A Memoir: A Recollection of the Occurrences in Animal Farm

The Leader: Napoleon

The start of Manor Farm, or I suppose what was once called Animal Farm, is
somewhat of a blur to be quite frank. Is this an interview for some type of
newspaper? Because if so, please include a younger picture of me. Anyways.
Yes, I faintly remember the words of Old Major, and I am quite sure that he
would be proud of the progress we have made today. Soon after though, things
just simply fell into place. It soon became obvious that us pigs were more
intelligent and were able to offer the most expertise. Most of us, that is.
Snowball is a different story, and I can’t say I was surprised to learn that he
was working with Jones from the very beginning.

The animals created several means of binding us as one: they had a song,
Beasts of England, and our Seven Commandments. Looking back now, I am
displeased at how long it took us to expel some of the rituals created. Correct
me if I am wrong, but at one point there was even the silly Sunday routine of
marching past a boar’s skull? How ridiculous it is to think of these foolish
customs my inferiors once cherished.

For years I was referred to as a comrade, but even then, I was much more than
that. The progress this farm has made all these years is truly thanks to the
knowledge I have spread, the ideas I have generated, and the developments I
have turned into reality. Manor Farm is an attraction to farmers across the
country, who continue to ration out far too much food for their animals, whilst
barely reaping the benefits of their work. I, on the other hand, run the most
efficient farm possible. Not only this, but animals from other farms believe
that life at Manor Farm could be better than those run by humans, so our
livestock is immense.

It is hard to think back to such a time where I did not sleep in a bed, or I did not
drink alcohol, or even host dinners for all my colleagues. Life on the farm
before I took power was an unproductive, inefficient mess. The animals
believed that they could live glorifying their victories forever, without facing
the harshness that is real life. Once they began listening to my words carefully
and without doubt, business went on smoothly and it meant that I could leave
farm matters to Squealer, whilst I grew my knowledge and conducted business
ventures behind the scenes.

There was so much that the animals never saw or appreciated. I tried to calm
their anxieties, especially when Boxer passed, but it seemed that their attitudes
changed from then on. They became ungrateful and skeptical, I thought
someone might even try and poison my food! How do you think it would feel
living in fear of death every single day? In fear of being disobeyed because of
those damn chickens refusing to offer their eggs, or the crazy dreams of
Snowball some of those animals were having. At some point, I even remember
wondering whether the animals had all become brainwashed by Snowball and
his departure. But this was quickly taken care of once I got rid of these
problematic animals.

Now, the humans and the pigs have integrated as one. I can now walk on my
hind legs and my appearance even resembles that of Mr. Pilkington, one of my
dear friends. My advice is now warranted from farmers across the country, and
as a whole, we are more profitable than ever. It is me who has built this farm
from scratch, and it is me who shall be awarded for the progress.

Bourgeois: Molly
The first thing I remember is my ribbons being taken away from me, and it just
got worse from there. All the battles, the work, the mud, I don't think you
understand how hard it was for me!!
When I look at myself in the mirror, I see a beautiful white mair. Some people
call me spoiled and selfish, but the truth is, once you get a drop of royalty, you
never want to let it go. That’s what the other animals don’t understand, I'm
not spoiled, I just only have enough energy to look after myself.

Once the revolution started, the animals woke up early every morning and
worked hard until late every evening. They rationed out all the food, and that
little throne of royalty I was feeling so comfortable on was suddenly gone. It’s
not fair, all I wanted was my sugar cubes and my ribbons! Is that too much to
ask for?
I wasn’t cut out for this life. What the pigs didn’t tell us at the beginning of the
revolution is that we would actually have to work and fight. During the Battle
of Cowshed, I couldn't risk my beautiful long white mane getting tangled or
dirty, so I decided to hide out in my stall and appreciate my beauty in the
mirror. Some of the animals would complain about me not being a team player,
and maybe that’s true. But it was just too much of a risk, going out there in the
dirty mud! Who would then clean my hooves after they got a thrush? Because i
most definitely am not going to clean them myself, and it would be considered
torture if i had to walk around with unclean and smelly hooves!

When winter came, it was so incredibly cold. And I wasn’t even allowed to wear
my favorite pink diamond jacket! I had to wake up so early every morning and
work so hard all day. The only thing that would make me feel better was
looking at myself in the reflection of the water fountain, but all the other
animals would get so sour every time they saw me take a tiny break.
One day, a man from over the fence was calling for me. He had sugar cubes in
his hand, so what could I do but go over there and let him rub my nose? I just
loved the feeling, and how could you ever deprive someone of something they
love? I first panicked when Clover came over to confront me about fraternizing
with the enemy, but I just denied it. I think I did a pretty good job at fooling
her. However, it was at that moment that I realized that I was just not cut out
for the working lifestyle.

I just felt so extremely neglected on the farm, because no one else understood
the way I rolled. The pigs literally loved laying in the mud, and they controlled
everything and everyone. So what was I supposed to do, just accept this new
muddy life? No. When I found out what I would have to do to survive on the
farm, I panicked. So one night, I decided I had to leave. I created a plan, that i
would sneak out in the middle of the night and never turn back. Do you have
any idea how hard that was? I couldn’t make any sound, and because of my
hooves not being properly taken care of, they made so much noise! But finally,
I managed to cross over to a few farms over, where the men were still in
control. They seemed happy to bring me in, clean me, and feed me sugar cubes.
They gave me many more ribbons, and in exchange I would pull their cart for
them when they needed me to. But I didn't mind, because everytime I would do
anything, the men would feed me even more sugar cubes. I know the other
animals must have looked down and judged me, but I didn't care. I was willing
to let the other animals think badly of me as long as I got what I craved the
most: being pampered.

Proletariat: Clover
I’ve been told to write my recollection of the revolution by some of the
younger animals on the farm, before my memory of it all is gone. It all began
on a cold March evening where Old Major gave a rousing speech that started it
all. It laid out the revolution to the starry eyed oppressed of Manor farm. A
chance for a future for all animals, not under the heel of humans.

We won the revolution three months later, or was it four? Whatever it

matters not, we fired the gun to celebrate the revolution or at least we did? I do
not remember. We were ecstatic with our victory. We ran around the farm for
the first time as free animals and we laid in the fields euphoric in our moment
of victory. We toiled as we brought in the harvest and we entrusted the pigs
with the coordination of the farm, we were all still equals. To ensure this we
created the ten commandments, to maintain equality.

Then Mr. Jones tried to take back the farm by force, we fought him and
his men off, and we thought Snowball helped us win in this fight even being
wounded in it. It turned out in the end that Snowball was actually helping Mr.
Jones and we were deceived. We however did not know of this when we saw
Snowball chased off the farm by the most massive dogs we had ever seen. We
were most terrified, however, we said nothing for fear of sharing the fate of
Snowball. Napoleon then announced the changes to the farm, this was normal
and as Squealer put it, it was entirely necessary because we needed discipline
to keep Mr. Jones away. Then the commandments also changed, or did they
not? The pigs say they were always this way so they are probably right.

Remember we must always trust in Comrade Napoleon, as Boxer always

said “Napoleon is always right”. We began to build a windmill, Napoleon
himself had designed it! The windmill quarried rock and we slowly built it, but
the pigs never did any of the work, this is because they have to administer the
farm. Right? We had to live through some cold winters as well where I believe
we received less in rations, yet Squealer said rations had doubled so I must be
wrong.
 In the end Napoleon decided that some of the eggs of the Hens must be
sold to keep food supply up but the Hens did not agree with comrade Napoleon
and revolted and so they were punished with no rations. After Boxer’s lung
collapsed he was taken to the glue factory or was he taken to the hospital as
Squealer said? I faintly remember a glue factory logo on the side.

Then a few years later, life had become as gray if not worse under the
pigs compared to Mr. Jones. The pigs invited over the farmers from the other
farms. Years before there would have been an uproar but this however, has
changed. Comrade Napoleon was always right! We watched from the window
and we couldn’t tell the difference from the pigs and the humans. We can do
nothing because the pigs are humans now.