Character Analysis of Benjamin in Animal Farm Literary Analysis Example

📌Category: Animal Farm, Books, Orwell, Writers
📌Words: 655
📌Pages: 3
📌Published: 19 June 2022

Benjamin, a very important character in Animal Farm by George Orwell, has many character traits and serves many purposes throughout the novel. When analyzed, he is said to be rational, meaning he “is able to think and make decisions without using emotion” (“Rational”). Benjamin is “the oldest animal on the farm” and “insists that any possible changes [to who is in power] will not mitigate suffering” (Bloom 18). He is very knowledgeable but is realistic, and does not help make anything better. He is also apathetic towards the plight of the others, and continues to let them live in a lie. Although he is apathetic to most, Benjamin really cares for Boxer, his one loyal friend. Throughout the novel, Benjamin is depicted as cynical and apathetic, but he truly represents a realist who is capable of showing feelings towards the very loyal. 

Benjamin is portrayed as a very smart animal, maybe even one of the smartest, yet he never uses his intelligence to help the other animals with the injustices they face, and do not even realize. Benjamin has been around for a long time and could be said that “he has long-term vision: unlike anyone else, he remembers the past and thinks about the future” so when asked about his thoughts of the new life, he “doesn’t bother getting worked up over what he sees as passing phases or fads” (“Benjamin (A Donkey)”). Due to his age, Benjamin has seen many past rebellions and knows that, whoever is in charge, life will always be bad. Benjamin was noticeably wise and “could read as well as any pig” (Orwell 33). He had the mind to help others, but he never provided any guidance on what they should do. Benjamin is a selfish donkey, who has a grasp of what is happening, and is portrayed as cynical even though he is just realistic.

Benjamin is a negative character, and is apathetic towards the plight of the other animals on the farm. Benjamin does not do much on the farm and “refuses to act, even if he thinks (or knows) that the animals are making a really dumb decision” (“Benjamin (A Donkey)”). He thinks it is almost funny, and when the windmill is about to be blown up, he “slowly, and with an air almost of amusement, Benjamin nodded his long muzzle” (Orwell 102). He enjoys seeing what the animals have worked so hard on, being destroyed, and knows that what they are doing is wrong and it will not change a thing. Benjamin does not care for the animals nor does he believe that what they do will fix anything, and does not feel the need to help anyone on the farm besides himself. 

Although Benjamin is apathetic towards other animals on the farm, he is exceedingly caring for his one loyal companion, Boxer. Benjamin would do anything for Boxer, and when they took him away “he came galloping” to enlist the help of the other animals (Orwell 121). All of the animals were shocked when they saw this happening because Benjamin never does anything, especially for them, and to see him do this for someone, they knew he really cared about them. Benjamin never participates in the life on Animal Farm so when he tries to tell the animals what is happening to Boxer, it is too late (“Benjamin Character Analysis”). When Boxer was being taken away, he knew that he had to say something, but even when he tried, it did not work, due to his lack of engagement throughout the whole novel. During the book, Benjamin acts as if he does not care for anyone or anything, but when it comes to Boxer, he would do anything to try to save him. 

Throughout the allegory, Benjamin retains the character traits of cynical, apathetic, but most importantly realisticness “when he was negative about the Rebellion” (“Benjamin in Animal Farm”). He considers the actions the animals take “unalterable,” which “explains his attitude towards the changes on the farm and why he is never as enthusiastic as the other animals” (“Benjamin in Animal Farm”). He displays surface level traits, but when deeply analyzed, it can be learned that Benjamin is just realistic and has the ability to care for others.

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