In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, the ability to read is primarily limited to the pigs and a few other animals who have been educated by the pigs. The pigs, being the most intelligent animals on the farm, take it upon themselves to learn to read and write. They use this skill to manipulate and control the other animals, often altering the commandments to suit their own needs.
Some of the other animals, such as Benjamin the donkey and Muriel the goat, also learn to read to some extent. However, their reading abilities are limited compared to the pigs. Most of the other animals on the farm are illiterate, which makes them more susceptible to the pigs’ propaganda and manipulation.
Orwell uses the theme of literacy to highlight the power dynamics on the farm. The pigs’ ability to read and write gives them a significant advantage over the other animals, allowing them to control the narrative and maintain their authority. This serves as a critique of how knowledge and education can be used as tools of oppression in society.