Animal Farm (George Orwell) - Chapter-10 (last) (Novel)

Years have passed since the animals first rose up and drove Mr. Jones from Manor Farm. The seasons change, and the once bright hope of revolution has faded into a grim reality. The animals of Animal Farm, now completely under the control of Napoleon, find themselves living under a government that is disturbingly similar to the one they sought to overthrow. Their dreams of equality and freedom have been replaced by oppression, manipulation, and betrayal.

The farm is prosperous, with fences repaired, fields plowed, and the once-destroyed windmill once again standing tall. Napoleon boasts about the farm’s increasing production and claims that it surpasses neighboring farms. To an outside observer, Animal Farm may seem like a success story. Yet, behind this facade, the lives of most of the animals are harsh and fraught with hardship.

The pigs have fully adopted the habits of humans. They live in a farmhouse, wear clothes, and walk upright on two legs. Napoleon often hosts human farmers for lavish dinners, where they discuss business deals and toast the prosperity of Animal Farm. The line between pig and human has completely disappeared.

The Seven Commandments that once governed farm life have all but disappeared. The barn wall, once painted with bold proclamations of animal equality and justice, is now bare except for a single, cruel sentence:

"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

This stark contrast sums up the entire tragedy of the Revolution.

The other animals live in poverty and exhaustion. They work long hours in the fields, plowing, harvesting, and rebuilding, with little food and little rest. The harsh winter winds bite their thin coats, and hunger gnaws at their bellies. Yet, their memories of a better past and dreams of a fairer future fade as the years pass.

Benjamin, the scoundrel, is one of the few who clearly remembers what the farm was like before and after the rebellion. He sees Napoleon’s lies and the pigs’ deceit but feels powerless to change anything. His quiet wisdom is a reminder of how hope can fade in the face of tyranny.

The animals gather less frequently in the barn now. The meetings where they once discussed and debated their lives have been replaced by Napoleon’s decrees, presented by the squire or proclaimed and enforced without question. The spirit of community has been crushed under fear and control.

A key moment comes when the animals look out the farmhouse windows during a grand dinner party. They see Napoleon and the pigs sitting at a table with the human farmers, laughing and drinking, indistinguishable from the tyrants they once deposed. The animals outside can no longer tell a pig from a human. Faces blur together in their tired eyes.

The animals realize with a deep sense of loss that the revolution has been betrayed. The ideals of justice, freedom, and equality have been replaced by a new tyranny - one that uses the language of the revolution to hide its own cruelty and greed.

Over the years, Napoleon has used every tool at his disposal to maintain control: propaganda, violence, fear, and the rewriting of history. He has eliminated rivals, silenced dissenters, and shattered memories. The loyalty of animals like Boxer, who gave everything to the cause, has been exploited and wasted when it is no longer of any use.

The windmill, once a symbol of hope and progress, stands as a monument to their labor and suffering. Although it has been rebuilt several times after attacks and disasters, it offers little relief. The animals work harder than ever to maintain it, believing that it will one day improve their lives, but the benefits are almost exclusively reserved for the pigs.

In the final scene, the animals gather quietly in the yard, looking out the farmhouse windows, watching the pigs and humans mingle in celebration. They reflect on their past and present, their dreams and nightmares.

Orwell’s ending is a powerful commentary on the cyclical nature of power and oppression. The animal revolution has failed to break the chains of oppression. Instead, the farm has degenerated into a new form of dictatorship, where champions of equality are alienated from the oppressors they have replaced.

The story of Animal Farm ends with a warning: Revolutions born of noble ideals can be corrupted by those who want power for themselves. Without vigilance, equality can become a hollow promise, and freedom can slip under the guise of progress.