Napoleon -
The pig who emerges as the leader of Animal Farm after the
Rebellion. Based on Joseph Stalin, Napoleon uses military
force (his nine loyal attack dogs) to intimidate the other
animals and consolidate his power. In his supreme craftiness,
Napoleon proves more treacherous than his counterpart,
Snowball.
Snowball -
The pig who challenges Napoleon for control of Animal Farm
after the Rebellion. Based on Leon Trotsky, Snowball is
intelligent, passionate, eloquent, and less subtle and
devious than his counterpart, Napoleon. Snowball seems to
win the loyalty of the other animals and cement his power.
Boxer - The
cart-horse whose incredible strength, dedication, and
loyalty play a key role in the early prosperity of Animal
Farm and the later completion of the windmill. Quick to help
but rather slow-witted, Boxer shows much devotion to Animal
Farm’s ideals but little ability to think about them
independently. He naively trusts the pigs to make all his
decisions for him. His two mottoes are “I will work harder”
and “Napoleon is always right.”
Squealer -
The pig who spreads Napoleon’s propaganda among the other
animals. Squealer justifies the pigs’ monopolization of
resources and spreads false statistics pointing to the
farm’s success. Orwell uses Squealer to explore the ways in
which those in power often use rhetoric and language to
twist the truth and gain and maintain social and political
control.
Old Major -
The prize-winning boar whose vision of a socialist utopia
serves as the inspiration for the Rebellion. Three days
after describing the vision and teaching the animals the
song “Beasts of England,” Major dies, leaving Snowball and
Napoleon to struggle for control of his legacy. Orwell based
Major on both the German political economist Karl Marx and
the Russian revolutionary leader Vladimir Ilych Lenin.
Clover - A
good-hearted female cart-horse and Boxer’s close friend.
Clover often suspects the pigs of violating one or another
of the Seven Commandments, but she repeatedly blames herself
for misremembering the commandments.
Moses -
The tame raven who spreads stories of Sugarcandy Mountain,
the paradise to which animals supposedly go when they die.
Moses plays only a small role in Animal Farm, but Orwell
uses him to explore how communism exploits religion as
something with which to pacify the oppressed.
Mollie -
The vain, flighty mare who pulls Mr. Jones’s carriage.
Mollie craves the attention of human beings and loves
being groomed and pampered. She has a difficult time with
her new life on Animal Farm, as she misses wearing ribbons
in her mane and eating sugar cubes. She represents the
petit bourgeoisie that fled from Russia a few years after
the Russian Revolution.
Benjamin -
The long-lived donkey who refuses to feel inspired by the
Rebellion. Benjamin firmly believes that life will remain
unpleasant no matter who is in charge. Of all of the
animals on the farm, he alone comprehends the changes that
take place, but he seems either unwilling or unable to
oppose the pigs.
Muriel -
The white goat who reads the Seven Commandments to Clover
whenever Clover suspects the pigs of violating their
prohibitions.
Mr. Jones -
The often drunk farmer who runs the Manor Farm before the
animals stage their Rebellion and establish Animal Farm.
Mr. Jones is an unkind master who indulges himself while
his animals lack food; he thus represents Tsar Nicholas II,
whom the Russian Revolution ousted.
Mr. Frederick -
The tough, shrewd operator of Pinchfield, a neighboring
farm. Based on Adolf Hitler, the ruler of Nazi Germany in
the 1930s and
1940s, Mr. Frederick
proves an untrustworthy neighbor.
Mr. Pilkington -
The easygoing gentleman farmer who runs Foxwood, a
neighboring farm. Mr. Frederick’s bitter enemy, Mr.
Pilkington represents the capitalist governments of
England and the United States.
Mr. Whymper -
The human solicitor whom Napoleon hires to represent
Animal Farm in human society. Mr. Whymper’s entry into the
Animal Farm community initiates contact between Animal
Farm and human society, alarming the common animals.
Jessie and Bluebell -
Two dogs, each of whom gives birth early in the novel.
Napoleon takes the puppies in order to “educate” them.
Minimus -
The poet pig who writes verse about Napoleon and pens the
banal patriotic song “Animal Farm, Animal Farm” to replace
the earlier idealistic hymn “Beasts of England,” which Old
Major passes on to the others.
