Chapter 1 In Orwell's first chapter, the reader is introduced to all of his wonderful animals— with two important exceptions: Snowball and Napoleon (two characters who will become the focus later). Obviously most of the chapter is intended to spark pity and a sense of sympathy for the poor, suffering farm animals, but the old Major's words are very telling. The "wise" old pig addresses the central conflict of the book, and of Orwell's intended meaning-- …showed first 75 words of 2210 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2210 total…and enjoy the benefits of the society they help control. The inequality and true hypocrisy of communism is expressed here by Orwell, who criticized Marx's oversimplified view of a socialist, "utopian" society. Obviously George Orwell doesn't believe such a society can exist. Toward the end of the book, Orwell emphasizes, "Somehow it seemed as though the farm had grown richer without making the animals themselves any richer— except, of course, the pigs and the dogs."