Contents
Chapter 5
Overview
Mollie abandons Animal Farm, foreshadowing cracks in unity. Snowball’s windmill plan polarizes the animals until Napoleon unleashes trained dogs to drive Snowball out and abolishes open debates. Squealer reframes the coup as necessary leadership, and Boxer pledges absolute trust. Napoleon then reverses course, claiming the windmill as his own initiative.
Summary
As winter sets in, Mollie shirks work, denies contact with a human, and is exposed by Clover’s discovery of sugar and ribbons. Soon after, pigeons report Mollie happily serving a publican across Willingdon, and the animals drop mention of her, signaling the first defection from Animal Farm.
With fieldwork halted by frost, the pigs plan the season. Snowball and Napoleon clash over every policy, with Snowball persuasive at meetings and Napoleon canvassing support between them, aided by sheep chanting “Four legs good, two legs bad.” Snowball unveils an ambitious windmill scheme to electrify the farm and reduce labor; Napoleon dismisses it and even urinates on the plans.
The farm splits into factions: “Vote for Snowball and the three-day week” versus “Vote for Napoleon and the full manger.” They also dispute defense strategy—Snowball urges spreading rebellion, Napoleon advocates firearms and training—leaving the animals undecided.
At the decisive Sunday Meeting, Snowball’s eloquence swings the vote toward building the windmill, when Napoleon emits a strange whimper. Nine huge dogs—his secretly reared puppies—burst in and chase Snowball off the farm. The dogs return to Napoleon’s side, revealing his private power base.
Napoleon immediately abolishes Sunday debates, replacing them with a private pig committee under his command, while retaining flag rituals and weekly orders. Mild protests from young porkers are silenced by the dogs and sheep. Squealer then tours the farm, recasting Napoleon’s power grab as a burdensome duty, diminishing Snowball’s wartime heroism, and invoking fear of Jones’s return. Boxer, swayed, adds “Napoleon is always right” to “I will work harder.”
Three Sundays later, Napoleon announces the windmill will be built after all, warning of hard work and possible ration cuts. Squealer privately claims the windmill was always Napoleon’s idea and that his earlier opposition was tactical to remove the “dangerous” Snowball. Intimidated by accompanying dogs and Squealer’s persuasion, the animals accept this revision and prepare to begin construction.
Who Appears
- NapoleonOpposes Snowball publicly, unleashes trained dogs to expel him, ends debates, rules by pig committee, then adopts the windmill.
- SnowballDesigns the windmill and rallies support, but is chased off the farm by Napoleon’s dogs.
- SquealerJustifies Napoleon’s takeover, downplays Snowball’s heroism, and claims the windmill was Napoleon’s idea.
- BoxerTroubled by the changes, then resolves, adopting the maxim, “Napoleon is always right.”
- The nine dogsNapoleon’s privately raised enforcers who drive out Snowball and intimidate dissent.
- The SheepChant “Four legs good, two legs bad” to disrupt debate and drown opposition.
- CloverConfronts Mollie about human contact and discovers sugar and ribbons in her stall.
- MollieAvoids work, hides sugar and ribbons, then defects to a human owner for comfort.
- BenjaminSkeptical and neutral in the windmill dispute, expects little improvement either way.
- MinimusPig poet who sits with Napoleon during the new Sunday rituals.
- PublicanFeeds Mollie sugar and keeps her in a smart dogcart, confirming her defection.