George Orwell’s Animal Farm ends with one of literature’s most haunting and powerful scenes. It is a moment of chilling realization for the oppressed animals. The final lines deliver a devastating verdict on the revolution they fought so hard to win. After years of struggle and sacrifice, they find themselves in a world indistinguishable from the one they overthrew. The story concludes with a simple, yet profound, observation that seals the tragic fate of the farm.
The Unraveling of a Revolution
To understand the ending, we must recall the beginning. The animals of Manor Farm, led by the pigs, expelled their human master, Mr. Jones. They dreamed of a society built on equality, freedom, and justice. The Seven Commandments guided their new life. The most important rule was clear: “All animals are equal.” However, the pigs, led by the cunning Napoleon, slowly consolidated power. They twisted the commandments to suit their desires. The original ideals of the revolution faded into distant memory, replaced by fear and propaganda.
By the final chapter, the pigs have become tyrants. They walk on two legs, wear clothes, and sleep in beds. They have formed an alliance with the very humans they once despised. The farm’s name reverts from Animal Farm back to Manor Farm. This sets the stage for the story’s unforgettable conclusion, where the other animals peer through the farmhouse window, witnessing a disturbing scene between their pig leaders and the neighboring human farmers.
A Game of Cards, A Chorus of Anger
The final scene unfolds during a card game. Inside the farmhouse, Napoleon and Mr. Pilkington, a human farmer, are arguing. Both had played an ace of spades simultaneously, revealing their mutual cheating and distrust. The other animals, watching from the darkness, hear the argument erupt. Orwell writes, “Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike.” This single sentence powerfully captures the core theme. The pigs and the men, once sworn enemies, now sound identical in their greed and fury.
This moment signifies the complete collapse of the revolutionary principles. The pigs no longer represent the animals’ interests. Instead, they have joined the ranks of the oppressors. Their voices, once a source of inspiration and hope, now blend into a chorus of human corruption. The animals outside can no longer distinguish friend from foe. This auditory confusion is the prelude to the final, devastating visual revelation.
The Final, Unmistakable Transformation
As the chaos inside settles, the animals on the outside look closer. Their eyes move back and forth between the creatures at the table. This is where Orwell delivers his final, masterful stroke. He shows the ultimate betrayal through a moment of pure visual horror. The revolution has not just failed; it has come full circle, creating a new tyranny identical to the old one.
Orwell concludes with this chilling passage: “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.” The physical transformation is complete. The pigs have adopted the vices and appearances of men so perfectly that they are now indistinguishable. This final image shatters any remaining hope for the animals. Their liberators have become their oppressors, and the cycle of tyranny is destined to continue.
The Symbolism of the Final Lines
The ending of Animal Farm is a powerful allegory for the Russian Revolution. The pigs represent the Bolshevik leaders who seized power, with Napoleon as a clear stand-in for Joseph Stalin. The humans represent the capitalist powers that the Soviet Union initially opposed but later engaged with. The card game signifies the cynical political maneuvering of world leaders, like the Tehran Conference, where leaders forged alliances based on power, not principle. The final transformation shows how the Soviet leadership became a new ruling class, just as oppressive as the tsarist regime it replaced. Source
However, the message transcends one historical event. Orwell issues a timeless warning about the nature of power. He argues that power corrupts, regardless of ideology. The pigs’ journey from revolutionaries to dictators demonstrates how easily noble ideals can be subverted by greed and ambition. The final lines serve as a cautionary tale for any movement that seeks to change the world. Without vigilance and accountability, any revolution can betray its own principles and recreate the very systems it sought to destroy.
Why Orwell’s Warning Endures
Decades after its publication, the final scene of Animal Farm continues to resonate with readers. It speaks to a universal fear of betrayal and the cyclical nature of oppression. The story serves as a stark reminder to question authority and be wary of leaders who claim to have all the answers. Furthermore, it highlights the critical role of language in politics. Throughout the book, the pigs manipulate language to control the other animals, a tactic that remains prevalent in modern political discourse.
Ultimately, the haunting final lines force us to confront uncomfortable truths about human nature and society. The impossibility of telling pig from man is not just an endpoint for the animals on the farm. It is a perpetual warning for all of us. It compels us to remain vigilant against tyranny in all its forms, ensuring that our own revolutions, big or small, do not end with us looking through the window, unable to tell the difference between the saviors and the oppressors.