Quote 1
As Clover looked down the hillside her eyes filled with tears. If she could have spoken her thoughts; it would have been to say that this was not what they had aimed at when they had set themselves years ago to work for the overthrow of the human race. These scenes of terror and slaughter were not what they had looked forward to on that night when old Major first stirred them to rebellion. (7.30)
"If she could have spoken"—but she can't. She doesn't have the words. In other news, stay in school, Shmoopers.
Quote 2
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 […]
"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. (6.10-6.13)
Luckily, we're much better at reading that Muriel, so we can flip back to the beginning of the book (Chapter 2, if you're wondering) and double check. And there it is—#4, "No animal shall sleep in a bed." Hm. Looks like the rules are changing on us.
Quote 3
"My sight is failing," she said finally. "Even when I was young I could not have read what was written there. But it appears to me that that wall looks different. Are the Seven Commandments the same as they used to be, Benjamin?"
For once Benjamin consented to break his rule, and he read out to her what was written on the wall. There was nothing there now except a single Commandment. It ran:
ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS (10.17, 10.18, 10.19)
Quick answer: no, they are not. First the rule about beds is changed and then the rule about not killing animals and now, finally, the seven commandments themselves are gone, leaving just one commandment. But it's no Golden Rule—more like a brass rule. A tarnished brass rule.
Quote 4
Instead– she did not know why– they had come to a time when no one dared speak his mind, when fierce, growling dogs roamed everywhere, and when you had to watch your comrades torn to pieces after confessing to shocking crimes. There was no thought of rebellion or disobedience in her mind. She knew that, even as things were, they were far better off than they had been in the days of Jones, and that before all else it was needful to prevent the return of the human beings. Whatever happened she would remain faithful, work hard, carry out the orders that were given to her, and accept the leadership of Napoleon. (7.30)
We feel bad calling Clover foolish, because she's not empty-headed and vain like Mollie—but she really is just as dumb. If it weren't for her stubborn, foolish loyalty, would Napoleon have been able to get away with all his blood-thirsty rebellion? (In other words: do the rejects actually enable the mean girls?)