“Donkeys live a long time.”
Benjamin the donkey, Animal Farm’s resident cynic and perhaps its most perceptive observer, watches the revolution unfold with weary detachment.
Representing the skeptical intelligentsia or enduring wisdom in George Orwell’s allegory, Benjamin understands the pigs’ manipulations but rarely intervenes. He reserves his comments for cryptic remarks about life’s unchanging hardships—until his closest friend is threatened.
We’ve collected 18 Benjamin quotes from Animal Farm with page numbers, revealing his cynicism, quiet intelligence, deep loyalty to Boxer, and crucial, though tragically late, action.
Organized by his defining traits, these lines explore Orwell’s themes of wisdom, silence, memory, and complicity in tyranny.
Heads up! Page numbers reference the Signet edition noted below.
Benjamin’s Cynicism & Skepticism
Benjamin remains largely unmoved by the revolutionary fervor, expressing a deep-seated cynicism about the possibility of real change and the motivations of those in charge. His perspective grounds the narrative in a weary realism.
“Benjamin, the donkey. Benjamin was the oldest animal on the farm, and the worst tempered. He seldom talked, and when he did, it was usually to make some cynical remark…”
(Speaker: Narrator about Benjamin, Chapter 1, Page 5)
Orwell immediately establishes Benjamin’s defining traits: age, a reserved and ill-tempered demeanor, and a tendency toward cynicism over optimism.
“He would say that God had given him a tail to keep the flies off, but that he would sooner have had no tail and no flies.”
(Speaker: Narrator reporting Benjamin’s remark, Chapter 1, Page 5)
This example reveals Benjamin’s characteristic cynicism, finding the inherent flaw or downside even in things seemingly beneficial.
“Old Benjamin, the donkey, seemed quite unchanged since the Rebellion… About the Rebellion and its results he would express no opinion… he would say only “Donkeys live a long time. None of you has ever seen a dead donkey,”…”
(Speaker: Narrator about Benjamin, Chapter 3, Page 30)
Benjamin’s detachment from the revolutionary fervor and his cryptic motto suggest a belief in the endurance of hardship, seeing the Rebellion as potentially just another phase in a long life of suffering.
“Benjamin was the only animal who did not side with either faction [Napoleon or Snowball]… Windmill or no windmill, he said, life would go on as it had always gone on-that is, badly.”
(Speaker: Narrator about Benjamin, Chapter 5, Pages 50-51)
His neutrality stems from profound skepticism; he dismisses political factions and their promises, believing life’s fundamental difficulties are impervious to such changes.
“Only old Benjamin refused to grow enthusiastic about the windmill, though, as usual, he would utter nothing beyond the cryptic remark that donkeys live a long time.”
(Speaker: Narrator about Benjamin, Chapter 6, Page 68)
Benjamin’s consistent lack of enthusiasm for the windmill, a symbol of progress for others, highlights his deep-seated disbelief in the possibility of real improvement.
“Only old Benjamin professed to remember every detail of his long life and to know that things never had been, nor ever could be much better or much worse–hunger, hardship, and disappointment being, so he said, the unalterable law of life.”
(Speaker: Narrator about Benjamin, Chapter 10, Page 130)
As the farm’s longest memory, Benjamin concludes that suffering is not tied to specific regimes (Jones or Napoleon) but is life’s fundamental, unchanging condition.
Benjamin is born cynical. His cynicism grows through age and observation, despite being unheeded, and despite the revolutionary hope and subsequent propaganda on the farm.
Benjamin’s Intelligence & Silent Observation
Despite his passivity, Benjamin possesses an intelligence matching the pigs’. He reads situations accurately and understands the manipulation occurring, but chooses strategic silence until confronted or deeply moved.
“Benjamin could read as well as any pig, but never exercised his faculty. So far as he knew, he said, there was nothing worth reading.”
(Speaker: Narrator about Benjamin, Chapter 3, Page 33)
This establishes that Benjamin’s intellectual potential equals the pigs’, yet his cynicism prevents him from engaging with literacy, perhaps seeing it as powerless or irrelevant.
“Muriel, Benjamin, and all the sheep… rushed forward… while Benjamin turned around and lashed at them with his small hoofs.”
(Speaker: Narrator about Benjamin, Chapter 4, Page 41)
Though typically detached, Benjamin participates actively in the Battle of the Cowshed, indicating a basic loyalty to the farm’s collective defense when physically threatened.
“…even Muriel and Benjamin yoked themselves into an old governess-cart and did their share.”
(Speaker: Narrator about Benjamin, Chapter 6, Page 60)
He contributes necessary labor for the windmill construction, demonstrating a willingness to work alongside others even without sharing their enthusiasm for the project.
“Clover asked Benjamin to read her the Sixth Commandment, and when Benjamin, as usual, said that he refused to meddle in such matters, she fetched Muriel.”
(Speaker: Narrator about Benjamin, Chapter 8, Page 91)
Benjamin’s characteristic refusal to “meddle”—even by simply reading—shows his deliberate policy of non-intervention in the pigs’ affairs, despite his ability to understand.
“But Benjamin was watching the movements of the men intently… Slowly, and with an air almost of amusement, Benjamin nodded his long muzzle. ‘I thought so,’ he said…”
(Speaker: Narrator and Benjamin, Chapter 8, Page 102)
His keen observation allows him to foresee the windmill’s destruction, yet his reaction is one of cynical amusement rather than urgent alarm, reflecting his fatalism.
“None of the animals could form any idea as to what this meant, except old Benjamin, who nodded his muzzle with a knowing air, and seemed to understand, but would say nothing.”
(Speaker: Narrator about Benjamin, Chapter 8, Pages 108-109)
Benjamin alone comprehends the significance of Squealer’s fall with the paint—the physical alteration of the Commandments—but chooses silence, representing the inaction of knowledgeable observers. See Squealer’s manipulation: read Squealer’s key quotes.
“For once Benjamin consented to break his rule, and he read out to her what was written on the wall. There was nothing there now except a single Commandment. It ran: ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS”
(Speaker: Narrator about Benjamin, Chapter 10, Page 134)
Breaking his long-held silence, Benjamin finally uses his literacy to reveal to Clover the ultimate corruption of the revolution’s core principle.
Benjamin possesses the intelligence to understand the regime’s deceit, but his cynical detachment largely prevents him from intervening.
Benjamin’s Loyalty & Late Intervention
Despite his guarded nature, Benjamin forms a deep, quiet bond with Boxer. It’s the threat to his loyal friend that finally pierces his cynicism and forces him into desperate, albeit futile, action.
“…without openly admitting it, he was devoted to Boxer; the two of them usually spent their Sundays together… grazing side by side and never speaking.”
(Speaker: Narrator about Benjamin and Boxer, Chapter 1, Page 5)
This passage establishes the unspoken affection and companionship between the cynical intellectual and the hardworking laborer, forming Benjamin’s core emotional connection.
“…both she and Benjamin urged Boxer to work less hard.”
(Speaker: Narrator about Benjamin), Chapter 9, Page 111)
Benjamin demonstrates practical concern for Boxer’s well-being, recognizing the danger of his friend’s relentless labor under the pigs’ demands.
“Once again Clover and Benjamin warned him to take care of his health, but Boxer paid no attention.”
(Speaker: Narrator about Benjamin and Clover), Chapter 9, Page 119)
His persistent warnings emphasize Benjamin’s genuine friendship and concern, countering Boxer’s tragically misplaced faith in the system.
“Only Clover remained, and Benjamin who lay down at Boxer’s side, and, without speaking, kept the flies off him with his long tail.”
(Speaker: Narrator about Benjamin), Chapter 9, Page 120)
Benjamin’s silent vigil expresses his deep loyalty through quiet acts of care, offering companionship and comfort in Boxer’s moment of helplessness.
“Fools! Fools!” shouted Benjamin, prancing round them and stamping the earth with his small hoofs. “Fools! Do you not see what is written on the side of that van?… They are taking Boxer to the knacker’s!”
(Speaker: Benjamin about Boxer), Chapter 9, Page 122)
This pivotal moment shatters Benjamin’s lifelong silence. Loyalty to his friend finally overrides his cynicism, prompting a desperate, frantic attempt to expose the pigs’ betrayal.
Benjamin’s fierce loyalty to Boxer provides his primary motivation for breaking his silence, revealing a depth of feeling beneath his cynical exterior.
Conclusion: The Weight of Knowing
Benjamin the donkey, Animal Farm‘s aged cynic, represents the burden of awareness in an oppressive society.
Possessing the intelligence to see through the pigs’ lies and the memory to recall the revolution’s original promises, he understands the farm’s tragic trajectory far better than most.
Yet, his deep-seated belief that life is inherently harsh (“hunger, hardship, and disappointment being… the unalterable law of life”) leads him to a paralyzing detachment.
His refusal to “meddle” symbolizes the inaction of those who understand injustice but believe resistance is futile. It’s only his loyalty to Boxer that finally compels him to make a stand, tragically too late.
Benjamin remains the keeper of the farm’s true history, his silence as meaningful as his rare, impactful words.
Explore All Animal Farm Analysis
A Note on Page Numbers & Edition:
Donkeys live a long time, and Benjamin remembers how page numbers for George Orwell’s Animal Farm can shift between editions! These 19 page numbers reference the widely used Signet 50th Anniversary paperback edition (April 6, 2004), ISBN-13: 978-0451526342. Always double-check against your specific copy when citing for academic work—ensure your evidence is remembered correctly.
Jeremy Mortis, founder of Ageless Investing, applies a rigorous analytical approach (the AAM framework) to distill timeless wisdom and contextualized quotes from classic literature, saving you time while deepening understanding. Learn more about Jeremy’s unique background and methodology on his author bio page.