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AnimalFarmbyGeorgeOrwell

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AnimalFarmhasallthevirtuesandintentionsoftheanimalstory.Itisastoryaboutasocietyofbirdsandanimals,eachbehavingaccordingtoitsnature.Itisamusingtoseeacatsofeline,aravensoravenous,sheepsosheepish.The emergence of the pigs as rulers of Animal Farm is a damning indictment of the lust for power whichovercomesmen,andisseenatitsworstintotalitariancountries.ThebestwaytoreadAnimalFarmisnorforthecommentsandthelessons,butforthestoryandthecharacters.Orwell’sskillliesinthatwedonotasktheobviousquestions.Whydidn’tFarmerJonessendforthepolice?Howdidtheanimalspaytherates? Whydidn’tthecountyagriculturalauthoritiesstepin? Inwhat languagedidthepigs converse? Why do we so willingly suspend disbelief? (Note that Orwell hadmuch difficulty in finding apublisherforthebook,since‘children’sstories’werenotdeemedmarketable.)OrwellwasobsessedwiththepotentialdangersofpropagandaeversincehehadseenitworkintheSpanishCivilWar. ‘I sawgreatbattles reportedwhere therehadbeenno fighting,andcomplete silencewherehundredsofmenhadbeenkilled.‘AnimalFarmispartlyaresultofhishorrorofpubliclying.Through thedecayof thecommandments, it ispossible to trace thecollapseof the ideasofAnimalFarm. Themysteryofwherethemilkwentisthebeginningoftheestablishmentofprivilegewhichtherevolutionhadbeenfoughttoremove.‘Sometimes theolderones racked theirdimmemoriesand tried todeterminewhether in theearlydaysof therebellion,whenJones’sexpulsionwasstillrecent,thingshadbeenbetterorworsethannow.’Orwellseemstohavelittlefaithinhumannature-hehasoldBenjaminprofessingthattheunalterablelawoflifeinvolvedhunger,hardshipanddisappointment.

AnimalFarm–Someguidingquestionsforconsideration

Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903– 21 January 1950) universally known by his pen nameGeorge Orwell, was anEnglish authorand journalist. Orwell’swriting is recognised for itsmoral force, keen intelligence andwit, and aprofoundawarenessofsocialinjustice.Orwellwasahumanitarianwhobelievedordinarypeopleshouldbetreateddecently.Hewasopposedtothehorrorsofimperialisticandtotalitariangovernmentshesawintheworldaroundhim. His personal experience of 19th century style British Colonialism in Burma shaped his outlook on brutalcolonial governments (c.f. Burmese Days). Later, his observation of brutal dictatorships such as Hitler’s NaziGermanyandStalin’sSovietregimeledhimtowriteAnimalFarmandanother20thcenturyclassic1984.

Considered perhaps the twentieth century's best chronicler of English culture, Orwell wrote fiction, polemicaljournalism,literarycriticismandpoetry.HeisbestknownforthedystopiannovelNineteenEighty-Four(publishedin1949)and the satiricalnovellaAnimal Farm (1945). Thispairofbookshas soldmore thanthoseofanyothertwentieth-centuryauthor.Orwell'sinfluenceonculture,popularandpolitical,continues.Severalofhisneologisms(newwords) have entered our language such as “doublethink” (accepting two contradictory statements at thesametime)and“doubleunplusgood”(verybad).Theterm“Orwellian” isnowanacceptedphrasetodescribeforanyshiftyormanipulativesocialphenomenonorpoliticalconceptwhichsoundsgood intheorybutinpractice isagainsttheinterestsandfreedomofordinarypeople.

Didyouknow?

• OrwellservedintheIndianImperialPoliceinBurmaintheearly1920’s.ThisgavehimachancetoseeImperialandRacialpoliticsupclose.

• GeorgeOrwellfoughtontheRepublicansideintheSpanishCivilWarin1936.• WhilefightingintheSpanishCivilWar,Orwellwasshotthroughtheneckandnearlydied.• ThisinjurywassignificantlaterasOrwellwasmedicallyunfittofightforBritainagainstHitlerinWorld

WarTwo.• InsteadOrwellworkedasajournalist,andalsofoundtimetodevelophisfamousnovels,AnimalFarm

and1984.

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1. InwhatwayswaslifeonthefarmdifferentaftertheoverthrowofMrJones?

2. Fable is a form of literary art that makes animals behave like human beings, and Orwell succeeds inmaintaining a delicate and whimsical balance between the charming and the absurd. What are thecharacteristicsofeachoftheanimals?

OldMajor

Snowball

Napoleon

Squealer

Boxer

Clover

Mollie

Benjamin

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Moses

Thesavagedogs

3. Thesong‘ThebeastsofEngland’isaskitonthecommunistanthem‘TheRedFlag.’Examineitselements.

4. Thebuildingofthewindmill,precipitatingthequarrelbetweenNapoleonandSnowball isareferencetotheSovietFive-Yearplan.Whathappenstothewindmillandhowisthisrelatedtothefateofthefarm?

5. SnowballandNapoleondisagreedaboutstrategy. Comparetheirplans.Forexamplethepigeonsversustheproductivityofthefarm.Explaintheslogan,thethree-dayweekandfullmanger.

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6. DespiteSnowball’sexpulsionby thedogs,all thatbefalls the farm later isattributed tohisplottingandsabotage.Giveexamplesofthisandcommentontheeffectivenessofthisstrategyforthecontrolofthefarm.

7. Whatisanimalism?

8. ExplainwhatBoxer,MollieandCloverrepresentinthefable.

9. WhatistheresultofBenjamin’scynicismandscepticism?

10. MosestheravenisOrwell’sinterpretationoftheChurch.Commentonhisroleandattitudes.

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11. Napoleon’s strategy for dealing with the possibility of revolt when he decides to trade with theneighbouringfarmers, istoaccusefourpigs,threehens,agooseandthreesheepofconspiracytobringMrJonesback.Theseanimals,amazingly,confesstoallthecrimesofwhichtheyareaccused.Why,andwithwhatresult?

12. ThefinalalliancebetweenMrPilkingtonandNapoleonisanastoundingideologicalbetrayal.Whatdoesitrepresent?

13. In the last chapter Orwell looks into the future. Most of the older generation of animals are dead;revolutionaryfervourhassubsided;thename‘ManorFarm’isrestored;thedictator-pigNapoleonlivesinluxury;peacefulco-existencebringsPilkingtontothefarm,andpigsareseenfullyclothed,walkingupontheirhindlegstoimitatemanthetyrant.Whatdoesallthissignify?

14. AnimalFarmwaswrittentoexposethecrueltiesofStalinistrule,butitalsocontainsanumberofimpliedpropheciesforthefuture.Canyousuggestwhattheymightbe?

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15. Explainclearlythemeaningofthefollowingwords.Fable

ideology

totalitarianism

slogans

pragmatism

16. Selectwordsfromthelistbelow,andinsertthemintheappropriatespacesinthefollowingpassage.

satire coupd’ėtat revolution propaganda slogansmanipulation equality worker solidarity idealismpragmatism manifesto naiveté commandments anthemenforcers cynical bourgeois eloquence sophist

The animals of Manor Farm staged a ………………..………..…….. and installed a fairer system of control on a

renamed farm. However, the pigs, a …………..……..……….…….. of the animals, seized power by

………………..……..………..andcontrolofthe…………..……..……………..writtenonthewalls.Squealerwasincharge

of ……..……..……………..…….. which undermined the ……..….…………..………….. of all animals. The animals had

………..…..…..……………….. and could not recall the ……..………..……………….. Boxer was a …..………………..…………..

and believed in ………………..………..………. Old Major provided the …………..…………………….. and the

……………....…..………………..buttheanimalsdisplayedpolitical………..………………..……..

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17. Fromthefollowinglistofpoliticalwords,selectwordswhichcansuitablybepairedinsentences,andthenwritethesentences.Writefivesentences.

brutality secretpolice smearcampaign conditioning majorityruleignorantmass cynical cunning coupd’ėtat peacefulcoexistence selfinterest politicalprivileges politicalclout posthumouslydictatorship powercorrupts

18. “Allpowercorrupts,andabsolutepowertendstocorruptabsolutely.”- LordActon

ExplainhowthisfamousquotationhasrelevancetoAnimalFarm.

19. Explaintheunderlinedwords:

Hewasstillamajestic-lookingpig,withawiseandbenevolentappearance.

In glowing sentences he painted a picture ofAnimal Farmas itmight bewhen sordid labourwasliftedfromtheanimals’backs.

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FourpigeonsweresenttoFoxwoodwithaconciliatorymessage.

OnlyoldBenjaminwasmuchthesameasever…and,sinceBoxer’sdeath,moremoroseandtaciturnthanever.

20. WhatarethesimpleargumentsthatBoxerandCloverusetoconvertotherstoAnimalism?

21. What are the methods that Napoleon uses to become absolute dictator of Animal Farm? How doesSquealeraidNapoleoninestablishinghistotalitarianregime?

22. Explainthesignificanceofthefinalscene inthenovel inwhichtheanimalswatchpigsandmenenjoyabanquettogether.

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23.KeyScene:ComparethesongsBeastofEngland(7-8)withComradeNapoleon(63)WhyaretheybothincludedandwhatwasOrwellintendingtosuggestbytheiruse?Canyouseeanydifferencesintheiruse?

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EXTRACTANALYSIS

Foreachofthefollowingextracts,explainwhatbehaviourisbeingsatirised(withoutreferencetotheRussianRevolution.)1. Threedays later itwasannouncesthathehaddies inthehospitalatWillingdon, inspiteofreceiving

everyattentionahorsecouldhave.Squealercametoannouncethenewstoothers.Hehad,hesaid,beenpresentduringBoxer’slasthours.

‘Itwas themostaffectingsight Ihaveeverseen!’ saidSquealer, liftinghis trotterandwipingawayatear.‘Iwasathisbedsideattheverylast.Andattheend,almosttooweaktospeak,hewhisperedinmy ear that his sold sorrow was to have passed on before the windmill was finished. ‘Forward,comrades!’ hewhispered. ‘Forward in thenameof theRebellion. Long liveAnimal Farm! Long liveComradeNapoleon!Napoleonisalwaysright.’Thoseweehisverylastwords,comrades.’HereSquealer’sdemeanoursuddenlychanged. He fell silent foramoment,andhi littleeyesdartedsuspiciousglancesfromsidetosidebeforeheproceeded.

Ithad come tohis knowledge,he said, thata foolishandwicked rumourhadbeencirculatedat thetimeofBoxer’s removal. Someof theanimalshadnoticed that thevanwhich tookBoxerawaywasmarked‘HorseSlaughter’,andhadactuallyjumpedtotheconclusionthatBoxerwasbeingsenttotheknacker’s. Itwasalmostunbelievable, saidSquealer, thatanyanimal couldbe so stupid. Surely,hecried indignantly, whisking his tail and skipping from side to side, surely they knew their belovedLeader,ComradeNapoleon,betterthanthat?Burtheexplanationwasreallyverysimple,thevanhadpreciouslybeenthepropertyoftheknacker,andhadbeenboughtbytheveterinarysurgeon,whohadnotyetpaintedtheoldnameout.Thatwashowthemistakehadarisen.

Theanimalswereenormouslyrelievedtohearthis.AndwhenSquealerwentontogivefurthergraphicdetails of Boxer’s death bed, the admirable care he had received, and the expensivemedicines forwhich Napoleon had paid without a thought as to the cost, their last doubts disappeared and thesorrowthattheyfeltfortheircomrade’sdeathwastemperedbythethoughtthatatleasthehaddiedhappy.

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2. Therewasthesameheartycheeringasbefore,andthemugswereemptiedtothedregs. Busastheanimalsoutsidegazedatthescene,itseemedtothemthatsomestrangethingwashappening.Whatwasitthathadalteredinthefacesofthepigs?Clover’solddimeyesflittedfromonefacetoanother.Some of themhad five chins, some had four, some had three. Butwhatwas it that seemed to bemeltingandchanging? Then, theapplausehavingcometoanend, thecompanytookuptheircardsandcontinuedthegamethathadbeeninterrupted,andtheanimalscreptsilentlyaway.

Buttheyhadnotgonetwentyyardswhentheystoppedshort. Anuproarofvoiceswascomingfromthefarmhouse.Theyrushedbackandlookedthroughthewindowagain.Yes,aviolentquarrelwasinprogress.Therewereshoutings,bangingsonthetable,sharpsuspiciousglances,furiousdenials.Thesource of the trouble appeared to be that Napoleon andMr Pilkington had each played an ace ofspadessimultaneously.

Twelvevoiceswereshoutinginanger,andtheywereallalike.Noquestion,now,whathadhappenedtothefacesofthepigs.Thecreaturesoutsidelookedfrompigtoman,andfrommantopig,andpigtomanagain;butalreadyitwasimpossibletosaywhichwaswhich.

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3. InApril,AnimalFarmwasproclaimedaRepublic,anditbecamenecessarytoelectaPresident.Therewasonlyonecandidate,Napoleon,whowaselectedunanimously. OnthesamedayitwasgivenoutthatfreshdocumentshadbeendiscoveredwhichrevealedfurtherdetailsaboutSnowball’scomplicitywith Jones. It now appeared that Snowball ad no, as the animals had previously imagined,merelyattemptedtolosetheBalletoftheCowshedbymeansofastratagem,buthadbeenopenlyfightingonJones’sside.Infact,itwashewhohadactuallybeentheleaderofthehumanforces,andhadchangedintobattlewiththewords“LongliveHumanity!’onhislips.ThewoundsonSnowball’sback,whichafewoftheanimalsstillrememberedtohaveseen,hadbeeninflictedbyNapoleon’steeth.

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AnimalFarm–SummaryQuestions:1. Allmenareenemies.Allanimalsarecomrades’Howtrueisthis?

2. WhyweretheanimalssomuchmoresuccessfulwiththeirfirstharvestthanJoneshadbeenrecently?[ReferbothtoJones’srecentapproach,andtotheattitudeoftheanimalstothefirstharvest].Doesthiscomparisonprovethatanimalsweremoreefficientfarmmanagers?

3. RefertoPage22,paragraphone.Whydidtheanimalstakethesethreesteps?

4. RefertoChapter2.Whichanimalsdidnotworkharderfollowingtherevolution?Why?

5. RefertoPage29.Whydidthesecommitteesfail?

6. RefertoPage32.Howdidthesepigsmanagetogetawaywithtakingthemilkandapples?

7. SeeChapter4.Whydidthemenlosethebattle?Couldtheyhavewon?Whydidtheanimalsfightsofervently?Whatistheallegoricalmeaningofthis?

8. Summarisethehistoryofthewindmill.(47)Whatdoesthisshowabouttheintelligenceoftheanimals?

9. FromChapter5,givetwoexamplesofhowNapoleonchangeshistorytohisownadvantage.

10. ByChapter5,whatarethedifferencesandsimilaritiesbetweenNapoleonandJones?HowdoesNapoleonjustifyhisnewformofdisciplineofdogsanddictatorship?

11. Refertopages72-74.Describetheepisodewiththedogsinyourownwords.Whywasit‘farworsenowthatitwashappeningamongthemselves’?

12. Refertopages108-112.Whathadbeenachievedbytherevolution?Whatwereitscosts?

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AnimalFarmThemes,MotifsandSymbols

TheCorruptionofSocialistIdealsintheSovietUnion

Animal Farm is most famous in theWest as a stinging critique of the history and rhetoric of the RussianRevolution. Retelling thestoryof theemergenceanddevelopmentofSovietcommunism in the formofananimal fable, Animal Farm allegorises the rise to power of the dictator Joseph Stalin. In the novella, theoverthrowof thehumanoppressorMr. Jonesbyademocratic coalitionof animalsquickly givesway to theconsolidationofpoweramongthepigs. Much liketheSoviet intelligentsia, thepigsestablishthemselvesastherulingclassinthenewsociety.The struggle for pre-eminence between Leon Trotsky and Stalin emerges in the rivalry between the pigsSnowballandNapoleon. Inboth thehistoricaland fictional cases, the idealisticbutpolitically lesspowerfulfigure(TrotskyandSnowball)isexpelledfromtherevolutionarystatebythemaliciousandviolentusurperofpower (Stalin and Napoleon). The purges and show trials with which Stalin eliminated his enemies andsolidifiedhispoliticalbasefindexpressioninAnimalFarmasthefalseconfessionsandexecutionsofanimalswhom Napoleon distrusts following the collapse of the windmill. Stalin’s tyrannical rule and eventualabandonmentofthefoundingprinciplesoftheRussianRevolutionarerepresentedbythepig’sturntoviolentgovernmentandtheadoptionofhumantraitsandbehaviours,thetrappingsoftheiroriginaloppressors.AlthoughOrwell believed strongly in socialist ideals, he felt that the SovietUnion realised these ideals in aterriblyperverseform.HisnovellacreatesitsmostpowerfulironiesinthemomentsinwhichOrwelldepictsthe corruptionofAnimalistic ideals by those in power. ForAnimal Farm serves hypocrisy of tyrannies thatbase themselves on, and owe their initial power to, ideologies of liberation and equality. The gradualdisintegrationwith vivid force, as do Squealer’s elaborate philosophical justifications for the pigs’ blatantlyunprincipledactions.Thus,thenovellacritiquestheviolenceoftheStalinistregimeagainstthehumanbeingsitruled,andalsopointstoSovietcommunism’sviolenceagainsthumanlogic,language,andideals.

TheSocietalTendencytowardClassStratification

AnimalFarmofferscommentaryon thedevelopmentof class tyrannyand thehuman tendency tomaintainandre-establishclassstructureseveninsocietiesthatallegedlystandfortotalequality.Thenovellaillustrateshowclassesthatareinitiallyunifiedinthefaceofacommonenemy,astheanimalsareagainstthehumans,maybecome internallydividedwhenthatenemy iseliminated. TheexpulsionofMr. Jonescreatesapowervacuum, and it is only so longbefore thenext oppressor assumes totalitarian control. Thenatural divisionbetweenintellectualandphysicallabourquicklycomestoexpressitselfasanewsetofclassdivisions,withthe“brainworkers” (as thepigs claim tobe)using their superior intelligence tomanipulate society to theirownbenefit. Orwellneverclarifies inAnimalFarmwhether thisnegative stateofaffairs constitutesan inherentaspectofsocietyormerelyanoutcomecontingentontheintegrityofasociety’sintelligentsia.Ineithercase,thenovellapointstotheforceofthistendencytowardclassstratificationinmanycommunitiesandthethreatthatisposestodemocracyandfreedom.

TheDangerofaNaïveWorkingClass

Oneofthenovella’smostimpressiveaccomplishmentsisitsportrayalnotjustofthefiguresinpowerbutalsooftheoppressedpeoplethemselves.AnimalFarmisnottoldfromtheperspectiveofanyparticularcharacter,thoughoccasionallyitdoesslipintoClover’sconsciousness.Rather,thestoryistoldfromtheperspectiveofthe common animals as a whole. Gullible, loyal, and hardworking, these animals give Orwell a chance tosketch how situations of oppression arise not only from themotives and tactics of the oppressors but alsofromthenaïvetéoftheoppressed,whoarenotnecessarily inapositiontobebettereducatedor informed.Whenpresentedwithadilemma,Boxerprefersnottopuzzleouttheimplicationsofvariouspossibleactionsbutinsteadtorepeattohimself,“Napoleonisalwaysright”.AnimalFarmdemonstrateshowtheinabilityorunwillingness toquestion authority condemns theworking class to suffer the full extentof the ruling class’oppression.

TheAbuseofLanguageasInstrumentaltotheAbuseofPower

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One of Orwell’s central concerns, both inAnimal Farm and in 1984, is the way in which language can bemanipulated as an instrument of control. InAnimal Farm, the pigs gradually twist and distort rhetoric ofsocialistrevolutiontojustifytheirbehaviourandtokeeptheotheranimalsinthedark.TheanimalsheartilyembraceMajor’svisionaryidealofsocialism,butafterMajordies,thepigsgraduallytwistthemeaningofhiswords.Asaresult,theotheranimalsseemunabletoopposethepigswithoutalsoopposingtheidealsoftheRebellion.Bytheendofthenovella,afterSquealer’srepeatedreconfigurationsoftheSevenCommandmentsin order to decriminalise the pigs’ treacheries, themain principle of the farm can be openly stated as “allanimalsareequal,butsomeanimalsaremoreequalthanothers”.Thisoutrageousabuseoftheword“equal”andoftheidealofequalityingeneraltypifiesthepigs’method,whichbecomesincreasinglyaudaciousasthenovel progresses. Orwell’s sophisticated exposure of this abuse of language remains one of the mostcompelling and enduring features of Animal Farm, worthy of close study even after we have decoded itsallegoricalcharactersandevents.

Motifs

Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts,or literarydevices that canhelp todevelopand inform the text’smajorthemes.

Songs

AnimalFarmisfilledwithsongs,poems,andslogans,includingMajor’sstirring“BeastsofEngland”,Minimus’odetoNapoleon,thesheep’schants,andMinimus’revisedanthem,“AnimalFarm,AnimalFarm”.Allofthesesongsserveaspropaganda,oneofthemajorconduitsofsocialcontrol.Bymakingtheworking-classanimalsspeak thesamewordsat thesametime, thepigsevokeanatmosphereofgrandeurandnobilityassociatedwiththerecitedtext’ssubjectmatter.Thesongsalsoerodetheanimals’senseofindividualityandkeepthemfocusedonthetasksbywhichtheywillpurportedlyachievefreedom.

StateRitual

AsAnimalFarm shiftsgears from itsearly revolutionary fervour toaphaseofconsolidationofpower in thehandsofthefew,nationalritualsbecomeanevermorecommonpartofthefarm’ssociallife.Militaryawards,largeparades,andnewsongsallproliferateasthestateattemptstoreinforcetheloyaltyoftheanimals.Theincreasingfrequencyoftheritualsbespeakstheextenttowhichtheworkingclassinthenovellabecomesevermorereliantontherulingclasstodefinetheirgroupidentityandvalues.

Symbols

Symbolsareobjects,characters,figures,orcoloursusedtorepresentabstractideasorconcepts.

AnimalFarm

AnimalFarm,knownatthebeginningandtheendofthenovelastheManorFarm,symbolisesRussiaandtheSovietUnionunderCommunistPartyrule.Butmoregenerally,AnimalFarmstandsforanyhumansociety,beitcapitalist,socialist,fascist,orcommunist.Itpossessestheinternalstructureofanation,withagovernment(thepigs),apoliceforceorarmy(thedogs),aworkingclass(theotheranimals),andstateholidaysandrituals.Its location amid a number of hostile neighbouring farms supports its symbolism as a political entity withdiplomaticconcerns.

TheBarn

ThebarnatAnimalFarm,onwhoseoutsidewalls thepigspaint theSevenCommandmentsand, later, theirrevisions, represents thecollectivememoryofamodernnation. Themanyscenes inwhich the ruling-classpigs alter the principles of Animalism and inwhich theworking-class animals puzzle over but accept thesechangesrepresentthewayaninstitutioninpowercanreviseacommunity’sconceptofhistorytobolster itscontrol. If the working class believes history to lie on the side of their oppressors, they are less likely toquestionoppressivepractices. Moreover, theoppressors,by revising theirnation’sconceptionof itsoriginsanddevelopment,gaincontrolofthenation’sveryidentity,andtheoppressedsooncometodependupontheauthoritiesfortheircommunalsenseofself.

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TheWindmill

The greatwindmill symbolises the pigs’manipulation of the other animals for their own gain. Despite theimmediacyoftheneedforfoodandwarmth,thepigsexploitBoxerandtheothercommonanimalsbymakingthemundertakebackbreaking labour tobuild thewindmill,whichwillultimatelyearn thepigsmoremoneyand thus increase their power. The pigs’ declaration that Snowball is responsible for the windmill’s firstcollapseconstitutespsychologicalmanipulation,as itprevents thecommonanimals fromdoubting thepigs’abilitiesandunitesthemagainstasupposedenemy.Theultimateconversionofthewindmilltocommercialuse is one more sign of the pigs’ betrayal of their fellow animals. From an allegorical point of view, thewindmill represents the enormous modernisation projects undertaken in Soviet Russia after the RussianRevolution.

ThemesPropagandacontinued

§ TheanimalsalsobelieveSquealeroutoffear.TheintimidatingspectacleofSnowball’sfatewasanearlydemonstrationofwhatwouldhappentothosewhocrossedNapoleon.

§ Thesatiricaltreatmentoftheanimals’susceptibilitytopropagandaisalsorelevanttoourownsociety. Althoughwearenot, inourowncountry,exposedtohumanrightsviolationsonthescaleofStalin’sRussia,therearecountrieswhereintimidationstillexists.Andnoneofusissafefromtheblandishmentsofadvertising.

§ Atelectiontime,wearesubjectedtopoliticaladvertising,politicalpropaganda.Howoftendopoliticianssaythings,whichblatantlycontradictotherthings,whichtheymayhavesaidyears,ormaybeonlymonthsago?

§ Thecorruptionoflanguageisanessentialtooloftradeforthepropagandist,andSquealerisamaster of the process. He twists words cleverly, not only in adding phrases to thecommandments to alter their meanings, but also in the employment of euphemism, forexamplecallingNapoleon’s“dirtytricks”campaignagainstSnowball,“tactics”.

§ The satirical look at this “gramophone mind”, the tendency to repeat propaganda parrot-fashion,withoutthought,isoneofthemostinterestingandpropheticthemesofAnimalFarm.

Themes–Terror

§ Themostimportantweaponofthetyrantisfear.

§ Napoleon’sfirststeptowardsassumingtotalpoweristoremoveBluebellandJessie’spuppiessothathecantraintheminsecret.Whentheyaretotallyloyalandobedienttohim,andonlythen,isheabletomoveagainstSnowball.

§ After that, the most important tool of control is Squealer’s propaganda, but the threat ofviolenceisalwayspresent.

§ Ononeterrifyingoccasion,thedogsdemonstratetheirwillingnessandabilitytokill,but,apartfrom this “purge”, there is no need for Napoleon to do more than have his bodyguardaccompanyhimonparade.

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OVERVIEWOFTHENOVEL-QUESTIONS1. WhatevidenceistherethatMrJoneswasnotagoodmastertotheanimals?(p1)

2. WhatdidOldMajorrememberabouthisdream?(p7)

3. Whatwerethe7Commandments?(p15)

4. HowdidtheBattleofTheCowshedbegin?(p26)

5. WhichtwoanimalswereawardedaftertheBattleoftheCowshed?(p28)

6. WhydidNapoleondisagreewithSnowballabouttheWindmill?(p34-5)

7. WhattacticsdidNapoleonusetogetridofSnowball?(p35)

8. HowdidSquealerconvincetheanimalstoacceptNapoleon’sinstructions?(p37)

9. WhydoesNapoleonsuddenlychangehismindabouttheWindmill?

10. Thepigsstartsleepinginthehouse(p45).HowisthisactionabetrayaloftheoriginalrulesofAnimal

Farm?

11. Whatdoesitshowaboutthepigs?

12. WhydotheHansobjecttolosingtheireggs?(p50-51)

13. HowdoesNapoleonruthlesslydealwiththeHen’s“rebellion”?(p56-57)

14. WhyisSnowballmadea“scapegoat”foreverythingwhichgoeswrongonthefarm?

15. WhatwasBoxer’smottotokeephimselfgoing?

16. WherewasBoxertakenattheendofhislife?(p81and82)

17. Whatisthesignificanceofthefinalscenewheretheanimalsgazeinthewindowatthedrunkenpigs?

(p94-95)

18. Whatispropaganda?HowwasitusedonAnimalFarm?

19. Whichcommandmentswerechanged?Howweretheychanged?

20. HowandwhydidtheanimalsallowtheirlivestoberuinedbyNapoleonandtheotherpigs?

ESSAYTOPICS “InAnimalFarm,theanimalsarenobetteroffaftertherevolutionthantheywerebefore.”Discuss.ORAnimalFarmissubtitled‘AFairyStory’.Howsuitableisthisdescriptionofthenovel?