Introduction
A boar named Major gives a group of animals in an English farm an idea. He tells them of his dream and insights into life. The animals live in oppressive conditions under the rule of humans, and Major says that Man is the cause of the animals' enslavement. Major gets the animals thinking. They suggest that is why Man is called a tyrant; he craves freedom for himself but does not allow freedom for animals. The animals on the farm rebel against Man and think it is easier than waiting for the time when Man and animals could live in harmony. When Man on the farm forgets to feed the animals, they break into the store shed and help themselves. Animalism is born as the animals throw themselves a party, all joined together in caring for each other. The farm holds only so many animals, so not all would thrive. This novel illustrates what its characters on the farm go through. Readers are reminded to view the animals' rise to power as similar to that of any society. Idealism is not enough. The story on the farm also shows that sometimes, the animals lack the power; the group struggles to try and keep the power during the training of other creatures. The same thing happens when there is a leader of higher importance in changing the social structure of society.
Overview of Chapter 1
The story opens with Mr. Jones, a negligent farmer who embodies the human oppression of animals. Mr. Jones is an allegory and a representation of a negligent ruler known for his abuse of power and his lust for alcoholic drinks. He is a heavy drinker and a bad master to the animals on the farm. Because the animals are mistreated and starved, they meet for a meeting led by Old Major. Old Major is a wise and elderly boar. He brings attention to the reality of the poor life the animals have to tolerate under the slavery of Mr. Jones. He gives a passionate speech and points out their wretched conditions. Old Major also shares his inspirational dream of a better world. In this dream, animals are mostly free from the habits of people, and they live the best possible life without the chains of humans. Old Major’s vision of utopia serves as a catalyst and inspiration to other animals for rebellion. Animalism, the founding principle of pigs and the first of the seven lines of the first chapter, is announced by Old Major with the idea of equality among the farm without sharing with people.
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Within it, the whole plot and the entire concept of the novel are clearly stated because for a slow reader, the first chapter is a complete novel within a single chapter. It mentions the life of animals, the jobs they are engaged in, their contribution to the working farm, the nature of the farmer towards the animals, a brief history before the rebellion, and the nature of the rebellion for the welfare of the rest of their lives as the main theme. Old Major’s concept of animalism is of utmost importance. The whole idea is conveyed with the help of an allegory. The novel also displays views regarding freedom, equality, identity, leadership, and education, which are very precisely narrated. The language of the chapter is clear, precise, simple, lucid, and pure. The novel technique is employed very much with one simile and three metaphors. This brings about the understanding of the first chapter.
Key Events and Characters
The animals on Mr. Jones's Manor Farm assemble in the big barn for a meeting. Mr. Jones has gone to bed drunk again, leaving the animals to go hungry throughout the day. Such neglect is not unusual. But the gossip is extraordinary. The animals talk about their grievances. Over the past few days, they have heard that they are not to be slaughtered for human food. In fact, animals are sometimes treated better than they used to be, but that is only to fatten them up and get more money from them in the end. Therefore, animals are not happy just because Old Major, one of the pigs, calls the meeting. Old Major, already over 12 years old, wants to communicate with the other animals before he dies. He has envisioned many things in his life as a big Berkshire boar. He is very intelligent and he teaches himself to read and understand the works of men. Old Major summarizes what he sees in three phrases, dying before sinking into a coma.
The first sentence is “Man is a root of evil.” All the animals nod their heads in agreement to indicate that they believe it as well. Making fun of his work, Old Major remarks that Mr. Jones has behaved with them for so long, for example, stealing from the animals and starving them while allowing himself to gobble up and get drunk. Then he jokes about the sarcastic tunes to which he treats them. When the crowd is quieter, Old Major proceeds to share his second assertion in socialist terms — human matter can be seen as the greatest enemy of all creatures. He adds that animals work harder than typical people and that they gain more work than the farmers, whose lives remain scarce and distressing.
Themes and Symbolism
The major theme of Animal Farm is the betrayal of the people by those in power. The animals were not characters in the typical sense, but personifications of the working classes, a social group that existed in several different forms. The novel's title symbolizes the state of the farm when the animals choose to overthrow their human master. The color of the earth gives the sense of a people's revolution, or a peasants' revolt of the individuals in that society. In that respect, the color of the land and the type of revolution are both symbols themselves. The farm stands for human life, while the animals view humans as enemies or betrayers. Symbolism was highly essential in Animal Farm, as the story was intended to teach the basics of communism. Old Major, the boar, a rather benign character, represents one of the founders of the Bolshevik Party, and the chief architect of the communist system. The cat and Major's initial ideas of a paradise for all, and of an equal society, were long forgotten by the animals who never figured out that not everyone was meant to be shared with. The idea of communism also means "common wealth," meaning the wealth of those who worked was to be divided equally. In Animal Farm, the original idea of equality ran askew, leading to a brutal and selfish leadership of the pigs, who were meant to lead a life that was equitable to others.
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