Saran Chotipradist 1206

Class Struggle in Animal Farm

What would it be like if all animals can communicate to each other? Animal Farm is

one of the novels that main characters are animals. Animal Farm was written by George

Orwell. The story takes place in Manor Farm, which is own by Mr. Jones. One day, animals

realize that they are exploited by Mr. Jones. They rebel Mr. Jones and take over Manor Farm.

Then, they change the farms name to Animal Farm. After that, Napoleon, the pig, takes over

all the power in the farm which makes him become a leader of the farm. He starts to do

agriculture and build a windmill, so he divides the work to every animal unfairly. To

elaborate, the pigs are treated better than other animal; the pigs only use their intelligence

while other animals work hard physically. Animal Farm shows lots of equality among each

character with different role. George Orwell uses the ideology of Marxist Theory, which is

the theory that argue social change in come from class struggle, in Animal Farm;

additionally, class struggle is the conflict between bourgeoisie (capitalist) and proletariat

(worker). Mostly proletariat is exploited by bourgeoisie. Therefore, Animal Farm shows class

struggle which has Mr. Jones and Napoleon as bourgeoisies and other animals in the farm as

proletariats.

First of all, one of the bourgeoisie in this story is Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones is the first

character in the novel that exploit other characters. He is one of the farmers in England which

always exploits animals. He more likely to have less responsibility. Mr. Jones habit is

getting drunk at the Red Lion, the bar. Moreover, he is drunk at the beginning of the story

forgetting some tasks like shutting the pop-holes before he goes to bed. By doing this, it

causes a meeting among animals in the farm. Major, the oldest animal in the farm, says, No

animal in England knows the meaning of happiness or leisure after he is a year old. No

animal in England is free. The life of an animal is misery and slavery: that is the pain truth.
Class Struggle in Animal Farm

(p.7) suggesting that Mr. Jones gives animals very less time for them to rest. Major also

makes a point that Mr. Jones only consumes without producing products such as eggs and

milk (p.7 - 8). In addition, Majors quotes can be supported by James Inchs work. Inch

claims, Mr. Jones is totally idle and feckless, living off the back of his workers (the

animals). (2016). Mr. Jones is not the only bourgeoisie who exploits other characters, but

Napoleon also exploits other characters too.

Secondly, after Mr. Jones is driven out from the farm, Napoleon becomes a second

bourgeoisie. In the novel, the windmill breaks down twice. The second time of the windmill

broken down, it is attacked by human in The Battle of the Cowshed, so the windmill needs

to be rebuilt. Nonetheless, this time Napoleon wants to finish building the windmill faster, so

Napoleon announces that animals would be working on Sunday afternoon is from then on. It

is a voluntary work; however, the one who does not work on Sunday afternoon would get less

food (p.59). This clearly shows that all animals have no choice; they can rest on weekend

anymore. The quote also shows that Napoleon really is a bourgeoisie because he is able to

control other animals food. It is a way for Napoleon himself to gain benefit from the animals

without using his own energy. As a result, there is an inequality between Napoleon and the

animals. Furthermore, Napoleon also has dogs for controlling the animals to obey his rule.

This Napoleons action can clearly show the way of exploitation between bourgeoisie and

proletariats. Napoleon worry more about his power than justice (Noureddine, Fouzia, Farida,

2015) meaning that Napoleon does not care anymore about those rules in the Animal Farm

after he becomes a leader of farm. Napoleon even change the rule of the Animal Farm from

No animal shall kill any other animal to No animal shall kill any other animal WITHOUT

CAUSE (p.91).

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Class Struggle in Animal Farm

Lastly, the rest of animals in Animal Farm are proletariats, who are exploited by both

Mr. Jones and Napoleon in different ways. Mr. Jones force animals to work hard in several

ways. For instance, there is a harness-room full of tools such as whips, nose-rings, dog-chains

and cruel knives used for forcing animals in the Animal Farm (p.20). For Napoleon, he uses

the ideas of equality to trick those animals Orwell notes: the contract for eggs was increased

to six hundred a week, so that that year the hens barely hatched enough chicks to keep their

numbers at the same level. (p.114) suggesting that Napoleon force hens to do work even

harder than Mr. Jones does. Even though the animals are exploited by Napoleon, they get

some benefits. Squealer, the pig that is comrade of Napoleon, explained that if the animals do

not let the pigs keep exploiting them, Mr. Jones would come back (p.35-36). The only thing

that animals get from Napoleon is being able to make sure that Mr. Jones would not be able

to come back. This is exactly like the class struggle that proletariats are the one who get less

benefits but work a lot. Rummel states, Capital confers political power, which the bourgeois

class uses to legitimize and protect their property and consequent social relations. (n.d.).

In a nutshell, Animal Farm shows class struggle among Mr. Jones, Napoleon, and

other animals. In Addition, Mr. Jones and Napoleons actions clearly show exploitation

because they both try to overcome others power. On the other hand, other animals in Animal

Farm always get less benefits than both Mr. Jones and Napoleon. This can be easily seen

from evidence above. Class struggle is not only in or novels, but class struggle can also be

seen these days in many company. Todays, loads of people are working hard in factories

while getting very low salary. In my opinion, bourgeoisie and proletariat are not only

different at amout of work and amount of benefits, I think that amount of education also

makes the differences between bourgeoisie and proletariat.

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Class Struggle in Animal Farm

References

Inch, J. (2016). Communism and the betrayal of the revolution: a Marxist critique of the

post-revolutionary manipulation of the proletariat in Animal Farm. Retrieved from

http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1060112/FULLTEXT01.pdf

Noureddine, B., Fouzia, B., Farida, S. (2015) Theme of Corruption in George Orwells Novel

Animal Farm. Retrieved from

https://bu.univ-ouargla.dz/master/pdf/Houcine_NOUASRI.pdf?idmemoire=1747

Rummel, R. J. (n.d.). Marxism, Class Conflict, And the Conflict Helix. Retrieved from

https://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/CIP.CHAP5.HTM