The conflict between Mollie and Clover propels the plot forward by resulting in Mollie choosing to leave the farm. Clover's confrontation with Mollie reveals her suspicions about Mollie's loyalty and behavior, which ultimately leads to Mollie's secret indulgences being uncovered. This conflict highlights the differences in values between the characters and signals Mollie's growing discontent with the principles of the animal rebellion. The culmination of this conflict is Mollie's disappearance, indicating her decision to abandon the farm and its ideals in favor of a life that aligns more with her desires for luxury and companionship with humans.
Read the excerpt from Animal Farm.
As winter drew on, Mollie became more and more troublesome. She was late for work every morning and excused herself by saying that she had overslept, and she complained of mysterious pains, although her appetite was excellent. On every kind of pretext she would run away from work and go to the drinking pool, where she would stand foolishly gazing at her own reflection in the water. But there were also rumours of something more serious. One day, as Mollie strolled blithely into the yard, flirting her long tail and chewing at a stalk of hay, Clover took her aside.
"Mollie,” she said, "I have something very serious to say to you. This morning I saw you looking over the hedge that divides Animal Farm from Foxwood. One of Mr. Pilkington's men was standing on the other side of the hedge. And—I was a long way away, but I am almost certain I saw this—he was talking to you and you were allowing him to stroke your nose. What does that mean, Mollie?”
"He didn't! I wasn't! It isn't true!” cried Mollie, beginning to prance about and paw the ground.
"Mollie! Look me in the face. Do you give me your word of honour that that man was not stroking your nose?”
"It isn't true!” repeated Mollie, but she could not look Clover in the face, and the next moment she took to her heels and galloped away into the field.
A thought struck Clover. Without saying anything to the others, she went to Mollie's stall and turned over the straw with her hoof. Hidden under the straw was a little pile of lump sugar and several bunches of ribbon of different colours.
Three days later Mollie disappeared.
How does the conflict between Mollie and Clover propel the plot forward?
It affects their relationship positively.
Mollie is rewarded for making a friend.
It results in Mollie choosing to leave the farm.
Mollie is driven to get revenge on Clover.
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