Chapter 7

It is decided to rebuild the windmill with thicker walls, meaning more stone would be required from the quarry. It was hard work and the animals’ morale is low. This can be compared with Stalin’s Five Year Plans in which he aimed to industrialise Russia to ensure the West would not defeat them in any future war.

Squealer makes speeches on the joy of service and the dignity of labour.

The animals find inspiration in Boxer who refrains: ‘I must work harder’.

Food becomes scarce and corn rations are cut.

To prevent starvation, Napoleon continues to trade with Mr Whymper and makes an excuse to show him around the farm so he could see how much food was present, worrying that if the humans found out the farm was short of food, they would invade.

Snowball is blamed for everything that has gone wrong and there is a witch hunt to find him.

Napoleon uses lies and propaganda to denounce Snowball and by the end, even Boxer is convinced Snowball is the real enemy.

Similar to Stalin’s show trials and purges of the 1930s, four pigs, three hens, a goose and a sheep admit to being in league with Snowball and are executed by the dogs; another commandment being violated.

The Beasts of England song is banned as it was a song of rebellion, and now the rebellion is over, it is considered irrelevant.

By the end of the chapter some animals are thinking this is not what they fought for.

Like Stalin, Napoleon has betrayed the promises of the revolution.