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What do the names Mollie, Mr. Jones, the sheep, and Mr. Whymper signify in Animal Farm?
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In George Orwell's "Animal Farm", the names of characters have significant meanings. Humans, referred to by their surnames (Jones, Whymper), represent capitalists and the class-based society of capitalism. Animals with names, such as Mollie, denote individuality. Mollie, representing the working-class, is content with her servitude and luxuries, and is resistant to the idea of a new and better life. Unnamed animals, like the sheep, symbolize naive masses that are easily manipulated. Lastly, Mr. Whymper, a liaison between animals and humans, embodies those who exploit situations for personal gain.
The name Mollie signifies that she is a servant: this is very much a servant's name of the time period. Instead of serving in a maid in a house, however, she, as a horse, pulls the Jones' buggy. She is the typical working-class person who is willing to sell out for a few luxuries. She can't understand the goals of the Rebellion or that it is degrading to be dressed in ribbons to pull a cart. She enjoys her degradation and wants her ribbons and sugar lumps back. She communicates that some people will never be attracted by the idea of a new and better life.
Jones, similarly, is a very typical English name for an undistinguished person. Our Mr. Jones is an Everyman who owns a small farm. His name, like Mollie's, signifies that he represents a type more than an individual. He is the good, conservative, unthinking John...
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Bull Englishman with a portrait of the monarch in his parlor.
The fact that no sheep are named is significant. They are a mass of very naive animals who are easily led and manipulated by Napoleon.
Mr. Whymper's name sounds like the word "whimper" or the word "wimp." He is a lawyer who soon realizes there is money to be made acting as a liaison between the animals and the humans. He is a wimp and takes orders from both sides. The text describes him as follows:
He was a sly-looking little man with side whiskers, a solicitor in a very small way of business, but sharp enough to have realised earlier than anyone else that Animal Farm would need a broker and that the commissions would be worth having.
The animals dislike and shy away from him but are also proud of the way Napoleon orders him around. He is a craven person who will take orders from anyone.
In literature there is usually a significant connection between a character's name and the role in the narrative that the character plays, as well as a connection to certain traits of the character.
Therefore, notwithstanding Juliet's famous indictment against names--
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet." (2.2.)--
certain names are, indeed, significant in Animal Farm.
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Mr. Jones - With one of the most common names among
English-speaking people, Mr. Jones is representative of the capitalist who is
solely concerned about making profits. The welfare of his workers is only
important with respect to their ability to produce. (Interestingly, many a man
named Jones was an overseer on plantations in the South.)
Mr. Jones worries about "keeping up with the Joneses" when he elicits the help of the other farmers and they fight against the animals. That is, Jones hopes to re-establish his power as owner of the farm, thereby "keeping up" in position with the other farmers. - Mollie - Mollie is a pampered mare, who misses the treats and preferential treatment she received when she pulled Mr. Jones to town and other places. She was "mollycoddled," or indulged, when she was with Mr. Jones, and now she misses her special treatment of wearing ribbons and eating certain treats. She does not want to be considered a "comrade."
- The sheep - The word sheep carries with it the idea of blind followers who accept everything that someone above them says and does. They are incapable of thinking for themselves. For instance, at first the sheep bleat "Four legs good, two legs bad" as Napoleon has taught them to blurt out when Snowball talks; however, Napoleon later gets them to chant, "Four legs good, two legs better" after he begins to walk on two legs. The sheep's bleating of these sayings drown out the thinking of others, not to mention their own.
- Mr. Whymper - This lawyer who wears side whiskers is a sly man who becomes a broker for Animal Farm who pays him commissions. He is the first human to make contact with the farm, which alarms some of the animals. After the farm starts to fail, Whymper makes hints that the farm is doing well, instead, and the truth becomes but a whimper. Most importantly, this confusion of what is said with reality represses the truth.