Animal Farm characters

Appears from the start

A prize boar, old and widely respected, who calls the animals together in the barn to tell them of a dream and of his belief that the animals' hard, hungry lives are the fault of the humans who live off their labor. He sets out a vision of a future rebellion, teaches them a rousing anthem, and inspires them to imagine a farm run by and for the animals themselves.

Appears from the start

The owner of the farm, a farmer grown unreliable and often drunk, who lets his animals go hungry and neglects the land. His careless and harsh treatment of the animals is the immediate grievance behind their discontent.

Appears from the start

An enormous, immensely strong cart-horse, valued for his power and his steady, willing nature rather than his cleverness. Honest, loyal, and slow to anger, he devotes himself to whatever cause is set before him and answers every difficulty with his personal motto, that he will work harder. His strength makes him one of the most important workers on the farm.

Appears from the start

A stout, motherly cart-mare, gentle and kind-hearted, who looks after the younger and weaker animals. Hardworking and well-meaning, she is troubled by things she senses are wrong but struggles to put them into words or to read for herself. She is Boxer's close companion.

Appears from the start

The donkey, the oldest animal on the farm and the most cynical, who rarely speaks and never laughs. Clever in his own way but deeply skeptical, he refuses to grow enthusiastic about anything and expects little to change for the better. He is quietly devoted to Boxer.

Appears from the start

A vain, foolish white mare who used to pull Mr. Jones's trap, fond of sugar lumps and of the ribbons she wore in her mane. She cares more for small comforts and for being admired than for any cause, and worries chiefly about whether such pleasures will still be allowed.

First appears in chapter 2

One of the two pre-eminent pigs who take the lead after Old Major's death, a large, fierce-looking boar. He is not a gifted speaker, but he is known for getting his own way and for working quietly and steadily toward his aims. With the more vivacious Snowball he organizes the other animals, teaches the principles of Animalism, and helps direct the farm once the humans are gone.

First appears in chapter 2

The more lively and inventive of the two leading pigs, quicker in speech than Napoleon and full of plans and ideas. An energetic organizer, he forms committees, tries to teach the other animals to read, and throws himself into schemes for improving the farm. Enthusiastic and persuasive, he becomes one of the driving forces of the new order after the Rebellion.

First appears in chapter 2

A small, fat, nimble pig with a shrill voice and a gift for persuasion, said to be able to turn black into white. He acts as spokesman for the leading pigs, explaining and justifying their decisions to the other animals. Quick and plausible in argument, he is the one sent to reassure the farm whenever the animals grow uneasy.

First appears in chapter 2

A tame raven, a favorite of Mr. Jones, known as a talker and a carrier of tales rather than a worker. He spreads stories of a paradise called Sugarcandy Mountain, a land of plenty where animals are said to go when they die, which offers comfort to some of the animals.