Animal Farm Chapter Summary and Analysis

Chapter One: Summary and Analysis

The novella begins with a drunk Mr. Jones, the person who runs the farm, joining Mrs. Jones in bed. We understand that Mr. Jones has forgotten to secure the animals in the farm, and the animals are thus free to gather for a meeting in the barn. Old Major is an elderly pig in his final days. He decides to make a speech about the wretched conditions of the animals enslaved by humans. Mr. Jones’ description of the exploitative relationship between humans and animals, a relationship enforced by humans, is akin to the class division in human society and is clearly a commentary on radically non-egalitarian socio-economic conditions.

Old Major talks about animals kept as slaves. He challenges the notion that animal enslavement is somehow part of the natural order of things; in fact, Old Major regards this as a notion normalized by humans, not as an accurate reflection of the natural order of things. This is clearly a description of the lower class toiling for the upper class. Orwell’s description of the upper class as humans and the lower class as animals may seem far-fetched to the modern reader. However, seen against the background of the empire before the Bolshevik Revolution, it is very apt. The upper class was not simply “upper class,” but the nobility. In fact, at the time, a person born in nobility automatically became better than others.

Old Major then describes his dream of a time when animals will be in control of their own farm. Whether this dream is literal or figurative is left for the reader to decide. He warns the animals about the pitfalls of emulating human behavior. He tells them that those who walk on two feet are their enemies and those who walk on four feet or fly are their comrades. The use of the word “comrades” is noteworthy here. In the Bolshevik Revolution, a comrade was not merely a friend but a fellow soldier. Old Major paints an idealistic picture of a post-revolutionary state of the farm to the animals, and the animals become excited. Old Major then teaches the animals a song called “Beasts of England.” The animals’ singing is loud enough to disturb Mr. Jones, who thinks the noise is likely caused by a fox in or near the barn. He shoots in the barn’s direction, and all the animals disperse to their original places. Though the meeting with Old Major inspires them, for now, they do nothing.