Question

What happens when the pigs begin to walk on two legs?

• A. The animals are outraged
• B. The animals cheer them on
• C. The animals become confused
• D. None

Answer 1

Answer:

C. The animals become confused

The Symbolism of Pigs Walking on Two Legs in Animal Farm

• The sight of the pigs walking on two legs is a pivotal and shocking moment in George Orwell's allegorical novella, Animal Farm.
• Initially, the Seven Commandments, the guiding principles of Animalism, explicitly state: "Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy." This commandment is fundamental to the animals' revolution against human oppression.
• When the pigs, particularly Napoleon and his inner circle, begin walking upright, it signifies their complete betrayal of the revolutionary ideals and their transformation into the very oppressors they overthrew.
• The animals' immediate reaction is confusion and shock. This act directly contradicts their most basic beliefs and the core tenets of Animalism they have lived by since the Rebellion.
• This moment highlights the pigs' successful manipulation and corruption of the original principles. Under Squealer's propaganda, the commandment is later altered to "Four legs good, two legs better!", demonstrating the pigs' absolute control over truth and narrative.
• The pigs' adoption of human behaviors – walking on two legs, wearing clothes, drinking alcohol, and carrying whips – symbolizes their descent into totalitarianism and their indistinguishable resemblance to the tyrannical human farmers.
• This event serves as a powerful allegory for the corruption of the Soviet Union after the Russian Revolution, with the pigs representing the Bolshevik leaders (e.g., Napoleon as Joseph Stalin) who became as oppressive as, if not more oppressive than, the Tsarist regime they replaced.
• The confusion of the other animals represents the disillusionment and powerlessness of the proletariat (working class) who are unable to recognize or resist the gradual erosion of their freedom and the original goals of the revolution.
• It marks the final step in the pigs' consolidation of power and the complete subjugation of the other animals, leading to the famous concluding scene where the other animals can no longer distinguish between pigs and humans.
• Key themes reinforced: The corruption of power, the dangers of propaganda, the manipulation of language, and the cyclical nature of oppression.