Older Farm Animals example essay topic

Animal Farm Animal Farm is difficult to read seriously for the first few chapters, mostly because the main characters are animals that talk not only amongst themselves, but also with humans. After a short period, though, the animals take on such believable personalities that it is easy to forget that they are not humans. In the beginning, life is satisfactory at the Manor Farm. While food rations are low, no one is dying from starvation.

One evening, an older member of the farm, a boar named Old Major announces that he will die soon. Before he dies, however, he wants to share with the rest of the animals his thoughts on how Man has ruined the animals' life. He says that if animals were to grow their own food, Man would no longer be needed on the farm, leaving all the profits to the animals. Society without man, of course, would be simpler and more relaxed. Old Major then suggests a revolution with the best of intents. A vote taken at the meeting proves Old Major's main idea, that "all animals are equal".

All the animals on the farm leave the meeting with fresh energy, prepared to run Manor Farm on their own, although not sure how to chase away their human master, Mr. Jones. Soon after Old Major's speech he dies. One evening, Mr. Jones neglects to feed his animals. They become hungry and break into the storage shed to find some food.

When their master finds his storage room a mess, he is furious, and begins to whip the animals violently. The animals decide this may be their only chance to get rid of their master, and spontaneously fight back against Mr. Jones. He quickly flees from the farm with his wife. The Manor Farm is quickly renamed the Animal Farm, and a variety of changes take place. The farmhouse is declared a museum, and a set of Seven Commandments is created for the animals to follow (Orwell, 40). The principle rules are "All animals are equal" and the simple phrase memorized by every animal, "Four legs good, two legs bad".

The other rules focus on making sure no animal ever takes on evil human characteristics such as drinking alcohol and sleeping in beds. Because the brains behind the Revolution, Old Major, is now dead, two pigs appoint themselves the leaders of Animal Farm, although the two do not agree. Neither of the two pigs, Napoleon or Snowball, hold all of the dreams which inspired the creation of the farm. The only character who constantly communicates the existence of "a better place" after Old Major's death is Moses, a raven. He never actually does farm work, but is still given food rations for keeping the animals motivated by talking of a perfect afterlife. Snowball, one of the head pigs in the Animal Farm's early days is more like Old Major than Napoleon, but still leaves much to be desired.

Snowball's first action as self-appointed ruler is to set up committees so that each animal can be actively involved in making Animal Farm a success (Orwell, 49). Snowball has the brilliant idea of building a windmill. He carefully draws detailed plans of how the mill will operate and what it will produce. All the animals love the idea except Napoleon.

Snowball seems to follow the rule "every animal is equal" quite closely, and the animals on the farm seem to take his side in arguments between him and Napoleon. The fact that Snowball may be the favorite pig infuriates Napoleon. He is a boar who is quite secretive with his ideas, but always seems to firmly disagree with Snowball. Napoleon distances himself from the other animals and creates an illusion of supremacy for himself.

One evening, during one of Snowball and Napoleon's frequent arguments Napoleon sends his dogs to attack his opponent. Snowball is brutally attacked and runs away, never to be seen again on the farm. Therefore, Napoleon is left as the farm's only leader. The farm animals always seem to quickly adjust to these leadership changes and immediately accept Napoleon as the farm's head.

The animals also seem to forget Snowball's important part in leading the Rebellion and his concern for their welfare. Napoleon's concern for the supremacy of pigs becomes apparent quickly. He orders all the better foods, apples and milk, to be reserved for the pigs only (Orwell, 71). Eventually he requires all "lower animals" to clear the path when a pig walks by them.

These changes come in a subtle way and are peppered with reminders of how awful life was when humans were in charge. These threats cause the farm animals to barely notice how different their farm is from Old Major's dream. Suddenly, Napoleon makes an announcement. He has decided to build a windmill. He also declares that Snowball's original plans for the windmill were stolen from Napoleon himself. All the animals are eager to begin the windmill, which will generate electricity to the barn.

Soon after the work on the windmill begins, all the animals, with the exception of the pigs, are ordered to work on Sundays. This is the first time the farm animals notice that they are getting no more rest than when Mr. Jones controlled them. This surprise, however, is soon overshadowed with the excitement of the windmill. Slowly, Napoleon becomes more distant, and one day moves into the sacred farmhouse to live. A few animals remember on the Seven Commandments reading, "No animal shall sleep in a bed", but when they read the actual rules they read, "No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets" (Orwell, 79).

From here, changes on the farm occur more rapidly. Napoleon takes the baby pigs born on the farm to live alone with him so that he can instruct them constantly. He also begins to only communicate with the "lower animals" through his attendant, Squealer. Eventually the windmill is finished and named the Napoleon Mill. The mill is not used for electricity as promised, but rather for grinding corn to sell to humans.

Food rations are slowly decreased for all the animals except for the pigs. The animals grow older and many forget the old Manor Farm. Hard work becomes the only memories the farm possesses. The two old horses on the farm catch Squealer altering the Seven Commandments (Orwell, 116). This instance is not forgotten, but not discussed publicly either. The older animals are forced to see that their lives on Animal Farm are worse than they were with human leadership.

Finally, Napoleon makes an appearance walking on two legs and wearing one of Mr. Jones' old suits. He officially changes one of the main beliefs of Animal Farm from "Four legs good, two legs bad" to "Four legs good, two legs better". The inevitable occurs, the farm makes serious human contact. Napoleon invites many local farmers to Animal Farm for a tour and dinner. Napoleon greets his guests walking naturally on his two hind legs and carrying a whip.

As the gentlemen gather to eat, the older farm animals gather outside the farmhouse window and peer inside. Napoleon loudly announces that the Animal Farm is being renamed Manor Farm. The animals watch in shock as slowly their leader's face is transformed into that of a human (Orwell, 138,139). This book clearly is anti-utopian, or following the understanding that nothing works out exactly as it is planned and nothing in this world is perfect. Old Major has a wonderful dream, but it was impossible to fulfill. In the end the situation was worse than it was before anyone cared.