Animal Farm makes heavy use of foreshadowing. Most of the plot’s main events are foreshadowed in the opening chapter. This foreshadowing emphasizes the inevitability of what happens, suggesting that violent revolution is doomed to fail, and that power always corrupts. Animal Farm’s foreshadowing also serves to place particular emphasis on the events Orwell saw as central to the failure of the Russian Revolution, and revolutions generally. The events most heavily foreshadowed are the different stages of the farm’s collapse into violence. Boxer’s death is foreshadowed in Chapter 7, when Napoleon’s dogs “go quite mad” and attack Boxer. Although Boxer is unharmed, this incident foreshadows Napoleon’s decision to have Boxer killed. Boxer’s death is also foreshadowed by the novella’s many references to the pasture that will be set apart for retired animals. As the pigs’ treachery unfolds, it becomes clear to the reader that the retirement pasture will never exist. As a result, every reference to Boxer’s retirement becomes an ironic foreshadowing of his betrayal and death. When Boxer himself looks forward to retiring, he is unwittingly foreshadowing that Napoleon will betray him, which emphasizes the cruelty of Napoleon’s deception.
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