Crowley 1

Jack Crowley

Ms. Minnier

English 1

23 December 2021

Benjamin and Donkey George

Eric Arthur Blaire, commonly known under his pen name George Orwell, was an English

novelist who expressed his ideas on society and his opposition to totalitarianism through political

writing. Benjamin is the old, cynical, and mysterious donkey who lives on Manor Farm (Orwell

26). Benjamin is very pessimistic and believes that no matter who the leader is on the farm, life

will always be harsh and rough. Benjamin has a strong affection towards Boxer, where he is

galloping frantically and warning all the animals when he is sent away in a slaughter truck

(Orwell 123). Pessimism is “an inclination to emphasize adverse aspects, conditions, and

possibilities or to expect the worst possible outcome” (“Pessimism”), which both Benjamin and

Orwell both show and describe throughout Animal Farm. Benjamin represents Orwell’s views in

Animal Farm by the concepts of them both being cynics, their skepticism on similar situations,

and their views on the average person. Although Benjamin appears to be a cantankerous and old

donkey living on a farm, Orwell is actually using Benjamin to express his ideas on politics and

society.

Benjamin and Orwell both are cynics towards a similar group of people. Orwell has a

strong opinion against intellectuals as he “always hated the social group of which he was, despite

everything, an exemplary member of intellectuals… Orwells disdain of intellectuals was a

constant. He accused them of a range of sins, a lack of patriotism, resentment of money,

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concealed sexual frustrartion, pretension, and dishonesty” (LITERATURE, 1:26-2:32). Orwell

believes all intellectuals are selfish and dishonest and only care for wealth, rather than caring for

people. Benjamin was cynical from his beliefs on how the pig’s rebellion would fail and life in

general would be terrible as Benjamin says, ‘life would go on as it had always gone on- badly

that is,’ (Orwell 65). Benjamin had no faith in the government and was not positive they would

do anything to change that. It is clear that Orwell and Benjamin both have a distaste of similar

groups of people that they themselves are a part of.

Benjamin's skepticism is related to propaganda-related skepticism that Orwell has.

Orwell had a “disillusionment with socialism after Stalinist treachery in Spain, covered up by the

'capitalist anti-Fascist press'” (Kischner, 763). Orwell shows his questioning of socialism after

Stalin's actions and spreading of propaganda. Benjamin’s skepticism is shown when “...the

animals stupidly wave goodbye to Boxer in the van, it is Benjamin who shouts: 'Fools! Do you

not see what is written on the side of that van?... Do you not understand what that means? They

are taking Boxer to the knacker's!'” (Orwell 123). Benjamin becomes fearful since he realized

that Napoleon had sent a slaughter truck to come pickup Boxer. Both Benjamin and Orwell come

to the realization of the false information that has been given by the government and the future

consequences it withholds.

Benjamin and Orwell share similar opinions on the average person. In Animal Farm

Benjamin is described to have a strong interest and devotion to Boxer (Orwell 27). Benjamin

would put Boxer’s priorities above the other animals. Allegorically, Boxer represents the

working class of Russia. While he was living in England, Orwell “became the great defender of

what he repeatedly called, ordinary life. Life of people not blessed with goods, but people who
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worked ordinary jobs who don’t have much of an education… In ways that Orwell thought

especially admirable” (LITERATURE, 3:35-4:27). Orwell had a strong liking of the ordinary

people and viewed them as kinder and more caring than others in higher social classes. Both

Orwell and Benjamin have an interesting admiration for the average working class person.

In Animal Farm, Benjamin is used in a way that expresses Orwell’s personal beliefs of

society and politics. In the end for Benjamin, it turns out that his beliefs against the government

were true as life stayed miserable for years on end with Napoleon as an aggressive dictator,

making their life similar to how it was with Mr. Jones there. In Orwell’s case he was right to

question the Russian government, as Joseph Stalin became one of the most brutal dictators the

world has ever seen. Orwell taught his readers a lesson in Animal Farm: that one should not be

afraid to question something. There is a reason Orwell was given the nickname “Donkey

George” after all (Quinn).