Animal Farm - Summary

Chapter I

At the beginning, Mr. Jones, the owner of the Manor Farm, forgets to lock the farm buildings properly and goes to bed drunkenly. The scene stands for the Russian Empire before the Revolution of 1917 - the tsar, who lives in decadence and luxury and who doesn’t care for his people. All the animals except Moses, the raven, gather in the big barn to listen to Old Major, the prize winning pig which corresponds to Karl Marx. He feels that he won’t have much time to live anymore and he wants to give parts of his knowledge to the other animals. Old Major tells, as he claims, the plain truth: Animals aren’t more than slaves who are forced to work till their end in the slaughter house. But there is actually no reason why the animals should live in misery. Their suffering is just caused by the human beings who exploit them. The humans enjoy to eat the eggs, milk and meat – everything provided by the animals, but they are not given anything equivalent in return. Old Major remembers that he had a dream the night before, in which all the animals lived together in harmony, free and happy in a world without tyranny at all. He wants the other ones to try anything the can to make this glorious vision become reality. But, as he warns the other animals, they can only have success when all the animals are true comrades.

Later on they accept that rats are also comrades and friends as well as anybody else and they must not ever adopt any human habits such as wearing clothes, drinking alcohol, sleeping in a bed and so on.

Old Major also teaches them a song, called “Beasts of England” which expresses his dream one more time. The animals are enthusiastic.

Chapter II

Three days later Old Major dies peacefully. During the following months the animals are preparing themselves secretly to carry out Old Major’s plan to take over the farm. The organisation works are made by the clever pigs, especially Napoleon and Snowball who stand of Stalin and Lenin, and with Squealer, the talking talent, they work out a philosophy called Animalism which they spread around. Firstly, many animals have problems to understand all this and Moses, the raven, causes troubles due to his stories about a place called Sugarcandy Mountain, where all the animals live in plenty. But the pigs can count on the loyalty of the majority of the animals and manage to prepare them for a revolution. And the revolution starts unexpectedly: One day Mr. Jones forgets to give food to the cows. They almost starve and can’t help storming the store shed. Mr. Jones discovers the riot and begins to whip around, but the cows turn on him and chase him off the farm. Surprised by their success the animals destroy all signs of their suppression. They are completely stunned when they have a look at all the luxury in Mr. Jones’ farmhouse and declare it a museum. “Manor Farm” turns into “Animal Farm”. Snowball and Napoleon publish seven major commandments of Animalism.

Afterwards the cows which haven’t been milked for some time begin to whine. The pigs manage to milk them, but nobody may touch the milk. Snowball leads the animals to the fields to harvest, but when they come back, the milk disappeared.

Chapter III

During the summer the animals keep harvesting in the fields and they are rewarded with proper results. To improve it all even more, the pigs think of ways how to use the tools of the humans. All the animals work together as to their ability. Just Mollie and the cat don’t care for working. In contrast to them, Boxer tries to achieve more and more as he expresses in his motto: “I will work harder!”, comparable to the typical slogans to motivate the workers in the communist regimes. Everyone admires Boxer due to his attitude.

Every Sunday, a ceremony takes place: The animals hoist their green flag solemnly which is followed by an assembly of the animals where they discuss their policies. Snowball and Napoleon are the leading spokesmen though their opinions often clash – remember the conflict between Trotzky and Stalin and its bitter end. Snowball also originates some committees, such as one to clean the cows or to educate the rabbits and although some of the committees fail, there’s some success and all the animals improve their reading. So most of them can now read the Seven Commandments, but many cannot really remember them. Therefore Snowball reduces the Commandments to one slogan: Four legs good, to legs bad. The bird feel offended, so Snowball declares that wings also count as legs.

Finally the animals find out that the pigs took all the milk and the sweat apples. Squealer explains that the pigs need it for their brain work, otherwise they couldn’t think well to organize it all and Mr. Jones could come back. This frightens the other animals and they finally accept to give the milk and the apples to the pigs.

Chapter IV

Mr. Pilkington and Mr. Frederick, representing England and France, worry about what happened on the Manor Farm. They are afraid they could share the same destiny like Jones, but the two are not willing to work together due to their rivalries.

In the meantime, many animals across the country rebel and begin to sing “Beasts of England”, the lyrics of which they got through pigeons from the Animal Farm.

In October, these useful pigeons warn Snowball that Mr. Jones is marching to the farm with some allies. Snowball and the Animal Farm are prepared, the animals fight bravely and the humans are quickly defeated. Just one sheep dies and this one gets a solemn funeral as a hero.

Boxer firstly believes he killed a human and feels sorry about that, but Snowball reassures him, saying that just a dead human is a good human.

Snowball and Boxer are decorated. They receive special medals, comparable to those more or less ridiculous decorations in all the fascist states.

The animals find the gun of Mr. Jones, which he lost, and place it to the flagstaff, but it must not be fired more than two times a year, then celebrating the anniversary of that battle and the rebellion against Mr. Jones.

Chapter V

Mollie refuses to work and to behave according to the principles of Animalism. She accepts being fed by the hostile neighbours and suddenly she disappears. Her name is never mentioned by any animal anymore.

During the winter, the animals meet in the big barn. Snowball and Napoleon dominate the meetings and they constantly disagree. Snowball is more skilled in speaking, but Napoleon easier manages to gain the support of the other animals. One idea that Snowball has is to build a windmill which could bring more comforts to the hard life of the animals, although it would be a hard task to build one. Napoleon strictly opposes the plan.

Some time later, the animals come together to decide finally about the windmill project. Snowball is sure to have success, but suddenly Napoleon gives a sign and some enormous dogs storm into the barn and chase Snowball off the farm. Napoleon further announces that from now on, meetings are just ceremonies and all important decisions are made by the pigs alone.

The animals are very confused. Squealer explains that they actually should thank Napoleon because he voluntarily makes all the leadership work, which is hard enough. The animals accept this version. Later on, they learn that Napoleon is in favour of the windmill project and it will be carried out.

Chapter VI

For the rest of the year the animals keep building the windmill. Gradually, their food ration is cut, but Squealer tells them that they have just adapted it and if they would also work on Sunday afternoons, they would also receive more food. The animals believe in their leadership because they actually produce just for themselves and not for Mr. Jones anymore. Especially Boxer works harder and harder without complaining.

There is one problem with the windmills: The animals are not able to break the available stone into better sizes, appropriate to carry out the windmill project. Eventually they learn to raise and drop big stones and solve that problem.

The work is hard, but the animals don’t suffer like they did under Mr. Jones. But some necessary goods they are just not able to produce. Napoleon announces he has hired a human, Mr. Whymper, to assist him in buying urgent goods on behalf of the farm. The animals are not completely convinced. They distrust the human, but once more, Squealer explains that the principles of Animalism don’t include that trade and money is forbidden.

The pigs begin living in the farmhouse and it is said that they even sleep in beds. Muriel reads one of the commandments to Clover: No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets. But Squealer tells Clover that a pile of straw is actually also a bed, there just must not be any sheets, because this is a human invention and evil.

Then something terrible happens. There is a storm that destroys the windmill. The animals are simply shocked. Napoleon announces the windmill was destroyed by Snowball. The other animals are to kill him if they catch him.

Chapter VII

The animals rebuild the windmill, but their food gets rare. Napoleon declares to sell eggs but the animals react with shock. Old Major told, to eat eggs is cruel, but Napoleon insists on his order and nine hens die before the others give in.

Later on, the animals are told that Snowball came to the farm at night, sabotaging the animal’s efforts. Squealer announces that Snowball has sold himself to Mr. Frederick and allies with Mr. Jones. He even recalls Snowball’s achievements in the Battle of the Cowshed and funnily enough the animals learn about brave actions of Napoleon during the battle from now on.

Some days later Napoleon has the others met in the yard. Nine huge dogs surround him and he asserts that certain animals have to confess that they cooperate with Snowball. The dogs even attack Boxer, who is completely appalled that something like that horrible bloodshed could happen on Animal Farm. Some animals sing “Beasts of England”, but Squealer tells that this song shall no longer be sung. Instead, Squealer gives them a replacement song, but it does not inspire the animals as much as their former hymn.

Some time after the executions, the animals look at the commandments and they see that it is not “No animal shall kill any other animal” anymore, but “No animal shall kill any other animal without cause”. Some assume that they’d just forgotten the last two words.

Napoleon calls himself Leader and confuses the other animals: They shall hate the neighbour farms, but Napoleon trades with them and sells the timber to Mr. Frederick.

The animals complete the windmill, but before they put it in use, Napoleon discovers that the money Mr. Frederick gave him is invalid and soon afterwards he and a large group of men attack the farm. They blow up the whole windmill. The animals beat off the attack, but many are killed, Boxer is seriously injured. The animals are completely dismayed, although a flag-raising ceremony cheers them up a bit.

One day the pigs discover a lot of whisky bottles in the farmhouse. They are even drunk the next day so that the animals even think that Napoleon dies. The next night, the animals find Squealer near the barn, holding a paintbrush. He has fallen from a ladder. The animals are too stupid to see that Squealer edited the Seven Commandments. Once again, they think they just cannot remember correctly when they read “No animal shall drink alcohol to excess” instead of “No animal shall drink alcohol”.

Chapter IX

The animals rebuild the windmill another time. Boxer also works, though he is injured, but he is looking forward to a comfortable life later on when he can retire at the age of twelve.

Food gets more and more rare, but Squealer continues to produce statistics proving that Animal Farm is a real success. When four sows give birth to Napoleon’s piglets, he orders to build a schoolhouse for their education, although the farm has just narrow means of money. There are also new “Spontaneous Demonstrations” introduced to glory Animal Farm.

In April Animal Farm is declared a republic and Napoleon becomes president in a vote where he was the only candidate. The same day, new facts about Snowball’s role in the Battle of the Cowshed appear, showing that Snowball apparently fought on Mr. Jones side.

One day, Boxer’s strength fails and he collapse while working. The other animals rush to Squealer who tells them that he’ll arrange to bring Boxer to a human hospital to be treated but when the cart arrives, Benjamin reads the writing on the cart which shows that Boxer will be brought to a butcher to be slaughtered. The animals panic, they try to get Boxer out of the cart but in vain.

Later on Squealer announces that Boxer has died in the hospital. He claims that rumours, Boxer came to a butcher, are completely wrong. The animals are appeased.

Chapter X

The years pass and many animals age and die. The windmill is completed and it mills corn now, this is more profitable. But actually just the pigs and the dogs live more comfortable lives. Nevertheless, the animals are proud of Animal Farm and they still believe in the goals of the Rebellion – to be free from humans, with equality for all animals.

One day, Clover is terrified by what she sees. Squealer and Napoleons come to them, walking upright on their hind legs. Before the animals react, the sheep begin to chant: Four legs good, two legs better. And suddenly, on the big barn is written: All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than the others. Napoleon begins to smoke openly, some pigs subscribe to human magazines, they listen to the radio and they wear human clothes.

But this is not the pinnacle: One day, the pigs invite neighbouring farmers to inspect the farm. The other animals watch Napoleon toasting with Mr. Pilkington.

From now on, the animals are neither to address one another as comrade, nor may they honour Old Major anymore. Finally, Animal Farm is renamed to Manor Farm, its “original and correct name”.

At the end of the book, Napoleon and Mr. Pilkington play a card game, and each other accuses the other of cheating. The pigs finally become humans – at least they act like such.

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