Animal Farm: Snowball Character Analysis (AQA GCSE English Literature): Revision Note

Snowball is presented as a natural leader and he attempts to present a positive vision of the future. However, like Napoleon, he is a flawed character.  

Snowball character summary 

Why is Snowball important?  

Snowball is depicted as:

• Idealistic: Snowball follows the ideals of Old Major and dedicates himself to developing the animals’ intellectual and physical lives. Snowball initiates the building of the windmill to help aid food production, run machinery, produce electricity and to give the animals more rest: “Snowball conjured up pictures of fantastic machines”. Similarly, he views education as a means to improve the lives of the animals and establishes committees and introduces “classes in reading and writing”.

• Articulate: Snowball is a confident and articulate speaker and is initially respected by the other animals. Despite divided opinions, he is able to convince the other animals of the windmill’s benefits, despite Napoleon criticising it as “nonsense”. He introduces literacy to the other animals and paints the Seven Commandments on the barn wall: “it was Snowball who was best at writing”. He also simplifies the Commandments to the simple statement, “Four legs good, two legs bad”.

• Brave: Snowball is a courageous fighter and leads and organises the animals during “The Battle of the Cowshed”, where they retaliate with an ambush and a violent attack on the men: “Snowball… was in charge of the defensive operations”. Originally, Snowball is considered an “Animal Hero, First Class” for his bravery and an initiator of change. However, “after Snowball's expulsion” by the nine dogs, he is simply portrayed as an enemy. 

• Vulnerable: While the other animals respect Snowball, this makes him a target for Napoleon’s hostility. Ultimately, Napoleon uses violence to attack Snowball and drive him from the farm. Equally, violence is used by Napoleon and the dogs to force the other animals to confess their involvement with Snowball and these confessions and executions lead to carnage in the barn: “there was a pile of corpses”.  

Snowball’s use of language

Snowball’s use of language conveys his intelligence and his ability to inspire and motivate others through rhetoric. 

• Visionary: Unlike Napoleon, Snowball is a visionary and inspires the other animals: “Snowball often won over the majority by his brilliant speeches”. His vision and creativity is juxtaposed with that of Napoleon’s: “Napoleon produced no schemes of his own, but said quietly that Snowball's would come to nothing”.

• Articulate and persuasive: Snowball is “more vivacious” and intellectually superior to Napoleon and uses his intelligence to resolve problems on the farm. His rhetorical expertise enables him to act as an effective speaker and initially he is respected by Napoleon. The two leadership contenders have fervent debates, particularly about the building of the windmill, which would “supply the farm with electrical power”. Snowball is seen by Napoleon as a threat to his leadership and he has him expelled from the farm: “They [the dogs] dashed straight for Snowball”. 

Snowball key quotes 

Snowball character development

Snowball character interpretation

Scapegoat

The characters of Napoleon and Snowball represent the historical feud between Stalin and Trotsky, which led to the totalitarian regime of Soviet Russia. Through the dystopian elements of the novella, Orwell illustrates how the oppressive rule used by Napoleon and the ostracism of Snowball fail to bring about an improved life for the animals on the farm. 

The pigs’ altering of the Commandments and Napoleon’s reinvention and revision of Snowball’s role on the farm symbolise the way the Soviet government continued to revise history in order to exercise control over their people’s views and perceptions.