Mr. Jones was once a capable farmer and the master of Manor Farm. He was married with children. Jones wears a bowler hat, black coat, ratcatcher breeches, and leather leggings. He often reads Newspapers and owns many books, including
One Thousand Useful Things to Do About the House,
Every Man His Own Bricklayer and
Electricity for Beginners. By the time of the novella, he has fallen into a depressive episode after losing money in a lawsuit. He spends his days lounging while reading the newspaper and drinking alcohol. Manor Farm falls into disrepair due to his neglect and his idle, dishonest men. At the beginning of the novella, he locks the hen-houses but fails to lock the popholes due to being
intoxicated. During the night, Jones' prize
Middle White Old Major calls in the animals of Manor Farm for a meeting. He tells them that animals will never truly be free while under human rule and assures them that, though they may not live to see it, the animals of
England will one day rise up and defeat their human masters. After teaching the animals a
revolutionary tune, the animals sing it repeatedly. This awakes Jones who, believing there to be a
fox in the yard, fires a shotgun pellet into the darkness, ending the meeting. Old Major dies three nights later and the pigs
Napoleon,
Snowball and
Squealer form his teachings into the system of
Animalism, teaching it to the animals several nights a week while Jones sleeps. On a Saturday Midsummer's Eve, Jones leaves the farm for Willingdon and becomes so intoxicated at the Red Lion that he does not return until noon on Sunday. In his absence, his men milked the cows in the morning and went out
rabbiting without feeding the animals. When Jones returns, he heads straight for the drawing-room sofa and falls asleep with
the News of the World over his face, neglecting to feed the animals. In the evening the animals have still not been fed and they grow furious. A
cow breaks the door of the store-shed and the animals feed from its bins. Jones wakes and gathers 3 of his men. They equip themselves with
whips and lash at the animals. This is more than the starved animals can bear and, without planning it, the animals begin attacking the men, butting and kicking them. After a few minutes of trying to defend themselves and, pursued by the animals, flee down the carttrack that leads to the main road. Jones' wife observes the incident and gathers her possessions, following them. The animals chase the humans to the road and shut the five-barred gate. With Jones expelled, the animals take control of Manor Farm, renaming it Animal Farm. They destroy reminders of Jones and aim to run the farm without the cruel aspects which characterised Jones' rule. Until the late summer, Jones spends most of his time complaining to other farmers in the taproom of the Red Lion of the injustice he had suffered. Other farmers sympathise, though they offer little help and wonder whether they can take advantage of Jones' misfortune. Mr. Pilkington and Mr. Frederick, owners of the two farms which adjoin Animal Farm, Foxwood and Pinchfield respectively, are terrified that a similar uprising could occur on their farms. They initially pretend to be amused by an animal-run farm but soon change their strategy, spreading rumours about atrocities committed by the animals and blaming this on them rebelling against the laws of nature. Early in October, Jones, along with his men and 6 from Foxwood and Pinchfield, sent by Pilkington and Frederick, enter the farm in hopes of retaking it from the animals, who have continued farming and trading in Jones' absence. Jones brings his gun while the other men carry sticks. Snowball, who has begun leading the farm with the other pigs, particularly Napoleon, has studied a book on
Julius Caesar's campaigns and devises a plan to defeat the humans. As the humans approach the farm buildings, the
Geese attack them. They are easily driven off by the mens' sticks but this is merely a skirmishing manoeuvre by Snowball. Snowball leads the
sheep along with Muriel, a
goat and
Benjamin, the
donkey, in a charge. Benjamin lashes at the men with his hooves while the others prod and butt them. Snowball squeals and the animals retreat. The men, unaware that this is part of Snowballs plan, give a shout of triumph and rush after them. As the men enter the yard, the three
horses, the three cows, and the rest of the pigs cut them off. Snowball signals leads a forward charge and Jones fires his gun, wounding Snowball and killing a sheep. Snowball bodyslams Jones' legs, throwing him into a dung-heap and
Boxer, the
cart-horse,
rears and strikes a
stable-lad in the skull, accidentally killing him. Seeing this, several of the men drop their sticks and attempt to flee but the animals chase them and enact vengeance on them, wounding them in many ways. Jones'
cat bites a
cowman in the neck. When an opening presents itself, the men retreat to the main road, pecked at by pursuing geese. Jones eventually gives up hope of reclaiming his farm and moves to another part of the county. Years later, he dies in an inebriates' home. ==Interpretations==