Chapters 9-10

Test yourself

Chapter 9: Loyalty is not Rewarded

Here are a few key features of Chapter 9:

Unfair rationing

The food supply is shorter and rations are reduced - except for the pigs and the dogs’ rations. Squealer argues that this is because “a too-rigid equality in rations” goes against “the principles of Animalism”.
He reads out lists of figures showing a profit and how life is better in every way than under Jones.
Even though this is blatantly untrue and makes no sense, the animals believe it.

Napoleon's children

Napoleon fathers 31 young pigs that are educated and brought up separately from the other animals.
A rule is made that when pigs and other animals meet, the other animals must “stand aside” for the pigs. Pigs are also allowed to wear ribbons on Sundays.
Rations continue to be reduced, although the pigs appear to be getting fatter. The pigs begin to make and drink beer. The pigs no longer need to hide their corruption as their power and control are now absolute.

Spontaneous Demonstrations

Once a week there is a “Spontaneous Demonstration”: the animals form a parade behind Napoleon and speeches and performances are made.
Animal Farm becomes a Republic and unanimously elects Napoleon, the only candidate, for President.

Boxer's fall

Boxer falls and Squealer convinces the animals that Boxer should be sent to the vet.
Clover gives Boxer medicine and Benjamin keeps the flies off him. Clover and Benjamin can only be with Boxer after they finish work.
A van comes to take Boxer away in the middle of the day when they are not there. Benjamin rushes to get the other animals. They rush to say goodbye and it is Benjamin who forces them to see “they are taking Boxer to the knacker’s!”

Boxer's death

Squealer claims that this is a “foolish and wicked rumour” and that Boxer has actually died in peace and comfort at the vets.
Napoleon gives a speech in which he reminds the animals of Boxer’s favourite maxims: “I will work harder” and “Comrade Napoleon is always right”. He is using Boxer’s death and Boxer’s loyalty to make the animals even more obedient.
With the money made from the sale of Boxer’s body, the pigs buy a case of whiskey. Boxer is the most loyal worker on the farm, but the pigs have no problem with ruthlessly betraying and killing him; the pigs are just like Jones.

Chapter 10: Déjà vu

Here are a few key features of Chapter 10:

Life before Napoleon

Years have passed and only a few of the animals remember life before Napoleon’s regime.
They do not question Napoleon’s regime; an uneducated working class are unlikely to question and rise up against their authority.
Napoleon is now “twenty-four stone” and Squealer is “so fat that he could with difficulty see out of his eyes”. Squealer is a hypocrite.

Hypocrisy and false promises

The animals, having completed one windmill, are now working hard on another and the farm is bringing in money.
However, the “three day week” and “electric light” and “water” that Snowball said the windmill would deliver are dismissed by Napoleon as being against the principles of Animalism; all animals must live sparingly and work hard. Napoleon is also a hypocrite.
So, the farm is getting richer, but only the dogs and pigs are prospering. Animalism was supposed to be about equality and freedom, Napoleon has completely altered this beyond recognition.

Two legs

Clover sees Squealer walking on his hind legs. Then, she sees a long line of pigs walking out of the farmhouse on their hind legs. Then, Napoleon comes, also on his hind legs and carrying “a whip in his trotter”.
Squealer had previously taken the sheep away for a while. Now, they begin to bleat: “Four legs good, two legs better!” and the reader realises that he has been training them.

Equality

Benjamin and Clover visit the Seven Commandments, and they now only read: “ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS”.
After this, the pigs who supervise the workers always carry whips in their trotters. The pigs acquire a wireless and a telephone, they subscribe to newspapers and they wear Mr and Mrs Jones’ clothes.

Manor Farm returns

That night, the animals hear laughter from the farmhouse. Napoleon is at the head of a table of pigs and farmers.
Napoleon makes a speech saying that the farm is now to be called “Manor Farm” again; the word “comrades” is to be suppressed (Napoleon is getting rid of all traces of equality), the flag made plain green (he is eliminating any remnant of Animalism) and the boar’s skull to be buried (he is removing any memories of Old Major and his principals).

Novella's end

The plot has revolved in a full circle and the animals are back to where they started. Napoleon is a tyrant, just as Jones was, and the animals are treated even more cruelly than they were before. The Revolution achieved nothing.
The pigs and the men continue playing cards. This ends in an argument as both the corrupt Pilkington and the corrupt Napoleon have played an Ace of Spades at the same time.
The novella ends with the sentence: “The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.”

1Important Plot Features

1.1Plot Summaries

1.1.1Chapters 1-2

1.1.2Chapters 3-4

1.1.3Chapters 5-6

1.1.4Chapters 7-8

1.1.5Chapters 9-10

1.1.6Keywords

1.1.7End of Topic Test - Chapters 1-5

1.1.8End of Topic Test - Chapters 6-10

2Characters & Their Links to History

2.1Key Characters

2.1.1Old Major

2.1.2Snowball

2.1.3Napoleon

2.1.4Squealer

2.1.5Boxer

2.1.6End of Topic Test - Key Characters

2.1.7AO2/3 - Key Characters

2.1.8Exam-Style Questions - Boxer

2.2Other Characters

2.2.1Mr Jones

2.2.2Clover

2.2.3Hens

2.2.4Sheep

2.2.5Mollie

2.2.6Benjamin

2.2.7Moses & Mr Frederick

2.2.8Pilkington & Mr Whymper

2.2.9End of Topic Test - Other Characters

2.2.10End of Topic Test - Other Characters 2

3Key Themes & Orwell's Purpose

3.1Key Themes

3.1.1Education

3.1.2Power & Control

3.1.3Power & Language

3.1.4Equality

3.1.5End of Topic Test - Key Themes

4Language, Form & Structure

4.1Language, Form & Structure

4.1.1Form & Structure

4.1.2Language

4.1.3Symbols

4.1.4Narrator & Allegory

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