Animal Farm By George Orwell Analysis

Orwell, the author of Animal Farm, is known to commend the hard work of the working class, however never for their intelligence or leadership qualities. To the author, laborers are not just people with a limited education, but rather people who are sub par to those with higher intelligence levels. Throughout the novel, Orwell exhibits the value of hard work; however, it is proven to be inferior to intelligence; this is displayed by Boxer, the majority of the other animals on the farm, and the leaders, the pigs. To expand, Boxer is described as, “. . . an enormous beast. . . as strong as any two ordinary horses. . . he was not of first-rate intelligence, but he was universally respected for his steadiness of character and tremendous powers
With their superior knowledge it was natural that they would assume the leadership.” (Orwell 23). Another example of this is when Napoleon makes the pigs work extra, “Throughout the spring and summer they worked a sixty-hour week, and in August Napoleon announced that there would be work on Sunday afternoons as well. This work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half.” (Orwell 55) This shows hypocrisy amongst the leadership of the farm, saying that if an animal does not work his food will be cut in half, yet the pigs do nothing and still receive a normal ration. Throughout Animal Farm, Orwell shows the value of hard work; but, it is proven to be inferior to intelligence; this is displayed by Boxer, the majority of the other animals on the farm, and the leaders, the pigs. Boxer, working to his death, remaining loyal to Napoleon is considered unimportant. Also, the other animals are neglected and used for the betterment of the pigs. Finally, the hypocritical pigs take advantage of the animals and their work for their personal gain. While in Animal Farm hard work is shown to have lesser value than intelligence it is also shown to have more character than that of