Chapter 9

Chapter 9

1. Manipulation

   • The new "Republic"
     • This is another example of language manipulation. The word "Republic" implies a land of self-government whose citizens participate in the political process (i.e. a democracy). Furthermore, the word "President" implies one who is of the citizenry but who has been appointed by them to preside over - not control - their government. Of course, these words are outrageous jokes to the reader, but not to the animals, who are manipulated again and again becasue of their unwavering faith in the good intentions of the pigs
   • The animals' compliance
     • The animals are "glad to believe" Squealer's obvious lies about Boxer's final moments. This is probably Squealer's most outrageous and blatant piece of propaganda and yet none of the animals (except Benjamin) raise the slightest suspicion about it because they are so afraid. They are afraid of Napoleon and his dogs, of course, but also afraid of probing too deeply into the story and thus upsetting their own consciences. Believeing Squealer is easier both politically and morally.
       • Words like "admirable", "expensive" and "without a thought to the cost" all give the animals license to excuse their own inaction. It is much easier (and safer) to just accept what Squealer is saying rather than struggling to see through it
   • Squealer and the rations
     • Squealer yet again uses language to manipulate the animals. He says "it had been found necessary to make a readjustment of rations." His use of the word "readjustment" instead of "reduction" is a subtle attempt to stop the animals' complaints about their stomachs - "reduction" implies that there is less of something, but "readjustment" implies a shifting of what is already there. Word changes like these are used because they prevent listeners from conjuring mental images of what is being described, which in turn lessens the amount of horror listeners can feel when considering the topic
   • The piglets
     • Napoleon's fathering of the 31 piglets suggest how saturated with his image and presence the farm has become. In a biological sense, Napoleon is now creating the very population he means to control
       • Napoleon's decision to build a schoolhouse for the pigs reminds us organisations like the Hitler Youth. Furthermore, his numerous other decrees favouring the pigs (such as requiring all animals to step out of their way when approached by pigs) recalls Hitler's thoughts about Aryan superiority

2. Moses

   • Napoleon allows Moses back to tell his tales of Sugarcandy Mountain, much like when Stalin made a place for the once-taboo Russian Orthodox Church after World War II. Moses' return signals the full return of oppression to the farm. While the pigs objected early on to Moses' teachings because they lessen the animals' will to rebel, they now embrace the teachings for precisely the same reason
     • The pigs even encourage Moses by giving him a gill of beer every day. Like Marx's famous metaphor (religion is the opium of the people) , Moses' tales figuratively drug the animals and keep them docile: if life now is awful, at least it will not always be such. Therefore the animals continue working, labouring under the hope that, one day, Moses' stories will come true

3. Propaganda / Ceremony

   • The Spontaneous Demonstrations
     • Napoleon creates these to pacify the animals. They force the animals to go through the motions of loyalty, despite what they may actually feel. The name of the new ritual bears particular irony: these gatherings are anything but spontaneous and demonstrate very little beyond a fearful community. The irony of the title indicates the overriding hollowness of the event
   • Boxer's ceremony
     • The wreath Napoleon orders to be made for Boxer's grave is just a display to make it seem like he cares about Boxer, as is the speech he gives. He ends the speech with Boxer's two maxims in order to threaten and guilt trip the animals
   • All the propaganda and ceremony ultimately serves to distract the animals and stop them thinking about their own wretchedness. Napoleon also packs all the meetings with sheep in case any animal momentarily sees through all the songs, speeches and demonstrations

4. Boxer

   • Retirement
     • Boxer's naivety in looking forward to his retirement and pension shows his ignorance. Even when stricken and unable to move, Boxer can only consider what his ailment will mean to the windmill, and his dream of retiring with Benjamin and learning "the remaining twenty-two letters of the alphabet" is as far flung as Snowball's utopia and Moses' Sugarcandy Mountain
   • The memorial banquet
     • The fact that the pigs get drunk on the night of the supposed solemn day of Boxer's memorial banquet betrays their complete lack of sympathy for the devoted but ignorant horse. The drunkenness also makes them more like Jones, their former oppressor
   • His death
     • Completely brainwashed by Napoleon, Boxer lives (and dies) for the good of the farm. He falls victim to his own virtues - loyalty and the willingness to work. The scene in which Boxer is taken to his death is notable for its depiction of a powerless and innocent figure caught in the gears of inforgiving tyranny. Boxer simply follows Napoleon's orders blindly, naively assuming that the pigs have the farm's best interest at heart. It is sadly ironic that the system that he so loyally serves ultimately betrays him: he works for the good of all but is sold for the good of the few
       • By selling Boxer for profit, the pigs reenact the very same cruelties against which the Rebellion first fights - the valuing animals for their material worth rather than their dignity as living creatures. We infer that the pigs used the money from selling Boxer to buy whisky which also shows their treachery and hypocrisy. Boxer's death also shows how the pigs just use the other animals for their own benefit and then mercilessly discard them when they are no longer of any use, no matter how loyal or hard-working they are

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