Describe how the human characters contribute to the themes of Animal Farm.

I think that this is an interesting question because the
humans don't get a great deal of attention in the novel.  One human who plays a big role
in the narrative would have to be Mr. Jones.  In many respects, he inspires the entire
revolution because Old Major uses him as the representation of the evil nature of human
beings.  Jones' cruelty to the animals as well as his own inability to control them, in
terms of getting drunk and forgetting to feed the animals, becomes the basis for the
revolution as the vision that Old Major was able to articulate in the first chapter is
the basis for revolt in the second chapter.  In these domains, Jones plays a vital
role.  Mr. Frederick would be another human who plays an important role in the novel as
he strikes a deal with the animals only to violate it.  In the end, the humans' cruelty
and lack of decency becomes the rallying cry for the animals, and, ironically, something
that Napoleon himself embodies.