Animal Farm Chapters 7-8 Summary/Analysis

Chapter 7 Summary Harsh winter w/ food shortage – Animals are misled Humans don’t believe Snowball ruined wall-rebuilt at 3’ thick Egg shortage- increased export/morally wrong Hens rebel and 9 die Snowball’s supposed visits to farm- Everything blamed on him ‘Tied’ to Pinchfield (associate of Mr. Jones) Battle of Cowshed bravery taken away and used against him Napoleon’s battle bravery is hyped up Squealer’s persuasion makes them believe Napoleon stages a purge and takes more power Pigs are forced to falsely confess to conspiracy w/ Snowball They are said to be ‘Trotskyists’ and immediately killed p91/92 Boxer stands up for the animals-Napoleon immediately stops Boxer Egg rebellion confession- 3 more hens killed

Chapter 7 Summary (Continued) Boxer’s explanation of problem at hand The fault is our own = WORK HARDER Clover wonders how farm could have gotten like it is Animals not smart enough to figure it out Squealer: “No more beasts of England” Song only applies to the rebellion-no need for rebellion now New song with no inspiration “Animal Farm. . .”- Glorifies the situation

Chapter 7 Analysis Stalin’s 5 year plan for agriculture resulted in starvation of millions Industrial production was also down Violent tactics of oppressive governments Massive class divisions in egalitarian/true communist society Stalin also had ‘show trials’ (trials w/ preset outcome) Forced people to admit Trotskyism People tortured until admission then executed Stalin kept a common enemy- Trotsky Create fear for people-no one challenged his rule Manipulated statistics- illusion that all is good/better Fear installed b/c people believe propaganda An indestructible dictatorship formed-far from communism

Chapter 8 Summary No kill commandment is changed to “. . . w/out cause” Animals work harder to rebuild windmill Very cold winter with famine Napoleon takes title of “Leader” Minimus writes a poem on barn praising Napoleon Controversy between Frederick and Pilkington w/ firewood Windmill is finished-Mr. F. and men blow it up Several animals are killed/Boxer is injured Pigs get drunk Squealer caught w/ paint brush (changing commandments) Animals not smart enough to figure it out Alcohol Commandment Changed to “. . . In excess”

Chapter 8 Analysis Overall idea of manipulated rules and govt. to benefit the politically and militaristic powers Minimus’s Poem: great irony/satire of patriotic rhetoric Creates a misdirection (propaganda) for the public Pilkington vs. Frederick Incident Russia/Stalin’s back and forth nature of siding with Germany and then the Allies at the outset of WWII @ last moment, Stalin signs a non-aggression pact with Hitler Hitler (Frederick) betrays his word and invades Western Russia killing 25 million Russians and destroying much of the infrastructure built up during the Russian Revolution This is known as the Battle of Stalingrad