Snowball is the animal most clearly attuned to old Major's thinking, and he devotes himself to bettering the animals in intellectual, moral, and physical ways. He brings literacy to the farm so that the animals can better grasp the principles of Animalism by reading the Seven Commandments he paints on the barn wall. He also reduces the Commandments to a single precept "Four legs good, two legs bad" so that even the least intelligent animals can understand the farm's new philosophy.
The windmill is actually destroyed and rebuilt several times throughout the course of Animal Farm. In Animal Farm Snowball is branded a traitor and chased off the farm. This is part of an effort by Napoleon to use Snowball as a scapegoat and to get rid of a rival.
Snowball and Napoleon continue to debate about the windmill. When the windmill falls apart in this chapter, Napoleon blames Snowball. Napoleon blames him because Snowball has been designated as the enemy who is the cause of all the bad stuff. Napoleon needs a scapegoat like that because he cannot admit anything is his fault. Napoleon is to blame for the cruelty and hardship that the animals endure. Snowball proves a better speaker and debater, but Napoleon can better canvass for support in between meetings.
Snowball brims with ideas for improving the farm: he studies Mr. But building the windmill would entail much hard work and difficulty, and Napoleon contends that the animals should attend to their current needs rather than plan for a distant future.
The question deeply divides the animals. When Snowball has finally completed his plans, all assemble for a great meeting to decide whether to undertake the windmill project.
Snowball gives a passionate speech, to which Napoleon responds with a pathetically unaffecting and brief retort. Snowball speaks further, inspiring the animals with his descriptions of the wonders of electricity. Just as the animals prepare to vote, however, Napoleon gives a strange whimper, and nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars charge into the barn, attack Snowball, and chase him off the farm.
He states that all important decisions will fall to the pigs alone. Afterward, many of the animals feel confused and disturbed. Squealer explains to them that Napoleon is making a great sacrifice in taking the leadership responsibilities upon himself and that, as the cleverest animal, he serves the best interest of all by making the decisions.
These statements placate the animals, though they still question the expulsion of Snowball. Squealer explains that Snowball was a traitor and a criminal. These two maxims soon reinforce each other when, three weeks after the banishment of Snowball, the animals learn that Napoleon supports the windmill project. Let's look at the similarities:. Trotsky helped win the Revolution. Trotsky wanted to spread the Communist Revolution to the rest of the world.
Hey, that's just what Snowball wants to do! Trotsky was elbowed out of the Communist Party. After Lenin's death, Trotsky's political party criticized the hierarchical and close nature of Stalin's Communist Party.
In response, Stalin kicked him out of the Communist Party and then exiled him from Russia. Wondering what happens to Snowball after he disappears through hole in the hedge? So, we have a pretty good idea of what's in store for poor Snowball. Parents Home Homeschool College Resources. Study Guide. By George Orwell. Previous Next.
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