Animal Farm

1
Animal Farm

• By George Orwell

2
You Need to Know

• Author George Orwell
• Genre Fantasy/ Science Fiction
• Allegorical account of the rise of communism in
  Russia

3
Russian Communist History

• Marx and Engells wrote "The Communist Manifesto"
• Lenin was the first Soviet Premier
• Trotsky and Stalin fought over who'd succeed
  Lenin
• Stalin was a mass murderer
• A loose definition of communism Share and share
  alike

4
Vocabulary

• Allegory
• Fable
• Communism
• Comrade
• Resolution
• Benevolent
• Paddock
• Scullery
• Cynical

5
Character Personalities

• Mr. Jones Russian royalty
• Boxer Stupid, but hard-working and strong
• Old Major The leader
• The pigs Smart
• Clover Motherly and caring
• Benjamin Cynical
• Mollie Arrogant and ditzy

6
More Animals to Know

• Moses Russian Orthodox Church
• Snowball Innovative but sneaky
• Napoleon Stout of character but has trouble
  talking
• Squealer Could change black to white with his
  words

7
Discussion Questions

• What is significant about how the animals arrange
  themselves as they gather to hear Major? What
  might this arrangement say about future meetings
  or events?
• What are the commandments Major gives the
  animals? Can you think of ways each of them could
  be considered a vice? Which is most important,
  in your opinion?

8
Discussion Questions

• Examine the song Beasts of England as poetry.
  What imagery is present? What is the message? Why
  do the animals like it so much that they memorize
  it on the spot? To what emotions and needs does
  it appeal?
• Why dont the pigs like the pet raven Moses
  stories about Sugarcandy Mountain? What can you
  then infer about Soviet/ Russian society during
  communism?
• How does the behavior of the pigs foreshadow
  their eventual leadership positions?

9
Discussion Questions

• What are Napoleons ideas about education?
  Snowballs? Who is closer to your opinion? To
  societys?
• How is Squealer able to convince the other
  animals to accept whatever Napoleon decides? Is
  this similar to human society? What is Orwell
  trying to tell us about education/ acceptance?
• Why does Mollie run away from the farm? Would
  you have run away, as she did?

10
Discussion Questions

• Explain the windmill controversy from Snowballs
  point of view. Napoleons? Who is right?
• What changes does Napoleon make after his dogs
  chase Snowball off the farm? Is this a form of
  socialism? Is this more or less similar to
  America today?
• Why dont the other animals protest Napoleons
  decisions?
• What is the importance of the dogs accompanying
  Squealer when he comes to talk to the animals?

11
Discussion Questions

• How is the windmill destroyed? Why does Napoleon
  blame Snowball? Is this something we do in
  society today?
• Explain why the animals confessed to being
  traitors. Or is there any explanation?
• Why does Napoleon order the animals to stop
  singing Beasts of England?
• What purpose is served by the production figures
  Squealer reads to the animals?
• Compare/contrast the poem Comrade Napoleon to
  Beast of England.

12
Discussion Questions

• Describe the whisky incident. Why would Orwell
  make this scene somewhat humorous?
• Why are the animals so easily fooled, even when
  they find Squealer with a ladder and white paint
  beside the barn at night?
• does Napoleon allow Moses to return and to tell
  his stories about Sugarcandy Mountain?
• What happens to Boxer? How do the animals accept
  it?

13
Discussion Questions

• Of what kind of person does Benjamin remind you?
  Give some examples. What is your opinion of such
  people? What makes people behave this way?
• What changes have the years brought to the farm?
• How does Orwell make fun of bureaucracy?
• drastic actions do the pigs use to shatter the
  animals complacency?

14
Discussion Questions

• All seven commandments are erased. What is the
  new commandment and how has it been true from the
  beginning?
• What happens to the pigs appearance? What does
  Orwell mean when he chooses this ending?

15
The Plot (So Far)

• Mr. Jones owns the farm, but doesn't treat his
  animals well and is a drunk.
• Old Major has a dream.
• All attend but the tame raven.
• In his dream, man is the common enemy.
• Any animal on four legs is good and all those on
  two are bad.
• Animals should share and share alike and do
  nothing like men. At all.

16
Ch. 3-- Vocabulary

• SuperiorBetter.
• MoreoverAlso.
• ConceivedBorn of.
• AcuteDistinct.
• ChaffLowest form of.
• AdmirationLook up to idolize.
• CapacityAbility.

• ShirkedLack of work.
• AffectionatelyWith love.
• ObstinateStubborn.
• CrypticUnable to be deciphered.
• IndefatigableWithout fail or tiredness.

17
New Characters

• Mr. Pilkington Represents England during and
  just after World War I.
• Always fought Germany
• Superpower
• Mr. Frederick Symbolizes Germany
• Superpower who is small, but has a strong history
  of fighting

18
What Happened in Chapter 3?

• The animals worked hard to get in the harvest and
  were very successful. Boxer, though still dumb,
  worked extremely hard. Napoleon and Snowball
  came up with resolutions and argued with each
  other all the time. Snowball came up with the
  motto, Four legs good, two legs bad, and
  Napoleon stole the dogs puppies. All the pigs
  kept the milk and apples for themselves.

19
What Happened in Chapter 4?

• The Battle of Cowshed
• Boxer and Snowball were awarded the medals,
  Animal Hero, First Class for excessive bravery.
  The animals were smarter and better prepared for
  the battle and therefore won. Only one sheep
  died.

20
New Characters

• Napoleons dogs Represent the KGB, the Soviet
  Secret Police.

21
What Happened in Chapter 5?

• Snowball wanted to modernize the farm, but
  Napoleon did not agree. The windmill was an
  especially bad argument. The animals were split
  in their support between Napoleon and Snowball,
  so they decided to have elections. Snowball was
  close to winning, when Napoleons dogs attacked
  him.

22
Continuing on Chapter 5

• Napoleon kicked Snowball out, called him a
  traitor, and then told the animals the windmill
  would be built after all.

23
Vocabulary Ch. 6-8

• Laborious With great effort.
• Thoroughness Completely completed.
• Unassisted Without help.
• Intermediary Person between enemies.
• Snuffed Smelled.
• Stupefied Struck dumb.
• Execution Death by state.
• Contemplated Thought about.
• Primitive Simple.
• Refuge Safe place.

24
New Characters

• Mr. Whymper Napoleons intermediary with humans.

25
What Happened in Chapter 6?

• The animals work hard on the windmill, Boxer
  harder than all the rest.
• They have to roll the stones downhill to break
  them apart and it is hard work.
• The pigs cut the animals rations and they must
  now work on Sunday afternoon.
• Mr. Whymper is brought on as intermediary to the
  humans and the pigs begin sleeping in the beds in
  the farmhouse.
• A terrible windstorm destroys the half-finished
  windmill and Napoleon blames Snowball.

26
What Happened in Chapter 7?

• The animals begin working on the windmill again
  and Boxer again leads the way.
• The hens rebel against Napoleons orders to give
  up their eggs and Napoleon starves them until
  they give up. Nine hens die as a result.
• Snowball becomes a scapegoat for everything that
  goes wrong on the farm.
• Squealer tells the animals that Snowball has been
  in league with Mr. Jones since before the Battle
  of Cowshed, but they struggle to believe it.

27
More Chapter 7 The Executions

• Napoleon forces certain animals to confess to
  their participation in a conspiracy with Snowball
  and then has the dogs tear out their throats. The
  dogs, apparently without orders, even attack
  Boxer, but he defends himself well. Four pigs and
  numerous other animals die, including the hens
  who rebelled at the proposal to sell their eggs.
• The animals go to the windmill and sing Beasts of
  England, but Squealer then tells them that song
  is now outlawed.

28
Changes in the 7 Commandments

• Commandment Four No animal shall sleep in a
  bed with sheets.
• Commandment Six No animal shall kill another
  animal without reason.
• Shows how those in power change the rules to fit
  their own wants and not the needs of the many.

29
What Happened in Chapter 8?

• Mr. Frederick buys the lumber, despite Napoleons
  motto, Death to Frederick!
• The pigs take cash and not a check from the
  human.
• The windmill is done and the pigs discover the
  cash is counterfeit.
• Mr. Frederick attacks, blows up the windmill, and
  kills many animals.
• The animals drive them off, but Boxer is
  seriously hurt.
• The pigs get drunk and Squealer is found at the
  bottom of the ladder with paint after having
  again changed the 7 Commandments.

30
Changes to the 7 Commandments

• No animal shall drink alcohol to excess.

31
What Happened in Chapter 9?

• Boxers injury and hard work combine to make him
  seriously sick.
• The pigs (through Squealer) tell the animals hes
  going to the animal hospital.
• The horse slaughterer comes to pick up Boxer.
• Benjamin tells the other animals, but Squealer
  tells them the animal hospital bought the horse
  slaughterers van and hadnt yet repainted it.
• The animals believed them.
• Boxer left and was never heard from again.

32
Changes to the 7 Commandments

• All animals are created equal, but some are more
  equal than others.
• (All other Commandments were abolished.)

33
What Happened in Chapter 10?

• Years passed.
• Everyone changed, but Benjamin.
• Squealer took the sheep to another field to
  teach them a new song.
• The pigs began walking on two legs.
• The pigs began wearing clothes and using whips on
  the other animals.
• Men came and visited the farm.
• The pigs renamed the farm, Manor Farm.
• The pigs and men got into a fight over cards, but
  the other animals couldnt tell the difference
  between pigs and men.