Animal Farm Boxer Essay

How does Orwell use the character of Boxer as an allegory for the proletariat working class in Animal Farm? Animal Farm is a sardonic novella written in 1945 by George Orwell. It is an allegorical tale, representative of the Russian Revolution (1917). The novella is set on an English farm, initially named "Manor Farm" but renamed "Animal Farm" when the animals seize power. It observes a group of animals, wanting to create a community where all animals can be equal and free from human ownership. Utilizing the character of Boxer, Orwell represents the working class as intellectually limited and hardworking, alongside the mistreatment and exploitation they faced.

First and foremost, Orwell depicts Boxer as intellectually limited, symbolizing

The epithet "a white stripe down his nose gave him a somewhat stupid appearance" provides evidence to suggest that Orwell portrays Boxer as an intellectually limited character, which contradicts his pro-proletariat stance. While Orwell may embalm socialistic beliefs, he raises the question of attributing the working class's true power in society. The use of this epithet also reflects how Boxer represents unskilled and uneducated laborers, highlighting the oppressions they face in society. Boxer's intelligence could be further displayed when he justified an obvious lie stated by Squealer. To vindicate the lie, Boxer asserts a sentence of "Ah, that is different! If Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right." By stating that the lie was "different", he was hesitant to speak the truth, but due to his limited intellectuality and lack of power,

Boxer's "answer to every problem, every setback, was I will work harder!, which he had adopted as his personal motto." As a devoted supporter of animalism, Boxer's unwavering commitment is evidenced by the repeated usage of his mantra, "I will work harder," throughout the novella, which serves as his primary response to overcoming challenges. The mantra "I will work harder!" Is convicted by an exclamatory point, symbolizing the excitement of Boxer while he works, denoted by his motivated attitude. The mantra, which is also stated in a declarative tone, corroborates that there is no nuanced thought about working, reflecting the simplicity of Boxer's intelligence while also indicating the certainty of the steadfastness of his character, as shown by the modal verb "will". Boxer’s belief that strenuous labor is the answer to all challenges is allegorical of the unrelenting labor of the working class, as they are committed to providing services and producing goods to benefit society. Furthermore, in Chapter 9, Orwell portrays Boxer as an embodiment of tenacity, as illustrated by his physical actions in the novella. Boxer's perpetual determination to accomplish a laborious task is captured: "When he braced his muscles against the weight of some vast boulder, it seemed that nothing kept him on his feet except the will to continue." In this