Snowball and Napoleon’s decision to send pigeons to neighboring farms to spread news of Animal Farm is — like their creation of “Animal Hero, First Class” at the end of the chapter — an attempt to heighten the gravity and scope of the rebellion. By informing other animals about Animal Farm, the pigs hope to instigate rebellions elsewhere and eventually live in the world depicted in old Major’s dream.
The scene of Jones commiserating in the Red Lion with Pilkington and Frederick portrays the humans as exactly the greedy self-centered beings that the animals wished to overthrow. Although the two neighboring farmers sympathize with Jones “in principle,” Orwell states that each is “secretly wondering whether he could somehow turn Jones’ misfortune to his own advantage.” Note also that Pilkington’s farm, Foxwood, is in a “disgraceful condition” and that Frederick is “perpetually involved in lawsuits” and has a “name for driving hard bargains.” In direct contrast to the principles of Animalism, the humans live by a credo of self-interest and desire for material gain. (Of course, the reader has already seen how Napoleon is betraying the principles of Animalism, as he becomes more and more like these men in the pub.)
According to Frederick and Pilkington, the animals are “rebelling against the laws of nature,” with “nature” in this context referring to a world where humans control all aspects of animals’ lives and use them for their own material gain. Of course, what seems “natural” to the humans is not what seems “natural” to the animals, and it is worth noting that all attempts in the novel to change the natures of both humans and animals fail.
