Essay: Animal Farm – plot, major characters, themes, symbols & quotes

Plot –
The system, “animalism,” is originated from pigs as they are caught in the oppression of animal cruelty from humans. The life of an animal is comprised of anguish and misery – no animal can be free or happy.
Animal Farm expresses a specific moral through the animals of the farm versus the pigs. The animals, most specifically Boxer, constantly work hard and struggle to keep the farm intact by building windmills, sacrificing food, etc. However, the pigs simply take advantage of this and use it to feed their own greed. Animals are betrayed, in which they need to obey their superiors, which are the pigs. Old Major wanted to start a rebellion to enable equality among all animals, but animals are the ones being discriminated from pigs.
Major Characters –
Napoleon (Pig) – Napoleon is a large and ferocious boar who can get things done his own way. He is very quiet and he takes no interest in Snowball’s decisions or plans.
Snowball (Pig) – Snowball is a lively and outgoing pig. He has the strength to give well-informed speeches, which are about animalism and other ideas that improve the farm’s system. He thinks originally, but his ideas lead to a downfall, because of Napoleon’s disagreement with his ideas.
Boxer (Cart-Horse) – He is an enormous and strong horse whose sufficient labor can benefit the performance of the working class. He adopted the motto, “I will work harder!”
Boxer is generally respected for his hard work and was the admiration of everybody. He shows great commitment to his work; however his innocence and ignorance from understanding and acknowledging the political corruption presented in the farm is a major form of weakness he inhabits.
Squealer (Pig) – He is a small and fat pig. Squealer wanted all of the pigs to be the most important animals. He explains that the apples and milk are reserved only for pigs, who are the “brainworkers” and “organizers” of the farm.
Old Major (Pig) – He is a dignified and positive pig with an age of twelve. His wise appearance is portrayed in Animal Farm. Major identified humans as “enemies” and animals as “comrades,” because humans are tyrant by taking advantage of cows, pigs, hens, sheep, horses, and dogs. Major wanted all animals to be brothers and he advocated animal equality. His ideology is that humans consume the products animals produce, which is unfair.
Themes –
The Value of a Family – Old Major wanted all animals to unite as a family and become brothers. All animals wanted to cope with each other by excluding human beings from their farm. They all fought for themselves as a family against Mr. Jones, since animals were neglected and underfed.
The Rise of the Soviet Union and their Political Corruption – Orwell, in his novel Animal Farm, alludes to the Russian Revolution using animals, not humans, who put a countless effort into executing a revolution only to find themselves under the rule of a tyranny once again.
Anthropomorphizing Animals – The use of animals creates a satirical atmosphere, in which the author can criticize certain characteristics of humanity with greater emphasis. It allows readers to view the theme/moral in a new light, as it is pertained to animals. For example, in Animal Farm, the reader views what happened to the pigs and the farm, and then he or she seems to think the Russian Revolution is utterly stupid; an event that took place due to greed, corruption, and neglect.
Symbols –
The Flag – Snowball explained the significance of the flag. The green on the flag represents the green fields of England. The hoof and horn on the flag signifies the Republic of Animals which can arise for all eternity, while the human race is finally removed from excessive power.
Animal Farm – The farm is represented as a socialist country, Russia (Soviet Union), in which communism is widely spread within it. It is the same as a human society and there are certain ideals imposed by a government (the pigs). The working class (animals) has responsibilities in the farm, but there is dictatorship, in which pigs are more powerful and tyrant than other animals.
Quotes –
‘“All men are enemies. All animals are comrades (Orwell 10).”’
Old Major’s speech impacted the thoughts of all animals. He wanted a perfect unity and comradeship among animals. Animals should oppose humans, because farmers don’t respect animals and their importance in a farm. A rebellion was needed to solve all disputes and Major achieved animal equality by allowing all animals to overthrow human existence. Animals fought against Mr. Jones and his four men to succeed and win back their rights and freedom. It was hard for animals to prevail over humans, but they did indeed fulfilled Major’s wish. However, animals and pigs soon become separated as one particular group had the most power: the pigs.
‘“Four legs good, two legs bad (Orwell 34).”’
Snowball tries to elucidate that the principles of Animalism and the Seven Commandments are akin. He declared that all animals need to perceive the truth by grasping this motto and it can let them be safe from human beings. Referring to Old Major’s song, Beasts of England, he wanted to promote animal equality and unionize all animals.