Animal farm quote and response
"In April Animal Farm was proclaimed a Republic, and it became necessary to elect a President. There was only one candidate, Napoleon, who was elected unanimously."
(C) Animal farm is claimed to be a republic, but throughout the story it is proved that this isn't true. A republic is when the power is held by the people, and the elected leader. In this case Napoleon is the only person in power. This is shown throughout the story when Napoleon makes decisions by himself, and the animals of the farm go along with it whether they like the decision or not.
"Nevertheless some of the animals were disturbed when they heard that the pigs not only took their meals in the kitchen and used the drawing-room as a recreation room, but also slept in the beds."
(C) In this passage it is discovered that the pigs are sleeping in beds. this wouldn't be a big deal but the fourth animal commandment says "No animal shall sleep in a bed.
"Do you not remember how, just at the moment when Jones and his men had got inside the yard, Snowball suddenly turned and fled, and many animals followed him? And do you not remember, too, that it was just at that moment, when panic was spreading and all seemed lost, that Comrade Napoleon sprang forward with a cry of "Death to Humanity!" and sank his teeth in Jones's leg? Surely you remember that, comrades?' exclaimed Squealer, frisking from side to side."
(C) Napoleon is constantly manipulating the animals to his benefit. This has been done countless of times in recent history. One example of this in the real world is Hitler manipulating the germans to believe that jewish people were bad people.
"Early in October, when the corn was cut and stacked and some of it was already threshed, a flight of pigeons came whirling through the air and alighted in the yard of Animal Farm in the wildest excitement. Jones and all his men, with half a dozen others from Foxwood and Pinchfield, had entered the five-barred gate and were coming up the cart-track that led to the farm. They were all carrying sticks, except Jones, who was marching ahead with a gun in his hands. Obviously they were going to attempt the recapture of the farm."
(CL) In this passage, Mr. Jones attempts to reclaim his farm. Just as I predicted above, when Mr. Jones had the opportunity to take manor farm back over, He would act upon it
"But just at this moment Napoleon stood up and, casting a peculiar sidelong look at Snowball, uttered a high-pitched whimper of a kind no one had ever heard him utter before. At this there was a terrible baying sound outside, and nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars came bounding into the barn. They dashed straight for Snowball, who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws."
(CL) It has always seemed as if Napoleon had an angle to everything he did. Snowball on the other hand has always seemed like a leader who truly cared. Snowball and Napoleon had a disagreement on whether the windmill should be built or not. Napoleons response to this was to chase snowball away using the dogs that he had "to receive a higher education." This is another example of when Napoleon doing anything to make things go his way.
"Meanwhile the animals had chased Jones and his men out onto the road and slammed the five-barred gate behind them. And so, almost before they knew what was happening, the Rebellion had been successfully carried through; Jones was expelled, and the Manor Farm was theirs."
(CL) The rebellion was foreshadowed throughout the story up to this point, in which the rebellion tool place.
"He believed that he was right in saying that the lower animals on Animal Farm did more work and received less food than any animals in the county."
(CL) throughout the story it is unclear whether the animals lives have improved or not since jones had been abolished from the farm. This passage of the neighboring farmer talking proves that the animals lives have not improved since then, excluding the pigs and dogs.
"A thought struck Clover. Without saying anything to the others she went to Mollie's stall and turned over the straw with her hoof. Hidden under the straw was a little pile of lump sugar and several bunches of ribbon of different colours."
(E) In this passage Molly breaks the third animal commandment by having a form of clothes proving that she cannot be trusted. Molly also proves her distrust to the other animals by showing that she is in contact with humans.
"Never mind the milk, comrades!' cried Napoleon, placing himself in front of the buckets. 'That will be attended to. The harvest is more important. Comrade Snowball will lead "the way. I shall follow in a few minutes. Forward, comrades! The hay is waiting.' So the animals trooped down to the hayfield to begin the harvest, and when they came back in the evening it was noticed that the milk had disappeared."
(E) In this passage Napoleon acted like the milk was not important. Later in the passage the milk disappeared while everybody was away working in the harvest. This leads me to believe that Napoleon sold the milk, making me uneasy about Napoleon.
"Snowball also busied himself with organising the other animals into what he called Animal Committees. He was indefatigable at this. He formed the Egg Production Committee for the hens, the Clean Tails League for the cows, the Wild Comrades' Re-education Committee (the object of this was to tame the rats and rabbits), the Whiter Wool Movement for the sheep, and various others,"(P) Mr. Jones is extremely angry about his farm being taken over by his own animals. In this passage Mr. Jones is "complaining to anyone who will listen." This leads me to believe that when given the opportunity to retake manor farm over he will act upon it."
(E) Snowball is constantly looking for ways to help the animals, Snowball on the other hand is constantly looking for ways to help himself. Snowball cares about others, while Napoleon only cares about himself.
"Most of this time Mr Jones had spent sitting in the taproom of the Red Lion at Willingdon, complaining to anyone who would listen of the monstrous injustice he had suffered in being turned out of his property by a pack of good-for-nothing animals. The other farmers sympathised in principle, but they did not at first give him much help. At heart, each of them was secretly wondering whether he could not somehow turn Jones's misfortune to his own advantage."
(P) Mr. Jones is extremely angry about his farm being taken over by his own animals. In this passage Mr. Jones is "complaining to anyone who will listen." This leads me to believe that when given the opportunity to retake manor farm over he will act upon it.
"Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend. And remember also that in fighting against Man, we must "not come to resemble him. Even when you have conquered him, do not adopt his vices. No animal must ever live in a house, or sleep in a bed, or wear clothes, or drink alcohol, or smoke tobacco, or touch money, or engage in trade. All the habits of Man are evil. And above all, no animal must ever tyrannise over his own kind. Weak or strong, clever or simple, we are all brothers. No animal must ever kill any other animal. All animals are equal."
(P) Often times greed will make one do something they wouldn't normally do. These leads me to believe that if or when the animals decide to take over the farm, greed make the animals do things they would have never done.
"The singing of this song threw the animals into the wildest excitement. Almost before Major had reached the end, they had begun singing it for themselves. Even the stupidest of them had already picked up the tune and a few of the words, and as for the clever ones, such as the pigs and dogs, they had the entire song by heart within a few minutes. And then, after a few preliminary tries, the whole farm burst out into 'Beasts of England' in tremendous unison."
(P) The animals singing together means more than just singing a song. This is a symbol of the animals becoming one, this foreshadows the revolt of the farm.
"They found it comforting to be reminded that, after all, they were truly their own masters and that the work they did was for their own benefit."
(Q) In this passage the animals say that "they were their own masters and the work they did was for their own benefit." This is confusing to me because they have just switched their leader from a human to an animal, and the only ones truly benefiting from the animals work are the pigs who don't work anyway.
"Already Frederick had paid up; and the sum he had paid was just enough to buy the machinery for the windmill."
(Q) It seems very peculiar to me that the timber sold to Frederick "was just enough to buy the machinery for the windmill." My prediction would be that Napoleon set aside money for the machinery for the windmill, and used the rest for his personal use.
"He ordered the hens' rations to be stopped, and decreed that any animal giving so much as a grain of corn to a hen should be punished by death."
(Q)In this quote Napoleon is angry because he is trying to sell the hens eggs, but the hens don't want him to. Napoleon threatens to break the sixth animal commandment "No animal shall kill any other animal", and he breaks the seventh commandment "All animals are equal." This is confusing to me because as a leader Napoleon should be following and enforcing all of the rules and not breaking them.
"Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike. No question, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. 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."
(R) Greed plays a major rule in forming this story. Throughout the entire story the pigs become more and more alike with man. By the end of the story greed has driven the pigs to become one with man.
"he animals now also learned that Snowball had never—as many of them had believed hitherto—received the order of 'Animal Hero, First Class'. This was merely a legend which had been spread some time after the Battle of the Cowshed by Snowball himself."
(R) Napoleon claims that snowball had never been courageous in the battle of the cowshed, by saying that he never received the Animal Hero, First Class. I believe the reason napoleon did this was so that he would have full power, and no one else except himself would be anything but equal to him. This type of thing has been done many times with leaders taking any power away from the people so they can have more power.
"The mystery of where the milk went to was soon cleared up. It was mixed every day into the pigs' mash. The early apples were now ripening, and the grass of the orchard was littered with windfalls. The animals had assumed as a matter of course that these would be shared out equally; one day, however, the order went forth that all the windfalls were to be collected and brought to the harness-room for the use of the pigs."
(R) Throughout the passage I noticed that the pigs are being very selfish, simultaneously making themselves look very selfless. These actions are demonstrated when the pigs say that they need the milk and apples to themselves "to help there brains function." This can also be demonstrated when the pigs take the baby puppies away from their mother "to give them a higher education." This is very suspicious to me because earlier in the story they said that the dogs were not good learners.
"Comrades, here and now I pronounce the death sentence upon Snowball. "Animal Hero, Second Class", and half a bushel of apples to any animal who brings him to justice. A full bushel to anyone who captures him alive!"
(R) Throughout this passage corruption in a major role among the leaders of animal farm. Napoleon sends a death sentence out for snowball in this text, breaking the sixth commandment "No animal shall kill any other animal." The pigs also do certain things to benefit themselves such as living in the farmhouse and eating extra food, claiming that their brains need the extra energy.
