In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Mollie is a horse who consistently yearns for human attention and never feels at home after the Rebellion.
Her character signifies the Russian bourgeoisie, highlighting the discomfort and threat felt by this societal class during the communist revolution.
Mollie continues to crave the luxuries of her former life, reflecting the bourgeoisie’s resistance to the upheavals brought about by the revolution.
Mollie embodies those who were resistant to change and nostalgic for the old societal hierarchy and norms.
Animal Farm Quotes With Page Numbers
Mollie Character Description From Animal Farm
Mollie is a character in George Orwell’s classic novel “Animal Farm.” She’s a “foolish, pretty white mare who drew Mr. Jones’s trap” (Chapter 1, Pages 5, 6). This signifies her role in the pre-revolutionary period under human rule.
Mollie is more concerned with frivolous matters such as sugar lumps and ribbons than the revolutionary cause. She is often criticized for her naive queries, characterized as the “stupidest questions of all” (Chapter 2, Page 16).
Her questions often reveal her shallow concerns about the new society. For instance, she asks Snowball, “Will there still be sugar after the Rebellion?” to which Snowball replies negatively, explaining that there won’t be sugar and that liberty is worth more than ribbons (Chapter 2, Page 17).
Despite agreeing, Mollie’s lack of conviction implies her inability to adapt to the ideals of the animal revolution.
Mollie is often absent from collective actions and can be found admiring herself or engaging in long disappearances (Chapter 2, Pages 22, 23, Chapter 3, Page 30).
She also has a habit of leaving work early and making excuses, such as having a stone in her hoof (Chapter 3, Pages 29, 30).
Her refusal to learn past the six letters spelling her name (Chapter 3, Page 33) further evidences her limited intellect and motivation.
She’s easily frightened, as shown when she goes into hiding after a gunshot (Chapter 4, Page 43). This behavior demonstrates her lack of courage and commitment to the revolutionary cause.
Mollie’s character is seen as increasingly troublesome with the onset of winter, marked by excuses for work lateness and mysterious pains. It’s mentioned that she often gazed at her reflection (Chapter 5, Page 45).
This indicates her vanity and posturing are more important to her than the communal objectives of the farm.
In summary, Mollie is depicted as a superficial, self-indulgent, and shallow character, concerned more with her comforts and vanity than with the collective betterment of the community.
Her actions and attitudes underscore her lack of understanding of the principles of the rebellion, making her a symbol of the bourgeoisie class that the Animal Farm revolution sought to overturn.
Mollie Quotes Animal Farm
“At the last moment Mollie, the foolish, pretty white mare who drew Mr. Jones’s trap, came mincing daintily in, chewing at a lump of sugar.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (The narrator about Mollie), Chapter 1, Pages 5, 6
“The stupidest questions of all were asked by Mollie, the white mare.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (The narrator about Mollie), Chapter 2, Page 16
“The very first question she asked Snowball was: “Will there still be sugar after the Rebellion?”
“No,” said Snowball firmly. “We have no means of making sugar on this farm. Besides, you do not need sugar. You will have all the oats and hay you want.”
“And shall I still be allowed to wear ribbons in my mane?” asked Mollie.
“Comrade,” said Snowball, “those ribbons that you are so devoted to are the badge of slavery. Can you not understand that liberty is worth more than ribbons? ”
Mollie agreed, but she did not sound very convinced.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Mollie and Snowball), Chapter 2, Page 17
“Mollie agreed, but she did not sound very convinced.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (The narrator about Mollie), Chapter 2, Page 17
“They were last coming down the stairs when Mollie was discovered to be missing. Going back, the others found that she had remained behind in the best bedroom. She had taken a piece of blue ribbon from Mrs. Jones’s dressing-table, and was holding it against her shoulder and admiring herself in the glass in a very foolish manner. The others reproached her sharply, and they went outside.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (The narrator about Mollie), Chapter 2, Pages 22, 23
“Mollie, it was true, was not good at getting up in the mornings, and had a way of leaving work early on the ground that there was a stone in her hoof.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (The Narrator about Mollie and Snowball), Chapter 3, Pages 29, 30
“She would vanish for hours on end, and then reappear at meal-times, or in the evening after work was over, as though nothing had happened. But she always made such excellent excuses, and purred so affectionately, that it was impossible not to believe in her good intentions.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (The narrator about Mollie and Snowball), Chapter 3, Page 30
“Mollie refused to learn any but the six letters which spelt her own name. She would form these very neatly out of pieces of twig, and would then decorate them with a flower or two and walk round them admiring them.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (The narrator about Mollie), Chapter 3, Page 33
“Where is Mollie?” exclaimed somebody.
Mollie in fact was missing. For a moment there was great alarm; it was feared that the men might have harmed her in some way, or even carried her off with them. In the end, however, she was found hiding in her stall with her head buried among the hay in the manger. She had
taken to flight as soon as the gun went off. And when the others came back from looking for her, it was to find that the stable-lad, who in fact was only stunned, had already recovered and made off.”~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (The narrator about Mollie), Chapter 4, Page 43
“One day, as Mollie strolled blithely into the yard, flirting her long tail and chewing at a stalk of hay, Clover took her aside.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (The narrator about Mollie and Snowball), Chapter 5, Page 45
“AS WINTER drew on, Mollie became more and more troublesome. She was late for work every morning and excused herself by saying that she had overslept, and she complained of mysterious pains, although her appetite was excellent. On every kind of pretext she would run away from work and go to the drinking pool, where she would stand foolishly gazing at her own reflection in the water. But there were also rumours of something more serious. One day, as Mollie strolled blithely into the yard, flirting her long tail and chewing at a stalk of hay, Clover took her aside.
“Mollie,” she said, “I have something very serious to say to you. This morning I saw you looking over the hedge that divides Animal Farm from Foxwood. One of Mr. Pilkington’s men was standing on the other side of the hedge. And-I was a long way away, but I am almost certain I saw this-he was talking to you and you were allowing him to stroke your nose. What does that mean, Mollie?”
“He didn’t! I wasn’t! It isn’t true!” cried Mollie, beginning to prance about and paw the ground.
“Mollie! Look me in the face. Do you give me your word of honour that that man was not stroking your nose?”
“It isn’t true!” repeated Mollie, but she could not look Clover in the face, and the next moment she took to her heels and galloped away into the field.
A thought struck Clover. Without saying anything to the others, she went to Mollie’s stall and turned over the straw with her hoof. Hidden under the straw was a little pile of lump sugar and several bunches of ribbon of different colours.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (The narrator, Clover and Mollie), Chapter 5, Pages 45, 46
“Without saying anything to the others, she went to Mollie’s stall and turned over the straw with her hoof.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (The narrator about Mollie and Clover), Chapter 5, Page 46
“Three days later Mollie disappeared. For some weeks nothing was known of her whereabouts, then the pigeons reported that they had seen her on the other side of Willingdon. She was between the shafts of a smart dogcart painted red and black, which was standing outside a public-house. A fat red-faced man in check breeches and gaiters, who looked like a publican, was stroking her nose and feeding her with sugar. Her coat was newly clipped and she wore a scarlet ribbon round her forelock. She appeared to be enjoying herself, so the pigeons said. None of the animals ever mentioned Mollie again.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (The narrator about Mollie), Chapter 5, Pages 46, 47
“None of the animals ever mentioned Mollie again.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (The narrator about Mollie), Chapter 5, Page 47
“Except for Mollie and Snowball, no other animal had ever left the farm, and they did not like to think of their sick comrade in the hands of human beings.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (The narrator about Mollie and Snowball), Chapter 9, Page 120
Animal Farm Quotes About Power
What does Mollie symbolize in Animal Farm?
Mollie, the horse, represents the Russian bourgeoisie, who felt threatened during the communist revolution. She symbolizes the segment of society that craves human attention and focuses on material comforts and vanity, which leaves her feeling uncomfortable with the changes brought on by Rebellion.
Why is Mollie a strong name in Animal Farm?
Mollie is a strong name as it portrays the characteristic traits and nature of the bourgeoisie class in Russia during the communist revolution. She is vain and materialistic, much as the bourgeois class is stereotypically perceived.
The feminine name also symbolizes her craving for human attention, reflecting the constant desire of the bourgeoisie for recognition and comfort.
How does Mollie react to Animal Farm?
Mollie, the horse in Orwell’s Animal Farm, reacts to the rebellion and the establishment of Animal Farm with discomfort and unease. Rather than embracing the new order, she craves human attention and the comforts she was used to in her previous life, illustrating her inability to adapt to or accept the changes brought about by the rebellion.
Did Mollie betray Animal Farm?
Yes, Mollie did betray Animal Farm. After receiving little care or attention from the other animals, she abandoned the farm to move to Willingdon. After her departure, she was never mentioned again by any of the animals on the farm.
What did Mollie love in Animal Farm?
In “Animal Farm,” Mollie loved ribbons and sugar, symbols of her former luxury and opulence under Mr. Jones’ rule. She had difficulty adjusting to the principles of Animalism, missing the pampering she had once received from humans.
Her affection for human paraphernalia, pampering, and fuss eventually drove her to desert the farm, emphasizing her attachment to materialistic things over communal principles.
What gender is Mollie Animal Farm?
Mollie from Animal Farm is a female horse. She is characterized as a horse who craves human attention and never feels comfortable after the Rebellion. She symbolizes the Russian bourgeoisie who felt threatened during the communist revolution.
Is Mollie a burden to Animal Farm?
Mollie is not necessarily a burden to Animal Farm but represents a different perspective from the other animals. Because she is less interested in the collective ideals of the Rebellion, she wasn’t missed or mentioned again after she left.