Pilkington (Animal Farm)

Mr. Pilkington of Foxwood Farm is a fictional character in George Orwell's satirical novel Animal Farm

Role in the story

Pilkington is based on Winston Churchill and Franklin Delano Roosevelt or generally just the allies. Mr Pilkington has a larger but more unkempt farm, and is on bad terms with Mr Frederick of Pinchfield Farm. Frederick's farm is adjacent to Animal Farm on the opposite side, to which Animal Farm acts as a buffer zone, sandwiched between Pinchfield and Foxwood. Frederick is in ways the antithesis of Pilkington; he is comparatively poorer and has less land than Pilkington; however Pinchfield is more efficiently run and more productive than Foxwood. Despite the bickering between Frederick and Pilkington, there are two factors both respectfully agree upon: they are frightened of the animal revolution that deposed Mr Jones, the original owner, fearing that their own animals may stage similar revolutions on their farmsteads, and both continue to call "Animal Farm" by its original name of "Manor Farm", as they believe the name "Animal Farm" is an unofficial endorsement of the animal revolution. Mr Pilkington at first offered to buy Napoleon's pile of surplus timber, but the timber is "bought" (with counterfeit banknotes) by Frederick instead. Napoleon plays both sides by feigning friendship with Pilkington to get Frederick to pay a higher price for the timber. When Frederick invades Animal Farm, Pilkington refuses to help the animals (primarily because of the messages that Napoleon sent to Pilkington that read "Death to Pilkington"). When Napoleon frantically sends letters to Pilkington asking for help after Frederick invades, Pilkington's response letter consists of a single phrase: "Serves you right."

The Meeting

Pilkington and several other of the men working on the farm are invited to a meeting by Napoleon and the pigs, where Napoleon reintroduces Animal Farm's "new" name of The Manor Farm. Pilkington praises Napoleon for the extreme strictness that he imposes upon the animals, forbidding them any time to enjoy themselves. He talks about the misunderstandings in the past that had been rectified. "You have your lower animals," he jokingly consents, "and we have our lower classes." The men and pigs start playing cards, flattering and praising each other while cheating at the game.

At the end of the novel, both Napoleon and Pilkington draw the Ace of Spades (which in most games, is the highest-ranking card) at the same time and begin fighting loudly.

In the allegory

Pilkington represents western capitalist countries, specifically the sprawling British Empire which was crumbling during World War II. This is in contrast to Frederick, who has the opposite scenario of a smaller, better managed farm run by an unscrupulous, violent owner (an allegory of Germany). After the end of World War II, the Cold War began between the 'West' and the Soviet Union, similar to the end of the meeting where both Napoleon and Pilkington play a simultaneous Ace of Spades, then get into an argument over it.

Film

In the 1999 film adaptation of the novel, Pilkington is the first human to enter into trade agreements with Animal Farm, beginning regular deals with Napoleon. He considers it more practical to trade with the animals after learning that they can talk, believing that they are incapable of coping on their own, and dismissing claims that other animals are starving in favour of the benefits to himself.