Ch.9 - boxer is betrayed and taken away.

• 'he looked forward to the peaceful days that he would spend in the corner of the big pasture.'

  highly ironic -> we know that Boxer will never be allowed to retire.
• 'without waiting for orders from the pig, the animals broke off work and raced back to the farm buildings.'

  It is moving to witness the animals' care and devotion for Boxer and we understand the danger they have put themselves in by leaving without orders. The verbs 'broke' and 'raced' emphasise the animals' sense of urgency in getting to Boxer.
• 'sly looking man'

  The adjective 'sly' builds tension -> again suggests the humans are 'creatures'.
• 'And Boxer's stall was empty.'

  The short matter-of-fact sentence at the end of the paragraph adds to the tension.
• 'goodbye Boxer!' 'Fools!'

  juxtaposition of the animals cheerily crowing round the van calling out to Boxer and Benjamin's angry exclamation. 'Fools'.
• 'Boxer Boxer Boxer'

  Orwell uses dialogue effectively to convey the animals' panic.

  Clover's heartfelt yet ultimately fruitless repetition of 'Boxer' adds to the tension and it is poignant and moving that clover is about to lose her soul-mate.
• 'Boxer's face with the white striped own his nose, appeared at the small window at the back of the van.'

  Orwell uses descriptive detail to really make his reader feel a strong sense of pathos.
• 'Boxer was never seen again.'

  short matter-of-fact statement.

  he has served his purpose for the pigs, received no thanks or reward, he never got to retire.