrades, you do not want Jones back? (Ch.5, p34). Squealer knew that the other animals did not have the intelligence to answer back and by making them concentrate on the enemy outside their society they may forget their own problems such as the shortage of food.
Gradually tyranny begins to take hold. Animals accused of consorting with Snowball are executed just like Stalin’s ‘purges’ in the Soviet Union. The control of the food supply worsens as the animals’ rations are cut and begin to starve, whilst the pigs gorge themselves and drink whiskey, a situation synonymous to the period between 1932 and 1934 when 5 million people starved to death under Stalin’s economic policies. The workload is increased as the animals are increasingly treated as slaves, like the working classes in the Soviet Union. Boxer the loyal and hardworking horse is exhausted and sent for slaughter rather than to a hospital as he was promised. Animals are forced to work on Sundays if they wish to be fed, despite remaining officially a voluntary activity. Slowly the living conditions get worse as the animals live in increasing squalor and poverty. The pigs begin to assume the lives of humans as they wear clothes socialize with the humans and even begin to walk on two feet. The Commandments on the barn door are gradually changed for example ‘No animal shall drink alcohol’ is changed to ‘No animal shall drink alcohol to excess’ and ‘No animal shall sleep in beds’ to ‘No animal shall sleep in beds with sheets’. Eventually the Seven Commandments are reduced to a single phrase ‘All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others’; at a dinner party Napoleon announces his alliance with the humans, abolishes the principles of the revolution and changes the farms name back to ‘Manor Farm’, events had turned full circle.
This novel can be viewed on several levels. Firstly as a ’Fairy Story’ for youngsters where a farm is taken over and run by animals. Second as an allegory of the Russian Revolution as mentioned earlier an alluded to throughout the text. Finally on a deeper level it illustrates how political elites are replaced by new elites that are subsequently corrupted by power in the same manner as their predecessors, and seek to rule in a similar or too often more tyrannical manner. More modern examples such as Mao Zedong (Mao Tse Tung) and Tito exist to prove this theory. George Orwell wrote the story to highlight and this issue, no wonder he was unable to find a publisher until after the Second World War when the Soviet Union ceased to be a close ally of Britain.
BIBILOGRAPHY
- George Orwell – Animal Farm 1945
- Animal Farm – Film (1999)
- York Notes – Animal farm
- Wikipedia
