Boxer (Animal Farm)
Encyclopedia
Boxer is a fiction
al character in George Orwell
's Animal Farm
. He is the farm's most hard-working and loyal laborer. Boxer serves as an allegory for the Russian working-class who helped to oust the Czar Nicholas
and establish the Soviet Union
, but were eventually betrayed by the Stalinists
. The most sympathetically drawn character in the novel, Boxer epitomizes all of the best qualities of the exploited working classes: dedication, loyalty, and a huge capacity for labor. He also, however, suffers from what Orwell saw as the working class’s major weaknesses: a naïve trust in the good intentions of the intelligentsia
and an inability to recognize even the most blatant forms of political corruption. Exploited by the pigs as much or more than he had been by Mr. Jones, Boxer represents all of the invisible labor that undergirds the political drama being carried out by the elites. Boxer’s pitiful death at a glue factory dramatically illustrates the extent of the pigs’ betrayal. It may also, however, speak to the specific significance of Boxer himself: before being carted off, he serves as the force that holds Animal Farm together.
Boxer fights bravely in the Battle of the Cowshed, and the Battle of the Windmill, but is upset when he thinks he has killed a stable lad when, in fact, he had only stunned him. When Boxer defends Snowball's reputation from Squealer's
revisionism
, the pigs designate the workhorse as a target for the Great Purge
, but he easily out muscles the dog executioners, sparing them at Napoleon's request. His death shows how far the pigs are willing to go. When he collapses from overwork, the pigs say they have sent him to a veterinarian
, when they sent him to the knacker
's yard to be slaughtered, in exchange for money to buy a case of whiskey for the pigs. A strong and loyal draft horse
, Boxer played a huge part in keeping the Farm together prior to his death, and was the only close friend of Benjamin, the cynical donkey.
During Old Major
's speech, which inspired the principles of Animalism, a specific reference is made to how he would be turned into glue under Jones' rule, thus implying that it would not happen to him under Animalism. This is possibly a further decline from Animalism to Napoleon's government.
Boxer is quite dim and can only remember the first four letters of the alphabet. Boxer is a loyal supporter of Napoleon; he listens to everything he says and assumes, sometimes with doubt, that everything Napoleon tells the farm animals is true: "If Napoleon says it, it must be right."
He has been described as "faithful and strong"; he believes any problem can be solved if he works harder.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al character in George Orwell
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist...
's Animal Farm
Animal Farm
Animal Farm is an allegorical novella by George Orwell published in England on 17 August 1945. According to Orwell, the book reflects events leading up to and during the Stalin era before World War II...
. He is the farm's most hard-working and loyal laborer. Boxer serves as an allegory for the Russian working-class who helped to oust the Czar Nicholas
Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
and establish the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, but were eventually betrayed by the Stalinists
Stalinism
Stalinism refers to the ideology that Joseph Stalin conceived and implemented in the Soviet Union, and is generally considered a branch of Marxist–Leninist ideology but considered by some historians to be a significant deviation from this philosophy...
. The most sympathetically drawn character in the novel, Boxer epitomizes all of the best qualities of the exploited working classes: dedication, loyalty, and a huge capacity for labor. He also, however, suffers from what Orwell saw as the working class’s major weaknesses: a naïve trust in the good intentions of the intelligentsia
Intelligentsia
The intelligentsia is a social class of people engaged in complex, mental and creative labor directed to the development and dissemination of culture, encompassing intellectuals and social groups close to them...
and an inability to recognize even the most blatant forms of political corruption. Exploited by the pigs as much or more than he had been by Mr. Jones, Boxer represents all of the invisible labor that undergirds the political drama being carried out by the elites. Boxer’s pitiful death at a glue factory dramatically illustrates the extent of the pigs’ betrayal. It may also, however, speak to the specific significance of Boxer himself: before being carted off, he serves as the force that holds Animal Farm together.
Boxer fights bravely in the Battle of the Cowshed, and the Battle of the Windmill, but is upset when he thinks he has killed a stable lad when, in fact, he had only stunned him. When Boxer defends Snowball's reputation from Squealer's
Squealer (Animal Farm)
Squealer is a fictional pig from George Orwell's Animal Farm. He is described in the book to be an effective and very convincing orator.- Allegory :...
revisionism
Historical revisionism
In historiography, historical revisionism is the reinterpretation of orthodox views on evidence, motivations, and decision-making processes surrounding a historical event...
, the pigs designate the workhorse as a target for the Great Purge
Great Purge
The Great Purge was a series of campaigns of political repression and persecution in the Soviet Union orchestrated by Joseph Stalin from 1936 to 1938...
, but he easily out muscles the dog executioners, sparing them at Napoleon's request. His death shows how far the pigs are willing to go. When he collapses from overwork, the pigs say they have sent him to a veterinarian
Veterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
, when they sent him to the knacker
Knacker
A knacker is a person in the trade of rendering animals that are unfit for human consumption, such as horses that can no longer work. This leads to the slang expression "knackered" meaning very tired, or "ready for the knacker’s yard", where old horses are slaughtered and made into dog food and glue...
's yard to be slaughtered, in exchange for money to buy a case of whiskey for the pigs. A strong and loyal draft horse
Draft horse
A draft horse , draught horse or dray horse , less often called a work horse or heavy horse, is a large horse bred for hard, heavy tasks such as ploughing and farm labour...
, Boxer played a huge part in keeping the Farm together prior to his death, and was the only close friend of Benjamin, the cynical donkey.
During Old Major
Old Major
Old Major is the first major character described by George Orwell in Animal Farm. This "purebred" of pigs is a kind, grandfatherly philosopher of change...
's speech, which inspired the principles of Animalism, a specific reference is made to how he would be turned into glue under Jones' rule, thus implying that it would not happen to him under Animalism. This is possibly a further decline from Animalism to Napoleon's government.
Boxer is quite dim and can only remember the first four letters of the alphabet. Boxer is a loyal supporter of Napoleon; he listens to everything he says and assumes, sometimes with doubt, that everything Napoleon tells the farm animals is true: "If Napoleon says it, it must be right."
He has been described as "faithful and strong"; he believes any problem can be solved if he works harder.