.. iously collapses in the middle of the night. Of course all the animals are upset that such a terrible event could make worthless the object for which they had labored so long. Napoleon and Squealer completely blame Snowball with no hesitation. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 continues Orwell’s portrayal of the animals’ plight.
Animal Farm has seemed to have fallen on hard times. The crops are not as bountiful as before and the pigs are increasingly forced to trade with the outside world in order to get many of the supplies they need. ..Napoleon ordered the almost empty bins in the store-shed to be filled nearly to the brim with sand, which was then covered up with what remained of the grain and meal. On some suitable pretext Whymper was led through the store-shed and allowed to catch a glimpse of the bins. He was deceived, and continued to report to the outside world that there was no food shortage on Animal Farm. The cornerstone of this chapter is the savage act of Napoleon.
Bothered by their conscious, many animals come forward saying they had been told in a dream by Snowball to murder Napoleon or a similar such act. So Napoleon, with the help of his dogs, slaughters anyone who is said to be disloyal. ..the tale of confessions and executions went on, until there was a pile of corpses lying before Napoleon’s feet and the air was heavy with the smell of blood, which had been unknown there since the expulsion of Jones. To top it off, Napoleon outlaws Beasts of England, which had served as one of the only remaining ties between Animal Farm and old Major.
Chapter 8 As with the sleeping beds, some of the animals think they remember something in the commandments against animals killing animals. But when Muriel reads the writing on the barn wall to Clover, interestingly, the words are, No animal shall kill any other animal without cause. To replace Beasts of England, Napoleon forces to animals to sing his own little self-worship song, called Comrade Napoleon. And to further distance the animals from their ties of respect and admiration for Snowball, Napoleon (with help from Squealer no doubt) tells them that really Snowball was no hero at the Battle of Cowshed, but in fact a coward who ran away from the danger.
Napoleon goes on to say that the award Snowball received was really just a myth too. Once again some of the animals heard this with a certain bewilderment, but Squealer was soon able to convince them that their memories had been at fault. Orwell goes on to say, It was a few days later than this that the pigs came upon a case of whisky in the cellars of the farmhouse. And surprise, surprise, Napoleon suddenly becomes sick and is said to be dying. Obviously, he has broken the commandment about drinking alcohol, and sure enough, after the hang-over the Leader is better and soon is perfectly fine.
But to justify this little episode, arrangements to amend the rules are made. No animal shall drink alcohol to excess. Chapter 9 Orwell basically uses chapter 9 to continue the fall of Animal Farm and to foreshadow his dramatic conclusion in chapter 10. For example, the rations of the everyday lowly animals are again reduced by Napoleon and the elite.
A too rigid equality in rations, Squealer explained, would have been contrary to the principles of Animalism. Of course this comment is taken totally out of context since the principles of Animalism guarantee equality of all animals. But the animals have been too well brainwashed by the pigs; the rules of the revolution have long since passed. Orwell writes, Truth to tell, Jones and all he stood for had almost faded out of their memories. The next bizarre event is Moses’ sudden and unexplained return. This raven and former friend of Mr.
Jones now seems to feel right at home telling the animals about SugarCandy Mountainto keep them working. What links the parallel between Napoleon and Jones even further is the fact that Moses is paid by Napoleon in beer. ( For the symbolism of Moses and SugarCandy Mountain, click on the side links.) Last in the chapter is the touching yet destined death of Boxer. After working so long for his master (dictator) Napoleon, any reader could have guessed the outcome. The troubling part, however, is the way Napoleon and the pigs handle his death. Instead of letting him enter his leisurely retirement, they force him into a glue-making truck and then lie about it to the other animals.
Squealer says that Boxer has died in a hospital bed, despite receiving the best possible care (obviously a lie). Chapter 10 Chapter 10 is Orwell’s most dramatic and thought-provoking of the chapters. While the others seems to have at least a shred of comedy, chapter 10 is almost pure tragedy and metaphor for Russia. For more on the symbolism of characters and connection to Stalin and all of Russia, visit the character profiles and metaphors sections on the left.
In the chapter review’s, the main purpose is to provide a brief synopsis of each section without getting too into the symbolism, which may bore some readers, although it’s really the most fascinating part of the book. The fall of the ideals of Animalism is summed up in Orwell’s first page of the chapter. Squealer was so fat that he could with difficulty see out of his eyes. Chapter 10 takes place in the future and so there are some drastic changes. For example, Napoleon says with no hesitancy, The truest happiness lay in working hard and living frugally. This is a stark change from the beginning of the book when Napoleon is considered the generous leader who wants unlimited food for all! Even more disgustingly, the hypocrisy of the statement is obvious.
For Napoleon, of all animals, doesn’t work hard or even lift a finger anymore. Orwell goes on to state, Somehow it seemed as though the farm had grown richer without making the animals themselves any richer – except, of course, for the pigs and the dogs. The parallels between Jones and Napoleon are strengthened again when Orwell hints at the prospect of a new rebellion against Napoleon. Some day it was coming: it might not be soon, it might not be within the lifetime of any animal now living, but still it was coming.
Even the tune of Beasts of England was perhaps hummed secretly here and there. And even more stunning (although one might have guessed it would happen sooner or later) is the sight of a pig walking on his hind legs. Even the sheep have been conditioned to it. They suddenly break out into a chant of Four legs good, two legs better! To top it off, the pigs break the ultimate rule about wearing human clothes.
Even so, the animals are ignorant and very stupid. Orwell narrates, It did not seem strange when Napoleon was seen strolling in the farmhouse garden with a pipe in his mouth – no, not even when the pigs took Mr. Jones’s clothes out of the wardrobes and put them on, Napoleon himself appearing in a black coat… Lastly, Napoleon invites all the neighbors over to celebrate the success of Animal Farm, which is changed back to the name of Manor Farm.
Orwell narrates, Mr. Pilkington once again congratulated the pigs on the low rations, the long working hours, and the general absence of pampering which he had observed on Animal Farm. The closing paragraph is purely haunted. Orwell describes a human-like fight between the pigs and humans during the celebration.
Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike. No question, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which. Book Reports.
