Animal Farm Theme of Dreams, Hopes, and Plans

Animal Farm, narrowly perceived, is simply an allegory for the Russian Revolution. More broadly, however, it is a criticism of utopian ideas in general. It is easy to see that the dreams instilled in the animals by Old Major are corrupted as time goes on, but one wonders if it were ever possible to fulfill them in the first place. Old Major’s utopian ideal is contrasted by the cynicism of Benjamin the donkey, who is certain that "life [will] go on as it [has] always gone on – that is, badly." At least in the case of Animal Farm, Benjamin’s cynicism proves much more justified than Old Major’s dreams.

1. What does Benjamin know to be inevitable? Is he right? Might this whole cyclic thing of power-corruption-rebellion have happened before?
2. How do the things we know to be inevitable – Boxer's aging, time passing, relate (in the text) to the things we suspect are inevitable – the windmill being destroyed, the pigs getting corrupt, the rations being decreased?

While the pigs are portrayed as intelligent animals, Benjamin, because of his wisdom, is the only character who is clearly able to see the future of Animal Farm.

By examining the three, progressive songs of Animal Farm, we can determine the gradual progression of the animals' vision of the future from an Eden-like paradise to a socialist commune to a cult-like dictatorship.