Ironically, the animals are not rewarded for their hard work and dedication in maintaining an efficient human-free farm. Instead, they suffer from oppression and do not have a voice in the farm's social or political policies. After successfully expelling Mr. Jones and his men from the farm, the animals expound upon old Major's speech and develop the school of thought known as Animalism. After establishing the Seven Commandments, the animals enjoy a brief respite from being ruled by a tyrannical leader. Unfortunately, Napoleon usurps power and begins to rule the farm as a ruthless dictator. Under Napoleon's reign, the animals suffer from exhaustion, malnutrition, and random acts of violence. By the last chapter of the novella, the pigs not only act like their former human oppressors but also look like humans when they wear Mr. Jones's clothes and walk upright. The fact that Napoleon has simply replaced Mr. Jones as the tyrannical leader of the farm illustrates how one oppressive regime has replaced another. Overall, the animals are not rewarded for their hard work and dedication and continue to suffer from oppression at the hands of Napoleon and the elite pigs.

The irony of this book is that the animals were not rewarded for their devotion to the farm. The best example concerns the death of the horse, Boxer, who worked so tirelessly for the good of all the animals. He was a perfect example of the devoted party member and his reward, when he could no longer work, was not a special place in a beautiful pasture but a trip to the knackers to be come glue.

Slowly but surely, the pigs turn the farm into a completely oppressive place, eventually returning its name to Manor Farm. The animals suffered for nothing—worse than nothing, actually, since so many of them died or went hungry along the way and nothing changed.