This presentation has been prepared by the Sociology Hons. students. We analyzed this political satire of George Orwell from a sociological point of view and tried to associate this novel with contemporary situations.

1. ANIMAL FARM
~GEORGE ORWELL
ANIMAL FARM
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2. AUTHOR (GEORGE ORWELL)
• Born in 1903 in Bengal Motahari and died in 1950 in London
• In colonial era he held a position as an agent in the opium department of Indian civil service.
• Noted as a novelist and critic , as well as political and cultural commentator
• One of the most admired English language essayist of the 19th century
• Well known for his two books
1) 1984
2) animal farm

3. RUSSIAN REVOLUTION
• After the removal of Tsar Nicholas II , the reign of Romanov dynasty ended and monarchy was abolished due to
the heavy struggle of proletariat(workers) class in the Russian revolution .
• The ideas and speeches of Lenin played a major role in the revolution as it ignited the want for "dictatorship of
the proletariat."
• After the revolution USSR was formed with Lenin as it's 1st premier and joseph Stalin came into power after the
death of Lenin.
• The over ambitious goals of Stalin exploited the masses and he became a totalitarian leader in lieu of a
communist follower .
• Stalin used the "red army" to enthrall the masses and his manipulated tactics worked till the end as his death
was the only reason which abolished his rule over Russia.

4. SYMBOLISM AND CHARACTERS
ANIMAL FARM
• Animal farm, known in the beginning and at the end of the novel as the
manor farm .
• Symbolizes Russia and the soviet union under communist party rule.
• More generally, animal farm stands for any human society, be it capitalist,
socialist, fascist or communist.
• It possesses the internal structure of a nation, with a government (the pig) ,
a police force or army (the dogs) , a working class (the other animals) .
• Its location amid a number of hostile neighboring farms supports its
symbolism as a political entity with diplomaticconcerns.

5. BARN WINDMILL
• The pigs painted "seven commandments" on
the outside walls of the barn in animal farm
and later their revision symbolizes the
hypocrisy that undergirds animal farm almost
from its inception.
• The barn stands as the spot on the farm where
all communal decisions are made and pivotal
moments happen. In this sense, the barn can
be seen as the physical representation of the
farm’s past as well as its future.
• The great windmill symbolizes the pigs manipulation
of the other animal for their own game.
• Earlier , windmill is shown as a symbol of progress
and optimistic change which later transforms into a
symbol of the corruption of the ideals.
• The ultimate conversion of the windmill to
commercial use is more sign of the pigs betrayal of
their fellow animals. From an allegorical point of
view, the windmill represents the enormous
modernization projects undertaken in soviet Russia
after the Russian revolution.

6. OL OLD MAJOR NAPOLEON
• Old major represents the ideas of Karl Marx
and Vladimir Lenin.
• Marx supported socialism albeit Lenin
supported communism which included the
"dictatorship of the proletariat(workers)."
• Old major intended to institute a philosophy
that would free the animals from human
tyranny, creating an equal and fair system.
• Napoleon represents Joseph Stalin who came
into power as a communist leader but later
showed his tyrannical nature to fulfill his
greed for power.
• Napoleon had the army of 9 dogs similar to the
"red army" of Stalin who used them for all his
evil practices.
• In spite of being a communist, the money-
hungry nature throwed napoleon (Stalin) in the
pit of sins .

7. SNOWBALL MR.JONES
• Snowball represents Leon Trotsky who was a
pure communist leader who was influenced by
the teachings of Karl Marx.
• Orwell has endowed Snowball with certain
moral flaws.
• Snowball is the animal most clearly attuned to
old major's thinking, and he devotes himself to
bettering the animals in intellectual, moral,
and physical ways.
• The often drunk farmer who runs the manor
farm before the animals stage their rebellion
and establish animal farm. He thus
represents Tsar Nicholas II.
• He is overthrown by the animals of his farm,
who represents Bolshevik and liberal
revolutionaries.

8. SQUEALER BOXER
• Orwell uses squealer to demonstrate how
politicians use language and propaganda to
control.
• Squealer never sought power for himself but
worked with napoleon to keep the masses
calm. Squealer doesn't represent a specific
historical figure, but rather a tactic. During that
time period, the government used the press to
spread propaganda to sell Stalin to the people.
• The most sympathetically drawn character
in the novel, boxer epitomizes all of the best
qualities of the exploited working classes.
• He also, however, suffers from what Orwell
saw as the working class’s major
weaknesses: a naïve trust in the good
intentions of the intelligentsia and an
inability to recognize even the most blatant
forms of political corruption.

9. CHAPTER 1
• After Mr. Jones, the owner of manor farm, falls asleep in a drunken stupor, all of his animals meet in the big barn at the
request of old major, a 12-year-old pig.
• Major delivers a rousing political speech about the evils inflicted upon them by their human keepers and their need to
rebel against the tyranny of man. He dig the wounds of animals by stressing on miserable, laborious and hideous
conditions faced by them .
• He emphasized that whatever goes upon two legs is a enemy and whatever goes upon four legs or has wings is a friend
and remember that in fighting against them one should not start resembling them .
• major mentions a strange dream of his in which he saw a vision of the earth without humans.
• He then teaches the animals a song — “Beasts of England" — which they sing repeatedly until they awaken jones, who
fires his gun from his bedroom window, thinking there is a fox in the yard. Frightened by the shot, the animals disperse
and go to sleep

10. SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
• It is normal for animals to receive exploitation without even thinking about their fault . Similarly , it
is normal for unprivileged to feel inferior and judged in the scrutiny of higher class even when they
know they are living in a egalitarian society where everyone is equal .
• In society everyone works for their self interest which denotes their inclination towards
individualistic approach rather than thinking about the societal interest.
• The speech of major explicitly portrays the ideas of Marx as explained in the reading of George
Ritzer that the conflict between capitalist and proletariat will bring revolution sooner or later and
then a socialist society will be established.

11. CHAPTER 2
• After the death of old major , the animals spent their days secretly planning the rebellion, although they were unsure when
it would occur. The pigs were placed in charge of educating the animals about animalism because of their intelligence.
• Napoleon and snowball were the leaders of the revolution in spite of having completely different character. Few of the
animals also showed reluctant nature towards the fight for independence.
• The rebellion occurred when jones again fell into a drunken sleep and neglected to feed the animals, who broke into the
store-shed in search of a meal. When jones and his men arrived, they began whipping the animals but soon found
themselves being attacked and chased off the farm.
• The triumphant animals then destroy all traces of jones, eat heartily, and revel in their newfound freedom. After a tour of
jones' house, they decided to leave it untouched as a museum. Snowball changed the sign reading "manor farm" to "animal
farm" and paints the seven commandments of animalism on the wall of the barn.

12. SEVEN COMMANDMENTS
• 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.
Everything appeared perfect but there were only two problems :-
“friend” was as written “freind” and the milk of the cows was stolen inspite of no human presence in the
farm.

13. SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
• Few animals showed resistance towards the rebellion which highlights the nature of society
towards social disorder which we also studied in the enlightenment era.
• Every situation , individual and society needs a stimulus . everything have it’s breaking point after
which the rebellion is bound to occur .
• The wrong spelling of friends denotes that they were not able to segregate between friends and
foes. It was engraved in the mind of animals that whoever goes on 4 legs and wings is a friend
which made them blindly trust the authoritarian species.

14. CHAPTER 3
• Animals finished the harvest in less time usually taken by jones and his men.
• Cat disappeared when there was a work and reappear at meal time and she always made excellent excuses.
• Snowball forms a number of committee, all of which failed. However he does prove successful at bringing a degree of literacy to
the animals, who learn to read according to their varied intelligences.
• Pigs were so clever that they could think of a way around every difficulty.
• Pigs actually did not work but directed and supervised the others with their superior knowledge it was natural that they should
assume the leadership.
• The commandment was changed from “all animals are equal” to “all animals are equal but some are more equal than
otherwise.”
• Boxer emerged as the hardest working animal. His mantra was 'I will work harder’.
• Squealer demonstrated the knack for manipulating other animals.

15. SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
• Orwell used the animals and their actions to make the readers think about equality and
inequality. One of the commandment was 'all animals are equal’. However, this equality is short-
lived and the pigs begin to bend the rules until inequality returned to the farm.
• The varying degrees of literacy among the animals suggest the necessity of sharing information
in order for freedom to be maintained. To the pigs’ credit, they do try to teach the other animals
the basics of reading and writing, but the other animals prove unable or unwilling. This results
in a dangerous imbalance in knowledge, as the pigs become the sole guardians and
interpreters of animal farm’s guiding principles.(This leads to the social hierarchy)

16. CHAPTER 4
• News of animal farm has spread. Jones spends most of his time in a pub, complaining about his troubles to two neighboring
farmers Mr. Pilkington and Mr. Frederick.
• In October, jones and his men arrived at animal farm and attempt to seize control of it.
• Jones was hurled into a pile of dung and his gun flew out of his hands.
• Snowball turns out to be extraordinary tactician and with the help of the other animals, drives jones and his men away.
Human suffer a quick defeat.
• A bloody battle take place what they call "the battle of the cowshed". The animal celebrated their victory.
• Snowball , boxer and the dead sheep were given military awards.
• During the battle, boxer almost kills a boy and was very upset about it. He says with his eyes full of tears have no wish to
take life, not even human life. Mollie was found to have hidden in the barn with her head in the hay during the fight.

17. SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
• Beast of England was spread everywhere . it appeared musical to the ears of animals and barbaric to
the ears of human. It showed how one result can have two effects on two different societies.
• It also denotes how the power in authority is afraid to loose it’s status quo and they don’t want to
have a egalitarian society which might take away their privileges and they were threatened by it.
• Uncertainties in a society is inevitable as mentioned in Allan Johnson . Animals were prepared to give
their lives in defence of the animal farm but they appeared unprepared to deal with the
consequences when boxer accidentally killed the stable boy.

18. CHAPTER 5
• Mollie became troublesome , came late to work every morning and gave excuses . she was also in
touch with human beings which was strictly prohibited for any animal on animal farm.
• Snowball and napoleon disagreed with each other in meetings and dominated each other.
• Snowball studied Mr. Jones books and eventually came up with a scheme to build a windmill with
which the animals could generate electricity and automate many farming tasks making it easy for
them. Napoleon doesn't agree to this idea and contradicts.
• Animals were about to vote snowball when napoleon's nine enormous dogs charged into the barn,
attacked snowball and chased him away. As a result, all the animals had to return back to napoleon's
side.

19. • Animals seemed to be confused about napoleon being the leader. Squealer ,in favor of napoleon
was convincing the other animals that napoleon was making a great sacrifice in taking the
leadership responsibilities upon himself .
• animals still questioned snowball's expulsion to which squealer says that he was a traitor and a
criminal.
• It turns out that napoleon started supporting the windmill project which was actually weird for all
the animals. Squealer manipulated them explaining that napoleon never really opposed the
proposal; he simply did all that to out throw wicked snowball. The tactics used, squealer’s
appealing words, the growls of those three-dogs was so threatening, that the animals accepted his
explanation without questioning.

20. SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
• Mollie is shown as foolish female mare. It highlights prejudiced perspective that females are considered
foolish and materialistic.
• Animals having comfort of technology, aspire of modern farm with electricity rather than an old-
fashioned farm. They even started reading in order to accomplish their exaggerated goals. In Hind Swaraj
Gandhi ji highlighted the ramification of modern civilization and how modernity doesn’t always means
improvement in life.
• Benjamin represents the nature of common masses who criticizes the authority in power but never
stands against the wrong doings in spite of knowing the difference between wrong and right .
• Squealer represents the media who manipulates the masses by using their convincing language to make
the bad things looks good for the ruler .

21. CHAPTER 6
• The animals started working at a backbreaking pace to farm enough food for themselves and to build the windmill.
• Their rations were cut—squealer explains that they have simply “readjusted” them—and the animals receive no food
at all unless they work on Sunday afternoons.
• Animals obeyed the leadership because then they worked for their own good and not for Mr. Jones. So, they were eager
to take on the extra labor.
• Boxer committed himself to animal farm, doing the work of three horses but never complained.
• The project presented a number of difficulties. The animals struggled over how to break the available stone into
manageable sizes for building without picks and crowbars which they were unable to use. By late summer they finally
learnt the art and had enough broken stones to begin construction.
• The animals suffered no more than they had under Mr. Jones. They had enough to eat and can maintain the farm
grounds easily now.

22. • The farm needed a number of items that it couldn't produce on its own, such as iron, nails, and paraffin oil. Napoleon then
announced that he had hired a human solicitor, Mr. Whymper, to assist him in conducting trade on behalf of animal farm.
• The other animals were taken aback by the idea of engaging in trade with humans.
• Squealer explained that the principles of animal farm never included any prohibition against trade and the use of money. If
they recalled of any such law, they had simply fallen victim to lies fabricated by the traitor snowball.
• The pigs began living in the farmhouse, and a rumor was spread that they even slept in beds, a violation of one of the seven
commandments.
• But when clover asked Muriel to read the appropriate commandment, the two found that it now read “no animal shall sleep in
a bed with sheets.” Squealer explained that clover must have simply forgotten the last two words.
• The animals went into the fields where they found that the windmill had been toppled. Napoleon said that the windmill had
been sabotaged by snowball, who, he says, would do anything to destroy animal farm.
• Napoleon passed a death sentence on snowball, offering a bushel of apples to the traitor’s killer.
• He then ordered the animals that they must rebuild the windmill. “Long live the windmill!” He cried. “Long live animal farm!”

23. SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
• But the tactics that we see the pigs utilizing here—the overworking of the laboring
class, the justification of luxuries indulged in by the ruling class, the spreading of
propaganda to cover up government failure or ineffectiveness evoke strategies
implemented not only by communist Russia but also by governments throughout the
world needing to oppress their people in order to consolidate their power.
• The rise of napoleon in the power can be seen as a social change which occurs when
the elite begins to degenerate and is replaced by a new elite derived from the non
governing elite that rules over the animal farm who are dominated by non- rational
forces as explained in the Cyclical theory of Pareto.

24. CHAPTER 7
• As the human world watches animal farm and waits for news of its failure, the animals struggle against starvation.
• Napoleon uses Mr. Whymper to spread news of animal farm's sufficiency to the human world.
• The hens stage a demonstration that only ends when they can no longer live without the rations that napoleon had denied
them. Nine hens die as a result of the protest.
• The animals are led to believe that snowball is visiting the farm at night and spitefully subverting their labor. He becomes a
threat to the animals' security.
• The napoleon calls a meeting of all the animals, during which he forced confessions from all those who had questioned
him. (Such as the four pigs and the three hens who lead the protest) and then has them murdered by the dogs.
• Numerous animals also confess to crimes that they claim were instigated by snowball.
• Eventually, the singing of "beasts of England" is outlawed and a new song by minimus, napoleon's pig-poet, is instituted, the
animals do not find the song as meaningful as their previous anthem.

25. SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
• The over exploitation and killing of hens represents the alienation where the producer is divorced from
the means of production and in which “dead labor”(pigs) dominates “living labor”(hens) in order to earn
more capital.
• Pigs did not let others know about the deteriorating condition of the production in the farm which
represents their fear of social disorder .I.E. Revolt against the authority.

26. CHAPTER 8
• The following year brings more work on the windmill and less food for the workers, despite squealer's lists of figures.
• As napoleon grows more powerful, he is seen in public less often.
• The general opinion of him is expressed in a poem by minimus that lists his merits and virtues.
• More executions occur while napoleon schemes to sell a pile of timber to Frederick — who is alternately rumored to be
a sadistic torturer of animals .
• After the completion of the new windmill in august, napoleon sells the pile of timber to Frederick, who tries to pay with a
check. Napoleon, demands cash, which he receives.
• Whymper then learns that Frederick's banknotes are forgeries, and napoleon pronounces the death sentence on the
traitorous human.

27. • Frederick and 14 men arrive at animal farm and attempt to take it by force. The humans are initially
successful, after they blow up the windmill, the animals are completely enraged and drive the men
from the farm.
• Squealer explains to the animals that they were actually victorious in what will hereafter be called
"the battle of the windmill.“
• The pigs discover a case of whisky in jones' cellar. After drinking too much of it, napoleon fears he is
dying and decrees that the drinking of alcohol is punishable by death. Later, napoleon feels better
and orders the small paddock (which was to have been used as a retirement-home for old animals)
to be ploughed and planted with barley. 10.The chapter ends with Muriel rereading the seven
commandments and noticing, for the first time, that the fifth commandment now reads, "no animal
shall drink alcohol to excess."

28. SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
• They won the battle but they lost the windmill which they were making since 2 years . for some it
was a win but for others it was a loss of family , hard work & loss of hope . it highlights the cruelty
of a war that how war brings catastrophe especially on the lower strata and makes them homeless
, take their loved ones away and leave them in sorrow, misery and pain . we loose war even after
winning it .
• Squealer used language as a power against other animals to exploit and justify the tyrannical rule
of napoleon- mass media nowadays do the same.

29. CHAPTER 9
• After celebrating their so-called victory against Frederick, the animals began building a new
windmill. Their efforts were again led by boxer who, despite his split hoof, insisted on working
harder and getting the windmill started before he retired.
• Food supplies continued to diminish, but squealer explained that they actually had more food
and better lives than they had ever known.
• Meanwhile, more and more of the animals' rations were reduced while the pigs continued to
grow fatter.
• Animal farm was eventually proclaimed a republic, and napoleon was elected as it’s president.

30. • Once boxer’s hoof was healed, he worked as hard as he could at building the windmill — until the day
he collapsed because of a lung ailment. After he is helped back to his stall.
• Squealer informed them that napoleon had sent for the veterinarian at Willingdon to treat him. When
the van arrived to take boxer to the hospital, however, Benjamin read its side and learnt that boxer
was actually being taken to a knacker, or glue-boiler and aware all animals about it.
• Clover screamed to boxer to escape, but the old horse was too weak to kick his way out of the van,
which drove away. Boxer was never seen again.
• To placate the animals, squealer told them that boxer was not taken to a knacker but that the
veterinarian had bought the knacker's truck and had not yet repainted the words on its side. The
animals were relieved when they heard this.
• The chapter ends with a grocer's van delivering a crate of whisky to the pigs, who drank it all and
were not seen until after noon the following day.

31. SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
• The animals in the farm showed unity in spite of failure.
• The laws were changed according to the authority in power which led to failure of animalism and
creation of the corruption of the socialist ideas.
• Atrocities done on the masses by their authoritative leaders and often leaving the masses in
darkness.
• No animal had ever left the farm . they were not able to compare their situation with any other
society. It showed their unawareness about the outside world and their inability to aspire for more .
• Presence of illusory truth effect was also visible in the speeches of squealer.

32. CHAPTER 10
• Years passed, and animal farm had undergone its final changes. Muriel, bluebell, jessie, and pincher
had died, and jones died in an inebriates' home.
• Clover had now turned 14 years old- (two years past the retiring age) but had not retired. No animal
ever had. There were more animals on the farm, and the farm's boundaries had increased, due to the
purchase of two of Pilkington's fields.
• The windmill had been successfully completed and was used for milling corn. All the animals
continued their lives of hard work and little food — except, of course, for the pigs.
• One evening, clover saw a shocking sight of squealer walking on his hind legs. Other pigs followed,
walking the same way, and napoleon also emerged from the farmhouse carrying a whip in his trotter.

33. • The sheep began to bleat a new version of their previous slogan: "four legs good, two legs better!"
Clover also noticed that the wall on which the seven commandments were written had been
repainted: now, the wall simply read, "ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL, BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN
OTHERS." Eventually, all the pigs began carrying whips and wearing jones' clothes.
• The deputation of neighboring farmers were given a tour of the farm, after which they met in the
dining-room of the farmhouse with napoleon and the other pigs. Mr. Pilkington made a toast to animal
farm and its efficiency. Napoleon then offered a speech in which he outlined his new policies.
• His greatest change in policy, however, was his announcement that animal farm will again be called
manor farm. Soon after napoleon's speech, the men and pigs began playing cards, but a loud quarrel
erupted when both Napoleon and Pilkington each tried to play the ace of spades.
• As clover and the other animals watched the arguments through the dining-room window, they were
unable to differentiate between the humans and the animals.

34. SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
• Usage of windmill signified what leaders do in the name of public good to pursue their own interest and
profit.
• Animals were over exploited in the name of independence and false promise of having a peaceful and
egalitarian life which was even visible to the human eyes.
• Pigs wholly consolidated their power and their totalitarian communist dictatorship completely
overwhelmed the democratic socialistic ideas of animal farm . Napoleon and the other pigs had became
identical to the human farmers.

35. SATIRE & IRONY
• Orwell uses satire to expose what he saw as the myth of soviet socialism. Thus, the novel tells a
story that people of all ages can understand , but it also tells us a second story – that of real-life
revolution . the satire is clearly visible in the humorous poem which is used to highlight the
utopian view of the society , unawareness of the animals and interaction between humans and
pigs.
• Irony lies in situation, how animals took over the animal farm to be treated in a humane way but
ended up being exploited by their own comrades. The pigs transformed from animals who hate
humans to animals who were indistinguishable from humans.

36. CONCLUSION
In putting all of their energies toward expelling the humans, the animals believed that they were
protecting themselves from oppression. Although, in reality they simply and unwittingly
consolidated themselves towards the pig’s authority. The difference between what they believed
they were fighting for and what they were actually fighting for was extremely wide .Napoleon and
the other pigs became identical to the human farmers, just as Stalin and the Russian communists
eventually became indistinguishable from the aristocrats whom they had replaced and the
western capitalists whom they had denounced. In the end the fellow animals realized the
resemblance between humans and the pigs which they were not able to differentiate.

37. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We would like to thank our sociology teacher for giving us this opportunity to do
this book review project. We were enlightened and came across many terms
which we added to our vocabulary and information which increased our
knowledge about sociology and other subjects as well.
We would like to mention our team mates, who co-operated and contributed well
to make this presentation.

38. THANK YOU