Benjamin – A donkey. Guided by a skeptical philosophy that life will always be difficult and painful, Benjamin is not surprised when the pigs corrupt the revolution and transform Animal Farm into a totalitarian state. Though Benjamin's skepticism proves to be correct, it also makes him powerless. Alone among the other animals, Benjamin seems to understand what's going on, but he does nothing to stop it. In the end, his inaction comes back to haunt him when his dear friend Boxer is betrayed and killed. Benjamin represents those who were aware of Stalin's unjust and oppressive policies but did nothing to try to stop them.