Animal+Farm+Chapter+2



= CHAPTER 2  =

Mr. Jones feels depressed about losing a lawsuit, so he begins to drink and one day he gets so intoxicated that he forgets to feed the animals. When the cows finally can stand the hunger pains no longer, they break into the food shed and begin to graze. Mr. Jones and his comrades discover this and promptly being whipping them, serving as a catalyst to start the revolution, causing the other animals to revolt against the farmers and fight back. Once the fight is over, the animals hastily begin their work erasing the physical memory of Mr. Jones, even going as far as to change the sign from "Manor Farm," to "Animal Farm" after the pigs revealed to the other animals that they taught themselves how to read and write by reading a children's book. Then the pigs milk the cows and lead the other animals to believe that it will be split equally among them, but the pigs end up pilfering it and stashing it away for themselves.
 * __ Summary __**

**__Animalism__** Parallel to Communism, the Seven Commandments shows principles of Animalism. //1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. // //2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend. // //7. All animals are equal // The Seven Commandments cleary portrays humans as the common enemy that unites the animals. The ideal that all animals are equal relates to the Communistic belief that all humans should be equal.

**__Midsummer's Eve Battle__** The Midsummer's Eve battle is a representation of the Russian Revolution. The Russian Revolution results in Czar Nicholas II's downfall from power. Mr. Jones's expulsion from the farm is a mirror. Both battles had the outcome of the country's leader falling from power.

__** Important Characters **__
 * **//Moses//-** Moses is the only animal on the farm that does not ever do any work because he was Mr. Jone's "especial pet." He also symbolizes the Church, because he tries to provide the other animals with a false hope of a "Sugarcandy Mountain", which is representative of "Heaven." By spreading rumors about this "Sugarcandy Mountain," Moses is able to keep the lower caste of animals hopeful and working. Mr. Jones used Moses to keep the workers productive.
 * **//Mollie//-** Symbolizes the vain bourgeoisie (capitalist social class that owns the means of production). She shows most interest in luxuries such as sugar and ribbons.
 * **//Napoleon//-** Large, quiet, boar who is known for getting //his// own way. Napoleon represents Joseph Stalin who is the stealthier of the two leaders. At this point he appears to be less threatening than Snowball.
 * **//Snowball//-** A vicious and inventive pig. He shows the traits of Communist leader Leon Trotsky by being the best at writing, and does much of the planning and spreading of Animalism. Reveals that the pigs have been secretly studying reading and writing, which shows their sneaky nature.

__ **Symbols** __
 * **//Milk//-** The milk represents the luxuries in life. The pigs steal the milk to keep for themselves, and the citizens receive none. This represents the pigs gaining power.
 * **//Child's Literature Book//-** The pigs use the literature book to teach themselves how to read and right, and they burn it in the fire before the other animals can read it. This portrays the pigs becoming superior to the other animals and the start of their oppressive style of government.

**__Significant Quotes__**
 * // "Comrade," said Snowball, "those ribbons that you are so devoted to are the badge of slavery. Can you not understand that liberty is worth more than ribbons?" //
 * // The pigs had great difficulty in making them see that this was contrary to the spirit of animalism //
 * // So the animals trooped down to the hayfield to begin the harvest, and when they came back in the evening it was noticed that the milk had disapeared. //
 * //...then they sang "Beasts of England" from end to end seven times running//