Animal Farm Group
Question:
Chp 9, how do Squealer and Napoleon exploit the fact that only they know what really happened to Boxer after he left Animal Farm?
Answers:
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eNotes Editor
Posted by lit24 on Sunday December 28, 2008 at 7:51 AMBoth Squealer and Napoleon blatantly lie to the other animals concerning the death of Boxer and hypocritically pretend to mourn his passing away.
Squealer lies to the other animals that the van in which Boxer was taken out of the farm actually belonged to the veterinary surgeon and not to the knacker: "The van had previously been the property of the knacker, and had been bought by the veterinary surgeon, who had not yet painted the old name out. That was how the mistake had arisen."
He lies to them saying that Boxer was given the best possible treatment which was paid for by Napoleon. He sheds crocodile tears and presents a false picture of a moving account of Boxer's last moments to gain their sympathy:"I was at his bedside at the very last. And at the end, almost too weak to speak, he whispered in my ear that his sole sorrow was to have passed on before the windmill was finished."
Next Sunday Napoleon while addressing the animals lies to them saying that it had not been possible to bring Boxers's dead body to the farm to be buried, and so he had ordered for a wreath to be placed on his grave. He puts to rest any doubts or suspicions in the minds of the animals by reminding them of two of Boxer's favourite maxims:"I will work harder" and "Comrade Napoleon is always right."
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