How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
After this they went back to the farm buildings, where Snowball and Napoleon sent for a ladder which they caused to be set against the end wall of the big barn. They explained that by their studies of the past three months the pigs had succeeded in reducing the principles of Animalism to Seven Commandments. These Seven Commandments would now be inscribed on the wall; they would form an unalterable law by which all the animals on Animal Farm must live for ever after. (2.21)
Just add another three commandments, and you'll get all the way up to ten. Ten Commandments, and one Rule: animalism is looking more and more like a religion every day.
Quote #8
After much thought Snowball declared that the Seven Commandments could in effect be reduced to a single maxim, namely: "Four legs good, two legs bad." This, he said, contained the essential principle of Animalism. (3.9)
Like with political philosophies, we're pretty sure that reduction of a religion into six words is—well, not wrong, but probably not really getting at the subtleties of theological thought. (Although, to be fair, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" seems to work pretty well for a lot of religions. Too bad it's eleven words.)
Quote #9
Friend of fatherless!
Fountain of happiness!
Lord of the swill-bucket! Oh, how my soul is on
Fire when I gaze at thy
Calm and commanding eye,
Like the sun in the sky,
Comrade Napoleon!
Thou are the giver of
All that thy creatures love,
Full belly twice a day, clean straw to roll upon;
Every beast great or small
Sleeps at peace in his stall,
Thou watchest over all,
Comrade Napoleon!
Had I a sucking-pig,
Ere he had grown as big
Even as a pint bottle or as a rolling-pin,
He should have learned to be
Faithful and true to thee,
Yes, his first squeak should be
"Comrade Napoleon!" (8.5)
Every religious leader needs a song, right? Quick Brain Snack: Stalin's department of propaganda commissioned a lot of paintings of Stalin that drew on the conventions of Russian Christian iconography—paintings that glorified a saint. In other words, they made Stalin out to be a religious figure. Looks to us like the same thing is happening here.