Animal Farm Chapter 7: Summary

Rough Winter

The weather is bitterly cold and icy through the winter months, but the animals continue to work. The width of the walls of the new windmill they are building is made twice as thick as it was the first time. The humans did not believe that Snowball tore down the first windmill. They thought it fell because it was too thin. That will not be the case with the new windmill. The animals are unable to break rocks in the quarry with snow on the ground, but when the weather is cold and dry, they are able to do the miserable work of hauling rocks. Squealer tries to inspire them with words about service. The other animals find Boxer's 'I will work harder!' attitude more inspiring than the speeches.

By January, the food supply is running low. The animals feel they should hide their scarcity from the townspeople, as there are rumors running rampant about the animals starving, fighting amongst themselves, and eating each other. Napoleon prevents the animals from being in Mr. Whymper's company, except for a few that are hand-chosen to make off-handed remarks in his presence about how well things are going. Napoleon has the food bins filled with sand, and then covered with food so that when Mr. Whymper sees the food supply, he will report back to town that there is plenty of food on the farm.

Napoleon stops appearing in public, except when surrounded by dogs. Edicts are issued through Squealer at the Sunday meetings. The hens are required to donate their eggs to be traded for grain so that the animals can make it until summer. In protest, the hens lay their eggs high in the rafters of the barn. The eggs break when they fall to the floor. Napoleon orders that the hens are not to be fed and threatens to kill any animal that attempts to feed them. Over five days, nine hens die before they give up and return to their nesting boxes to lay eggs for the cause.

Snowball is to Blame

Allegedly, Snowball is hiding on a neighboring farm. Napoleon attempts to sell a pile of timber to either Mr. Pilkington or Mr. Frederick, but each time a deal is almost reached, the story shifts regarding which farm is harboring Snowball. Rumors fly about the visits Snowball makes to the barn each night. Every time something goes wrong on the farm, Snowball is blamed. Napoleon verifies Snowball's presence throughout the barn, stating that he smells his scent.

Squealer announces that Snowball has sold himself to Mr. Frederick and is currently plotting an invasion. Further, Snowball was a secret agent for Mr. Jones the entire time he was at Animal Farm. Squealer adds that Snowball's part in the Battle of Cowshed was to destroy Animal Farm. The animals, even Boxer, have a hard time understanding the logic behind this accusation as they remember Snowball as a hero of that battle. Squealer claims to have found documents that prove Snowball's alliance with Jones. He provides a detailed description of Snowball fleeing the battle and Napoleon saving the day. His description is so vivid, the animals seem to remember things happening as Squealer says they did. Boxer still does not believe it until Squealer states that Napoleon says Snowball was always a traitor, at which point Boxer remembers, 'Napoleon is always right.'

The Executions

Four days later, Napoleon calls a meeting. He wears his new Animal Hero, Second Class and his Animal Hero, First Class medals, both of which he has recently awarded himself. He uses a high-pitched yell to command and release his dogs. Four pigs are grabbed by the dogs and brought forward. Three dogs assault Boxer, but two run away when Boxer pins one to the ground. Boxer lets him go when Napoleon gives him the order. Napoleon orders the pigs to confess their crimes. They admit to being in collaboration with Snowball to destroy the windmill and overtake the farm for Mr. Frederick. The dogs immediately kill the pigs in the presence of the other animals.