Animal farm, a novel by George Orwell, serves as a mirror of a government based system gone wrong. Orwell's plot gives the reader a familiar feeling of being frightened. We learn through a group of farm animals who rebel against their farmers, that we are not as free as we assume. The animals in the novel that symbolize certain human traits turn a triumphant victory of independence into an inevitable downfall of respect of equality.
The main characters of the novel all stand out with particular traits but are also quite common in their goals and backgrounds. The animals of the farm symbolize a whole group of disrespected yet loyal citizens. The owner of the farm in the beginning, Mr. Jones, is a common farmer who works his animals and doesn't pay as much attention to them as he should. In turn, his weakness is his inability to keep control of something he believes is rightfully his. Old Major, the prize winning and honourable boar on the farm is the first to stand up in front of the animals and announce their right of independence. He plays the strongest character in the book and stands as the hero until the end. His courage serves as incentive for the rest of the members of the farm. Snowball and Napoleon are the two pigs that slowly gain power when old Major dies and Mr. Jones is chased away. They start out with good intentions for everyone, but with the power of leadership comes jealousy. Napoleon decides to take control and he manipulates the animals into thinking snowball is a bad influence. Snowball's honest integrity is his most blatant trait, whereas Napoleon's urge for power stands out. He takes advantage of his fellow farm members and makes them a part of something they are not aware of. .
Boxer, an old, strong, and dedicated horse is the most appealing character for the readers. The horse proves throughout the novel that he believes the honesty in people and therefore in what he is told by Napoleon.