Final answer:
Old Major describes the life of farm animals as one of labor and exploitation by humans, mirroring the plight of the proletariat under oppressive regimes, which serves as a call for a collective uprising.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Old Major in George Orwell's novel Animal Farm, the nature of the life of farm animals is one of misery and slavery. Old Major's speech outlines a grim reality where animals endlessly toil for their human masters without reaping the benefits of their work.
The animals' lives are characterized by exploitation as they provide labor and resources for humans, only to be discarded once they are no longer useful. This narrative is intended to reflect the conditions of disenfranchisement and social inequality among the working class, or proletariat, during oppressive political regimes.
The comparison draws a parallel to human societies, illustrating how, like the farm animals, people may experience exploitation and are relegated to maintain the comfort and wealth of the ruling class. Old Major's message encourages the animals to recognize the shared plight and to seek a collective uprising to overturn the status quo, thus motivating the central events of the revolution depicted in the novel.