In this blog post, we’ll examine how a revolution can be subverted by inequality of power and deception, through the plot, main characters, and the evolution of the Seven Commandments in Animal Farm.

Background and the Start of the Rebellion

The story is set on “Manor Farm,” a manor farm in England owned by Mr. Jones. Told from the animals’ perspective as a fable, the story begins one night when Jones, having drunk too much, falls asleep without locking the doors. As he enters his bedroom and falls asleep, all the animals on the farm gather for a meeting called by the respected pig, Old Major.
Old Major recounts the dream he had and the insights it gave him. He foretells his own imminent death and declares that, before he dies, he must convey his vision of a world where the animals can live justly and peacefully among themselves, free from human exploitation. He then declares humans to be their common enemy, calls for unity among all the animals, and teaches them “Beasts of England,” a song that would later become the anthem of the revolution. The animals are deeply moved by his speech and the song.
Old Major passes away three days later, but his words serve as a spark, igniting preparations for revolution among the animals. Subsequently, two pigs named Snowball and Napoleon emerge as leaders, and the eloquent Squealer joins their side to spread a new doctrine: “Animalism.” They repeatedly teach this ideology even to the simpler, slower-witted animals on the farm.

The Rebellion and Early Days of the Revolution

The day of the rebellion arrives sooner than expected. The farm owner, Jones, spends the entire day drunk and neglects his livestock; the hungry animals eventually break down the barn door and rush in to find food. A startled Jones and his workers rush to the scene, but the animals drive them off and take control of the farm. Mrs. Jones also abandons the house and flees.
The next morning, the farm’s name is changed from “Manor Farm” to “Animal Farm,” and Snowball and Napoleon establish the Seven Commandments based on Animalism and announce them to everyone.
1. Anyone who walks on two legs is an enemy. 2. Anyone who walks on 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 another animal. 7. All animals are equal.
In the early days, some animals wanted to manage the cows’ milk themselves, but Napoleon declared that there were “more important matters” and that he would take charge of the milk himself; from then on, the animals were not allowed to go anywhere near the milk.
Animal Farm was lively at first. All the animals worked hard for the farm’s development and were filled with pride at running the farm themselves. They observed Sundays as days of rest, and Snowball organized committees focused on social reform and education to implement educational programs. There were even some relatively positive results.
In particular, the horse Boxer became a symbol of dedication with his motto, “I will work harder,” and Snowball simplified the Seven Commandments into a simple slogan—“Four legs good, two legs bad”—for the animals with short memories. Once the apple harvest was over, the pigs announced that they would take full ownership of both the apples and the milk, citing the effort they had put into managing the farm, and the other animals, though uneasy, agreed.

Division, Seizure of Power, and Policy Changes

News of Animal Farm’s success spread to neighboring farms, prompting even other animals to learn the song “Beasts of England.”
Jones gathered a few villagers to try to reclaim the farm, but the animals repelled them. Snowball and Boxer, who fought bravely in the battle, were awarded medals of valor.
However, Molly fled and was never heard from again, and as winter approached, Snowball proposed building a windmill to increase production. Napoleon initially opposes the idea strongly, but soon the animals split into two factions, leading to a tense standoff. On the day they were to decide by vote, Napoleon unleashes nine large dogs he had trained in advance, driving Snowball out and seizing absolute power.
Surprisingly, Napoleon announces that he will carry out the windmill plan behind the scenes, and the animals are worked like slaves on the harvest and the construction of the windmill. Meanwhile, Napoleon declares that he will allow trade with humans. This directly conflicts with Old Major’s anti-human principles, but Squealer persuades the animals and silences any objections.
The pigs move into the farmhouse where Jones used to live, and Squealer distorts the interpretation of the “Bed” clause in the Seven Commandments. When some animals go to the barn to check, they find that, contrary to the original wording, it has been changed to read, “No animal shall sleep under the covers in a bed.” Meanwhile, when the windmill is destroyed by a storm, Napoleon blames Snowball, sentences him to death, and carries out the execution.

Purges, Deception, and Complete Corruption

As the number of starving animals grows during the cold winter, Napoleon collects all the hens’ eggs, claiming he will sell them to buy grain. The hens protested at first, but faced with the reality of dwindling food rations, they could not resist. Eventually, nine hens starved to death.
Napoleon executed some of the animals, claiming there had been a plot to rebel, and the remaining animals, trembling with fear, rushed to the seasoned mare Clover, trying to recall Old Major’s speeches and the ideals of the revolution. Following the purge, the sixth commandment of the Seven Commandments is changed to “No animal shall kill another animal without cause,” and a lengthy poem praising Napoleon is hung next to it.
After barely repelling an attack by nearby farmers, Napoleon drinks to celebrate the victory, and the Fifth Commandment is also amended to read, “No animal shall drink too much alcohol.” Boxer, who had been wounded in the battle, also seemed to be gradually recovering.
However, food rations continued to dwindle, and only the pigs grew exceptionally wealthy. The pigs are the only ones who gain weight by drinking beer every day without rest. One day, when Boxer collapses, Napoleon promises to send him to the hospital, but when the animals follow the cart carrying him, they discover he is actually being sent to the slaughterhouse for worn-out horses. Squealer covers this up with a lie, deceiving the animals.
As the years pass and the older generation of animals dies off, the pigs’ power becomes even more entrenched. Squealer manipulates the sheep into changing the wording of the Commandments to “Four legs good, two legs better,” and alters the seventh Commandment to “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”
Power becomes completely corrupted, and the pigs invite the nearby farm owners to dinner to assert their superiority.
The early revolutionary slogans and ideals are thus gradually diluted, and the reality of Animal Farm eventually transforms into a new tyranny indistinguishable from human oppression. This development vividly illustrates the mechanisms of the corruption of power, demagoguery, and deception.

Preface

The farm owners are astonished to discover that the animals on Animal Farm work harder than any other farm animals yet demand less food, and they offer their congratulations. As the animals watch the evening banquet through the windows, they discover an even more astonishing fact: the pigs’ faces are so similar to those of humans that they are almost indistinguishable. This scene hints at the core of the satire that runs throughout the entire work.

Chapter 1: Old Major, the Prophet

Animal Farm is a novel satirizing the Russian Revolution, in which the farm setting and its animals symbolize Russian revolutionaries and political thinkers. Chapter 1 introduces several animals who will later serve as political symbols, alongside scenes depicting the emergence of revolutionary consciousness on the farm.
The central figure of this chapter is Old Major, who ignites the flame of revolution and is likened to an ideal revolutionary leader. Old Major’s assertion that “the lives of the animals are those of wretched slaves” is a clear declaration denouncing the oppression and exploitation of human society.
When depicting the various farm animals, Orwell contrasts them with human flaws or archetypal traits. For example, the mule Clover—who, after giving birth several times, was unable to return to her original weight—serves as a device to reveal human frailty. Stylistically, the simple and clear sentences emphasize the allegorical aspect of the story, while also paying close attention to the different perspectives each animal holds regarding the revolution.

Chapter 2: The Birth of Animal Farm

Major’s death serves as an opportunity to pass on revolutionary fervor to the younger generation who followed him. His ideas evolve into concrete political leadership, laying the foundation for more intelligent and ambitious pigs—such as Napoleon, Snowball, and Squealer—to lead the movement.
Conversely, the animals who are unable to join the revolution immediately symbolize the farmers who doubt the revolution’s motives. For example, those who opt for stability by saying things like, “Mr. Jones used to feed us,” satirically represent the voice of the older generation, who are afraid to give up the security provided by the existing system.
Squealer is portrayed as a master of persuasion, and his eloquence is likened to the oratory skills of a charismatic political leader. Meanwhile, the Seven Commandments, while advocating unity and shared beliefs among the animals, prohibit human behaviors—such as using beds, wearing clothes, and drinking alcohol—thereby turning the relics of human life into taboos. These taboos, however, have the unintended consequence of leading the revolutionary leaders to use beds and clothes as symbols of privilege and status.

Chapter 3: Four Legs Good, Two Legs Bad

In Chapter 3, signs begin to emerge that the revolution will indeed bring positive changes to the animals’ utopia. However, the fact that the pigs are exempt from labor also marks the beginning of the social stratification that Major had so detested. The establishment of the pigs’ privileges creates anxiety among the animals and amplifies the fear that “if the pigs aren’t here, Jones might return.”
The key figure who stoked this fear was Squealer, who had long recognized the power of fear as a tool of persuasion. Furthermore, the conflict between Snowball and Napoleon comes to a head in this chapter.
Snowball is portrayed as a pragmatist and thinker who seeks to institutionalize the ideals of the revolution by introducing systems such as holidays, the General Assembly of Animals, and the Education Committee.
His activities are presented to the reader as rational and philanthropic, carrying on Major’s philosophy. In contrast, Napoleon exhibits suspicious behavior by personally raising newborn puppies, and through this, Orwell lays the groundwork foreshadowing his future seizure of power.

Chapter 4: The Battle of the Cowshed

Chapter 4 is notable, in part, for “Napoleon’s complete absence.” Napoleon does not appear in the battle scenes following the revolution, creating a contrast that highlights Snowball’s bravery and intelligence. Napoleon’s absence itself serves as a device to make the reader suspicious of him.
Throughout the battle, Snowball appears repeatedly as the leading figure who devises strategies and fights against the humans. The narrator subtly reveals that he studied the books he found in the storehouse on his own—a plot device designed to elevate Snowball as a figure of learning and intellect. The awarding of the Medal of Military Valor naturally sows the seeds of conflict among the animals, setting the stage for Napoleon’s subsequent coup and ideological collapse.
Furthermore, Chapter 4 presents the villagers’ reactions for the first time. Their varied reactions—including distrust, fear, and selfishness—satirically reflect the attitudes other nations display toward revolutions. The villagers’ spreading of baseless rumors about Animal Farm symbolizes external misunderstanding and hostility toward the revolution.

Chapter 5: The Strong Leader

In Chapter 5, the conflict between Napoleon and Snowball reaches its climax. The two pigs become divided by their differing political visions following the revolution: Snowball represents an intellectual and idealistic orientation, while Napoleon embodies an economically driven, authoritarian tendency.
With the appearance of the newly grown guard dogs, Napoleon’s betrayal becomes evident. Napoleon has privatized the dogs—which were originally the farm’s property—and transformed them into tools for subjugating the animals. This shift starkly illustrates how power is protected and reinforced.
Squealer plays a pivotal role in consolidating Napoleon’s regime. His eloquence and persuasiveness are used to calm the confused animals and legitimize the dictatorship. At the same time, through the contrast between Molly and Boxer, Orwell depicts the diverse reactions of the masses following the revolution.
Molly, longing for luxuries and human comforts, eventually leaves the farm—a move that can be likened to the flight of the privileged class. In contrast, Boxer accepts his control through the self-hypnosis of “Napoleon is always right” and is increasingly exploited. Through this, Orwell criticizes the public’s uncritical loyalty toward politicians who initially supported the revolution but later turned into dictators.

Chapter 6: Long Live the Windmills! Long Live Animal Farm!

Although the original text ends here with the title of Chapter 6, the subsequent narrative unfolds a pattern in which the rationalization of power and symbolic control are further strengthened through the construction of the windmills, the propaganda surrounding them, and the repetition of revolutionary slogans. Slogans and projects become tools to justify the animals’ labor, ultimately revealing a reality far removed from the initial ideals.

The Reintroduction of Human Customs and the Corruption of the Seven Commandments

Napoleon’s decision to reintroduce the system of bartering with humans went beyond a mere economic choice; it was the first step in gradually undermining the principles of the revolution. It was perhaps a predictable outcome that, before long, the pigs moved into the farmhouse where Mr. Jones had lived.
Reviving pre-revolutionary customs in this way blurs the boundaries of the revolution and provides convenience to those in power.
Napoleon’s blatant revelation of his intent to violate the Seven Commandments himself marks a significant turning point. Rather than abolishing or completely overhauling the commandments, he chose to make subtle modifications to the existing wording. His aim was to conceal the illegality of his actions and gradually shift public perception so that no one would question the original meaning.
In particular, the rewording of the Fourth Commandment carries great symbolic significance. It narrows the original broad prohibition, changing the phrase “You shall not sleep in a bed” to “You shall not sleep under the covers in a bed.” This strategy of narrowing the scope of the entire commandment by adding or modifying specific wording is the key to Napoleon’s policy of gradual revision, and through this method, he redefines the language of the revolution to his own advantage.

Propaganda and Scapegoating

The Slander Against Snowball and the Reconstruction of the Enemy

Pinning the blame for the destruction of the windmills on Snowball goes beyond merely humiliating an individual. By demagogically attributing all failures and mistakes to external traitors, Napoleon prevents the animals from seeing the true internal causes of the crisis. Consequently, the “humans”—the very target against whom the animals should unite and fight—are transformed into a fabricated enemy: Snowball.
Paradoxically, Snowball—who was one of the early leaders of the revolution—is distorted into an enemy of the entire animal community by Napoleon’s propaganda strategy. Napoleon and his propaganda officials consolidate their power by erasing past achievements and the truth and creating a new narrative.

Food Concealment and the Dictator’s Crisis Management

Napoleon’s attitude—concealing the farm’s food shortages from the outside world and downplaying or covering up internal crises—satirizes the typical crisis management tactics of totalitarian states. Rather than acknowledging the flaws in his regime by seeking outside help, the dictator chooses to sacrifice the welfare of the people. Napoleon’s extravagance and concealment are not mere personal transgressions but expressions of a cruel logic of governance.
The purpose behind Squealer’s spreading of rumors about Snowball is also clear: to completely eliminate the various forces that contributed to the revolution in the past and to assert that only their own historical narrative is valid. The repetitive propaganda that “Snowball was a traitor from the very beginning” serves as a means to deny the origins of the revolution and instill a new ideology.

The Distortion of Memory, the Collapse of Culture, and the Final Discovery

The Revision of the Commandments and the Problem of Collective Memory’s Reliability

When Squealer revises the Fifth Commandment to state, “You may drink alcohol,” Muriel the goat realizes that the Commandments are different from what they remember. Squealer’s explanation is simple: the problem lies with the animals’ memory; they are misremembering. This episode symbolically illustrates the power of propaganda in manipulating collective memory in Animal Farm.
The issue of the reliability of memory is repeatedly emphasized; as time passes and the early generation of revolutionaries disappears, previous cultural traditions gradually weaken. Generational change and aging stifle voices of dissent and erode the ability to preserve memory and tradition.

The Mask of Democracy and Boxer’s Betrayal

The scene in which Napoleon proclaims, “The farm is a republic,” starkly exposes the hypocrisy of a totalitarian regime that purports to be democratic. Although the animals participate in elections, Napoleon is the only candidate, so freedom of choice is virtually nonexistent. In this way, democratic rhetoric is reduced to a means of legitimizing power.
Squealer distorts reality through language—for example, by referring to the cutting of animals for unfavorable news not as “culling” but as “reallocation.” Furthermore, the incident in which Boxer is sold to a horse-slaughterer exposes the fact that the animals are deceiving themselves. Although the animals learn of Boxer’s sale belatedly, they outwardly comply due to Squealer’s lies. Readers feel a deep sense of betrayal stemming from the discrepancy between the truth believed by the animals and that believed by the narrator.
Meanwhile, the emergence of a bureaucracy after the revolution exemplifies totalitarianism, where a specific class dominates the general populace. The number of pigs grows faster than that of the other animals, and the “work” assigned to them ultimately becomes as meaningless as scraps of paper produced while sitting at a desk. This bureaucratic expansion deepens social inequality and the concentration of power.
Finally, the shocking scene in which the pigs and humans begin to resemble one another marks the climax of the story. The moment the animals—who had participated in the revolution with pure and good intentions—realize that their very naivety led them to tolerate the revolution’s distortion and the rise of totalitarianism, they are overcome with fear and disillusionment. Their realization that they see human features in the pigs’ faces immediately reveals the complete failure of the revolution and the corruption of its leaders.