Characters
This pig delivers the speech that inspires the rebellion.
Who is Old Major?
“Four legs good, two legs bad” is the simplest version of this.
What are the Seven Commandments / Animalism?
The event where the animals take control of the farm from Mr. Jones.
What is The Rebellion?
The ideal the animals hope to create after the rebellion.
What is a society where all animals are equal and free?
The song “Beasts of England” serves this purpose for the animals.
What is inspire hope / unify the animals?
The harsh farmer who originally owns Manor Farm.
Who is Mr. Jones?
The horse says, “I will work harder.”
Who is Boxer
The animal who argues most passionately for the building of the windmill.
Who is Snowball
The humans represent this larger idea in the allegory.
What is oppression or tyranny?
The phrase “Four legs good, two legs bad” is an example of this rhetorical technique.
What is simplification / slogan / repetition?
This pig becomes the leader after Snowball is chased away.
Who is Napoleon?
This pig says, “Comrades, you do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness?”
Who is Squealer?
The violent method Napoleon uses to assert control over the animals early on.
What is using the dogs to chase Snowball away?
This theme is shown by the conflict between Napoleon and Snowball.
What is power struggles / leadership conflict?
Squealer convinces the animals to follow Napoleon by twisting this.
What is the truth / facts / memory?
The hardworking cart-horse who adopts the motto, “I will work harder?"
Who is Boxer?
The author’s first line references this time of year, symbolic for rebellion.
What is “the barn, a late summer afternoon” / “time of year”?
The battle where the animals defend the farm against Mr. Jones’s attempt to retake it.
What is the Battle of the Cowshed?
The battle of Cowshed shows that animals can do this when united.
What is resist oppression / fight for freedom?
Snowball and Napoleon both use speeches to try to win over this.
What is the other animals / the masses?
This pig spreads Napoleon’s propaganda to convince the animals he’s always right.
Who is Squealer?
“Man is the only creature that consumes without producing.” This is said by this pig.
Who is Old Major?
The song the animals sing to celebrate their freedom after the rebellion?
What is “Beasts of England”?
The Seven Commandments are an example of this theme in action.
What is ideals vs. reality / moral codes?
Orwell shows that propaganda can work best when combined with this emotion.
What is fear or loyalty?