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Boxer:
Kind, trusting, loyal, hardworking.
The most sympathetically drawn character in the novel, Boxer epitomizes all of the best qualities of the exploited working classes: dedication, loyalty, and a huge capacity for labor. He also, however, suffers from what Orwell saw as the working class's major weaknesses: a naive trust in the good intentions of the intelligentsia and an inability to recognize even the most blatant forms of political corruption. He is clearly exploited by the pigs as much or more than he had been by Mr. Jones. His incredible strength, dedication, and loyalty play a key role in the early prosperity of Animal Farm and the later completion of the windmill. Quick to help but rather slow-witted, Boxer shows much devotion to Animal Farm's ideals but little ability to think about them independently. He naively trusts the pigs to make all his decisions for him. His two mottoes are "I will work harder" and "Napoleon is always right.’’ Boxer and Clover are used by Orwell to represent the proletariat, or unskilled labor class in Russian society. This lower class is naturally drawn to Stalin (Napoleon) because it seems as though they will benefit most from his new system. Since Boxer and the other low animals are not accustomed to the "good life," they can't really compare Napoleon's government to the life they had before under the czars (Jones). Also, since usually the lowest class has the lowest intelligence, it is not difficult to persuade them into thinking they are getting a good deal. The proletariat is also quite good at convincing each other that communism is a good idea. Orwell supports this contention when he narrates: "Their most faithful disciples were the two carthorses, Boxer and Clover. Those two had great difficulty in thinking anything out for themselves, but having once accepted the pigs as their teachers, they absorbed everything that they were told, and passed it on to the other animals by simple arguments." Boxer is kind, trusting, and loyal and hard working. He is a loyal follower of the revolution. His dedication and selflessness become extremely apparent. Much of the success of the harvest depends on Boxer’s strength and commitment. His compassion becomes apparent when he thinks that he ahs killed the stable lad and he becomes very upset about this. His lack of intelligence and unquestioning trust in the pigs mean that he becomes vulnerable to their exploitation. His blind faith in them is considered disastrous and even in death the pigs take advantage of him. His defence of Snowball, which is noted by Squealer, shows his integrity and honesty. His self-sacrifice and dedication is clear: ‘’I will work harder’’ Later, the importance of the proletariat is shown when Boxer suddenly falls and there is suddenly a drastic decrease in work productivity. Boxer's pitiful death at a glue factory dramatically illustrates the extent of the pigs' betrayal.
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