Who Does Boxer Represent In Animal Farm

Boxer (a horse)

Brawn not Brains

Boxer is the strongest animate being on the farm, "an enormous beast, nearly eighteen hands high, and as strong as any two ordinary horses put together [...] he was not of first-rate intelligence, just he was universally respected for his steadiness of graphic symbol and tremendous powers of piece of work" (one.three). These are great qualities for a horse, but—as it turns out—not such bang-up qualities for a revolutionary under Stalin's regime.

At get-go, things seem to be going well. He's a hard worker, making "I will work harder" into his personal motto (3.three). He'due south a brave fighter, and the narrator tells us that, during the Battle of the Cowshed, "the most terrifying spectacle of all was Boxer, rearing upwards on his hind legs and striking out with his corking fe-shod hoofs like a stallion" (4.eight).

Just it'south not plenty to keep him safe. At the commencement of the novel, Old Major warns Boxer that he's disposable: "the very day that those great muscles of yours lose their power, Jones will ship you to the knacker, who will cut your throat and eddy you down for the pull a fast one on-hounds" (1.ten). Boxer can come across that—but one time Jones is forced off the farm, Boxer thinks the threat is gone. He's just not smart enough to encounter that he's got a whole new species to worry about.

The Thinks He Can Think

Boxer worries most the farm, but he'due south not smart enough to figure things out on his own. Instead of thinking for himself, he decides to exist loyal no matter what—to follow the Party (as in, Communist Party) line. Similar, later Snowball is sent into exile, Boxer tries to retrieve things over for himself, but all he tin can come upwardly with is, "If Comrade Napoleon says it, information technology must exist right," and he takes upward a new personal motto: "Napoleon is always right" (5.22).

Because the other animals admire Boxer's piece of work ethic, they follow his lead. When Napoleon begins executing other animals, Boxer can only say, "I would not have believed that such things could happen on our farm. It must exist due to some mistake in ourselves. The solution, as I see it, is to piece of work harder" (7.28). When the going gets tough, Boxer… falls back on simple mottos. He has no other selection.

By the cease of the novel, Boxer has worked and then difficult for the Rebellion that he's worked himself to decease. He's so weak from starvation and trying to rebuild the windmill that he's useless. The pigs send him off to be slaughter, and he's too weak to fight back:

The time had been when a few kicks from Boxer'due south hoofs would have smashed the van to matchwood. Just alas! His strength had left him; and in a few moments the sound of drumming hoofs grew fainter and died away. (nine.23)

Boxer and Stalin's Russia

Boxer doesn't stand up for a particular person: he's a symbol for all of the Russian working class (proletariat). And it'southward not a very flattering portrayal. Orwell might exist a socialist, but he's not exactly pro-proletariat: he doesn't seem to have much respect for the average working strong's intelligence. In fact, it sounds similar he holds the proletariat partly responsible for helping Stalin come to power. Boxer may be hardworking and friendly, but the pigs could never have come to power without his forcefulness—and his stupidity.

Source: https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/animal-farm/boxer-horse

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