Animal Farm Essay Research Paper SETTING The — страница 5

aside the harness-room as their headquarters. Untiring Snowball keeps himself busy organizing various committees, such as the egg- production committee and the whiter wool movement; their purpose is to improve the farm and the animals’ lives. Not surprisingly, Napoleon is disinterested in Snowball’s committees and even tries to undermine them; but he agrees that education is important and supports Snowball’s reading and writing classes. By autumn almost all the animals are literate to some extent. When the sheep, hens and ducks (the slower animals) are unable to learn the Seven Commandments, Snowball reduces them to a single maxim that states ‘four legs good, two legs bad’. When the birds object, he states that wings should be regarded as legs. The birds quietly accept

his explanation. The mystery of the ‘disappeared milk’ is solved, for it has been seized by the pigs and mixed into their mush. Squealer justifies the action by stating that milk and apples contain substances absolutely necessary for a pig’s diet. Notes This chapter shows the animals at harvest time, several months after the animals seized the farm in March. By working together, they are successful, and the harvest is plentiful and completed in less time than ever before. It also shows the animals’ efforts at organizing themselves. The meetings and committees shown in this chapter are reflective of the collective farms in the earlier stages of the Russian Revolution. In a very human way, Snowball forms committees to improve the animals’ lives, but Napoleon tries to

undermine his efforts. Their power struggle has a semblance to the one between Trotsky and Stalin after the death of Lenin. The classes of reading and writing are more successful, and most of the animals become literate to some degree. They are also granted the privilege of voting, even though most of the animals do not understand what they are voting for. The pigs, aware of the ignorance of the other animals, begin to establish themselves as the ruling class and seize special privileges. They steal the milk and the apples for their own good and take over the harness house as their headquarters. Squealer tries to justify the actions of the pigs through propaganda. The over simplification of the Seven Commandments to ‘Four legs good, two legs bad’ betrays the tricks of the

power-mongers who divert the attention of the gullible to achieve their own selfish ends. The sheep, who are slow by nature, particularly like the simplicity of the new slogan and repeat it often. It is important to notice that this chapter develops the rising action of the plot; but there is much foreshadowing of the later action in the novel. Orwell makes it clear that Napoleon is stronger than Snowball and will seek ultimate power on the farm. His rule will be tyrannical, and the animals will suffer under his control, much like they suffered under Jones. CHAPTER 4 The news of what has happened on Animal Farm spreads over half the country. A flight of pigeons tells the story of the Rebellion and teaches the song, ‘Beasts of England’ to other animals. The neighboring farmers

talk with exaggeration about what has happened to Manor Farm, but fail to unify themselves into a cohesive group. Mr. Pilkington spends his time fishing and hunting, and Mr. Frederick is always busy with his lawsuits. Farmer Jones is seen in the taproom, complaining and grumbling to anyone who cares to listen to his tale of woe and injustice. Early in October, a flight of pigeons announce the approach of Jones, with his gun. He has with him a battalion of half a dozen men, all armed with sticks. They have come to recapture the farm. This action is not unexpected, and the animals are prepared. Snowball give orders, and the animals are soon at their assigned posts. When the farmers are close, Snowball launches his first attack. Murriel, Benjamin, and all the sheep rush, prod, and

lash out at the farmers. Pigeons and geese rush at and peck them, but it is all in vain. The animals are not strong enough, and the animals, signaled by Snowball, take flight. The men shout in triumph and chase the animals as they leave. This is just the moment Snowball has been waiting for. As soon as they are inside the Yard, three horses, three cows, and the pigs emerge and cut them off. Snowball dashed for Jones, who fires his gun. Snowball is injured, and a sheep is killed. Snowball retaliates and hurls Jones into a pile of dung. The panic-stricken men are kicked, bitten, and trampled. All the men fled except the stable boy, who has been unintentionally injured by Boxer. The vain Mollie is found hiding in the manger. A celebration of their victory begins immediately and