Animal Farm

Old Major rallies the animals to rebel against Mr. Jones and outlines a future where animals rule themselves. He teaches them Beasts of England, a revolutionary song that cements their shared cause. He dies from a heart attack the following day, leaving Snowball and Napoleon to carry on his ideas.

Mr. Jones forgets to feed the animals the next morning, igniting their anger. Snowball leads the animals to raid the storehouse for food and, with force, drives Jones off the farm. The animals rename the place Animal Farm and vow to run it themselves, destroying tools of oppression in the process.

Napoleon and Snowball emerge as leaders, guiding the new society with Squealer spreading propaganda. Napoleon secretly begins raising an orphaned litter of puppies as attack dogs, using fear to solidify his position, while he also helps himself to Jones's jam storage.

The animals inscribe the Seven Commandments on a barn wall, with the central rule 'All animals are equal' established as the core principle. The Commandments create a shared set of rules to govern their new society. They begin to guide behavior and legitimize the leadership structure.

Snowball holds a meeting and promises electric power at the cost of harder work, presenting a windmill plan to generate future energy. Napoleon opposes the plan, arguing it will overburden the animals. In a dramatic turn, Napoleon has his dogs chase Snowball off the farm and proclaims himself leader, claiming Snowball's windmill idea as his own.

Construction of the windmill is set in motion and the animals toil to complete it. The pigs increasingly abstain from hard labor and enjoy luxuries such as milk and other extras, justifying it as 'brainwork' that benefits all. The rest of the animals keep up the demanding work to sustain the project.

The pigs are discovered sleeping in beds inside the farmhouse, betraying the original egalitarian creed. In response, the Commandment about sleeping in beds is rewritten to 'No animal shall sleep in a bed WITH SHEETS.' The animals accept the change, gradually normalizing the pigs' privileges.

Napoleon begins trading eggs for jam with Mr. Whymper, violating the other animals' expectations of self-sufficiency. The hens stage a protest against the egg confiscations, sparking fear and a harsh crackdown. A show trial follows, and dissenters are executed by the dogs as the Commandment about killing is altered.

Napoleon bans Beasts of England, proclaiming that the revolution has been completed and the Farm is now under a new order. The animals are told to accept the status quo as the leadership consolidates its power. The dream of a free Animal Farm fades behind state propaganda.

Jealous farmers and neighbouring humans attempt to retake the farm; the animals defend the windmill, suffering heavy casualties. Jones returns drunk and blows up the windmill with himself inside, sabotaging the project and plunging the farm into renewed struggle.

Boxer sustains injuries from the brutal labor and his advancing age forces him toward retirement from field work. Napoleon arranges for Boxer to be taken away in a van, which Benjamin suspects is bound for Whymper's glue factory. Squealer delivers a euphemistic eulogy, claiming Boxer died praising Napoleon.

Years pass and the pigs consolidate power, expanding their influence to nearby farms and living like humans. The Commandments are reduced to a single line: 'All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.' Benjamin discovers the pigs' hypocrisy as they host a dinner party and punish dissent with smug indifference. Finally, the animals storm the farmhouse, killing Napoleon and his followers, realizing that the new order is indistinguishable from the old one.