Animal Farm
This novel is set on Mr. Jones' Manor Farm which is eventually taken over by his animals and renamed Animal Farm. Since this is a "Fairy Story" an exact location or time period isn't clearly established, but the reader can infer that Animal Farm is set early in the 20th century because Mr. Jones' uses a lantern and the animals attempt to use a windmill.
Animal Farm is a book about farm animals rebelling and taking over the farm they live on because they are tired of not being treated equal. Mr. Jones, the original owner of Manor Farm, doesn't show the animals kindness so they decide to overpower him and operate the farm themselves so they rename it Animal Farm. The pigs declare they are in charge and control everything pertaining to the farm. They think all animals are equal and want everyone to accept that same theory. Because the pigs have so much power it goes to their heads and eventually they act so much like humans that the other animals can't tell them apart.
Napoleon is an extremely underhanded pig that cares about nothing but power. He will do anything to retain control because he is power-hungry. From tricking the other animals to changing the commandments, Napoleon is obsessed with bending the rules to make him happy.
Snowball is one of the pigs that are in charge during the beginning of the rebellion. His ideas are for the good of Animal Farm and he wants what is best for it. As the story progresses Snowball is attacked and ran off the farm by the dogs Napoleon has trained.
Boxer, a hardworking horse, pushes himself until he is injured thinking he will be rewarded for his efforts. Instead of getting to retire at age twelve, Boxer is sent to what he thinks is a vet, but turns out to be a glue factory where he dies.
Mr. Jones ran the farm until the animals took it over. Very seldom was he sober and he didn't treat the animals with respect.
Boxer is described as "…an enormous beast...strong as any two ordinary horses put together." (Orwell pg.4) and he lives up to this description by asking the rooster to wake him up earlier than the rest of the animals so he can begin his work. On page 31 Boxer said, "I have no wish to take life, not even human life", which shows that he is tender-hearted. Boxer said this because he thought he killed one of the humans during The Battle of the Cowshed. Another one of Boxer's famous quotes is "I will work harder". It is stated numerous times throughout the novel but is first mentioned on page 21. This quote is similar to "Napoleon is always right." (Orwell pg. 40), which is also one of Boxer's remarks, because it informs the reader that Boxer has been brainwashed into thinking he isn't good enough and that he is incapable of making sufficient decisions.
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