Editor's Choice
What are Clover's thoughts as she looks down on the farm in Animal Farm?
Quick answer:
Clover is disillusioned with the state of the farm, realizing it does not align with the original revolutionary ideals. Although she remains loyal to the revolution's core mission, she is troubled by Napoleon's leadership and the farm's decline. Lacking eloquence, she struggles to express her concerns and is confused and frightened by the changes. Orwell provides a rare insight into her thoughts, highlighting her distrust of Napoleon and her inability to inspire change among the other animals.
Clover the horse has been a staunch supporter of the revolution. She has been committed to the ideals and policies associated with the animals wresting control from the humans and governing themselves. As things increasingly go from bad to worse, she struggles with the distance between ends and means. She does not lose faith in the fundamental mission of the animal revolution, but she is distressed over Napoleon's abuses and the direction his leadership has taken them. She questions her own memories and interpretations.
Clover is neither brilliant nor eloquent; her ideas remain inchoate. Orwell tells us, however, what she would have said if she had been been more skilled at self-expression. Clover would have said that the current state of affairs does not match their original intentions:
. . . this was not what they had aimed at when they had set themselves years ago to work for the overthrow of the human race.
This is the only time in the novel that Orwell gives the reader a glimpse inside the head of one of the characters. For a brief instance, we are able to read Clover's feelings and understand her opinions. She doesn't trust Napoleon. She sees that things are not going well on the farm. But she doesn't know how to change things. She is scared and confused, and does not have the skill that Squealer does to rally the other animals around her and convince them with speech. Orwell lets us know that the animals of the farm are to be pitied; they are not allowing themselves to be controlled because they lack independent thought, they are simply too afraid to challenge their leader.
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