Animal Farm
Chapter VII
by Orwell, GeorgeThe chapter depicts a harsh winter on Animal Farm, where the animals struggle to rebuild the windmill amid freezing conditions and food shortages. Despite the humans’ claims that the mill collapsed due to poor construction, the animals know Snowball was blamed unfairly. They work tirelessly, with Boxer’s determination inspiring them, but progress is slow. The bitter cold and hunger take a toll, and the discovery of frost-ruined potatoes worsens their plight. Squealer’s speeches about labor’s dignity offer little comfort, leaving the animals demoralized and desperate.
To counter rumors of famine, Napoleon manipulates Mr. Whymper by staging a false abundance of food, filling bins with sand topped with grain. Meanwhile, the animals endure starvation, surviving on chaff and mangels. Napoleon grows increasingly isolated, guarded by dogs and rarely appearing in public. His authority is enforced through fear, and he delegates tasks to Squealer, who announces a controversial order: the hens must surrender their eggs for trade. The hens rebel, but Napoleon crushes their resistance by cutting their rations, leading to nine deaths, which are concealed from Whymper.
Snowball’s alleged sabotage becomes a scapegoat for all misfortunes, from broken eggs to missing keys. Napoleon fuels these rumors, claiming Snowball sneaks onto the farm nightly to cause chaos. The animals, though skeptical, accept these accusations out of fear. Napoleon conducts a theatrical investigation, “sniffing out” Snowball’s traces everywhere, reinforcing his narrative. The timber pile becomes a bargaining tool with neighboring farmers, with Napoleon leveraging Snowball’s rumored whereabouts to manipulate negotiations.
The chapter highlights the farm’s descent into tyranny, with Napoleon consolidating power through propaganda, fear, and deception. The animals’ suffering is downplayed, and dissent is brutally suppressed. Snowball’s vilification serves to unify the animals against a common enemy, distracting them from their hardships. The manipulation of Whymper and the hens’ rebellion underscore the regime’s ruthlessness, as Napoleon prioritizes control over the animals’ well-being, eroding the ideals of the revolution.
FAQs
1. How does the chapter illustrate the growing disparity between the pigs’ leadership and the other animals’ suffering?
Answer:
The chapter starkly contrasts the pigs’ privileged position with the animals’ hardships. While the animals endure bitter cold, hunger, and backbreaking labor (evidenced by the thin rations of chaff/mangels and the frozen potato crop), Napoleon lives secluded in the farmhouse with dog guards, emerging only ceremonially. The pigs manipulate perception through propaganda (Squealer’s speeches) and deception (filling bins with sand to hide food shortages). The hens’ rebellion over egg confiscation—and Napoleon’s brutal suppression of it—further highlights this disparity, showing the leadership prioritizing economic gains over animal welfare.2. Analyze the role of scapegoating in maintaining control on Animal Farm, using Snowball as a case study.
Answer:
Snowball becomes a convenient scapegoat for all problems, reinforcing Napoleon’s authority. The animals blame Snowball for the windmill’s destruction despite human claims about thin walls. Later, every mishap (broken eggs, trampled seedbeds, even lost keys) is attributed to Snowball’s alleged nighttime sabotage—even when evidence contradicts it (e.g., the key found under a sack). Napoleon weaponizes these rumors to justify investigations and tighten control, using fear to unify the animals against an external “enemy.” This mirrors totalitarian tactics of diverting blame to maintain internal cohesion.3. How does the chapter depict the manipulation of information, both internally and externally? Provide specific examples.
Answer:
Information is manipulated in two key ways:- Externally: Napoleon uses Mr. Whymper to spread falsehoods, instructing sheep to casually mention increased rations and staging full-looking grain bins (filled with sand). This hides the farm’s starvation from humans, preventing exploitation of weakness.
- Internally: Squealer spins hardships as “dignity of labour,” while the hens’ deaths are falsely attributed to disease (coccidiosis) rather than starvation. The animals’ belief in Snowball’s sabotage persists despite evidence, showing how repeated lies replace reality. These tactics maintain the illusion of prosperity and control.
4. What does the hens’ rebellion reveal about resistance and power dynamics on Animal Farm?
Answer:
The hens’ rebellion—the first since Jones’ expulsion—reveals the limits of the animals’ solidarity under oppression. Their protest (laying eggs from rafters to smash them) is a direct challenge to Napoleon’s economic demands, showing agency. However, Napoleon’s ruthless response (starving them into submission and executing collaborators) demonstrates his absolute power. The failed rebellion underscores how dissent is crushed through violence and fear (the dogs’ enforcement), discouraging future resistance. It also highlights the prioritization of the farm’s economy over individual lives.5. How does Orwell use irony in the chapter to critique totalitarian regimes?
Answer:
Orwell employs sharp irony to expose regime failures:- The animals rebuild the windmill to prove humans wrong, yet their suffering mirrors human neglect (e.g., starvation).
- The pigs claim superiority to humans but replicate their deceit (hiding food shortages) and cruelty (hen executions).
- Snowball’s alleged sabotage is absurdly omnipresent (e.g., milking cows in their sleep), yet the animals believe it, showing propaganda’s power.
This irony critiques how revolutions can devolve into the very oppression they opposed, with blind loyalty enabling tyranny.
- Externally: Napoleon uses Mr. Whymper to spread falsehoods, instructing sheep to casually mention increased rations and staging full-looking grain bins (filled with sand). This hides the farm’s starvation from humans, preventing exploitation of weakness.
Quotes
1. “The animals carried on as best they could with the rebuilding of the windmill, well knowing that the outside world was watching them and that the envious human beings would rejoice and triumph if the mill were not finished on time.”
This quote captures the animals’ determination and the political tension between Animal Farm and human society. It shows their awareness of being watched and their resolve to prove their independence successful despite harsh conditions.
2. “Only Boxer and Clover never lost heart. Squealer made excellent speeches on the joy of service and the dignity of labour, but the other animals found more inspiration in Boxer’s strength and his never-failing cry of ‘I will work harder!’”
This highlights the contrast between empty propaganda (Squealer’s speeches) and genuine inspiration (Boxer’s example). It shows how the working class animals respond more to tangible effort than rhetorical manipulation.
3. “Napoleon was well aware of the bad results that might follow if the real facts of the food situation were known, and he decided to make use of Mr. Whymper to spread a contrary impression.”
This reveals Napoleon’s manipulation tactics - creating false appearances for outsiders while the animals starve. It marks an important development in the regime’s deception and propaganda methods.
4. “For the first time since the expulsion of Jones, there was something resembling a rebellion. Led by three young Black Minorca pullets, the hens made a determined effort to thwart Napoleon’s wishes.”
This describes a significant moment of resistance against Napoleon’s rule, showing that not all animals submit willingly to his demands. The hens’ rebellion represents the first organized dissent since the revolution.
5. “Whenever anything went wrong it became usual to attribute it to Snowball. If a window was broken or a drain was blocked up, someone was certain to say that Snowball had come in the night and done it.”
This demonstrates how Snowball has become the scapegoat for all problems, showing the regime’s use of manufactured enemies to divert blame from its own failures and maintain control.