1. Animal Farm Chapters 7-8 Summary/Analysis

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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”

6. 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