Animal Farm Notes

I

• Mr. Jones, the owner of Manor Farm, is a drunk who neglects his animals.
• Old Major, a prize Middle White boar, calls a meeting of all the animals in the big barn to share a strange dream he had.
• Old Major is a highly respected figure on the farm.
• Animals present at the meeting: dogs (Bluebell, Jessie, Pincher), pigs, hens, pigeons, sheep, cows, cart-horses (Boxer and Clover), Muriel (white goat), Benjamin (donkey), ducklings, Mollie (white mare), and the cat.
  • Boxer is an enormous and strong horse, respected for his character and work ethic, but not very intelligent.
  • Clover is a motherly mare.
  • Benjamin is the oldest and worst-tempered animal, devoted to Boxer.
  • Mollie is a foolish, pretty white mare who loves attention and sugar.
  • The cat is self-centered and uninterested in the meeting.
• Moses, the tame raven and Mr. Jones's pet, is absent, sleeping on a perch.
• Old Major begins his speech by stating that he won't be around for much longer and wants to impart his wisdom.
• He describes the miserable lives of animals: laborious, short, and filled with cruelty.
• He argues that the fertile land of England could provide a comfortable life for all animals, but humans steal the produce of their labor.
• Man is the enemy because he consumes without producing and takes everything for himself. He gives back to the animals the bare minimum to keep them alive.
• Old Major describes the grim fate that awaits each animal, including slaughter and being sold to the knacker (animal slaughterer).
• He says the solution to all their problems is to remove Man and overthrow the human race.
• He advocates for Rebellion and encourages the animals to pass on this message to future generations.
• He warns against the idea that humans and animals have common interests, emphasizing unity and comradeship among animals.
• He declares that all men are enemies and all animals are comrades.
• During Major's speech, rats emerge, leading to a debate on whether they are friends or enemies; it's decided they are comrades, with only the dogs and cat dissenting.
• Major emphasizes enmity towards Man and his ways, dictating that anything on two legs is an enemy, and anything on four legs or wings is a friend.
• He says that animals must not come to resemble Man or adopt his vices; they should not live in houses, sleep in beds, wear clothes, drink alcohol, smoke tobacco, touch money, or engage in trade.
• He highlights the importance of equality and forbids any animal from tyrannizing over another or killing another animal.
• Major then shares his dream of a world without Man, reminding him of a song his mother used to sing called "Beasts of England."
• He teaches the animals the song, which speaks of a future golden age when animals will be free from human tyranny.
• The song throws the animals into a frenzy of excitement, and they sing it repeatedly.
• Mr. Jones wakes up due to the uproar and fires a shot into the barn, ending the meeting abruptly.

II

• Three nights later, Old Major dies peacefully in his sleep and is buried at the foot of the orchard.
• During the next three months, the more intelligent animals on the farm engage in secret activities, inspired by Major's speech.
• The pigs, recognized as the cleverest animals, take on the task of teaching and organizing the others.
• Key pigs: Snowball and Napoleon, young boars being bred for sale, and Squealer, a small, fat pig and a brilliant talker.
• These three pigs elaborate on Major's teachings, creating a system of thought called Animalism.
• They hold secret meetings to expound the principles of Animalism.
• They face stupidity and apathy from some animals, who are loyal to Mr. Jones or question the point of rebellion.
• Mollie asks if there will still be sugar and ribbons after the Rebellion, to which Snowball replies negatively, saying liberty is more important.
• The pigs struggle to counteract the lies spread by Moses, the raven, about a place called Sugarcandy Mountain.
  • Moses claims Sugarcandy Mountain is a paradise for animals after they die, with constant Sunday, clover, lump sugar, and linseed cake.
• Boxer and Clover become the pigs' most faithful disciples, absorbing and spreading their teachings.
• The Rebellion occurs much earlier and more easily than expected due to Mr. Jones's mismanagement and neglect of the farm.
• On Midsummer's Eve, Mr. Jones gets drunk and fails to feed the animals.
• The animals break into the store−shed, and when Mr. Jones and his men try to stop them with whips, the animals rebel.
• The animals drive Jones and his men off the farm.
• Mrs. Jones flees, and Moses follows her.
• The animals celebrate their newfound freedom by destroying items associated with Jones's rule, such as harnesses, nose−rings, dog−chains, knives, reins, halters, blinkers, nosebags, and whips.
• Snowball throws the ribbons onto the fire, declaring that all animals should go naked.
• The animals destroy everything that reminds them of Mr. Jones, then Napoleon leads them back to the store−shed for a double ration of corn.
• They sing "Beasts of England" seven times and sleep as they have never slept before.
• The animals wake at dawn and tour the farm, realizing it is all theirs.
• They enter the farmhouse cautiously, marveling at the luxury inside, but resolve to preserve it as a museum.
• Mollie is found admiring herself with a blue ribbon and is reprimanded.
• Hams are taken out for burial, and the barrel of beer is destroyed.
• The animals have breakfast, and then Snowball and Napoleon convene them.
• Snowball announces that the pigs have learned to read and write and will change the name of the farm to Animal Farm.
• Snowball writes the Seven Commandments on the wall of the big barn as an unalterable law:
  1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
  2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
  3. No animal shall wear clothes.
  4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.
  5. No animal shall drink alcohol.
  6. No animal shall kill any other animal.
  7. All animals are equal.
• The animals agree to the commandments, and the cleverer ones begin to learn them by heart.
• Snowball urges them to get the harvest in more quickly than Jones could.
• The cows need milking, and the pigs do so. The animals are interested in what will happen to the milk.
• Napoleon tells them not to worry about the milk and leads them to the hayfield.
• When they return in the evening, the milk has disappeared.

III

• The animals work hard to get the hay in, facing difficulties due to the implements being designed for humans.
• The pigs use their intelligence to overcome challenges. The horses understand the work better than Jones and his men did.
• The pigs supervise but don't physically work. Boxer and Clover harness themselves to the cutter or horse-rake, guided by the pigs.
• Even the ducks and hens contribute. They finish the harvest in less time than Jones used to, with no wastage.
• The animals are happy and enjoy their own food, produced by themselves.
• With the human beings gone, there is more food and leisure.
• They face difficulties, such as treading out corn and blowing away chaff, but the pigs' cleverness and Boxer's strength help them succeed.
• Boxer becomes the admiration of everyone, working harder than ever with "I will work harder!" as his personal motto.
• Everyone works according to capacity. Nobody steals or grumbles, and the quarrelling and jealousy from the old days disappear.
• Mollie is lazy and often leaves work early, while the cat disappears during work hours but reappears for meals, making convincing excuses.
• Benjamin remains unchanged, doing his work in the same slow, obstinate way, without expressing his opinion on the Rebellion.
• On Sundays, there is no work. They have a ceremony including the hoisting of a flag designed by Snowball (a green tablecloth with a hoof and horn).
• The flag represents the green fields of England and the future Republic of the Animals.
• The animals gather for a Meeting in the barn to plan the coming week and debate resolutions, which are always put forward by the pigs.
• Snowball and Napoleon dominate the debates but are always in disagreement. They argue even over the retiring age for animals.
• Meetings end with the singing of "Beasts of England," and the afternoon is for recreation.
• The pigs study blacksmithing, carpentering, and other arts in the harness−room.
• Snowball organizes Animal Committees, like the Egg Production Committee and the Clean Tails League, but these are largely unsuccessful.
• The cat joins the Re−education Committee and tries to persuade sparrows to perch on her paw, but they don't trust her.
• The reading and writing classes are a success; by autumn, almost every animal is literate to some degree.
• The pigs can read and write perfectly, the dogs learn to read fairly well, Muriel can read better than the dogs, Benjamin can read but doesn't, Clover learns the alphabet but can't form words, and Boxer only learns the first four letters, while Mollie only learns the letters of her name.
• Snowball reduces the Seven Commandments to a single maxim: "Four legs good, two legs bad."
• He explains that wings are propulsion, not manipulation, so birds count as legs.
• The sheep enjoy bleating the maxim repeatedly.
• Napoleon focuses on educating the young, taking Jessie and Bluebell's nine puppies to raise and educate in secrecy.
• The milk is mixed into the pigs' mash, and the windfall apples are reserved for the pigs' use.
• Squealer explains that the pigs need the milk and apples to preserve their health as brainworkers and to prevent Jones from coming back.

IV

• News of Animal Farm spreads across the county via pigeons sent out by Snowball and Napoleon.
• Mr. Jones spends his time complaining in the Red Lion pub at Willingdon, but the other farmers don't offer much help initially, hoping to profit from his misfortune.
• The neighboring farms, Foxwood (owned by Mr. Pilkington) and Pinchfield (owned by Mr. Frederick), are on bad terms.
• Both farmers are frightened by the Rebellion and try to prevent their own animals from learning about it.
• They spread rumors that Animal Farm is failing, with the animals fighting and starving, but these aren't fully believed.
• Rumors of a successful animal-run farm circulate, leading to rebelliousness in the countryside, such as bulls turning savage and hunters being thrown from their horses.
• The tune of "Beasts of England" spreads everywhere, enraging the humans, who punish any animal caught singing it.
• In early October, Jones and his men, along with others from Foxwood and Pinchfield, arrive to recapture the farm.
• Snowball, having studied Julius Caesar's campaigns, is in charge of defense.
• The pigeons mute on the men, and the geese peck at their legs, creating disorder.
• Muriel, Benjamin, and the sheep prod and butt the men, then retreat into the yard.
• The men follow, and the horses, cows, and pigs ambush them from the cowshed, cutting them off.
• Snowball signals the charge, and the animals attack. Boxer strikes a stable−lad, killing him.
• The men panic and are chased off the farm, with the geese hissing and pecking at them.
• Boxer feels remorse for killing the stable−lad, but Snowball says war is war.
• Mollie is found hiding in her stall, having fled at the sound of the gun.
• The animals celebrate their victory with a flag raising and singing of "Beasts of England."
• The sheep killed is given a funeral, and a hawthorn bush is planted on her grave.
• Snowball and Boxer are awarded the military decoration "Animal Hero, First Class."
• The battle is named the Battle of the Cowshed.
• Jones's gun is set up at the foot of the Flagstaff and is to be fired twice a year: on the anniversary of the Battle of the Cowshed and on Midsummer Day.

V

• As winter approaches, Mollie becomes increasingly problematic, arriving late for work and feigning mysterious pains.
• Clover confronts Mollie about being stroked by one of Mr. Pilkington's men.
• Mollie denies it but cannot look Clover in the face and runs away.
• Clover finds lump sugar and ribbons hidden under Mollie's straw.
• Mollie disappears three days later.
• Pigeons report seeing Mollie pulling a dogcart outside a public−house, being stroked and fed sugar by a fat man, and wearing a scarlet ribbon.
• The animals never mention Mollie again.
• In January, harsh weather sets in, making field work impossible.
• Meetings are held, and the pigs decide farm policy, which must be ratified by a majority vote.
• Snowball and Napoleon constantly dispute every decision, dividing the animals into factions.
• Snowball often wins over the majority with his speeches, but Napoleon is better at canvassing support, especially among the sheep.
• Snowball studies old copies of Farmer and Stockbreeder and proposes innovations, while Napoleon claims Snowball's ideas won't work.
• Their biggest controversy is over the windmill.
• Snowball proposes building a windmill to operate a dynamo and supply the farm with electrical power for various purposes.
• The animals are astonished at the idea of labor−saving machines and improving their minds with reading and conversation.
• Snowball creates detailed plans for the windmill, using books like One Thousand Useful Things to Do About the House and Electricity for Beginners.
• He works in seclusion in a shed, drawing plans that the other animals find unintelligible but impressive.
• Napoleon opposes the windmill from the start.
• He urinates over Snowball's plans and walks out without a word.
• The farm divides into two factions: "Vote for Snowball and the three−day week" and "Vote for Napoleon and the full manger."
• Benjamin remains neutral, believing life will always be bad.
• Apart from the windmill, there is the question of defending the farm from human recapture.
• Napoleon wants to procure firearms and train in their use, while Snowball wants to send out pigeons to stir up rebellion on other farms.
• The animals agree with whoever is speaking at the moment.
• Snowball's plans are completed, and the issue will be put to a vote on Sunday.
• Snowball speaks passionately in favor of the windmill, but Napoleon simply dismisses it as nonsense.
• Snowball's eloquence wins over the animals until Napoleon utters a strange whimper.
• Nine enormous dogs wearing brass−studded collars bound into the barn and chase Snowball, who escapes through a hole in the hedge.
• The dogs are revealed to be the puppies Napoleon had raised privately.
• Napoleon announces the end of Sunday−morning Meetings, saying they are unnecessary.
• A special committee of pigs, led by Napoleon, will make all decisions and communicate them to the others.
• The animals will still salute the flag, sing "Beasts of England," and receive orders, but there will be no more debates.
• The animals are dismayed, and four young porkers protest, but are silenced by the dogs.
• The sheep bleat "Four legs good, two legs bad!", preventing discussion.
• Squealer explains that Napoleon is making a sacrifice by taking on extra labor and that he believes all animals are equal, but might make the wrong decisions.
• He claims Snowball was a criminal and that his part in the Battle of the Cowshed was exaggerated.
• Squealer emphasizes discipline and warns that Jones will return if they make a false step.
• Boxer voices the general feeling by saying, "If Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right" and adopts the maxim "Napoleon is always right."
• The weather breaks, and spring ploughing begins.
• Snowball's windmill plans are assumed to have been rubbed off the floor of the shed.
• Every Sunday morning, the animals file past Major's skull in reverence.
• Napoleon, Squealer, and Minimus sit on the raised platform with the dogs, while the other animals face them in the barn.
• Napoleon reads out orders, and the animals disperse after singing "Beasts of England."
• Three Sundays after Snowball's expulsion, Napoleon announces that the windmill will be built after all, claiming a special committee of pigs has been working on the plans.
• Squealer privately explains that Napoleon had always supported the windmill and that Snowball stole the plans from him.
• Squealer persuades the animals with