Boxer's determination

Boxer's determination was a fixed, almost mechanical force. From the earliest days after the Rebellion, he arranged for the cockerel to call him half an hour before anyone else, using the extra time for volunteer labor. His personal motto, "I will work harder," became his answer to every problem and every setback, a phrase that expressed not just a work ethic but a complete worldview: effort could overcome any obstacle.

This resolve reached its peak during the construction of the windmill. The quarry work was excruciatingly slow; boulders had to be dragged up the slope and toppled over the edge, often taking an entire day for a single stone. Boxer's strength seemed equal to that of all the other animals combined. When the rope slipped and the animals were dragged backward, it was always Boxer who strained against the line, halting the boulder. The other animals watched him toiling inch by inch, his breath coming fast, his hoofs clawing at the ground, his sides matted with sweat. Clover repeatedly warned him not to overstrain himself, but Boxer never listened. His two slogans—"I will work harder" and "Napoleon is always right"—were sufficient for him.

The executions of the supposed traitors left Boxer confused and shaken. He could not understand how such things could happen on their farm. Yet his response was characteristic: he blamed a fault in themselves and resolved to work harder, getting up a full hour earlier in the mornings. In the bitter winter, when food was short and the windmill had to be rebuilt, Boxer's cry of "I will work harder" was the only inspiration the other animals had. Even as his strength waned, his determination never faltered.