One key
point about the rebellion is that it is motivated in large part by 's speech, given shortly
before he dies, in Chapter One. Old Major demonstrates to the animals that they are being
brutally exploited, and that Man is their enemy. If Man were out of the way, then animals could
live happy and productive lives. This speech, intended to echo the writings of real-life
philosopher Karl Marx, is in many ways the catalyst for the rebellion and all that
follows.
A second key point is that even though almost all the animals
participate in the uprising that drives Jones from the farm, the pigs (seen as the most
intelligent) are the leaders. Among them are , a fearsome looking boar who is a natural leader,
, an energetic, brave, and idealistic pig, and , who will emerge as a sort of propaganda
officer. These three lead the successful rebellion, and it emerges that the pigs will get some
benefits from their leadership (like, for example, apples in their mash) that the other animals
do not receive. We also learn of a power struggle between Napoleon and Snowball that sees the
latter driven from the farm.
Finally, another important point is that the
rebellion, while conducted with an almost utopian idealism, eventually flounders as Napoleon
emerges as a leader as brutal as Jones was. This, in fact, is the key point of the entire book:
that power must be checked in order to preserve basic liberties.
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