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Animal Farm: Character Profiles

Summary:   Profiles of the main characters in George Orwell's novel Animal Farm.

Old Major

Old Major sets the story with a pure, heart-felt idea of equality. He tells the animals that he feels that they are being used by man, and suggests they rebel against Mr. Jones and create a government the animals later call 'animalism' (very like communism). The other animals relate to what Old Major says and three days later he dies. Four months after this, the animals have indeed successfully rebelled and got rid of Mr. Jones, and formed an 'animalist' government.

But Old Major's ideal is twisted when Napoleon and Snowball take charge of this government, using the Major's speech as an excuse to dominate.

I think this aspect of the book gives a poignant view of the fact that there is no perfect or equal society, despite beautiful ideals, because human nature will always interfere.

Snowball and Napoleon

At the beginning of the creation of the 'animalist' government, Snowball and Napoleon both lead and appear to be similar characters. But as the book progresses, it is easy to see that they are, in fact, very different pigs. 'These two disagreed at every point disagreement was possible.' (Ref: page 9)

Time went on for a while, with both Napoleon and Snowball still leading, but by chapter 5, their opposing views, like whether to build a windmill or not, became an issue for Animal Farm. 'The whole farm was deeply divided on the subject of the windmill... The animals formed themselves into two factions under the slogans, 'Vote for Snowball and the three-day week' and 'Vote for Napoleon and the full manger.' (Ref: page 31)

This leads to the scene in the Big Barn where both pigs plead their case to the other animals. This scene reveals the true colours of both pigs: Snowball's sincerity and passion, and Napoleon's malice. It seems that this is the point where the book has to make one turn or another, both ways very different.

Napoleon wins this argument with force, and Snowball is banished. For the reader, it is clear that Napoleon is the villain of the story.

Squealer

Squealer is from start to finish the propagandist for the pigs, the link between Napoleon and the other animals. He manipulates, blatantly lies and masks the real immorality of the pigs' behavior: '...He could turn black into white.' (Ref: page 9)

Squealer does not seem to have much depth of character, and his only ambition throughout the story seems to be simply to get the most for himself.

Boxer and Clover

Boxer is the labour for Napoleon's ambitions. He is a simple horse, who tries to do his best by everyone. He comes across as honest and as an extremely hard worker. His eagerness to please Napoleon ends up literally crippling him, but he is rewarded with nothing but death. Clover is very similar to Boxer and is slightly motherly towards him, constantly looking out for him.

Boxer and Clover are very likeable characters and are easy to sympathize with. Boxer's motto is, 'I will work harder,' and, 'Napoleon is always right,' and this just makes us like him more.

But Boxer isn't at all smart, although very gullible, and the pigs find it very easy to manipulate him and persuade him that they are doing the right thing and that Boxer, himself, is getting a good deal. Clover is a little bit smarter, and sometimes questions the pigs, but Squealer's propagandist methods always end up fooling her and she ends up believing almost as faithfully in Napoleon as Boxer. 'These two had great difficulty in thinking anything out for themselves, but having once accepted the pigs as leaders, they absorbed everything that they were told and passed it on to the other animals by simple arguments.' (Ref: page 11)

Benjamin

To me, Benjamin the donkey is the most interesting character in the story of Animal Farm. He is the only animal that seems almost exactly the same through the whole book. He is more mature than the others, and certainly smarter than some.

'Donkey's live a long time,' Benjamin says, and this seems to be an excuse for his pessimism. He is mostly seen as the droopy old donkey who couldn't care less.

The only time we see Benjamin actually get worked up, is when Boxer is being taken away in the truck to his death. Here, he comes out of his isolation and tries desperately to save his friend. This is where we realize that Benjamin is an intelligent donkey. 'Fools! Fools! Do you not see what is written on the side of that truck? They are taking Boxer to the knackers!'

Mollie

Mollie doesn't involve herself in the political scheme of things on Animal Farm. She just wants to wear pretty bows and have her sugar. She doesn't care who gives it to her, as long as she gets it. When she moves to the other farm, some of the other animals see it as a betrayal, but Mollie doesn't see it that way. Mollie isn't particularly loyal to anyone.

The Sheep

The sheep were the easiest to brainwash from the start, being of lower intelligence and class. This is how they came to repeat the phrase, 'two legs good, four legs bad'. Napoleon used them as vessels in his campaign, and without them, he might not have done so well for himself.

Moses

Moses the raven was absent for a lot of the book, leaving after the revolt, and coming back when everyone was settled in again. He talked often of 'Sugarcandy Mountain', a 'happy country where we poor animals shall rest for ever from our labours' (Ref: page 72). I think that George Orwell intended for Moses to represent the church. He was always looking ahead to a better place (heaven), and kept the animals hopeful. I think Orwell was a bit unkind in his depiction of this: Moses (the church) never being there in times of crisis and simply flying away, but coming back once things were settled.

The Dogs

The dogs never speak during the entire story, but still play a significant role in the story. They are Napoleon's force and are largely the source of his power, and are completely loyal to him. They don't seem to have a mind of their own, and are at Napoleon's beck and call. Everyone is afraid of Napoleon's dogs, who are cruel and vicious.