Equality and Autonomy:
- The animals initially revel in their newfound freedom, equality, and autonomy. They work together to maintain the farm, make decisions collectively, and share the fruits of their labor.
Newfound Responsibilities:
- While living under the principles of Animalism, the animals discover the challenges of self-governance and running the farm. They face tasks such as organizing meetings, managing resources, and making decisions.
Education:
- The pigs, particularly Snowball, take it upon themselves to educate the other animals. They teach them about reading and writing, as well as the principles of Animalism. This education aims to empower the animals and prevent the rise of a new dictatorship.
Rebellion against Injustice:
- The animals face external threats from humans who oppose their rebellion and seek to reclaim the farm. They defend themselves by organizing militias and devising strategies to protect their newfound freedoms.
Division and Exploitation:
- As time passes, the pigs gradually assume more power and start manipulating the other animals. They rewrite the commandments, exploit the less intelligent animals, and indulge in luxuries while others endure hardships. The initial ideals of equality and fairness begin to erode.
Dictatorship and Brutality:
- Under the leadership of Napoleon, a pig who becomes the de facto leader, the farm descends into a totalitarian regime. Napoleon uses fear, intimidation, and violence to suppress any dissent or questioning of his authority. Other animals live in constant fear, and many disappear or are executed without explanation.
Loss of Identity:
- The original vision and ideals of Animal Farm are gradually forgotten as the pigs take on human-like characteristics. They adopt human behaviors such as walking upright, carrying whips, and engaging in trade with neighboring humans. The boundaries between animals and humans become blurred, and the initial revolution's purpose becomes lost.
In conclusion, the life of animals on Animal Farm undergoes a transformation from initial optimism, cooperation, and equality to division, exploitation, and dictatorship, eventually leading to the complete subversion of the ideals that inspired the rebellion in the first place.