By Lawrence Sunday Ogwang
(+256782516677)
ANIMAL FARM COMMENTARY
Characters in the
Novel
a) The Animals
Old Major:
An old boar (pig) whose speech about the evils perpetrated by humans incites
the animals into rebellion. His philosophy concerning the tyranny of Man is
named Animalism by his followers. He also teaches the song "Beasts of
England" to the animals.
Snowball:
A
boar who becomes one of the rebellion's most valuable leaders. After drawing
complicated plans for the construction of a windmill, he is chased off of the
farm forever by Napoleon's dogs and thereafter used as a scapegoat for the
animals' troubles.
Napoleon:
A
boar (pig) who, with Snowball, leads the rebellion against Jones. After the
rebellion's success, he systematically begins to control all aspects of the
farm until he turned out into an undisputed tyrant.
Squealer:
A
consummate liar and a pig who becomes Napoleon's mouthpiece. Throughout the
novel, he displays his ability to manipulate the animals' thoughts through the
use of heavy yet convincing rhetoric and lies.
Boxer:
A
dedicated but dimwitted horse who aids in the building of the windmill but is
sold to a glue-boiler after collapsing from exhaustion. Best known for his
adage “Napoleon is always right”.
Mollie:
Self-centered and a
vain horse who prefers ribbons and sugar over ideas and rebellion. She is
eventually lured off the farm with promises of a comfortable life.
Clover: A
motherly horse who silently questions some of Napoleon's decisions and tries to
help Boxer after his collapse.
Benjamin:
A
cynical, pessimistic donkey who continually undercuts the animals' enthusiasm
with his cryptic remark, "Donkeys live a long time." Never inspired
by the rebellion.
Moses:
A
tame raven and sometimes pet of Jones who tells the animals stories about a
paradise called Sugar candy Mountain. He is alluded to the biblical Moses.
Bluebell, Jessie, and Pincher Three
dogs. The nine puppies born between Jessie and Bluebell are taken by Napoleon
and raised to be his guard dogs.
b)
The
Humans
Mr. Jones The
often-drunk owner of Manor Farm, later expelled from his land by his own
animals. He dies after abandoning his hopes to reclaim his farm by excessively
intoxicating himself.
Mrs. Jones: Jones' wife, who flees from
the farm when the animals rebel.
Mr. Whymper: A
solicitor hired by Napoleon to act as an intermediary in Animal Farm's trading
with neighboring farms.
Mr.
Pilkington: The owner of Foxwood, a neighboring
and neglected farm. He eventually sells some of his land to Napoleon and, in
the novel's final scene, toasts to Napoleon's success.
Mr. Frederick:
An
enemy of Pilkington and owner of Pinch field, another neighboring farm. Known
for "driving hard bargains," Frederick swindles Napoleon by buying
timber from him with counterfeit money. He later tries to attack and seize
Animal Farm but is defeated.
THE
SETTING OF THE NOVEL ANIMAL FARM
Animal Farm is a satirical novel by George Orwell
written in metaphorical language to demonstrate the political upheavals during
the years of Russian Revolution. However, the story itself doesn't take place
during a specific period, but it is meant to parallel the years of the Russian
Revolution. As a satire, the novel addresses that Revolution, and thus mimics
those events which took place between the years of 1917 to 1945.
The novel is set on an imaginary
