2.1.5
Boxer
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Boxer
Animal Farm is an allegory; all of the events and characters symbolise 20th century historical and political events.
5 key words
- Loyal.
- Respected.
- Unintelligent.
- Betrayed.
- Kind.
Loyal worker
- Boxer is a physically strong, loyal and dedicated worker. He works harder than any other animal and his character contrasts with the pigs, which are lazy, manipulative and hypocritical.
- Boxer is a dedicated and determined character, who only works harder when faced with a setback. However, Boxer is used and then betrayed by the pigs who he serves so faithfully.
Uneducated and naïve
- Boxer is uneducated and this means that he is easily manipulated and deceived. He is too trusting and is completely devoted to the pigs.
- Boxer thinks he is being sent to the vet, when he has actually been sold to the knacker’s so that the pigs can buy whiskey.
- Boxer is naïve and blindly loyal throughout the novel. His suffering is caused by the pigs and the regime that he works hard for. However, he never realises this.
- His blind loyalty makes his betrayal seem even more striking and cruel. It is only when he is in the van that he appears to realise that he is not heading to the vets.
Respected
- Boxer is respected by the animals, especially for his ability to work. However, this loyalty is abused by the pigs.
Strong, but compassionate
- Boxer fights bravely at the Battle of the Cowshed and his compassion is seen when he is upset that he may have killed the stable-lad. Even though he is so strong, Boxer is a gentle and kind character.
Context
- Boxer and Clover represent the Russian working classes.
- The Russian working classes were unquestioning and uneducated. They worked in terrible conditions for no reward.
- Boxer also represents the innocent people who were taken away from their homes and families to labour camps.
Boxer - Key Quotes
Here are a few key quotes concerning Boxer's character:
Betrayed
- “They are taking Boxer to the knacker's!”
Kind
- “I have no wish to take life, not even human life,' repeated Boxer, and his eyes were full of tears”.
Unintelligent
- “Boxer could not get beyond the letter D”.
Dedicated worker
- “I will work harder!”.
Naïvely loyal
- “Comrade Napoleon is always right”.
1Important Plot Features
2Characters & Their Links to History
2.1Key Characters
3Key Themes & Orwell's Purpose
4Language, Form & Structure
4.1Language, Form & Structure
5Recap: Main Quotes
5.1Characters Quotes
5.2Text Structure Quotes
Jump to other topics
1Important Plot Features
2Characters & Their Links to History
2.1Key Characters
3Key Themes & Orwell's Purpose
4Language, Form & Structure
4.1Language, Form & Structure
5Recap: Main Quotes
5.1Characters Quotes
5.2Text Structure Quotes
Practice questions on Boxer
Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
- 1What are 5 key words that describe Boxer's character?Fill in the list
- 2
- 3What do Boxer and Clover represent?Multiple choice
- 4
- 5
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