chapter 9 Animal Farm

Start with Boxer's heel, which was bitten by the dogs, taking a long time to heal. In spite of the injury, he refuses to take even one day off from the work of rebuilding the windmill. He wants to see it completed before his retirement. When the rules were originally formulated, different animals had different ages for retirement, and a liberal pension had been decided upon for all. To date, no animal has retired on pension.

Winter is cold, food is even more scarce, and rations are reduced for all the animals except the pigs and the dogs. Squealer, trying to soften the news of less food, uses the word readjustment instead of reduction. His statistics and oratory skills still make everyone believe him.

Rations are further reduced in February, but the pigs, as usual, are excluded from the reduction. In fact, rumor has it that every pig is to receive a ration of a pint of beer daily. Napoleon is to receive a full half a gallon, served to him in the Crown Derby soup tureen. Squealer convinces the masses that the pigs need more food and special treatment because of the important work that they do.

In April, Animal Farm is declared a Republic and must elect a President. The only candidate is Napoleon. As President, he still continues to defame Snowball and points out that his wounding Snowball and sending him away has saved the farm for the animals.

He does allow Moses, the raven, to return to the farm. When he talks about Sugarcandy Mountain and an afterlife, it diverts the attention of the animals away from the cruelty of their life and Napoleon.

Boxer works harder until he falls one day and is unable to get up. Everyone runs to his help, but the authorities take control. In the middle of the day, a van takes him away to be killed and made into glue. The animals cry out in horror, but their cries go unheard. When Squealer later announces Boxer's death in a sorrowful tone, he rationalizes why he was taken in the Knacker's van and promises that he died in comfort and dignity. Napoleon hypocritically pays homage to Boxer and asks others to emulate his work ethics. The chapter ends with the arrival of a wooden crate at the farmhouse.