-A GEORGE ORWELL CLASSIC-
ANIMAL FARM
THE PRIMARY CHARACTERS
Here are a few characters from the novel that played the primary roles. These characters were most important in that they made the novel what it was. The story couldn't progress in a suficient manor without these particular characters.
Napoleon
("The Pigtator")
Napoleon is the so-called leader of Animal Farm. However, he has no genuine interest in the idea of the rebellion itself. He only jumps at the opportunity to lead the rebelllion so he can be the one in charge. He has the greed for power but no motivation to help the other animals whatsoever. Napoleon claims to have good intentions for the lives of the other animals and he is just bribing them with the luxury of life's necessities. He assumes that he is the animal on top who desrves to have a luxurious life while being guarded by a grouo of dogs to keep him safe. His lack of self-sufficiency is shown by his dependence on his gang of dogs to keep him safe and to intimidate others at all times. The reader learns to detest Napoleon through the progression of the novel.
Snowball
("The Traitor")
Snowball is seen as Napoleon's equal until about half way through the novel. He is very commited to the idea of advancing Animal Farm's suffieciency of producing food and products. He creates the idea of buliding a windmill to increase the farm's prductivity of power and grain. He promises to give the other animals luxuries as well such as a heated barn for them in the winter and more days off from work. Some of the animmals find his ideas appealing while others side with Napoleon. Eventually, because of Snowball's calm and non-violent approach to leadership he is booted out of the leader position and chased off of the farm. Although he has no choice but to leave, the animals believe that he is a traitor and left intentionally to live on a different farm. They also blame Snowball for sabotaging their plans and being the cause for all of the problems that they stumble across. Throughout the novel it is made obvious to the reader that Snowball really isnt a traitor at all.
Squealer
("The Persuasionist")
Squealer is the pig in the novel that acts as Napoleon's assistant and number one supporter. He is always talking up Napoleon's ideas when speaking with the other animals. He is trying to keep the peace on the farm and make sure everyone stays confident in Napoloean's approach to leadership. Squealer often embelishes while delivering information to the other animals and is very good at it too. Besides his gift of the gab Squealer also has authoritarian tendencies. He is always telling the animals to get back to work and to work harder in general. He is bossy but somehow gets away with it. Throughout the progression of the novel the reader becomes very annoyed and suspicious of Squealer.
Boxer
("The Workaholic")
Boxer is one of the three worker-horses on Animal Farm. From the beginning of the novel Boxer is very naive to the unfair ideas and rules that Napoleon makes. He is committed to the rebellion and all of its terms and conditions. He believes that everything is much better than when Mr. Jones was in charge of the farm. Boxer is so committed to the ideas that Napoleon put forward that he, for example, works overtime every single day to bulid the windmill the farm has decided to make. Boxer is so busy straining himself by carrying huge boulders around the farm that he does not take his health into account. Eventually Boxer punctures a lung from carrying a weight too heavy. Boxer is sent away to a so-called doctor but the truck he's taken away in really reads "Horse Slaughterer and Glue Boiler". Boxer is too weak to break out of the truck so he is taken away and never seen again. The reader feels sympathetic toward Boxer for his naiveness throughout the progression of the novel.