Animal Farm
George Orwell
Contributed by Sharon Fleming
Chapter 1
Summary

Mr. Jones, the owner of the Manor Farm, has fallen asleep as a result of his drunkenness. All the animals in the farm, at the invitation of the Old Major, assemble for deliberation of the challenges that they face daily in the hands of their human keepers. Old Major delivers a terrific political speech stating unequivocally that they are worse off under the leadership of humans than they would be when they rule among themselves. The Old Major drops the bombshell there is a need for them to rebel against the tyranny of their human leaders. To convince the animals to adopt his position, the Old Major informs the animal about his dream concerning a future world without humans. Besides, he teaches them a song about "Beasts of England." The animals sing this song until they wake up the sleeping Mr. Jones, who fires his gun thinking that there is a fox that has invaded his farm. The animals are dispersed by the shot, and each of them goes to sleep.

Analysis

In chapter one, Orwell introduces the main characters and the novel and the different roles that they play. Mr. Jones, for example, is introduced as a drunken master who pays little attention to the plight of his subjects, only for him to be startled when there are loud grumblings from the animals. The name of Jones is very familiar, and Orwell uses this to demonstrate the fact that the characteristics such as tyranny which is associated with Mr. Jones are shared among many humans. In his speech, the Old Major has made cruelty his major theme, and that is one of the central ideas that Orwell is demonstrating in the novel. Additionally, Orwell portrays Mr. Jones as a self-absorbed human who appears to be moiré animal than the animal themselves. Like the time when the comfort of Mr. Jones gets disturbed slightly, he reacts to the threat of violence as he takes out his gun and fires to scare away the potential intruder on his farm.

In the same manner, Orwell has cleverly provided the qualities of all the other animals that have gathered at the farm. The Old Major appears to be wise and capable of seeing into the future and planning for it. Likewise, Clover seems to be motherly just as she is also sympathetic. On the other side, Boxer demonstrates both strength and dimwit. Benjamin is portrayed as pessimistic as well as being cynical. As the novel proceeds, all these characters indicate the differences in human characteristics and the extent to which their interaction related to the society at the time.

The most important aspect of the chapter, however, is the speech by the Old Major. In this chapter, the Old Major has demonstrated the manner in which rhetoric may be used to move the audiences from one direction to another. In politics, rhetoric is important. The political class has perfected the art of using speech to integrate with their listeners and gain their support. Old Major introduces his address by using the term ‘comrades' to indicate that he is with the other animals concerning the problems that they are facing. Additionally, he uses the wisdom from his advanced age-twelve years in the farm- to create sympathy from the other animals. Old major says that he will not be with the other animals "many months longer." Old Major coins the phrase, ‘All Animals are equal' to convince the others that all of them are equal and need to have equal benefits. The phrase would become the philosophy which would form the foundation of rebellion.

In what seems to be in line with the thoughts of the 17th century Englishman Thomas Hobbes, Old Major has stated quite the origins of the tribulations that all the other animals are facing. In Leviathan, Hobbes says that living in an unchecked society would allow the man to have a life that is "poor, nasty, brutish, and short." Old Major bows this thought and uses it to convince all the other animals that the brutality of man would finish them if they fail to overthrow his administration. However, Old Major makes a wrong assumption when her presents that it is the only man who is capable of committing the evils and that the animals are not capable of being oppressive against one another.

One of the most outstanding qualities of Old Major is his ability to use his rhetoric prowess to push for his agenda. Major has used colorful language while addressing the animals and that has contributed to the support that his idea of rebellion would get from the animals. The use of the imagery of ‘cruel knife' as well as the other animals " live out at the block within a year" has made the argument forceful among the other animal. Old Major has vividly described the extent to which the animals have suffered and will continue to suffer under the leadership of the man. To sum up his persuasion on the other animals, Major uses the statement, "All men are enemies. All animals are comrades." With this statement, Major attempts to influence even the most pessimistic animals such as Benjamin.

Finally, songs have for a long time been used to have tremendous effects in speeches. Thus, it is understandable that Old Major teaches his audience a song about ‘Bests of England.' The song pleases and stirs the animals and in the long run, draws them closer to the Old Major. Old Major uses the song to show his determination to see the animals overcome the dictatorial and oppressive leadership of the man. In the long run, what appears to be immensely important from this chapter is the impact of language. As would later emerge though Napoleon and Squealer, language is a tool that can be used effectively to manipulate other people.

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