ANIMAL FARM

CHAPTER 6 - Page 61
What else could go wrong?

ALL that year the animals worked like slaves. But they were happy in
their work; they grudged no effort or sacrifice, well aware that everything that they did was for the benefit of themselves and those of their kind who would come after them, and not for a pack of idle, thieving human beings.

Throughout the spring and summer they worked a sixty-hour week, and in August Napoleon announced that there would be work on Sunday afternoons as well. This work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half. Even so, it was found necessary to leave certain tasks undone. The harvest was a little less successful than in the previous year, and two fields which should have been sown with roots in the early summer were not sown because the ploughing had not been completed early enough. It was possible to foresee that the coming winter would be a hard one.
Grudged

persistent feeling of ill will or resentment advantage or profit gained/ Incentive/perk lazy; not working; not in use

Rations

A fixed amount food officially allowed to each person during a time of shortage

benefit idle

Ploughing tilling the land with a plow to

grow seeds/vegetables etc

To see or know beforehand; Predict/anticipate/forecast

ALL that year the animals worked like slaves

What was the objective of Animal Farm when the animals rebelled against the humans?

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The windmill presented unexpected difficulties. There was a good quarry of limestone on the farm, and plenty of sand and cement had been found in one of the outhouses, so that all the materials for building were at hand. But the problem the animals could not at first solve was how to break up the stone into pieces of suitable size. There seemed no way of doing this except with picks and crowbars, which no animal could use, because no animal could stand on his hind legs. Only after weeks of vain effort did the right idea occur to somebody - namely, to utilise the force of gravity.
quarry An open excavation or pit from which stone is obtained by digging, cutting, or blasting

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Huge boulders, far too big to be used as they were, were lying all over the bed of the quarry. The animals lashed ropes round these, and then all together, cows, horses, sheep, any animal that could lay hold of the rope - even the pigs sometimes joined in at critical moments - they dragged them with desperate slowness up the slope to the top of the quarry, where they were toppled over the edge, to shatter to pieces below.
boulders critical A large rock, typically one that has been worn smooth by erosion Extreme importance; vital; serious; urgent

desperate

drastic; severe; frantic; dire; urgent

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Transporting the stone when it was once broken was comparatively simple. The horses carried it off in cart-loads, the sheep dragged single blocks, even Muriel and Benjamin yoked themselves into an old governess-cart and did their share. By late summer a sufficient store of stone had accumulated, and then the building began, under the superintendence of the pigs.
Yoked Accumulated Sufficient superintendence

To harness, support or secure an animal to a vehicle or an implement. Collected; increased; amassed; gather Enough; ample; adequate
To oversee and direct; supervise; manage;oversee

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But it was a slow, laborious process. Frequently it took a whole day of exhausting effort to drag a single boulder to the top of the quarry, and sometimes when it was pushed over the edge it failed to break. Nothing could have been achieved without Boxer, whose strength seemed equal to that of all the rest of the animals put together. When the boulder began to slip and the animals cried out in despair at finding themselves dragged down the hill, it was always Boxer who strained himself against the rope and brought the boulder to a stop. To see him toiling up the slope inch by inch, his breath coming fast, the tips of his hoofs clawing at the ground, and his great sides matted with sweat, filled everyone with admiration.

Laborious Exhausting

Marked by or requiring long, hard work Tiring; draining; wearying; grueling

Strained
toiling

Done with or marked by excessive effort; forced

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Clover warned him sometimes to be careful not to overstrain himself, but Boxer would never listen to her. His two slogans, I will work harder and Napoleon is always right, seemed to him a sufficient answer to all problems. He had made arrangements with the cockerel to call him three-quarters of an hour earlier in the mornings instead of half an hour. And in his spare moments, of which there were not many nowadays, he would go alone to the quarry, collect a load of broken stone, and drag it down to the site of the windmill unassisted.

LETS TAKE A MOMENT

GROUP DISCUSSION.
Did Boxer repeat similar words in the previous chapters?

What sort of worker is Boxer? Lets discuss in your groups for 10 minutes.
Present your views in class.

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The animals were not badly off throughout that summer, in spite of the hardness of their work. If they had no more food than they had had in Joness day, at least they did not have less. The advantage of only having to feed themselves, and not having to support five extravagant human beings as well, was so great that it would have taken a lot of failures to outweigh it. And in many ways the animal method of doing things was more efficient and saved labour. Such jobs as weeding, for instance, could be done with a thoroughness impossible to human beings. And again, since no animal now stole, it was unnecessary to fence off pasture from arable land, which saved a lot of labour on the upkeep of hedges and gates.
Extravagant arable Wasteful; lavish; excessive; unreasonable Land fit to be cultivated.

since no animal now stole, it was unnecessary to fence off pasture from arable land,

- Did the animals ever steal before?

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Nevertheless, as the summer wore on, various unforeseen shortages began to make themselves felt. There was need of paraffin oil, nails, string, dog biscuits, and iron for the horses shoes, none of which could be produced on the farm. Later there would also be need for seeds and artificial manures, besides various tools and, finally, the machinery for the windmill. How these were to be procured, no one was able to imagine.
Manures
procured

Material, especially barnyard or stable dung, often with discarded animal bedding, used to fertilize soil.
Find; get; buy; obtain; purchase

various unforeseen shortages began to make themselves felt Why

is it difficult for the animals to get around these shortages?

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One Sunday morning, when the animals assembled to receive their orders, Napoleon announced that he had decided upon a new policy. From now onwards Animal Farm would engage in trade with the neighbouring farms: not, of course, for any commercial purpose, but simply in order to obtain certain materials which were urgently necessary. The needs of the windmill must override everything else, he said. He was therefore making arrangements to sell a stack of hay and part of the current years wheat crop, and later on, if more money were needed, it would have to be made up by the sale of eggs, for which there was always a market in Willingdon. The hens, said Napoleon, should welcome this sacrifice as their own special contribution towards the building of the windmill.
Manures procured Material, especially barnyard or stable dung, often with discarded animal bedding, used to fertilize soil. to obtain or acquire; secure; buy

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Once again the animals were conscious of a vague uneasiness. Never to have any dealings with human beings, never to engage in trade, never to make use of money - had not these been among the earliest resolutions passed at that first triumphant Meeting after Jones was expelled? All the animals remembered passing such resolutions: or at least they thought that they remembered it. The four young pigs who had protested when Napoleon abolished the Meetings raised their voices timidly, but they were promptly silenced by a tremendous growling from the dogs.
vague uneasiness engage unclear; indefinite; inexplicit Lacking a sense of security; anxious or apprehensive; misgiving To obtain or contract for the services of;

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Then, as usual, the sheep broke into Four legs good, two legs bad! and the momentary awkwardness was smoothed over. Finally Napoleon raised his trotter for silence and announced that he had already made all the arrangements. There would be no need for any of the animals to come in contact with human beings, which would clearly be most undesirable. He intended to take the whole burden upon his own shoulders. A Mr. Whymper, a solicitor living in Willingdon, had agreed to act as intermediary between Animal Farm and the outside world, and would visit the farm every Monday morning to receive his instructions. Napoleon ended his speech with his usual cry of Long live Animal Farm! and after the singing of Beasts of England the animals were dismissed.
awkwardness intermediary Marked by or causing embarrassment or discomfort One that acts as an agent between persons or things; a means to communicate between two or more parties;

There would be no need for any of the animals

- Would you consider this a great sacrifice from Napoleon?

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Afterwards Squealer made a round of the farm and set the animals minds at rest. He assured them that the resolution against engaging in trade and using money had never been passed, or even suggested. It was pure imagination, probably traceable in the beginning to lies circulated by Snowball. A few animals still felt faintly doubtful, but Squealer asked them shrewdly, Are you certain that this is not something that you have dreamed, comrades? Have you any record of such a resolution? Is it written down anywhere? And since it was certainly true that nothing of the kind existed in writing, the animals were satisfied that they had been mistaken.
traceable shrewdly Evidence or an indication of the former presence or existence of something; Disposed to artful and cunning practices; tricky.

set the animals minds at rest. Why

does Squealer need to do this?

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Every Monday Mr. Whymper visited the farm as had been arranged. He was a slylooking little man with side whiskers, a solicitor in a very small way of business, but sharp enough to have realised earlier than anyone else that Animal Farm would need a broker and that the commissions would be worth having. The animals watched his coming and going with a kind of dread, and avoided him as much as possible. Nevertheless, the sight of Napoleon, on all fours, delivering orders to Whymper, who stood on two legs, roused their pride and partly reconciled them to the new arrangement. Their relations with the human race were now not quite the same as they had been before. The human beings did not hate Animal Farm any less now that it was prospering; indeed, they hated it more than ever.
Dread Roused reconciled To anticipate with alarm, distaste, or reluctance
To awaken To settle or resolve;

Nevertheless, the sight of Napoleon, on all fours..

Why do the animals feel this way?

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Every human being held it as an article of faith that the farm would go bankrupt sooner or later, and, above all, that the windmill would be a failure. They would meet in the public-houses and prove to one another by means of diagrams that the windmill was bound to fall down, or that if it did stand up, then that it would never work. And yet, against their will, they had developed a certain respect for the efficiency with which the animals were managing their own affairs.
efficiency to function properly; to work to ones fullest capacity

against their will, they had developed a certain respect for the efficiency with which the animals were managing their own affairs.

Why do the humans feel this way?

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One symptom of this was that they had begun to call Animal Farm by its proper name and ceased to pretend that it was called the Manor Farm. They had also dropped their championship of Jones, who had given up hope of getting his farm back and gone to live in another part of the county. Except through Whymper, there was as yet no contact between Animal Farm and the outside world, but there were constant rumours that Napoleon was about to enter into a definite business agreement either with Mr. Pilkington of Foxwood or with Mr. Frederick of Pinchfield - but never, it was noticed, with both simultaneously.
symptom Sign; mark; indication; warning

they had begun to call Animal Farm by its proper name and ceased to pretend that it was called the Manor Farm. They had also dropped their championship of Jones

What does this mean for the animals?

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It was about this time that the pigs suddenly moved into the farmhouse and took up their residence there. Again the animals seemed to remember that a resolution against this had been passed in the early days, and again Squealer was able to convince them that this was not the case. It was absolutely necessary, he said, that the pigs, who were the brains of the farm, should have a quiet place to work in. It was also more suited to the dignity of the Leader (for of late he had taken to speaking of Napoleon under the title of Leader) to live in a house than in a mere sty.
absolutely mere Definitely; without question; totally; entirely clearly and explicitly stated; simple; common; plain

dignity of the Leader (for of late he had taken to speaking of Napoleon under the title of Leader) to live in a house than in a mere sty. -

What is the contradiction here?

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Nevertheless, some of the animals were disturbed when they heard that the pigs not only took their meals in the kitchen and used the drawing-room as a recreation room, but also slept in the beds. Boxer passed it off as usual with Napoleon is always right!, but Clover, who thought she remembered a definite ruling against beds, went to the end of the barn and tried to puzzle out the Seven Commandments which were inscribed there. Finding herself unable to read more than individual letters, she fetched Muriel.
Nevertheless, some of the animals were disturbed when they heard that the pigs not only took their meals in the kitchen and used the drawing-room as a recreation room, but also slept in the beds. -

Which rule did this action breach?

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Muriel, she said, read me the Fourth Commandment. Does it not say something about never sleeping in a bed? With some difficulty Muriel spelt it out. It says, No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets, she announced finally. Curiously enough, Clover had not remembered that the Fourth Commandment mentioned sheets; but as it was there on the wall, it must have done so. And Squealer, who happened to be passing at this moment, attended by two or three dogs, was able to put the whole matter in its proper perspective.
perspective a way of regarding situations; view; outlook;

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You have heard then, comrades, he said, that we pigs now sleep in the beds of the farmhouse? And why not? You did not suppose, surely, that there was ever a ruling against beds? A bed merely means a place to sleep in. A pile of straw in a stall is a bed, properly regarded. The rule was against sheets, which are a human invention. We have removed the sheets from the farmhouse beds, and sleep between blankets. And very comfortable beds they are too! But not more comfortable than we need, I can tell you, comrades, with all the brainwork we have to do nowadays. You would not rob us of our repose, would you, comrades? You would not have us too tired to carry out our duties? Surely none of you wishes to see Jones back?
Invention repose The act or process of developing something new; creation; innovation;
The act of resting or the state of being at rest; sleep; rest;

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The animals reassured him on this point immediately, and no more was said about the pigs sleeping in the farmhouse beds. And when, some days afterwards, it was announced that from now on the pigs would get up an hour later in the mornings than the other animals, no complaint was made about that either. reassured To restore confidence to ; encouraged; comforted

By the autumn the animals were tired but happy. They had had a hard year, and after the sale of part of the hay and corn, the stores of food for the winter were none too plentiful, but the windmill compensated for everything. It was almost half built now. After the harvest there was a stretch of clear dry weather, and the animals toiled harder than ever, thinking it well worth while to plod to and fro all day with blocks of stone if by doing so they could raise the walls another foot. compensated made up ; offset

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Boxer would even come out at nights and work for an hour or two on his own by the light of the harvest moon. In their spare moments the animals would walk round and round the half-finished mill, admiring the strength and perpendicularity of its walls and marvelling that they should ever have been able to build anything so imposing. Only old Benjamin refused to grow enthusiastic about the windmill, though, as usual, he would utter nothing beyond the cryptic remark that donkeys live a long time.
perpendicularity Marvelling Imposing cryptic a direction opposite to another; symmetry One that evokes surprise, admiration, or wonder; Grand; overbearing; powerful; impressive
Having hidden meaning; secret; mysterious

Only old Benjamin refused

-Do you think Benjamin is a wise donkey?

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November came, with raging south-west winds. Building had to stop because it was now too wet to mix the cement. Finally there came a night when the gale was so violent that the farm buildings rocked on their foundations and several tiles were blown off the roof of the barn. The hens woke up squawking with terror because they had all dreamed simultaneously of hearing a gun go off in the distance. In the morning the animals came out of their stalls to find that the flagstaff had been blown down and an elm tree at the foot of the orchard had been plucked up like a radish. They had just noticed this when a cry of despair broke from every animals throat. A terrible sight had met their eyes. The windmill was in ruins.
gale A strong wind; a storm

cry of despair broke from every animals throat. A terrible sight had met their eyes. The windmill was in ruins.

Why did the animals react this way?

LETS think about it

Why is it important to the pigs?

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With one accord they dashed down to the spot. Napoleon, who seldom moved out of a walk, raced ahead of them all. Yes, there it lay, the fruit of all their struggles, levelled to its foundations, the stones they had broken and carried so laboriously scattered all around. Unable at first to speak, they stood gazing mournfully at the litter of fallen stone Napoleon paced to and fro in silence, occasionally snuffing at the ground. His tail had grown rigid and twitched sharply from side to side, a sign in him of intense mental activity. Suddenly he halted as though his mind were made up.
Accord Rigid twitched halted Agreement; unity; unison Not flexible or pliant; fixed; unmoving A sudden involuntary or spasmodic muscular movement Stopped; paused

Napoleon, who seldom moved out of a walk, raced ahead of them all His tail had grown rigid and twitched sharply from side to side, a sign in him of intense mental activity.-

What can you infer from Napoleons reaction?

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Comrades, he said quietly, do you know who is responsible for this? Do you know the enemy who has come in the night and overthrown our windmill? SNOWBALL! he suddenly roared in a voice of thunder. Snowball has done this thing! In sheer malignity, thinking to set back our plans and avenge himself for his ignominious expulsion, this traitor has crept here under cover of night and destroyed our work of nearly a year. Comrades, here and now I pronounce the death sentence upon Snowball. Animal Hero, Second Class, and half a bushel of apples to any animal who brings him to justice. A full bushel to anyone who captures him alive! Enemy a person hostile or opposed to a policy, cause, person, or group; Foe; opponent; adversary Malignity the condition or quality of being evil; bad; wickedness; malevolent Ignominious Check for the meaning in Chapter 4 bushel a large quantity or number.

What do you think Napoleon is doing here?

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The animals were shocked beyond measure to learn that even Snowball could be guilty of such an action. There was a cry of indignation, and everyone began thinking out ways of catching Snowball if he should ever come back. Almost immediately the footprints of a pig were discovered in the grass at a little distance from the knoll. They could only be traced for a few yards, but appeared to lead to a hole in the hedge. Napoleon snuffed deeply at them and pronounced them to be Snowballs. He gave it as his opinion that Snowball had probably come from the direction of Foxwood Farm.
Indignation
Knoll

a strong sense of anger; a feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance; outrage; resentment; fury; wrath
Check chapter 5 for answers.

The animals were shocked beyond measure to learn that even Snowball could be guilty
of such an action

Why do the animals feel this way?

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No more delays, comrades! cried Napoleon when the footprints had been examined. There is work to be done. This very morning we begin rebuilding the windmill, and we will build all through the winter, rain or shine. We will teach this miserable traitor that he cannot undo our work so easily. Remember, comrades, there must be no alteration in our plans: they shall be carried out to the day. Forward, comrades! Long live the windmill! Long live Animal Farm!.
miserable alteration Mean or shameful; contemptible an adjustment, change or modification

Why do you think Napoleon is so determined to build the windmill when he opposed the idea in the first place?

Will the Animals complete the windmill?

All this and more in Chapter 7 when we continue