Animal Farm

Old Major

A wise boar who inspires the rebellion; represents Karl Marx/Lenin.

Napoleon

Pig dictator who seizes power; represents Joseph Stalin.

Snowball

Smart, idealistic pig driven out by dogs; represents Leon Trotsky.

Squealer

Pig who spreads propaganda; represents Soviet media.

Boxer

Loyal, hardworking horse; mottos: “I will work harder” and “Napoleon is always right”; represents the working class.

Clover

Gentle mare who cares for others; represents the female working class.

Benjamin

Cynical donkey who doubts change; represents skeptical intellectuals.

Mollie

Vain horse who loves sugar and ribbons; represents the wealthy class who fled Russia.

The Dogs

Guard dogs trained by Napoleon; represent the KGB/secret police.

Mr. Jones

Drunken farmer overthrown; represents Tsar Nicholas II.

Mr. Frederick

Neighboring farmer; represents Hitler/Germany.

Mr. Pilkington

Neighboring farmer; represents England/Allies.

The Sheep

Unthinking masses who repeat propaganda.

Chapter 1

Old Major gives speech about revolution and teaches “Beasts of England.”

Chapter 2

Old Major dies, rebellion occurs, Seven Commandments are created.

Chapter 4

Battle of the Cowshed; Snowball leads animals to victory.

Chapter 5

Snowball proposes the windmill; Napoleon uses dogs to chase him away.

Chapter 7

Napoleon holds purges; animals confess and are executed by dogs.

Chapter 9

Boxer is injured and sold to the knacker; Squealer lies about his death.

Final Chapter

Pigs walk on two legs, party with humans, commandments changed.

Windmill

Symbol of false promises of progress/industrialization.

Beasts of England

Song symbolizing revolutionary hope (later banned).

Farmhouse

Symbol of corruption of power.

Final Commandment

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”

Boxer’s First Motto

“I will work harder.”

Boxer’s Second Motto

“Napoleon is always right.”

Squealer’s Line

“Surely, comrades, you do not want Jones back?”

Main Theme

Power corrupts; revolutions can replace one tyranny with another.

Last Line

“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.”