In the seventh chapter of Animal Farm, the animals are grappling with severe food shortages during a harsh winter, a stark contrast to the promises of prosperity and equality that fueled their rebellion. As the situation worsens, the pigs employ increasingly manipulative tactics to maintain their grip on power and control the narrative surrounding their leadership.

Napoleon, the dictatorial pig, uses misinformation to paint a rosy picture of the farm's conditions. He instructs Squealer, his propagandist, to spread false reports of abundance, insisting that the farm is thriving despite clear evidence to the contrary. Squealer emphasizes that food rations are plentiful when, in reality, the animals are barely surviving. To further this deception, he orders the animals to fill the grain bins with sand and top them with a layer of oats before allowing Mr. Whymper, the human solicitor, to inspect the farm.

As the food crisis intensifies, the pigs resort to brutal measures to quell dissent. Napoleon employs the dogs he raised to serve as enforcers, creating an atmosphere of fear among the other animals. When rumors of discontent surface, he holds a meeting where he demands public confessions from several animals who are accused of conspiring with Snowball, the exiled pig. Under the threat of violence, these animals confess to various crimes, including treachery and sabotage, which they are forced to admit, although many of these accusations were fabricated.

The meeting escalates into a horrific spectacle as the dogs attack and execute the confessing animals, creating a scene reminiscent of Stalin’s purges. This brutal display serves two purposes: it instills fear and reinforces Napoleon's power by eliminating potential threats to his regime. The remaining animals are left horrified, questioning their memories of the rebellion and the principles of Animalism they once believed in.

In a further display of manipulation, the pigs adjust the commandments of Animalism to justify their actions. The original commandment, "No animal shall kill any other animal," is altered to include the clause "without cause," effectively providing a justification for the executions. This blatant alteration of their founding principles highlights the extent of the corruption that has taken place.

As winter drags on, the animals' discontent grows, but they remain largely passive, having been indoctrinated through propaganda and fear. The chapter concludes with the animals' realization that they have become indistinguishable from the life they sought to escape, trapped in a cycle of oppression under a new tyrant that mirrors the previous one.

Overall, Chapter 7 encapsulates the themes of betrayal, manipulation, and the dangers of unchecked power, showcasing how the initial ideals of the revolution have been twisted into a regime that is just as oppressive as the one they overthrew.