Pigs Walking on Hind Legs
The Pigs Walking on Hind Legs is the culminating symbolic event of George Orwell's Animal Farm, in which the pigs, led by Napoleon, openly adopt the posture and attributes of their former human oppressors, thereby completing the revolution's full circle back to tyranny. This act, occurring in the final chapter, visually and dramatically confirms that the pigs have become indistinguishable from the humans they overthrew, rendering the original ideals of Animalism a hollow mockery.
The Event and Its Immediate Context
One day in early summer, after the sheep had spent a week under Squealer's supervision learning a new song, the animals finished their work and were making their way back to the farm buildings when a terrified neighing from Clover stopped them. Rushing into the yard, they saw Squealer walking on his hind legs, a little awkwardly but with perfect balance, strolling across the yard. Then a long file of pigs emerged from the farmhouse, all walking on their hind legs; some were unsteady and looked as though they would have liked the support of a stick, but every one of them made his way right round the yard successfully. Finally, with a tremendous baying of dogs and a shrill crowing from the black cockerel, Napoleon himself appeared, majestically upright, casting haughty glances from side to side, his dogs gambolling round him. He carried a whip in his trotter.
The Animals' Reaction and the Sheep's New Maxim
A deadly silence fell over the assembled animals. Amazed and terrified, they huddled together and watched the long line of pigs march slowly round the yard; it was as though the world had turned upside-down. For a moment, when the first shock had worn off, the animals might have uttered some word of protest, despite their terror of the dogs and the long-developed habit of never complaining. But at that moment, as though at a signal, all the sheep burst out into a tremendous bleating of "Four legs good, two legs BETTER!" which went on for five minutes without stopping. By the time the sheep had quieted down, the chance to utter any protest had passed, for the pigs had marched back into the farmhouse.
The Transformation of the Commandments
After the pigs had gone inside, Benjamin felt a nose nuzzling at his shoulder. It was Clover, her old eyes dimmer than ever. Without speaking, she tugged gently at his mane and led him to the end of the big barn where the Seven Commandments were written. Clover said her sight was failing, but the wall looked different to her. For once, Benjamin consented to break his rule and read out what was written there. There was nothing now except a single Commandment: "ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS."
The Consolidation of Pig Supremacy
In the days that followed, the pigs' assumption of human attributes accelerated. The pigs who supervised the work of the farm all carried whips in their trotters. They bought themselves a wireless set, arranged to install a telephone, and took out subscriptions to human newspapers. Napoleon was seen strolling in the farmhouse garden with a pipe in his mouth. The pigs took Mr. Jones's clothes out of the wardrobes and put them on; Napoleon himself appeared in a black coat, ratcatcher breeches, and leather leggings, while his favourite sow appeared in the watered silk dress Mrs. Jones had worn on Sundays. A week later, a deputation of neighbouring farmers was invited to make a tour of inspection. The animals weeding the turnip field worked diligently, not knowing whether to be more frightened of the pigs or of the human visitors.
The Final Blurring of Pig and Man
That evening, loud laughter and bursts of singing came from the farmhouse. The animals, stricken with curiosity, crept into the farmhouse garden and peered in at the dining-room window. Inside, half a dozen farmers and half a dozen of the more eminent pigs sat round the long table, Napoleon occupying the seat of honour. Mr. Pilkington of Foxwood proposed a toast to the prosperity of Animal Farm, praising the discipline and orderliness he had observed, and noting that the lower animals on Animal Farm did more work and received less food than any animals in the county. Napoleon responded by announcing that the name "Animal Farm" had been abolished; henceforward the farm was to be known as "The Manor Farm." As the animals outside gazed at the scene, they saw something strange happening to the faces of the pigs. Then a violent quarrel broke out between Napoleon and Mr. Pilkington over a card game. Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
