Chapter 5

Chapter 5

1. Mollie

   • The defection of Mollie marks her as an even greater materialist than she had appeared to be earlier in the novel. The fact that she is bribed away from Animal Farm with sugar and ribbons - two items that Snowball as unnecessary for liberty in Chapter 2 - shows her desire for luxury without making the necessary sacrifice to obtain it. However, Mollie may be politically shallow in the eyes of her former comrades, but she does manage to secure herself a much more comfortable life ("She appeared to be enjoying herself"), which raises the question of whether one is better off living well with one's enemies or suffering with one's comrades

2. Benjamin

   • Benjamin does not endorse either pig (Snowball or Napoleon) and their slogans have no effect on him. Like the reader, he is doubtful of Snowball's schemes and wary of Napoleon's maneuvers.
     • "Windmill or no windmill, he said, life would go on as it always had gone on - that is, badly." This cynical remark is perhaps the most important statement in the entire novel, for despite all of the ideologies, plans, battles, schemes, debates and fury of the animals, the end result is that they return full circle to the exact same life they tried to avoid. As he does several times throughout the novel, Orwell presents his views directly through Benjamin and uses him to indicate his main messages to the reader

3. Snowball and Napoleon

   • Snowball is a leader who looks forward and considers the future of his nation, while Napoleon thinks only of the present, since his vision of the future is one in which he is in full control over the animals. For example, Snowball says "they must send out more and more pigeons and stir up rebellion among the animals on the other farms" so that eventually all animals will rise against oppression whereas Napoleon wanted them to "procure firearms and train themselves in the use of them" so that he can use the weapons on his own citizens if needed. In short, Snowball's vision of life with the windmill is like Moses' Sugarcandy Mountain: an immensely desirable yet fantastic place
   • In the debates, Snowball attempts to use rhetoric and logic to sway the other animals whereas Napoleon uses threats of violence (i.e. the growling of the dogs) and relentless propaganda (i.e. the sheep relentlessly bleating "Four legs good, two legs bad" slogan again and again. This combination comprises Napoleon's philosophy of leadership.
   • With regards to the windmill, Snowball wants it to be built because he thinks it will bring a degree of self-sufficiency to the farm - which accords with the principles of Animalism. Napoleon, however, cares nothing for the windmill (and even urinates on Snowball's plans for it) because he is only concerned with establishing his totalitarian rule
   • Napoleon's newfound power is based wholly on the threat of violence, as demonstrated in his "winning" the debate with Snowball by driving him off the farm.His decision to end all debates reflects his insatiable need for power: debates, when conducted in the spirit of inquiry and discovery of viewpoints, are crucial to a government that wants its citizens to take part in their own rule. Napoleon, however, views debates as "unnecessary" because he will permit no questioning of his command and wants to silence any dissention. He begins to become an unapproachable, god-like figure. In addition, his disinterment of old Major's skull is his way of allying himself with the beloved father of Animalism - another piece of admittedly brilliant propaganda

4. The dogs

   • In his use of the dogs, Napoleon has monopolised the farm's sources of defense and protection - the dogs could have guarded the farm and warded off predators - order to create his own private secret police
   • The specifics of Napoleon's takeover are evidence of a long period of careful plotting: Napoleon has been deliberating his seizure of power ever since he first took control of the dogs' training in Chapter 3 and we see what his plan was in this chapter when he uses the dogs to expel Snowball

5. Tension

   • In many ways this chapter represents the climax of the tension that has been building from the beginning. Since the animals' initial victory over Mr Jones, we have suspected the motives of the pigs and Napoleon in particular: ever since the revelation in Chapter 3 that they have been stealing apples and milk for themselves, the pigs have appeared more interested in grabbing the resources and power than in furthering the good of the farm

6. Squealer

   • Squealer paints Napoleon's crimes in a light that makes Napoleon more like a martyr than a dictator like he did previously with the milk and apples. He calls Napoleon's takeover a "sacrifice" and states that leadership is "not a pleasure" thus, as was said about him earlier, can "turn black into white."
   • Squealer also manages to rewrite history, telling the animals that Snowball's part in the Battle of the Cowshed was "much exaggerated" and explaining "privately to the other animals that Napoleon had never in reality been opposed to the windmil. On the contrary, it was he who had advocated it in the beginning".
     • Through Squealer Orwell attacks the ways in which those in power revise the past in order to keep their grip on the present and future. Furthermore, Squealer's "tactics" allow Napoleon to always present himself in the most favourable light - and, if the animal still objects, the three dogs accompanying Squealer serve as ample deterrant. Faced with Squealer's "skipping" words and the mouths of the dogs, an animal has hardly a choice but to submit to the new regime

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