In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, cows primarily represent the exploitation and the manipulation of the working class. The cows are depicted as symbols of the resources and labor that the farm animals contribute to the collective effort of the farm, particularly through their milk production.
The character of Boxer, who is often seen as an allegory for the working class, highlights the hard work and dedication of ordinary individuals, including the cows. The milk and the produce are initially intended to be shared among all animals, but as the story progresses, we see how the ruling pig class, particularly Napoleon, twists the principles of Animalism to exploit the contributions of the cows and other farm animals for their own benefit.
Ultimately, the cows in Animal Farm reflect the broader themes of inequality, exploitation, and the corruption of ideals that Orwell critiques through the farm’s transformation from a place of hopeful rebellion to one of oppression and control.