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Animal Farm 1.12 Bye Bye, Boxer… a la Shmoop.

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Animal Farm has been operating for years now. [An animal farm in the fields]

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The animals have been banking hard work, hunger, and sacrifice, hoping to build up a big, fat

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balance in their accounts.

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Right about now would be a good time to withdraw those rewards. The animals have earned them. [Boxer talking to Napoleon]

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That’s how it happened in the Russian Revolution, too. The proletariat suffered and died in

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the millions. It was time to receive some benefits.

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…Uh, yeah right. [People approach Stalin's house]

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Things just kept getting worse for the animals - and the proletariat - while the ruling class

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got plump and rich… and a little tipsy.

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Boxer, our symbol for the loyal, self-sacrificing, and not-too-bright proletariat, was betrayed [Boxer sitting outside a barn]

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in the most cruel and uncaring way.

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He was naïve and got manipulated. The proletariat were victims of their own blind loyalty. [Van drives by and Boxer disappears]

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After the rulers squeezed every drop of work out of them…

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…they were discarded like sunflower seed shells. [Napoleon throws a chicken]

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Boxer’s death is the ultimate symbol of a parade of bad stuff, both at the farm and

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in the Russian Revolution. [People approach Boxer's grave]

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That parade includes:

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* The total failure of the revolutions to give their people and animals a life of equality

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and rewards for their sacrifices

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* Betrayal of the ideals and the dreams of the proletariat and a mountain of broken promises

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* The blatant use of lies and deceit to control and manipulate the population [Squealer giving a speech]

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* The lack of any compassion by the rulers for their followers, counting their worth

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in money instead of humanity..

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* The power of the intelligent and educated over the less intelligent and uneducated

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And yet the proletariat didn’t even realize they were being abused because of the power

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of propaganda.

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Like we’ve said before, Squealer and Stalin’s propaganda machine were masters at convincing [Paintings of stalin and squealer]

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the animals and the proletariat that their leaders were saintly and compassionate.

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Besides, animal farm had real elections. [Chicken and sheep running to vote]

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The winners must be truly beloved because the votes were unanimous.

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Of course, Napoleon was the only candidate at Animal Farm… [Animal ticks Napoleon on a form]

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…and all of Stalin’s challengers were imprisoned or disappeared.

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But, heck, it saved the voters from the agony of choosing.

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And, the cherry on top? [Cherry lands on ice cream]

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Spontaneous demonstrations. …Hooray.

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The irony isn’t lost on us: How can a demonstration be spontaneous if it’s mandated and regular?

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These demonstrations were designed to keep the proletariat herd swallowing the rulers’ [Man asking for refill of rubbish]

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line of rubbish.

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Kind of a do or die choice.

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But look on the bright side.

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If any of the proletariat chose “die” over “do,” they were off to a better life [Proletariat people dressed as angels]

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in Sugarcandy Mountain. Really. Just ask Moses.

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