Animal Farm/Tear Jerker

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • The death of Boxer.
    • Oh, god, and the funeral.
    • Probably more cruel than both of these is when Boxer is taken away in the van - to the vet's (*cough*) - and though you half know it's coming it doesn't make the scene any easier to read. Not only the moment where the animals realise what is written on the side of the van ("Alferd Simmonds, Horse Slaughterer and Glue Boiler, Willingdon") but also when it's discribed as they shout out for Boxer to get out of the van and how they hear Boxer try to escape but he's too weak. It doesn't help that it's two horses pulling the van and taking him to die.
  • Let's be honest here: It's harder to find a moment where you're not tearing up.
  • The ending. What was worse was that Orwell didn't describe Clover's reaction, so we were left to imagine it...
  • The death of that poor little sheep.