What dealings does Napoleon have with Fredrick and Pilkington?

English · Middle School · Thu Feb 04 2021

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 In George Orwell's novel "Animal Farm," Napoleon, the pig who emerges as the leader of Animal Farm, has various dealings with the human characters Frederick and Pilkington, who own neighboring farms: Pinchfield Farm and Foxwood Farm, respectively.

Napoleon's interactions with these characters primarily relate to trade and the ongoing struggle for power and security. Throughout the story, the farm animals, under the leadership of pigs like Napoleon, are trying to maintain independence and self-sufficiency. However, as the pigs adopt more human-like behaviors, they begin to interact with the human farmers, despite their original resolution to have no dealings with humans.

At one point in the story, Napoleon decides to engage in trade with the neighboring human farmers. He begins negotiations with both Frederick and Pilkington but is distrustful and plays them off against each other to get a better deal. Finally, he sells a pile of timber to Frederick. Napoleon convinces the other animals that this is in their best interest, although it goes against the principles of Animalism, which the animals established earlier in the story to govern themselves without human influence.

Unfortunately, the deal turns sour when Frederick pays with counterfeit money. This deception by Frederick leads to a violent conflict, as Frederick and his men attack Animal Farm (the Battle of the Windmill), causing significant damage and casualties among the animals.

At other times in the story, Napoleon appears to be more friendly with Pilkington, but, as is the case with Frederick, these relations are marked by mutual distrust and strategic maneuvering rather than genuine friendship or alliance. By the end of the book, relations between the pigs and the human farmers have become more amicable, as Napoleon and the other pigs become more and more like the humans they initially sought to overthrow.

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