Animal farm revising the novel

Literary Heritage Prose A664

Animal FarmGeorge Orwell

You will have a choice of two questions and 45 minutes to answer. This is one half of the exam – the other being unseen contemporary poetry.

How is this part of the exam marked?AO1 Respond to texts critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate relevant

textual detail to illustrate and support interpretations. AO2 Explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation

of ideas, themes and settings.

Quality of Written Communication is assessed in this paper. Candidates are expected to: •ensure that text is legible and that spelling, punctuation and grammar are accurate so that meaning is clear; •present information in a form that suits its purpose; •use a suitable structure and style of writing.

AO1 AO2 QWC

•sophisticated critical perception in response to and interpretation of text(s) •cogent and precise evaluation of relevant detail from the text(s)

•sensitive understanding of the significance and effects of writers’ choices of language, structure and form

•text is legible •spelling, punctuation and grammar are accurate and assured •meaning is very clearly communicated

A band 1 response:

GEORGE ORWELL: Animal FarmPast Questions

• In what way does Orwell powerfully depict the relationship between the pigs and the other animals in this extract?

• How does Orwell vividly portray the importance of the sheep and dogs in Animal Farm? Remember to support your ideas with details from the novel.

This is an open book exam so you will have clean copies of the text in front of you.

One extract based

One general

In what way does Orwell powerfully depict the relationship between the pigs and the other animals in this extract?

They had won, but they were weary and bleeding. Slowly they began to limp back towards the farm. The sight of their dead comrades stretched upon the grass moved some of them to tears. And for a little while they halted in sorrowful silence at the place where the windmill had once stood. Yes, it was gone; almost the last trace of their labour was gone! Even the foundations were partially destroyed. And in rebuilding it they could not this time, as before, make use of the fallen stones. This time the stones had vanished too. The force of the explosion had flung them to distances of hundreds of yards. It was as though the windmill had never been.

As they approached the farm Squealer, who had unaccountably been absent during the fighting, came skipping towards them, whisking his tail and beaming with satisfaction. And the animals heard, from the direction of the farm buildings, the solemn booming of a gun.

‘What is that gun firing for?' said Boxer.

'To celebrate our victory" cried Squealer.

'What victory?' said Boxer. His knees were bleeding, he had lost a shoe and split his hoof, and a dozen pellets had lodged themselves in his hindleg.

'What victory, comrade? Have we not driven the enemy off our soil - the sacred soil of Animal Farm?'

'But they have destroyed the windmill. And we had worked on it for two years!’

'What matter? We will build another windmill. We will build six windmills if we feel like it. You do not appreciate, comrade, the mighty things that we have done. The enemy was in occupation of this very ground that we stand upon. And now - thanks to the leadership of Comrade Napoleon - we have won every inch of it back again!'

'Then we have won back what we had before,' said Boxer.

'That is our victory,' said Squealer.

They limped into the yard. The pellets under the skin of Boxer's leg smarted painfully. He saw ahead of him the heavy labour of rebuilding the windmill from the foundations, and already in imagination he braced himself for the task. But for the first time it occurred to him that he was eleven years old and that perhaps his great muscles were not quite what they had once been.

Structure

The Story StructurePlot each of the events onto a story structure graph

• Major tells the other animals on the farm about a dream he has had in which animals live free from human slavery.• Major’s speech inspires the animals to rebel and they drive Mr Jones from the farm.• The farm is renamed ‘Animal Farm’ and the seven commandments are written on the barn wall.• The animals work hard to bring the harvest in• They discover the pigs have been taking all the apples and milk for themselves and the puppies are taken away by

Napoleon to be educated privately.• The two neighbouring farmers are frightened that the revolution will spread to their own farms. They help Mr Jones attack

Animal Farm. • The animals fend off the attack from the farmers and Mollie vanishes from the farm.• After he disagrees with Napoleon about the building of the windmill, Snowball is attacked by the dogs and driven from the

farm.• The pigs move into Mr Jones’s house and sleep in beds, and Napoleon decides to trade with humans.• The animals build the windmill.• The animals face starvation. Napoleon takes his solicitor around the farm and tricks him into thinking that gossip about a

famine is untrue.• Napoleon holds a show trial, accusing his opponents of ludicrous crimes. The accused animals are publically executed.• The pigs begin to alter the commandments on the wall of the barn to justify their actions.• Napoleon’s trade with his neighbour causes problems and the humans destroy the windmill.• Boxer collapses in the quarry. The pigs sell Boxer to the knacker’s yard as he is too weak to work. • The pigs begin to walk on their hind legs and the commandments are replaced with just one.• The animals look through the farmhouse window and can no longer see the difference between the pigs and the humans.

Does it fit into the traditional three-part story structure?

Three Part Structure

Structure

• What are the main factors that influence the structure of the story?As befits an allegory, the sequence of events in Animal Farm mirrors those of the Russian Revolution and its history under Stalin. The novel is divided into ten chapters and the farm’s decline into tyranny is marked by the gradual violation of each of the seven commandments.

• Can you add these points to your graph?

Structure

• In Chapter 2, the new dawn (page 27) is symbolic as well as literal. What might it stand for?It is as if the animals have woken up from a sleep. Chapter 2 makes us aware of just what the animals have fought for and how happy they are with the equal society that they think they have created after the revolution.

Structure

The book charts the corruption of Major’s ideal in stages: Chapter 1 sets out the rebellion’s high ideals and acts as a marker by which we judge the pigs’ subsequent actions.

• Look again at Major’s ideas in Chapter 1. Create a list.

• How do the pigs’ actions live up to these? Provide evidence to support your answers (PEEEE)

Structure

The turning point comes once Napoleon orders the execution of the pigs and the hens. Then there is a speedy descent into further betrayal – Boxer’s death and tyranny. Life deteriorates quickly once life has been taken – and it is not long before the pigs are walking on their hind legs, installing a phone and dressing in human clothing.

• Plot this point onto your structure graph as the ‘turning point’.

Structure

• Are there any similarities between the beginning and the end of the novel? If so what? By the end of the book, Napoleon sleeps in Jones’ bed, dines from his crockery and drinks alcohol. The circular nature of the plot is used by Orwell to highlight the depth of Napoleon’s descent and the irony of the revolution. He is worst than Jones as he has betrayed the animals’ trust.

Structure

• What is the novel’s subtitle? What does having this add to the way we might respond to the novel?

• “Animal Farm is still popular because of its apparent simplicity.” What features might collaborate this view? The book is set in a farmyard, its storyline progresses in clear stages, its main characters are animals: it seems at first to be a perfect children’s book. The simplicity of the book supports its subtitle ‘A Fairy Story’. The simple storyline; straightforward, sometimes comic characters and seemingly naive tone stop Animal Farm from being seen as a dry political pamphlet and allow Orwell’s message to reach the widest possible audience in a readable form. Even so, the book was rejected by publishers numerous times because of its anti-Stanlist message.

Structure

• How does Orwell subvert the fairytale genre?• How is the ending of the novel ambiguous? What is the effect

of this on the reader?We expect fairytales to be about the battle between good and evil – as in Animal Farm – but in this book, good is seen to be punished rather than rewarded. The ending’s ambiguity leaves the reader thinking the worst – that there is no possible happy ending to the story. We don’t expect fairytales to be nightmares.

• If Animal Farm is not a fairy story, what is it?Animal Farm is not really a fairy story at all, but a bleak political satire.

Structure

• What is the narrative voice used in the novel? What reasons might Orwell have had to use this?Orwell uses a third person narrator to tell us the story of Animal Farm. A third person narrator is a god-like, omnipotent figure who sees everything that happens in the story – and can even tell us what each character is thinking.

StructureMost fairy stories and fables have a third person narrator, but there are also other reasons why Orwell uses this technique:

Detachment: Orwell’s narrator seems detached and gives the reader a similar distance from the events in the book. Although we are often given the animals’ interpretation of events, Orwell is careful to use phrases that leave us in no doubt about what is happening. For example, when Squealer is found at the bottom of the ladder in the middle of the night, it is described as ‘ a strange incident which hardly anyone was able to understand’ (page 94). The animals might not be aware of what is going on but it is obvious to us that Squealer has been caught red-handed changing the Commandments, and has fallen off the ladder as he is drunk. The gap between what is really happening and what we are told is exploited by Orwell to make a satirical point.

Trust: We trust the narrator. We do not question his interpretation of the characters and we believe that he is telling the truth and showing us all that happens on the farm. This relationship between the reader and narrator is problematic and perhaps ironic in a book that is itself about the way in which language can be distorted.

Structure

A Shift in ToneIn the final scene in the book there is a shift away from Orwell’s detached narrator to the tone of a dream or vision. This shift is emphasized by Orwell’s repetition of the animals’ trust in the pigs and that the promised utopia will arrive some day (page 111-12), followed by Clover seeing the pigs walking on their hind legs, and the acceleration towards the final scene. The contrast highlights the extent of the pigs betrayal and exploitation of the animals.

StructureFableThe story has similarities to another genre – the beast fable – in which animal characters are used to make serious moral points. In these works, such as Aesop’s Fables, the characters do not behave in a realistic way but are symbolic of certain attitudes. Animals are often the main characters in children’s books (such as The Wind in the Willows or The Jungle Book) for a similar reason. They do not have to be as ‘realistic’ as characters in other books and can be given one single, overriding personality trait.

• Choose six of the characters in Animal Farm and identify the personality trait given to them by Orwell. What is each symbolic of?

StructureUnlike most beast fables, though, the ending of Animal Farm is ambiguous. There is no clear sense of how life will turn out for the animals. No clear moral is stated, although Orwell’s message throughout the text is clear.

• What is Orwell’s message?Orwell was a life-long socialist whose political beliefs led him to fight for the Republicans against Franco’s fascists in the Spanish Civil War (1936-9). When the Second World War broke out, ill-health prevented him from signing up.Orwell’s experiences in the Spanish Civil War are relevant to the explicitly political Animal Farm. He became disillusioned with revolutionary politics after seeing the in-fighting between people who were meant to be on the same side.Orwell wasn’t just making a point about events in Russia in Animal Farm. He stated that the book was an attack on dictatorships in general and the way in which they seized and held onto power. He was not against revolutions but he did want to show people what happened when the people who led the revolution were allowed to do as they pleased.

Review the Structure

List five features of structure in Animal Farm. For each explain the effect of the feature on the reader/story.

A longer practice question about the structure of the story:

To what extent is Animal Farm a satire? Think about:– Orwell’s use of allegory– The sequence of events– The genre– The book’s subtitle

For a grade C: convey your ideas clearly and appropriately (you could use the words from the question to guide your answer) and refer to details from the text (use specific examples).

For a grade A: make sure you show that you understand Orwell’s purpose in writing the story and how the structure and use of character, language and form drive this home to the reader. There points need to be woven into your answer.

Satire: literature that targets an issue, institution or idea and attacks it in such a way as to make it look ridiculous or worthy of contempt. It is not the same as simply making fun of something, as satirical writer has a purpose in attacking the target, other than making people laugh

Model AnswerOrwell’s use if allegory in Animal Farm helps to create satire. In Orwell’s novel the lead characters of Napoleon and Snowball act as representations of the Russian Revolution’s key figures: Stalin and Trotsky. The presentation of these characters is made satirical through Orwell’s choice of animal to represent these key figures. He chooses pigs to represent the political leaders, animals that are often thought of as intelligent but greedy and unclean. This tells the audience about the characters; they are greedy and underhand – particularly Napoleon, who becomes a dictator. This is of course allegorical and represents the rise of Stalin to the role of dictator in the Russian Revolution. Orwell’s intention in using an allegory was to highlight not just the wrongs of the Russian Revolution but the perils of allowing leaders to become too powerful. The satirical element to the storytelling helps to portray the disgust he felt towards dictators.

Animal FarmLiterary Heritage Prose A664

How does Orwell use historical events in Animal Farm?

Think about your answer to this question.Now share your answer with your group.

AO1 Respond to texts critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate relevant textual detail to illustrate and support interpretations.

AO2 Explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas, themes and settings.




Band AO1 AO2 QWC

1 •sophisticated critical perception in response to and interpretation of text(s) •cogent and precise evaluation of relevant detail from the text(s)



2 •critical engagement and insight in response to and interpretation of text(s) •evaluation of well-selected reference to detail of text(s)

•critical insight into the significance and effects of writers’ choices of language, structure and form

•text is legible •spelling, punctuation and grammar are accurate •meaning is very clearly communicated

3 •clear, sustained responses to the text(s) •support from careful and relevant reference to detail of the text(s)

•clear understanding of some of the effects of writers’ choices of language, structure and form

•text is legible •spelling, punctuation and grammar are mainly accurate •meaning is clearly communicated

4 •reasonably developed personal response to the text(s) •use of appropriate support from detail of the text(s)

•overall understanding that writers’ choices of language, structure and form contribute to meaning/effect

•text is legible •some errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar •meaning is clearly communicated for most of the answer




Band AO1 AO2 QWC

1 •sophisticated critical perception in response to and interpretation of text(s) •cogent and precise evaluation of relevant detail from the text(s)



2 •critical engagement and insight in response to and interpretation of text(s) •evaluation of well-selected reference to detail of text(s)

•critical insight into the significance and effects of writers’ choices of language, structure and form

•text is legible •spelling, punctuation and grammar are accurate •meaning is very clearly communicated

3 •clear, sustained responses to the text(s) •support from careful and relevant reference to detail of the text(s)

•clear understanding of some of the effects of writers’ choices of language, structure and form

•text is legible •spelling, punctuation and grammar are mainly accurate •meaning is clearly communicated

4 •reasonably developed personal response to the text(s) •use of appropriate support from detail of the text(s)

•overall understanding that writers’ choices of language, structure and form contribute to meaning/effect

•text is legible •some errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar •meaning is clearly communicated for most of the answer

Think about your answer to the starter question. What band would your response be in if you wrote it now?

Context (no using the study guide this lesson please)

1. Match up the Russian historical events with the correct event in Animal Farm (cut them up and rearrange). Use the glossary and information sheet provided to help you. Stick it down when you are happy.

2. Using the worksheet, complete the short summary of the parallels between the Russian Revolution and Orwell’s Animal Farm.

3. Why do you think Orwell chose to use an allegory to show his feelings about revolution and dictatorships? Fiction is an indirect method of political commentary; if Orwell had written an academic essay, he could have named names, pointed to details, and proven his case more easily. Think about:– The events of the time in which he was writing (1943)– Who he wanted to hear his message– The way he wanted his readers to feel about the people and events– Is it about just the one historical event?

4. Do you think Animal Farm’s message would come across effectively to someone who knows nothing about Soviet history or the conflict between Stalin and Trotsky? What might such a reader make of the story?

The Parallels between the events of Animal Farm and the Russian Revolution

In the novel, Orwell portrays Lenin’s and the communist’s rise to power, seizing control from the Tsars through the character of ............ and the animals’ .............. against .............. Napoleon and Snowball, ............ and ................. in Orwell’s allegory, establish a Communist society which is represented by .................. which echoes ............. ideas. After ........... death there is a struggle for power between ................. and ................ and ............. is exiled; the historical parallels being ........... death followed by a power struggle between ........... and ................. which .......... won. Stalin slowly established his role as a dictator: taking more for himself and leaving the people without enough, rewriting history, purging anyone who opposed him. In Orwell’s novel ............... establishes his role as a dictator by: ................., ........................, ..................... Trying to protect the farm, Napoleon makes deals with .............. and ................. but is tricked with forged notes just as .................in an effort to protect the Soviet Union from attack negotiated with .......... and ................ but ......................... At the Tehran Conference the Soviet Union, Britain and the USA claimed to be allies but a few years later the .................. ... began which placed the Soviet Union against its wartime allies. Orwell’s novel ends with ............. and ................... having dinner together but Orwell hints at discord in .....................................................

Context (no using the study guide this lesson please)

1. Match up the Russian historical events with the correct event in Animal Farm (cut them up and rearrange). Use the glossary to help you. When you are done matching, use the ‘Brief bit of history...’ to check and add to your comparison. Stick it down when you are happy.

2. Write a short summary (150 words or less) of the parallels between the Russian Revolution and Orwell’s Animal Farm. Make sure to include the key words: allegory, communism, animalism, capitalist, proletariat, cult of personality, purges, show trial and the comparable characters/key historical figures and events.

3. Why do you think Orwell chose to use an allegory to show his feelings about revolution and dictatorships? Fiction would seem a rather indirect method of political commentary; if Orwell had written an academic essay, he could have named names, pointed to details, and proven his case more easily. Think about:– The events of the time in which he was writing– Who he wanted to hear his message– The way he wanted his readers to feel about the people and events– Is it about just the one historical event?

4. Do you think Animal Farm’s message would come across effectively to someone who knows nothing about Soviet history or the conflict between Stalin and Trotsky? What might such a reader make of the story?

Extension: To what extent is the novel nothing more than an allegory for the Russian Revolution?

Political Terms Explanation

Bolsheviks The radical wing of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Party. Founded by Lenin, the Bolsheviks came to power in the 1917 October Revolution and eventually changed their name to the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

Capitalist According to Karl Marx, a capitalist is someone who has money and invests in business. This person then makes a profit if the business does well.

Cold War The period from 1949 to 1989, which was marked by a diplomatic and political standoff between the Soviet Union and Western powers.

Democracy A government that is elected by the people or their representatives.

Dictator A ruler whose decisions do not need anyone else’s agreement. Often, in dictatorships, any form of opposition has ben abolished, leaving the ruler with absolute power.

Indoctrination Brainwashing someone into believing a particular opinion.

Kulak A land-owning peasant. After the Russian Revolution, the kulaks did not want their farms to be collectivised. From 1929, Stalin began to exterminate them as a class.

Marxist A follower of the ideas of Karl Marx (1818-1883)

Proletariat The lower or working class, especially those living in industrial societies whose only possession (according to Marx) was the value of their work.

Republic A form of government where the people – or the people they elect – have power

Subversive Description of someone or something that is working to destroy something, particularly a government (often behind the scenes/in secret)

Totalitarian Description of a government that has absolute control over its citizens’ lives and does not allow them to raise any opposition. Most dictatorships are totalitarian.

Tsar The emperor of Russia until 1914. the word is also used to mean tyrant, or autocrat, or – more generally – a person with authority

Tyrant A person who governs in an unjust and violent way. Someone who uses their power in an unreasonable or selctiv way to oppress others can be said to be tyrannical.

A brief bit of history...Animal Farm is an allegory of Russian history. In 1917 the February Revolution overthrew the Tsar, but

within months the Provisional Government was itself overthrown by the Communist Party, led by Lenin.

Karl Marx and CommunismMarx believed that in a capitalist society workers were exploited by the people they worked for. Workers were paid a wage to produce goods that were then sold at a higher price than they cost to make. Marx argued that the capitalists kept this profit and that if they paid the workers lower wages, they could increase their profit. For this reason, the capitalists and the workers would never see eye-to-eye, or have each other’s best interests at heart. According to Marx, this situation created a class struggle. Marx said that eventually the workers would rebel against the capitalists and overthrow them. They would then establish a more equal society.Marx wrote Das Kapital, which stated that society should be free and equal, and the Communist Manifesto which called for workers to unite. Lenin took Marx’s ideas and adapted them to form his own brand of Communism.The Struggle of PowerLenin died in 1924. A struggle for power between Trotsky and Stalin followed. Trotsky believed that to protect the Soviet Union, the revolution had to spread throughout the world in a ‘Permanent Revolution’, a slogan that encapsulated his beliefs. Unlike Trotsky, Stalin felt that the country’s security lay in building its defences: ‘Socialism in one Country’ was his competing slogan.The Soviet Union under StalinBy 1928, Stalin had become a dictator. His rule seemed to have little in common with the ideas of either Lenin or Marx.Propaganda was a frequently used tool that further emphasised the control Stalin had over Soviet life. Stalin frequently reinvented his history and that of the Soviet people. Past enemies were presented to the people as allies and vice versa. Those who were thought to oppose him were exiled or executed. In many cases ‘show trials’ were staged in which people confessed to crimes that they had not committed. These purges (the official name given to Stalin’s elimination of his opponents) created a climate of fear.Stalin exiled Trotsky in 1929. In Trotsky’s absence, Stalin blamed him for the country’s problems and claimed Trotsky was working with the country’s enemies to overthrow the government.

Animal FarmLiterary Heritage Prose A664

How does Orwell use historical events in Animal Farm?

Think about the answer you gave to this question at the beginning of the lesson. Is your answer any different now?

Share your new answer with your group and discuss together if you have been able to expand on your knowledge of the novel’s

context to answer this question more thoroughly.Are you working in a higher band now?

AO1 Respond to texts critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate relevant textual detail to illustrate and support interpretations.

AO2 Explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas, themes and settings.

Examiner’s Tip: Writing about ContextAs the table you created shows, the historical context for Animal Farm is very important. It is also fair to say that the book is Orwell’s own creation, and that it is possible to write interestingly about it without making reference to the context. But understanding the history of the early twentieth century, and how Orwell responded to it, will enrich your answers and impress the examiner!

Orwell wasn’t just making a point about the events in Russia in Animal Farm. He stated that the book was an attack on dictatorships in general and the way in which they seized and held onto power. He was not against revolutions but he did want to show people what happened when the people who led the revolution were allowed to do as they pleased.

• Orwell claimed his purpose in writing Animal Farm was ‘to fuse political and artistic purpose into one whole’. To what extent do you think he succeeded?

CharacterYou should ensure you know:

• Who they are• What they do in the book• What their role in the story is• How they are described and what this means• How they contrast/compare with other

characters in the book• What the readers’ reaction to the character is

and how this is shaped• Who their comparable historical figure/group is

Major

Who is he?

Major is a highly regarded pig, who is also a natural leader who is : “Wise and benevolent”

How does Major contrast/compare with the other characters?

In the book, Major is the main perpetrator and the start of the novel.

“Is it not crystal clear, comrades, that all the evils of this life of ours spring from the tyranny of human beings?”

What is his role in the story?

Major is the character that gets the ball rolling. He instigates the rebellion by telling the animals about life: “This is my message to you comrades: Rebellion!”

His ideas are referred to the whole way through the novel.

How is he described in the novel?

Major is described a majestic looking pig with a wise and benevolent pig.

“Benevolent” “Majestic looking pig”

Readers reaction to Major.

The reader trusts Major.

Writing tips.

Major represents the ideas of Marxism and Lenism.

What Major believes in in the novel is what Orwell believes in but Major’s ideas are subverted by the pigs later in the novel.

Napoleon Brave comrade. Noble leader.

Brutal Dictator.

Who is Napoleon?

Napoleon is the leader of Animal Farm. He is a large and controlling Berkshire Boar who becomes the leader of Animal Farm after getting rid of Snowball. He has a controlling personality and a murderous lust for power. He shows no qualms with stealing and murdering to secure his station just a little more.

Not only that, he shows a disregard for the very tenants which and the other pigs laid down at the beginning of the book. He:

• Sleeps in a bed• Trades with humans• Drinks alcohol• Murders other animals• Walks on two legs• And wears clothes.

How he’s described

“And finally there was a tremendous baying of dogs and a shrill crowing from the black cockerel, and out came Napoleon himself, majestically upright, casting haughty glances from side to side, and with the dogs gambolling around him.

He carried a whip in his trotter”

This description is probably one of the most effective in the book. We see it from the point of view of the animals, and it seems to cast him in a positive light, with the dogs “gambolling” and him being “Majestically upright”. But when the audience pictures it, it is imposing. It is scary, it is wrong and it is in direct violation of that which Napoleon once seemed to uphold.

Who does he represent?

Napoleon represents Stalin in Animal Farm. He is the greedy leader who is completely uncaring for the people he leads, and instead only cares for his own power, his own wealth and keeping himself in alcohol. He is brutal, powerful and is almost worshipped by the proletariat.

Quotations

The game is simple. We will give you a quote said by another animal about Napoleon. You will have to tell us who said it.

Napoleon is always right

-Boxer

Two legs good, four legs better.

-The Sheep

Thanks to the leadership of Comrade Napoleon, we have won every inch of it back again!

-Squealer

Snowball

Who is Snowball?

• Snowball is one of Orwell's main characters in Animal Farm.

• He is the farm’s intellectual and tries to rival Napoleon for the overall running of the farm.

What does he do in the book?/what is his role in the story?

• Energetically promote the revolution and teaches the animals new skills.

• Although he appears to care about the well being of the other animals, he supports Napoleon’s seizure of the apples.

• Brave in battle and a brilliant strategist.• He is the mastermind behind the windmill.• For all his brilliance, he does not appear to notice

Napoleon’s steady climb to power, or the use he makes of the dogs.

• Snowball is nearly killed by Napoleon’s dogs and flees from the farm.

How is Snowball described and what does this mean?

• Snowball is described as a charismatic and brilliant thinker ‘Snowball was...quicker in speech and more innovative’. He communicates his ideas very well to the other animals. He is dedicated to spreading Major’s revolution ideas, he along with the other pigs wrote out the 7 commandments which were expressed in Old Major’s dream and he is adament on spreading them and also making sure they are put into practice.

• Snowball uses his skills to teach the animals to read and write. Snowball understands that the other animals are not as intelligent as him and he simplifies the rules ‘four legs good, two legs bad’.

• Snowball is also described as being ruthless as he states ‘the only good human is a dead one’.

How does Snowball compare with other characters in the book?

• Snowball and Napoleon are the main comparison because they both fight for leadership. Snowball has similarities with Napoleon: – In their appearance, Orwell chose for both of them to be pigs– Their leadership qualities: Orwell describes Snowball as a pig very similar to Napoleon— at least in the early stages.

Both pigs wanted a leadership position in the "new" economic and political system (which is actually contradictory to the whole supposed system of equality). But as time goes on, both eventually realize that one of them will have to step down. Orwell says that the two were always arguing. "Snowball and Napoleon were by far the most active in the debates. But it was noticed that these two were never in agreement: whatever suggestion either of them made, the other could be counted to oppose it." Later, Orwell makes the case stronger. "These two disagreed at every point disagreement was possible."

– Snowball shares and follows most of Major’s ideas. Snowball is one of the main animals that writes up the 7 commandments that were dreamt by old Major. Snowball also shares the commandments more than any other animals.

– He can also be compared to Boxer because they are both very hard working and dedicated to the farm. The windmill was Snowballs idea, he worked long and hard to make the plans for it and put it into action, Boxers motto is ‘I will work harder’ and he puts this into action when working in the fields and on the windmill.

How does Snowball contrast with other characters?

• Snowball’s ideas and views to the running the farm contrast with Napoleon, the most obvious - the windmill.

• Snowball contrasts with other characters such as Boxer in that Snowball is very intelligent and good with communication.

• Snowball contrasts with Napoleon as Napoleon is lazy and cowardly but as is shown in the Battle of the Cowshed Snowball is brave and works hard in designing the windmill.

What is the readers’ reaction to Snowball?

The reader feels that Snowball is a genuine character who tries to do the best for his “comrades” and for the farm. This idea is founded at the Battle of the Cowshed when the reader sees how passionate he is about the idea of a human-free farm and his support of the revolution. Snowball had planned for this attack for a long time. Snowball’s great bravery helped the animals defeat the humans. ‘Without halting for an instant, Snowball flung his fifteen stone against Jones's legs'

Who is Snowballs comparable historical figure?

Snowball’s represents Trotsky (Leon Davidovich Trotsky 1879-1940) in Orwell’s allegory.Trotsky was an early leader in communism. He helped lead the “October Revolution,” to get rid of Czar Nicolas II. Trotsky was a “true communist,” which means he followed Marx. Trotsky really wanted to improve life for every Russian, but he was chased away by Stalin and the KGB after a power struggle. But Trotsky was not only exiled in body, he was also exiled from the minds of the Russian people - His historical role was altered; his face cut out of group photographs of the leaders of the revolution. In Russia he was denounced as a traitor and conspirator and in 1940 a Stalinist agent assassinated him in Mexico City.

Comparably, Snowball is an early leader in Animalism. He has an important part in getting rid of Mr. Jones, and is a leader in the Battle of Cowshed. He is a follower of Old Major, and wants to improve life for all animals. Snowball is chased away by Napoleon's dogs, and he is blamed for all of the problems on the farm.

• Before Snowball is expelled from the farm he is liked by the animals, they think he’s a good leader because of the commandments and because he is likeable and hard working. As soon as he is banished Napoleons propaganda turns Snowball into a hated figure ‘Whenever anything went wrong it became usual to attribute it to Snowball. If a window was broken or a drain was blocked up, someone was certain to say that Snowball had come in the night and done it, and when the key of the store-shed was lost, the whole farm was convinced that Snowball had thrown it down the well. Curiously enough, they went on believing this even after the mislaid key was found under a sack of meal.’

SquealerSquealerSquealersquealer

Who is Squealer?“ A small, fat pig" known for being a

smooth talker, who reportedly "could turn black into white.“(35) Squealer was Napoleon’s propagandist, his “spin

doctor”, who justifies napoleon’s seizure of power.

What does Squealer do in the book?

• Squealer is responsible for the devious changed to the seven commandments.

• He confuses the animals and makes them doubt there own memories, persuading them

that he is right.

• Squealer give the animals meaningless lists of statistics to convince them that life under

Napoleon is getting better.

• He uses his own eloquence and Napoleon’s brutal dogs to enforce Napoleons message

• Squealer grows fatter as the story progresses, as he benefits from working for

Napoleon.

Squealer’s role in the story

Squealer represents the propaganda newspaper Pravda rather than a person. The statement that Squealer can “turn

black into white” was intended to refer to Pravda's ability to turn lies into truth.

Squealer also carries the messages from Napoleon to the other pigs who simply take what Squealer says. Squealer is a method

of communication from the top to the bottom with the ability to put the proper

spin on the information.

Quotes

We are told that he is a “brilliant talker” who can “turn black to white” (p.23)

He dishonestly defends the pigs’ actions in the brilliant pieces oh rhetoric, which is often underlined by the threat of Jones's return. The animals therefore have little opinion but to agree to the pigs’ actions.

He is “unaccountably... Absent “ (p.92) from the fighting.

The quote implies that squealer is a coward.

“No one believes more firmly than comrade napoleon. That all animals are equal...that sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where would we be?” (p.56)

He convinces that animals that napoleon is acting in there best interests. Despite the fact that napoleon is doing the complete opposite.

“squealer, temporarily stunned, was sprawling beside it, and near at hand there lay a lantern, a paint brush and over tanned pot of white paint.” (94-5)

Squealer has been caught altering the commandments on the wall to fit the pigs’ actions-as he has done throughout the story. He has fallen off his ladder and or well suggests he is drunk-thus breaking the very commandment he is altering.

“ He cast a very ugly look at boxer” (p.77)

This- and the attack on the gentle boxer that follows-highlights the sinister side to squealer’s character. His role is to ensure that any opposition to napoleon is eliminated.

Squealer-to other characters

The animals all think that Squealer is one of them. They think he wants to protect them and that he is ever so loyal to him. They also think that Squealer likes them and works for them and they don’t think he is bad and that he breaks the rules. Napoleon uses Squealer more like a weapon of communication and propaganda. But Squealer knows that Napoleon is using him, and he makes the best of it. He doesn’t care that Napoleon is manipulating him because he knows that while Napoleon is still in power he will still get the Milk, apples and the other beneficial goods.

Readers response to Squealer

The reader’s think that Squealer is intelligent but quite twisted. For example he gives boxer a really dirty look, This shows he doesn't care who he hurts, also he is a coward as he doesn't fight at all. He is never around. Its shaped by the attitude and the language Orwell creates when writing about him. He uses certain words to crate the effect of being sneaky.

BOXER

Who is Boxer?

Boxer is an enormous carthorse who has been around for a few years. He is respected by all the other animals for his incredible strength and unbreakable work ethic: ’I will work harder’. When everyone else runs out of energy boxer still ploughs on. A prime example of this is when Boxer carries on with the construction of the windmill , despite the fact that every other animal had stopped.

In the novel Animal Farm Boxer represents the working classes, whose only possession is the value of their labour. He shows this throughout the novel by his commitment to the completion of the windmill, as he ploughs on, until he collapses.

What does he do in the book and what are his roles within the story?

Boxer is a devout supporter of the revolution and has total faith in the pigs and their ability to lead the animals into “Animalism”. Throughout the book, he always works to help support the revolution, often repeating: “Napoleon is always right”; he uses his unmatchable strength to help build the windmill and to help maintain the farm. He insists on working until the job is done and no one can tell him otherwise.His devotion to the pigs is ultimately his downfall as he lacks intelligence and cannot realise when the pigs are exploiting him and the other animals. Right until his death, he still trusts the pigs and calls for them when he collapses in the quarry. The pigs end up selling him off to the knackers yard.

Boxer represents the working class – the proletariat – in the allegory. He has similarities to the Soviet worker Alexander Stakhanov who was highly praised by the government for his high productivity.

How is he described?Orwell portrays Boxer as being unintelligent, hard-working, and caring. His personal motto is, "I will work harder!“.

Boxer is described as being naive throughout the novel, he believes everything Napoleon says-one of his sayings being: ‘if Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right’-all of this, inevitably ,leading to Boxer being slaughtered.

The novel describes the horses as being the pig's "most faithful disciples" and that they "absorbed everything that they were told [by the pigs], and passed it on to the other animals by simple arguments".

Boxer is described as being caring when he says: “I have no wish to take life, not even human life” p.45 after the battle of the cowshed. The fact that his eyes filled with tears clearly show his emotions on the killing of a living being.

How Boxer compares/contrasts with other characters

In comparison to the other animals boxer is of relatively low intelligence. He never doubts or opposes the pigs as he doesn’t have the intelligence to comprise an argument against them, because of this he is venerable to exploitation. He shows his devotion to the pigs: “It must be due to some fault in ourselves” he believes that if something has gone wrong it must be that animals at fault.He is a harder worker than any of the others and uses his size and strength to aid his work-he nether gives up and uses them until they fail, like when he collapsed whilst building the windmill. He, like the others, is for the downfall of Jones and his cruel reign. He, along with the other animals, is under the authority of Napoleon and shares equal rights with them.

The readers reaction to BoxerThe reader warms to Boxer from the beginning due to his hard-working attitude, kind heart and non-complaining attitude. ‘I will work harder’ shows willingness and devotion to work-which instantly makes the reader warm to him. This quote also shows that Boxer believes that no matter how hard he is working, he can always put more effort in.The emotional climax of the book is when Boxer collapses and gets sold to the Knackers’ yard. This is emotional because the reader has warmed to him and to see is lack of intelligence be exploited, the reader feels emotional towards this character-after all he hadn’t done anything to deserve what he got. The evilness of Napoleon's rule is highlighted by this event, especially when the proceeds from Boxer are spent on whiskey. We become aware that he cares for no animal other than himself and will do anything to gain more money and more power.

BoxerWho is Boxer?Boxer is an enormous carthorse who has been around for a few years. He is respected by all the other animals for his incredible strength and unbreakable work ethic. When everyone else runs out of energy boxer still ploughs on.In the novel Animal Farm Boxer represents the working classes, whose only possession is the value of their labour.

What does he do in the book and what are his roles within the story?Boxer is a devout supporter of the revolution and has total faith in the pigs and their ability to lead the animals into “Animalism”. Throughout the book, he always works to help support the revolution, often repeating: “Napoleon is always right”; he uses his unmatchable strength to help build the windmill and to help maintain the farm. He insists on working until the job is done and no one can tell him otherwise.His devotion to the pigs is ultimately his downfall as he lacks intelligence and cannot realise when the pigs are exploiting him and the other animals. Right until his death, he still trusts the pigs and calls for them when he collapses in the quarry. The pigs end up selling him off to the knackers yard. Boxer represents the working class – the proletariat – in the allegory. He has similarities to the Soviet worker Alexander Stakhanov who was highly praised by the government for his high productivity.

How is he described?Orwell portrays Boxer as being unintelligent, hard-working, and caring. His personal motto is, "I will work harder!“. The novel describes the horses as being the pig's "most faithful disciples" and that they "absorbed everything that they were told [by the pigs], and passed it on to the other animals by simple arguments".Boxer is described as being caring when he says: “I have no wish to take life, not even human life” p.45 after the battle of the cowshed. The fact that his eyes filled with tears clearly show his emotions on the killing of a living being.

How Boxer compares/contrasts with other charactersIn comparison to the other animals boxer is of relatively low intelligence. He never doubts or opposes the pigs as he doesn’t have the intelligence to comprise an argument against them, because of this he is venerable to exploitation. He shows his devotion to the pigs: “It must be due to some fault in ourselves” he believes that if something has gone wrong it must be that animals at fault.He is a harder worker than any of the others and uses his size and strength to aid his work. He, like the others, is for the downfall of Jones and his cruel reign.

Reader’s Reaction to BoxerThe reader warms to Boxer from the beginning due to his hard-working attitude, kind heart and non-complaining attitude. The emotional climax of the book is when Boxer collapses and gets sold to the Knackers’ yard. Boxer is one of the most likeable characters and when he is sent to his death the reader feels very sad. The evilness of Napoleon's rule is highlighted by this event, especially when the proceeds from Boxer are spent on whiskey. We become aware that he cares for no animal other than himself and will do anything to gain more money and more power.

Character: Mollie

About Mollie

Mollie ‘s character represents the white Russians who were the bourgeois class.( the richer class).

She has a selfish personality – only wants to learn the first few letters of her own name. Also she doesn’t care about anyone other than herself as she constantly turns up to work late and also leaves 5 minutes earlier then the other animals then she complains of mysterious pains to get out of doing any work.

Mollie is not entirely committed to the revolution as she is perceived as ‘work shy’ and lazy.

When the bourgeois were asked to make sacrifices many of them abandoned the cause and fled to the west. This is the same as what Mollie does when she is asked to give up her ribbons and sugar cubes she cannot apply to the rules and disappears to the neighbouring farm.

Mollies ribbons and sugar cubes represent the luxuries that Russia had before the rebellion. Also the luxuries they had to give up for the rebellion.

Mollie seems to be envious of the luxuries that she had when under the commands of Mr Jones and when the animals enter the house Mollie is seen looking at Mrs Jones’s ribbons.

We know that Mollie is selfish as she leaves the farm as soon as life there becomes more demanding unlike Boxer Mollie is incapable of making any sacrifice.

Quotes from Mollie 1. Mollie is caught by clover letting one of Mr. Pilkington’s workers stroke her nose , but

Mollie denies all acknowledgement of it and took to her heels and galloped away.2. (Page 49).3. “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.4. (page 49).

4. “Mollie it was true, was not good at getting up in the morning, and had a way of leaving work early on the ground that there was a stone in her hoof.(Page 34).

5. “She had taken a piece of blue ribbon from Mrs. Jones dressing table, and was holding it against her shoulder and admiring herself in the glass in a very foolish manor.”(Page 28). Mollie refused to learn any but the six letters which spelt her own name. She would form these very neatly out of pieces of twig, and would then decorate them with a flower or two and walk around admiring them.( Page 37).

Tips on what to write about Mollie

Mollie oversleeps and she complains of ‘mysterious pains’ to get herself out of helping to bring in the harvest , she then does this again when they build the windmill to get out of working and often oversleeps for work. Also she leaves 5 minutes before the rest of the animals this shows us that Mollie is workshy.Mollie seems to be extremely envious of the luxuries that the humans have and cannot commit to the revolution as she cannot give up her ribbons and is one of the main reasons as to why she fled to the other neighbouring farm.Mollie leaves the farm as soon as life there becomes more demanding. Unlike Boxer she is incapable of making any sacrifice. She gives up her luxuries at first, but then later deceives the other animals by hiding her ribbons and sugar cubes under her bed. Mollie’s selfishness and the other animals selfishness is perhaps another reason as to why the revolution failed. Orwell portrays mollies as selfish and a coward as when the animals are fighting in the battle of the cowshed for the farm , Mollie hides in her barn as she is to afraid to fight along with her other comrades.

Mollie.

Mollie’s Character. Represents the White Russians (the richer class).

The ribbons and sugar represent the luxuries that Russia had before the rebellion.

Mollie is selfish as she leaves the farm as soon as life there becomes more demanding unlike Boxer, Mollie is incapable of making any sacrifice.

Mollie complains of mysterious pains to get out of work - this shows us that Mollie is workshy

The selfishness of both Mollie and some of the other animals is a reason as to why the revolution failed, as they simply could not give up their old luxuries that they had before the revolution.

This is also shown in the battle of the cow shed, Mollie hid instead of fighting. This shows that she is a bit of a coward, by hiding it tells us that mollies personality is selfish because she it to afraid to go out and fight like the other animals do

Quotes for Mollie

1. Mollie is caught by Clover letting one of Mr. Pilkington’s workers stroke her nose , but Mollie denies all acknowledgement of it and took to her heels and galloped away. (Page 49).

2. “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. (page 49).

3. “Mollie it was true, was not good at getting up in the morning, and had a way of leaving work early on the ground that there was a stone in her hoof.(Page 34).

4. “She had taken a piece of blue ribbon from Mrs. Jones dressing table, and was holding it against her shoulder and admiring herself in the glass in a very foolish manor.”(Page 28).

5. Mollie refused to learn any but the six letters which spelt her own name. She would form these very neatly out of pieces of twig, and would then decorate them with a flower or two and walk around admiring them. ( Page 37).

The RavenMOSES

Profile

• A tame raven that is Mr Jones’s “especial pet.” He is a spy, a gossip, and a “clever talker”.

• Moses disappears for several years during Napoleon’s rule. Only to come back to the laid-back lifestyle he was used to.

• When he returns, he still insists on the existence of Sugarcandy Mountain. "up there, just on the other side of that dark cloud that you can see– there it lies, Sugarcandy Mountain”

• Moses is tied to Mr. Jones by his love for alcohol, the same drink that later ties the pigs to Mr. Jones.

Evidence

• The animals hated Moses because he told tales and did no work, but some of them believed in Sugarcandy Mountain, and the pigs had to argue very hard to persuade the Just as Squealer later deceives the animals as to the state of Animal Farm, Moses spins tales of a place too good to be true that there was no such place.

• All the animals were now present except Moses, the tame raven, who slept on a perch behind the back door. When Major saw that they had all made themselves comfortable and were waiting attentively, he cleared his throat and began. From the moment he is first introduced, Moses is an outsider, separate from the other animals.

What He Represents

• In Orwell’s allegory Moses represented the Russian orthodox church.

• He is banished during Napoleons reign as the church was under Stalin's reign.

• Just like in the Russian revolution when towards the end when Stalin realised the church could be useful to him he wanted the country to embrace religion.

His role

• Mr Jones’s favourite of all the animals as he was his personal spy.

• Moses role was to deceive the other animals into thinking all their hard work would be rewarded as one day they will go to Sugar Candy mountain. Sugarcandy Mountain, that happy country where we poor animals shall rest for ever from our labours!"

• Sugar Candy mountain represents heaven and is used as a pacifier – to get the animals to accept their situation now on the promise of something better in the next life.

What his role does

• Moses role is to keep the animals compliant so that the orders of Jones’ and then at the beginning of Napoleon’s regime aren't questioned (at first). They once again see a need for the raven to go on and on about Sugarcandy Mountain, and they’re all too happy to buy him off for “a gill of beer a day”

• ‘Sugar Candy Mountain’ is a promise to the animals that of all their work will pay off. In actuality it is an attempt to brainwash them into believing in a capitalist society.

Contrast and Compare• Orwell's allegorises the church through the character

of Moses. In the beginning Mr Jones (Tsar) and Moses (the church) are closely allied. Tsar Nicolas II wanted religion to be a priority for Russia.

• Whereas when Napoleon (Stalin) comes into power, Moses (the church) is banished for many years before Napoleon realised he could be of some use if he is kept onside – even give a ration of beer. The church has historically played a part in subduing the people.

The Reader’s Reaction• As Orwell writes Animal Farm in third person narrative voice it

allows the reader to make their own mind up about whose view is correct or if they agree with something or not.

• However when Moses starts feeding the other animals information about the existence of Sugar Candy Mountain, the reader feels an affinity with the animals as he/she is sympathetic towards their naivety.

• One must consider however different reactions to Moses’ character based on a reader’s personal religious feelings. A reader who believes in the existence of heaven may find Moses’ telling of a better place a comforting action – one designed to allow the animals hope in something better than what they have. A non-religious reader may find Moses’ character divisive and underhand.

Tips for writing

• Refer to Moses representing the church.• Write about Moses's alliance with Mr Jones

and Napoleon.• Include how he is treated as well on his return

by Napoleon who needs him to subdue the other animals with promises of something better to come.

Activity

• Moses is a t _ _ _ raven and is represents the R _ _ _ _ _ _ O _ _ _ _ _ _ _ C _ _ _ _ _. He speaks of a place called s _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. This place represents h _ _ _ _ _. He leaves the farm when M _. _ _ _ _ _ is kicked off the farm but returns when Napoleon offers him a G _ _ _ O_ B _ _ _ a day if he gets the other animals to not q _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ his decisions.

Answers

• Moses is a tame raven that represents the Russian Orthodox Church. He speaks of a place called Sugarcandymountain. This place represents heaven. He leaves the farm when Mr. Jones is kicked off the farm but returns when Napoleon offers him a gill of beer a day if he gets the other animals to not question his decisions.

Animal farm

Mr Jones

.

Who are they? What they do in the book?

• “Mr Jones of the Manor farm” page 13 is the dictator of the farm before the animals “chased Jones and his men out onto the road” page 26

• He represents the last Tsar of Russia, Nicholas Alexandrovich Romanov (Nicholas II).

How they contrast/compare with other characters in the book?

• Mr Jones compares to the pigs as they both steal. “Nearly the whole of the produce of our labour is stolen from us by human beings” page 16. This implies that Mr Jones is stealing from the animals just like the pigs steal the apples and milk. “The mystery of where the milk went to was soon cleared up it was mixed everyday into the pigs mash” page 38. This infers that the pigs were stealing the milk for themselves which makes them just as bad as Mr Jones

•Mr Jones contrasts Boxer because Mr Jones is a cruel man who cares about nobody or nothing but himself . “Jones ties a brick around the necks and drowns them into the nearest pond” page 17. Unlike boxer who is loyal and hard working. “Sometimes the long hours on insufficient food were hard to bear, but Boxer never faltered” page 101. This infers that he was loyal to all the animals even though some gave up.

What the readers’ reaction to the character is and how this is shaped?

• The reader sees Mr Jones as a cruel leader of the animals on his farm. This is shown in majors speech given to the animals he states that life on the farm is one of “misery and slavery” page 13 this implies that the animals are exploited by man there only real enemy who “consumes without producing” page 16 and doesn't reward them for anything he takes. He is not someone who is caring of the animals instead he doesn’t feed his animals enough or take care of them the way they should.

How they are described and what this means?

• Mr Jones was once a capable farmer but after a damaging lawsuit he turns to drinking and becomes a harsh leader of the animals that he is meant to care for. “Had locked the hen houses for the night but was to drunk to remember to shut the pop holes” page 13 This means that the animals will have enough of his ways which then leads on to the animals to take over the farm

Animal Farm.Getting to know the humans.

Mr Pilkington• He is an ‘easy-going gentlemen farmer’ (page 41).• He owns Foxwood Farm, which is described as ‘overgrown and

neglected’ (page 41). • He ‘spent most of his time in fishing or hunting according to the

season’ (page 41).• He is shown to often argue with Mr Frederick ‘These two disliked

each other so much that it was difficult for them to come to any agreement, even in defence of their own interests’. (page 41)

• In Orwell’s allegory, Mr Pilkington represents the leaders of Great Britain. He doesn't represent one person in particular, but rather is a composite of all of the leaders of England. He is portrayed as a ‘gentleman’, much as England is seen by Orwell. He is gentle and yet has his part to play in the events that play out on Animal Farm.

Mr Frederick• He is a ‘tough, shrewd man, perpetually involved in lawsuits and

with a name for driving hard bargains.’ (page 41).• He owns Pinchfield Farm, which is ‘smaller and better kept’ than

Manor Farm and Foxwood Farm.• He started rumours about Animal Farm: ‘the animals there

practiced cannibalism, tortured one another with red-hot horseshoes, and had their females in common’. (page 42).

• He is cruel, underhanded and uses forged notes to pay for Napoleon's timber. ‘Frederick had got the timber for nothing!’ (page 89).

• Allegory – Mr Frederick stands for Germany under Hitler’s rule. It is said that Frederick had ''flogged an old horse to death (A reference to Hitler's euthanasia program), he had starved his cows (A reference to the Jews), he had killed a dog by throwing it into the furnace (Most likely a reference to Night of Knives), and that he amused himself in the evenings by making cocks (French /Children?) fight with splinters of razor-blade tied to their spurs.''

Readers response to the farmers• All the farmers in Animal Farm are repulsive. They exploit

their workers just as the Tsar did in the years before the Russian Revolution.

• The pigs become versions of the farmers in the final scene of the book.

• They are portrayed as dictators just like Stalin and Hitler.

All of this leads the reader to respond negatively to the Farmers. When the animals revolt, the reader feels that life without men like these will be better – and for a time it is. Orwell portrays these men as selfish and ineffectual.

Mr Whymper• Mr Whymper becomes the solicitor of Animal Farm;

‘an intermediary between Animal Farm and the outside world’. (page 64)

• He is described as ‘a sly-looking little man’. (page 64)• He is ‘sharp enough to have realised earlier than

anyone else that Animal Farm would need a broker and that the commissions would be worth having’. (page 64) He is in it for the money.

• He is the first human that the animals come in contact with after the rebellion. He is used to make contact with the outside world. He represents the capitalist who did business with the Soviet state.

Mrs Jones• Mrs Jones is the wife of Mr Jones. She is only

mentioned in the first chapter of the book.• When the animals revolt against Mr Jones, Mrs

Jones ‘hurriedly flung a few possessions into a carpet bag’ (page 26) and ‘ slipped out of the farm by another way.’ (page 26)

• When she is mentioned in the book she is mentioned in an unfavourable light.

• In Orwell’s allegory, she represents Tsar Nicholas II’s wife, Alexandra.

Tips for writing about the humans

• None of the human characters are seen as attractive, appealing or trustworthy people.

• Even the man that takes Boxer to his death is described as ‘a sly-looking man in a low-crowned bowlers house’. (page 104)

• The fact that the humans are shown in an unfavourable light tells the reader that even though the revolution failed, the animals were right to rebel against the humans.

ANIMAL FARM

The dogs and sheep

Who are they? They are minor characters in the book. In the beginning of the book, they vote against accepting the rats & rabbits as 'comrades'. Shortly after the revolution, several 'pups' are stolen from their mothers. Later in the book, these pups (now fully grown - and fully trained) protect Napoleon from a second potential revolution, and help to enforce his decrees."Silent and terrified, the animals crept back into the barn. In a moment the dogs came bounding back. At first no one had been able to imagine where these creatures came from, but the problem was soon solved: they were the puppies whom Napoleon had taken away from their mothers and reared privately. Though not yet full-grown, they were huge dogs, and as fierce-looking as wolves. They kept close to Napoleon. It was noticed that they wagged their tails to him in the same way as the other dogs had been used to do to Mr. Jones." This quote is evidence of how Napoleon uses the dogs to create terror within the other animals also this helps to gain power and control over the others.

Jessie, Bluebell, Pincher - The only three dogs that are mentioned by name. They do not have a very active role in the novel. All three are mentioned as being present at old major's meeting, but Pincher is never mentioned again (except in the 'epilogue', when it is mentioned that all three dogs are dead) - Jesse and Bluebell are the mothers of the represent the military/police. They are used to portray the KGB Stalin's secret police. 'pups' which serve as Napoleon's bodyguards (and assumedly Pincher is the father). Jesse and Bluebell also participate in the 'Battle of the Windmill'.

THE DOGS

THE DOGSHow are described and what this means? They are described as very aggressive but loyal animals, this is meant to compare with the secret police as they are serious characters and doing every order set straight away and quickly. Orwell shows this by making the characters rip the other animals to shreds e.g. pigs, hens, sheep. Also when sent to attack Boxer, the fight turns around so while one of the puppies is in danger, Napoleon quickly orders the attack to stop and for Boxer to release.

“The Dogs promptly tore there throats out, and in a terrible voice Napoleon demanded whether any of the other animal had anything to confess.” (78)

This shows the audience how violent the dogs are towards the other animals when commanded by Napoleon.How they contrast/compare with other characters inthe book? The dogs contrast within themselves; the puppies are aggressive and the farm dogs (Jessie and Bluebell) are described by Orwell to be peasants who were oppressed and whose children were indoctrinated and became part of and upholders of the regime.

What the readers ‘reaction to the character is and how this is shaped? The readers reaction to the dogs changes throughout the book; they start of being seen as very cute puppies but they turn into very cruel animals this shocks the reader as they don’t expect it. This is shown when Napoleon first sent them to run Snowball out of the farm as they were taken from Jessie to be taught to be linguistic like the other animals on the farm then suddenly they re-appear from being kept safe to be angry characters. Who their comparable historical figure/group is? There historical comparison is Stalin’s secret police.

Who are they? The sheep are the lower class characters representing the masses at large.

What they do in the book? The sheep are portrayed as the workers doing lower class jobs and chanting "Four legs good, two legs bad! Four legs good, two legs ba-a-a-a-d!“ This shows that the sheep are made to be lazy and do the dirty work comparing to those jobs of that a soldier would carry out. How are they described and what this means? They are described as the most simple, dumb element of the farm. This means that they are easily persuaded by others such as Napoleon. They did not “understand” the long version of the 7 commandments so they “would all start bleating “four legs good, two legs bad.”

How they contrast/compare with other characters in the book? They are loyal animals, they have a comparison with Boxer on that. They have a contrast to snowball as he is a very intelligent animal and they are dim.

THE SHEEP

THE SHEEP

What the readers reaction to the character is and how this is shaped? The readers reaction isn't drastic towards the character as they know sheep aren’t the sharpest of animals. Also they don’t play a huge role towards the book but they do chant their version of the 7 commandments creating irony in itself.

Who there comparable historical figure/group is? The sheep characters are shown to be the soldiers of the revolution that are told to do tasks and missions when set and are lead easily.

THE DOGS!The dogs play a small part in the story of Animal Farm or the Russian Revolution. Their main role in the story for them was to drive snowball out of the farm as Napoleon had been training them to do everything and anything he says to do. The dogs are described to be very aggressive , they are the animal farm version of the KGB (Stalin s secret police).

The dogs are very loyal animals, they are closely linked the pigs. They start to wag there tails at napoleon in the same way they waved there tails at Mr Jones.

During majors first speech, the dogs chase the rats – Old majors stops them from harming them as it is against the new Animalism rules.

The dogs murder objectors and opposition to napoleon, they are rewarded by napoleon for this

THE SHEEP! They produce a simple version of the seven

commandments just for the sheep to remember and chant to.

Which napoleon later changed.

The sheep represent the most dumb/stupid elements, they are generally referred to as an anonymous group – there is no named sheep.

The sheep are portrayed to have very little knowledge of the aims of revolution

They stifle only moment of protest when napoleon is seen walking along with a whip in his totter (p.113) The sheep are also known for being very loyal, they often chant during snowballs speeches

“at that moment, as though at a signal, all the sheep burst out into a tremendous bleating of – four legs good two legs BETTER.” (113)

Dogs"Silent and terrified, the animals crept back into the barn. In a moment the dogs came bounding back. At first no one had been able to imagine where these creatures came from, but the problem was soon solved: they were the puppies whom Napoleon had taken away from their mothers and reared privately. Though not yet full-grown, they were huge dogs, and as fierce-looking as wolves. They kept close to Napoleon. It was noticed that they wagged their tails to him in the same way as the other dogs had been used to do to Mr. Jones." “The Dogs promptly tore there throats out, and in a terrible voice Napoleon demanded whether any of the other animal had anything to confess.” (78)KEY POINTSAlong with the pigs, the dogs are rewarded for dealing ruthlessly with any objectors and murdering napoleons opposition During majors speech the dogs chase the rats and are prevented by major from harming them as he says it is contrary to the rules of animalismFrom the start they are loyal animals. They are closely linked to the pigs, and later wag their tails at Napoleon in the same way that they did at Mr Jones.The dogs are the counterpart of Stalin's secret police.

Sheep"Two legs bad, four legs good.” “at that moment, as though at a signal, all the sheep burst out into a tremendous bleating of – four legs good two legs BETTER.” (113)KEY POINTSThe sheep represent the most stupid elements of society, the 'mob'. They are generally referred to as an anonymous group - there is no named individual who stands out.

QUOTES

The Cat and the Hens

The Cat – Her Role in the Novel

• Voted both sides of rat comrade question.• Represents shadier characters in Russian

Society such as the con men, gypsies and circus folk.

• The cat disappears before the ‘purges’.• Talks to the sparrows on the roof and tells

them all animals are allies.

The Hens – Their Role in the Novel

• The hens are used in Animal Farm to represent the peasant farmers in Russia who revolt. (Kulaks)

• In Major’s speech he criticises taking of the Hens eggs.

• Under Napoleon the eggs are taken.• The Hens retaliate by smashing their eggs just as

the farmers did to their crops.• The only group that tried to rebel against Napoleon.• Napoleon has the hens executed.

Quiz

1. Who does the Cat represent?2. What do the Hens represent?3. What do the Hens do to revolt against

Napoleon’s orders to produce more eggs to sell to the humans?

4. When does the Cat disappear?5. What happens to the Hens because of their

actions?

Objects and Setting

What are the important objects in the novel

• Animalism – This is the idea of communism. • “Beasts of England” – It is a metaphor for the ideology of communism.

It is a song the animals repetitively sing throughout the novel to inspire them after they became independent from the humans.

• Windmill – This represents Stalin’s “5 year plan”. Which was introduced to improve the quality of life for the proletariats.

• Drinking of alcohol – This is a metaphor for the intoxicating effects of power.

• Milk and apples – This was the first time in the novel the animals were not treated equally, by the pigs taking the milk and apples for themselves.

What are the important settings in the novel

• Animal farm/Manor farm – This is the setting of the novel. • Foxwood – This is the neighbouring farm in the novel, it

represents Britain• Pinchfield – This is the other neighbouring farm and it

represents The Soviet Union• England – The farms represent countries, England represents

the entire of the world.• The farmhouse – Mr. Jones’ house, in the end of the novel the

pigs sleep and live there, Stalin lived in the Tsars home after the revolution also.

• Sugar candy mountain – Is a reference to heaven, which Moses who represents the church preaches to the animals and its also encourages the hardworking animals to maintain their enthusiasm for working on the farm.

Objects and Setting

Object• Animalism – This is the idea of communism. • “Beasts of England” – It is a metaphor for the

ideology of communism. It is a song the animals repetitively sing throughout the novel to inspire them after they became independent from the humans.

• Windmill – This represents Stalin’s “5 year plan”. Which was introduced to improve the quality of life for the proletariats.

• Drinking of alcohol – This is a metaphor for the intoxicating effects of power.

• Milk and apples – This was the first time in the novel the animals were not treated equally, by the pigs taking the milk and apples for themselves.

Places• Animal farm/Manor farm – This is the setting of

the novel. • Foxwood – This is the neighbouring farm in the

novel, it represents Britain• Pinchfield – This is the other neighbouring farm

and it represents The Soviet Union• England – The farms represent countries,

England represents the entire of the world.• The farmhouse – Mr. Jones’ house, in the end of

the novel the pigs sleep and live there, Stalin lived in the Tsars home after the revolution also.

• Sugar candy mountain – Is a reference to heaven, which Moses who represents the church preaches to the animals and its also encourages the hardworking animals to maintain their enthusiasm for working on the farm.

Themes

TASK: Put Animal Farm’s themes, symbols and motifs in order of importance.

Write a 3 PEARL response to the question: How do Orwell’s themes and motifs

enhance Animal Farm?HINT: YOU MAY CONSIDER HOW THEY STRENGTHEN ORWELL’S INTENDED

MESSAGE OR MORAL

Themes, Motifs and Symbols

ThemesThemes are the fundamental and often

universal ideas explored in a literary work.

Themes in Animal Farm

The Corruption of Socialist Ideals in the Soviet UnionRetelling the story of the emergence and development of Soviet communism in the form of an animal fable, Animal Farm allegorizes the rise to power of the dictator Joseph Stalin. Orwell’s novel creates its most powerful ironies in the moments in which Orwell depicts the corruption of Animalist ideals by those in power. For Animal Farm serves not so much to condemn tyranny or despotism as to indict the horrifying hypocrisy of tyrannies that base themselves on, and owe their initial power to, ideologies of liberation and equality. The gradual disintegration and perversion of the Seven Commandments illustrates this hypocrisy with vivid force, as do Squealer’s elaborate philosophical justifications for the pigs’ blatantly unprincipled actions.

Themes in Animal FarmThe Danger of a Naïve Working ClassOne of the novel’s most impressive accomplishments is its portrayal not just of the figures in power but also of the oppressed people themselves. Animal Farm is not told from the perspective of any particular character, though occasionally it does slip into Clover’s consciousness. Rather, the story is told from the perspective of the common animals as a whole. Gullible, loyal, and hardworking, these animals give Orwell a chance to sketch how situations of oppression arise not only from the motives and tactics of the oppressors but also from the naïveté of the oppressed, who are not necessarily in a position to be better educated or informed. When presented with a dilemma, Boxer prefers not to puzzle out the implications of various possible actions but instead to repeat to himself, “Napoleon is always right.” Animal Farm demonstrates how the inability or unwillingness to question authority condemns the working class to suffer the full extent of the ruling class’s oppression.

Themes in Animal FarmThe Abuse of Language as Instrumental to the Abuse of PowerOne of Orwell’s central concerns is the way in which language can be manipulated as an instrument of control. In Animal Farm, the pigs gradually twist and distort a rhetoric of socialist revolution to justify their behaviour and to keep the other animals in the dark. The animals heartily embrace Major’s visionary ideal of socialism, but after Major dies, the pigs gradually twist the meaning of his words. As a result, the other animals seem unable to oppose the pigs without also opposing the ideals of the Rebellion. By the end of the novel, after Squealer’s repeated reconfigurations of the Seven Commandments in order to decriminalize the pigs’ treacheries, the main principle of the farm can be openly stated as “all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” This outrageous abuse of the word “equal” and of the ideal of equality in general typifies the pigs’ method, which becomes increasingly audacious as the novel progresses.

Themes in Animal FarmIntelligence and Education as Tools of OppressionFrom the very beginning of the novel, we become aware of education’s role in stratifying Animal Farm’s population. Following Major’s death, the pigs are the ones that take on the task of organising and mobilizing the other animals because they are “generally recognized as being the cleverest of the animals” (35). At first, the pigs are loyal to their fellow animals and to the revolutionary cause. They translate Major’s vision of the future faithfully into the Seven Commandments of Animalism. However, it is not long before the pigs’ intelligence and education turn from tools of enlightenment to implements of oppression. The moment the pigs are faced with something material that they want—the fresh milk—they abandon their morals and use their superior intellect and knowledge to deceive the other animals.The pigs also limit the other animals’ opportunities to gain intelligence and education early on. They teach themselves to read and write from a children’s book but destroy it before the other animals can have the same chance. Indeed, most of the animals never learn more than a few letters of the alphabet. Once the pigs cement their status as the educated elite, they use their mental advantage to manipulate the other animals. For example, knowing that the other animals cannot read the Seven Commandments, they revise them whenever they like. The pigs also use their literacy to learn trades from manuals, giving them an opportunity for economic specialization and advancement. Content in the role of the intelligentsia, the pigs forgo manual labour in favour of bookkeeping and organizing. This shows that the pigs have not only the advantage of opportunity, but also the opportunity to reject whatever opportunities they like. The pigs’ intelligence and education allow them to bring the other animals into submission through the use of propaganda and revisionism. At the book’s end, we witness Napoleon’s preparations to educate a new generation of pigs and indoctrinate them into the code of oppression.

Themes in Animal FarmViolence and Terror as Means of ControlIn Animal Farm, Orwell criticizes the ways that dictators use violence and terror to frighten their populaces into submission. Violence is one of the yokes from which the animals wish to free themselves when they prepare for the Rebellion. Not only does Jones overwork the animals and steal the products of their labor, but he can whip or slaughter them at his discretion. Once the pigs gain control of the animals, they, like Jones, discover how useful violence and terror can be. They use this knowledge to their full advantage. The foremost example of violence and terror in the novel is the pattern of public executions. The executions can be said to represent both the Red Terror and the Great Purge, but they stand more broadly for the abuse of power. For example, they are also similar to the Taliban’s public executions in Kabul’s soccer stadium in modern Afghanistan.Capital punishment for criminals is a hotly debated issue. Killing suspected criminals, as Napoleon does, is quite another issue. The executions perhaps best symbolize the Moscow Trials, which were show trials that Stalin arranged to instill fear in the Soviet people. To witnesses at the time, the accused traitors’ confessions seemed to be given freely. In fact, they were coerced. Napoleon likely coerces confessions from many of the animals that he executes. Orwell’s use of the allegory genre serves him well in the execution scene. Execution with weapons is a violent and horrifying act, but many people have become desensitized to it. Orwell’s allegorical executioners, the dogs that kill cruelly, portray the bloody and inescapably animalistic side of execution.Terror comes also in threats and propaganda. Each time the animals dare to question an aspect of Napoleon’s regime, Squealer threatens them with Jones’s return. This is doubly threatening to the animals because it would mean another battle that, if lost, would result in a return to their former lifestyle of submission. Jones’s return is such a serious threat that it quashes the animals’ curiosity without fail. The other major example of fear tactics in the novel is the threat of Snowball and his collaborators. Napoleon is able to vilify Snowball in the latter’s absence and to make the animals believe that his return, like Jones’s, is imminent. Snowball is a worse threat than Jones, because Jones is at least safely out of Animal Farm. Snowball is “proved” to be not only lurking along Animal Farm’s borders but infiltrating the farm. Napoleon’s public investigation of Snowball’s whereabouts cements the animals’ fear of Snowball’s influence. In modern language, Snowball is pegged as the terrorist responsible for the infringements on the rights and liberties instigated by the pigs.

Themes in Animal FarmPropaganda and DuplicityWorking as a propagandist during World War II, Orwell experienced firsthand both the immense power and the dishonesty of propaganda. Many types of governments make use of propaganda, not only totalitarian ones. Consider, for instance, the arguments that led many United States citizens to go along with the idea of invading Iraq after the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. Propaganda serves the positive task of uniting the people, sometimes at the cost of misleading them. Orwell takes a firm stance on the harmfulness of propaganda in Animal Farm while acknowledging its value for rallying a mistreated and disillusioned populace.In Chapter 9, Orwell demonstrates the positive value of propaganda. By this point, the animals are so downtrodden that they are desperate for something in which to believe. (Note the irony, though: it is Napoleon who has robbed them of their belief in the original version of Animalism.) The falsely optimistic statistics, the songs, and especially the Spontaneous Demonstrations give the animals something to live for. This chapter is an exception in terms of portraying propaganda in a positive light. For the majority of Animal Farm, Orwell skewers propaganda and exposes its nature as deception.Squealer represents a totalitarian government’s propaganda machine. Eloquent to a fault, he can make the animals believe almost anything. This fact is especially clear in Squealer’s interactions with Clover and Muriel. Each time Clover suspects that the Seven Commandments have been changed, Squealer manages to convince her that she is wrong. After the executions, Napoleon abolishes the singing of “Beasts of England” in favour of a new anthem, the lyrics of which contain a promise never to harm Animal Farm. In this propagandist manoeuvre, Napoleon replaces the revolutionary spirit of “Beasts of England” with the exact opposite, a promise not to rebel. In addition to being a source of manipulation, propaganda is an agent of fear and terror. Orwell demonstrates this quite clearly with Napoleon’s vilification of Snowball and his assurances that Snowball could attack the animals at any minute. He uses similar fear tactics regarding Frederick and Pilkington. The most egregious example of propaganda in the novel is the maxim that replaces the Seven Commandments: “All animals are equal / But some animals are more equal than others.” The idea of “more equal” is mathematically improbable and a nonsensical manipulation of language, but by this time, the animals are too brainwashed to notice.


Motifs Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that can help to develop and

inform the text’s major themes.

Motifs in Animal Farm

SongsAnimal Farm is filled with songs, poems, and slogans, including Major’s stirring “Beasts of England,” Minimus’s ode to Napoleon, the sheep’s chants, and Minimus’s revised anthem, “Animal Farm, Animal Farm.” All of these songs serve as propaganda, one of the major conduits of social control. By making the working-class animals speak the same words at the same time, the pigs evoke an atmosphere of grandeur and nobility associated with the recited text’s subject matter. The songs also erode the animals’ sense of individuality and keep them focused on the tasks by which they will purportedly achieve freedom.

Motifs in Animal Farm

State RitualAs Animal Farm shifts gears from its early revolutionary fervour to a phase of consolidation of power in the hands of the few, national rituals become an ever more common part of the farm’s social life. Military awards, large parades, and new songs all proliferate as the state attempts to reinforce the loyalty of the animals. The increasing frequency of the rituals bespeaks the extent to which the working class in the novel becomes ever more reliant on the ruling class to define their group identity and values.


Symbols Symbols are objects, characters, figures, and colours used to represent abstract ideas or

concepts.

Symbols in Animal Farm

Animal FarmAnimal Farm, known at the beginning and the end of the novel as the Manor Farm, symbolises Russia and the Soviet Union under Communist Party rule. But more generally, Animal Farm stands for any human society, be it capitalist, socialist, fascist, or communist. It possesses the internal structure of a nation, with a government (the pigs), a police force or army (the dogs), a working class (the other animals), and state holidays and rituals. Its location amid a number of hostile neighbouring farms supports its symbolism as a political entity with diplomatic concerns.

Symbols in Animal FarmThe BarnThe barn at Animal Farm, on whose outside walls the pigs paint the Seven Commandments and, later, their revisions, represents the collective memory of a modern nation. The many scenes in which the ruling-class pigs alter the principles of Animalism and in which the working-class animals puzzle over but accept these changes represent the way an institution in power can revise a community’s concept of history to bolster its control. If the working class believes history to lie on the side of their oppressors, they are less likely to question oppressive practices. Moreover, the oppressors, by revising their nation’s conception of its origins and development, gain control of the nation’s very identity, and the oppressed soon come to depend upon the authorities for their communal sense of self.

Symbols in Animal FarmThe WindmillThe great windmill symbolises the pigs’ manipulation of the other animals for their own gain. Despite the immediacy of the need for food and warmth, the pigs exploit Boxer and the other common animals by making them undertake backbreaking labour to build the windmill, which will ultimately earn the pigs more money and thus increase their power. The pigs’ declaration that Snowball is responsible for the windmill’s first collapse constitutes psychological manipulation, as it prevents the common animals from doubting the pigs’ abilities and unites them against a supposed enemy. The ultimate conversion of the windmill to commercial use is one more sign of the pigs’ betrayal of their fellow animals. From an allegorical point of view, the windmill represents the enormous modernization projects undertaken in Soviet Russia after the Russian Revolution.

Animal FarmA Fairy Tale

Interpreting an author’s use of language

Avoiding repeating ‘shows that’ in your PEARL paragraphs

shows that

suggests implies

signifiessymbolises

indicatesinfers that

denotesrepresents

displays

connotesX

Interpreting an author’s use of language

A good writer varies his or her language to create particular effects, using a mix of description, dialogue and narration.

Assessment criteria

AO1: Respond to texts critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate relevant textual detail to illustrate and support interpretations.

This means you need to show how you understand and interpret the text, using quotations to explain your ideas and responses.

AO2: Explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas, themes and settings.

This means that you need to show overall understanding of the language features, structure and form that the writer has used and be able to explain the effects these produce on the reader.

What is required for an ‘A’ grade?What you need to show What this means

Insightful, exploratory response to the text

You look beyond the obvious. You might question whether Napoleon would have been successful as a leader without the dogs to do his fighting for him, and the wider points Orwell makes about power and dictatorship.

Close analysis and use of detail

When looking at Orwell’s use of language, you carefully select and comment on each word in a line or phrase, drawing out its distinctive effect on the reader, e.g. when mentioning the dogs as ‘creatures’, ‘huge dogs, and as fierce-looking as wolves’ you may comment on Orwell depicting these animals as monstrous in relation to the other animals through the adjective ‘huge’. He makes the point that the dogs are wild and out of place on a farm, using the simile ‘fierce-looking as wolves’, suggesting they are used purely to instil fear, and displaying the power these dogs and Napoleon have over the other animals.

Convincing and imaginative interpretation

Your viewpoint is likely to convince the examiner. You show you have engaged with the text, and come up with your own ideas. These may be based on what you have discussed in class or read about, but you have made your own decisions.

From Animal Farmby George Orwell

Silent and terrified, the animals crept back into the barn. In a moment the dogs came bounding back. At first no one had been able to imagine where these creatures came from, but the problem was soon solved: they were the puppies whom Napoleon had take away from their mothers and reared privately. Though not yet full-grown, they were huge dogs, and as fierce-looking as wolves. They kept close to Napoleon. It was noticed that they wagged their tails to him in the same way as the other dogs had been used to do to Mr. Jones.

This extract describes what happens immediately after Snowball’s expulsion.

Read the passage and answer the questions

Activity

With a partner, answer the questions, referring to words and phrases from the extract.a) What does the description of the

animals in the first sentence tell us about them?

b) What does Napoleon’s name infer to the reader about him?

c) What is suggested by Napoleon having taken the puppies away some time before?

d) What effect is created by the description of the dogs?

e) What is implied by the way the dogs wag their tails to Napoleon?

f) How does the final sentence foreshadow later events in the novel?

Time for a PEARL Paragraph

How does George Orwell use language to create effects in this extract? You should consider:

• Adjectives and verbs• Comparisons, including simileExtension• Variety in sentence length and structure

How successful were you?Reflect upon your PEARL response.

Were you detailed enough in your close analysis?

How can you improve on your response?

What vocabulary did you use instead of ‘shows that…’?

The best responses take a quotation from the text and analyse each word individually. The examiner wants to see you have a thorough understanding of the author’s point and craft with language.