Animal Farm Chapter 5

Chapter 5—Summary Mollie disappears from the farm Ends up with one of Pilkington’s men Seen at the pub dolled up with ribbons Seemed to be enjoying herself

Snowball vs. Napoleon--Windmill Wanted to build a windmill Says it would supply electricity Provide Light and Warmth Save labor time Napoleon: Wanted to increase food production. Said the windmill would be wasted time and energy Said everyone would starve to death

Snowball vs. Napoleon—Defense Wants to get firearms and train themselves how to use them Believes in making the farm safe from attacks Snowball: Wants to spread the rebellion Says if the rebellion happened everywhere, they would have no need to defend themselves

Chapter 5 Summary Before the animals can vote Napoleon calls out nine ferocious dogs, who chase Snowball off the farm. Napoleon then announces that all debates will stop and institutes a number of other new rules for the farm.

New Leadership Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky battled for the leadership of the communist party. Stalin won. In 1927 Stalin expelled Trotsky from the party and the country just like Napoleon did to Snowball In 1940 Trotsky was assassinated, under Stalin’s orders. Stalin Trotsky 

Russian Revolution – KGB/Secret Police/Cheka Personal body guards to Stalin Created to prevent against any counter-revolutionary activity after communism took over Russia Used any means necessary to keep “social order”

Animal Farm – The dogs Napoleon’s enforcers Used to instill fear in other animals Taken from their parents when they were puppies and raised by Napoleon A part of his strategy to control the animals

Napoleon—Secret Motives We have suspected the motives of the pigs and Napoleon Chapter III stealing apples and milk for themselves The pigs appear more interested in grabbing resources When Napoleon sets his dogs on Snowball, he proves that his socialist ideas about the common good is quite empty Napoleon’s takeover a long period of careful plotting: He first took control of the dogs’ training in Chapter III. The banishment of Snowball is the end of long-held resentments and aspirations

Propaganda in Action Squealer is used to explain Napoleon’s actions Says it was a sacrifice on Napoleon’s part to take on so much extra responsibility “No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal.” p. 55 Says it’s for the animals own good that Napoleon rule “He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions … and then where should we be?” p.55

Chapter 5 Summary—The Windmill Napoleon suddenly insists that the animals build the windmill Squealer is sent to convince the animals that the windmill was Napoleon’s idea all along Tactics get rid of the “dangerous character and bad influence” of Snowball Page 57-58

Allegorical Connections to History 1928: Stalin announces his first Five Year Plan (an attempt to make Russia a modern industrial state) Convinces “comrades” throughout the Soviet Union to work harder than they ever have Need to fix the infrastructure neglected by the Tsars

Other Allegorical Connections Vladimir Lenin’s Body laying in state—January 1924 The body is still visible in Moscow The Mausoleum is open every day from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, except holidays, Mondays and Fridays

Other Allegorical Connections Old Major’s skull was dug up and placed at the foot of the flagstaff Satire pointed at the Russian practice

Other Notables: Orwell was part of a Trotskyist group in the late 1930’s during the Spanish Civil War Could be why Snowball is looked at in a positive manner Boxer adds a new maxim: Napoleon is always right His personal motto “I will work harder”

Emerging Themes Poor Memory of the past makes the people easier to control Lack of knowledge or education makes it impossible to speak out against injustice Boxer-“…in the end he could not think of anything to say.” p. 54 Blind loyalty to one’s leaders is dangerous “Napoleon is always right”