the windmill

• What does the great windmill symbolize in the story?

  The pigs' manipulation of other animals
• How do the pigs exploit Boxer and the other animals?

  By making them undertake backbreaking labor
• What is the purpose of the pigs' declaration about Snowball?

  To manipulate the common animals psychologically
• What does the windmill ultimately earn for the pigs?

  More money and increased power
• What does the ultimate conversion of the windmill signify?

  The pigs' betrayal of their fellow animals
• From an allegorical perspective, what does the windmill represent?

  Modernization projects in Soviet Russia
• How does the windmill relate to the Russian Revolution?

  It symbolizes the modernization efforts post-revolution
• Who declared the need for a windmill on the farm?

  Snowball
• What was the purpose of the windmill according to Snowball?

  To supply electrical power for the farm
• "After surveying the ground, Snowball declared that this was just the place for a windmill, which could be made to operate a dynamo and supply the farm with electrical power [to] light the stalls and warm them in winter . . . [The animals] listened in astonishment while Snowball conjured up pictures of fantastic machines which would do their work for them while they grazed at their ease in the fields or improved their minds with reading and conversation."
• How would the windmill benefit the animals during winter?

  It would provide warmth in the stalls
• What did Snowball's vision of the windmill include for the animals' work?

  Machines doing their work while they rested
• What does the windmill symbolize for Snowball and the animals?

  • Progress and improvement
  • Better living conditions
  • The purpose of their work
• What activities did Snowball suggest the animals could do while the machines worked?

  Grazing and improving their minds
• Why did the animals take over the farm according to the text?

  To better their own conditions
• How does the construction of the windmill relate to the animals' overall goals?

  It aims to provide a better lifestyle for all
• What does Animal Farm engage in with neighboring farms?

  Trade
• "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 year's wheat crop, and later on, if more money were needed, it would have to be made up by the sale of eggs[.]"
• Why does Animal Farm engage in trade?

  To obtain materials urgently necessary
• What must override everything else according to Napoleon?

  The needs of the windmill
• What arrangements is Napoleon making to fund the windmill?

  Sell hay and wheat crop
• What principle does Napoleon renege on by engaging in trade?

  Not engaging in trade
• How does the windmill change in symbolism after Napoleon's declaration?

  It becomes a symbol of corruption
• What was the original purpose of the windmill in Animal Farm?

  To symbolize progress
• What does the transformation of the windmill's symbolism indicate about Animal Farm's ideals?

  They are being corrupted
• What are the implications of Napoleon's decision to trade for the animals on Animal Farm?

  • Breach of rebellion principles
  • Shift from self-sufficiency to trade
  • Erosion of original ideals
  • Potential exploitation of animals
• "Out of spite, the human beings pretended not to believe that it was Snowball who had destroyed the windmill: they said that it had fallen down because the walls were too thin. The animals knew that this was not the case. Still, it had been decided to build the walls three feet thick this time instead of eighteen inches as before, which meant collecting much larger quantities of stone."
• Who did the human beings blame for the windmill's destruction?

  Snowball
• Why did the human beings claim the windmill fell down?

  They said the walls were too thin
• What did the animals know about the windmill's collapse?

  They knew it was not due to thin walls
• What change was made to the windmill's construction after its collapse?

  The walls were made three feet thick
• What does the windmill symbolize in the context of the animals' experience?

  It symbolizes gaslighting and manipulation
• How has Napoleon's rule affected the truth according to the animals?

  He has denied the truth and manipulated them
• What do the animals believe about the windmill despite its collapse?

  They believe it proves Snowball's treachery
• What was the original thickness of the windmill walls before the collapse?

  Eighteen inches
• What does the animals' belief in Snowball's treachery reveal about their situation?

  It shows their susceptibility to manipulation
• What did Napoleon do regarding Snowball's idea for the windmill?

  He stole Snowball's idea
• "When they got up again, a huge cloud of black smoke was hanging where the windmill had been. Slowly the breeze drifted it away. The windmill had ceased to exist!"
• What was hanging where the windmill had been?

  A huge cloud of black smoke
• What happened to the windmill after the attack by humans?

  It was deliberately blown up by Frederick