Animal Farm Chapter 9 Summary and Analysis: Deception and Disillusionment

November 3, 2025

Animal Farm Chapter 9 Summary and Analysis: Deception and Disillusionment

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What Happens in Chapter 9 of Animal Farm?

In Chapter 9, Orwell captures the collapse of idealism and the emotional heart of the novel through the tragic death of Boxer. The rebellion’s dream is now fully corrupted.

Key events:

The animals rebuild the windmill again, despite exhaustion and famine.
Napoleon’s regime introduces Spontaneous Demonstrations to glorify him.
The pigs grow richer while the rest of the animals starve.
Boxer, the most loyal and hardworking of all, collapses from overwork.
Instead of being sent to a vet, Boxer is sold to the knacker, a slaughterer, for money to buy whisky.

“Boxer’s face disappeared at the window, and a moment later the sound of a heavy van drove out of the yard.”

Boxer’s death is the ultimate symbol of betrayal; the workers sacrificed for the gain of the powerful.

Animal Farm GCSE Study Hub: Orwell’s Vision, Themes and Context

How Does Orwell Present Boxer as a Tragic Hero?

Boxer represents the working class: loyal, strong and trusting. His maxims, “I will work harder” and “Napoleon is always right,” reflect his innocence and blind faith.

When he collapses, Orwell makes the moment deeply emotional:

“The animals crowded round Boxer, calling out, ‘Boxer! Boxer! Boxer!’”

Even in his suffering, Boxer remains devoted to the cause. His tragic flaw, his inability to question authority, seals his fate.

GCSE Insight: Orwell uses Boxer to show that without critical thinking, loyalty becomes dangerous in corrupt societies.

What Does Boxer’s Death Symbolise in Animal Farm?

Boxer’s death symbolises the betrayal of the working class and the complete corruption of the revolution.

He is exploited until he collapses, then discarded.
Napoleon’s regime profits from his death, using his body to buy whisky.
Squealer spreads lies, saying Boxer died peacefully in hospital.

“It was not possible to learn whether the van had actually gone to the knacker’s.”

This deceit mirrors how totalitarian regimes rewrite truth to maintain control.

Context: Boxer’s fate parallels how Stalin’s USSR exploited workers while claiming to champion them.

How Does Orwell Show Political Deception and Propaganda?

Squealer’s lies reach their height in Chapter 9:

He claims the van that took Boxer was repainted and originally belonged to a knacker.
He invents false stories about Boxer’s “last words” praising Napoleon.
He distracts the animals with empty slogans and parades.

Orwell’s message is clear: when truth itself can be rewritten, there is no freedom.

Exam Tip: Link this to Orwell’s warning that “the Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears”, a theme he develops further in 1984.

How Does Orwell Use Irony in Chapter 9?

The irony is painful; the ideals that inspired rebellion are now tools of oppression.

Animalism promised equality, yet the animals live in worse conditions than under Mr. Jones.
The pigs’ toast to “Boxer’s memory” contrasts brutally with the reality of his death.
Napoleon’s state propaganda celebrates Boxer’s “heroism” while concealing murder.

Orwell’s use of dramatic irony ensures readers see the truth that the animals cannot. which deepens the tragedy.

What Themes Are Central in Chapter 9?

Theme	Explanation and Example
Betrayal and Exploitation	Boxer’s death shows how loyal citizens are used and discarded.
Corruption and Power	The pigs profit from death and disguise greed as leadership.
Propaganda and Truth	Squealer’s lies show Orwell’s fear of truth being erased.
Disillusionment and Loss	The dream of Animalism is dead; only slogans remain.
Class and Inequality	The gap between pigs and other animals mirrors human oppression.

What Happens at the End of Chapter 9?

The chapter closes with the animals continuing to believe in Napoleon’s leadership, even after Boxer’s death. Orwell’s tone is bleak but instructive: revolution fails when memory and critical thought are lost.

The windmill is completed once more, but it produces profits for the pigs, not comfort for the workers. The cycle of exploitation continues.

“Boxer’s story is the emotional core of Animal Farm. Orwell shows how noble ideals can die not through violence, but through quiet betrayal and silence. For GCSE students, it is a chapter about empathy, moral courage and the danger of obedience without question, a timeless warning that is as relevant today as ever.”

Matt
Founder, Apollo Scholars

What Happens Next in Animal Farm?

In Chapter 10, Orwell concludes the novel with shocking irony; the pigs become indistinguishable from humans, showing that the revolution has come full circle. The promise of freedom has turned into tyranny.

👉 Next Blog: Animal Farm Chapter 10: The Pigs Become Men – The End of the Dream
⬅️ Previous Blog: Animal Farm Chapter 8: Corruption, Hypocrisy and Control