Animal Farm

George Orwell

What is the story about?

Based on the title Animal Farm what do you think the story is about?
Brainstorm with the people sitting next to you and write your point form ideas down on your whiteboard.

Surface Value A story about animals who can talk.

Allegory A critique of the Russias revolution and its communist rulers.

A note from George Orwell himself:

! meant the moral to be that revolutions only effect radical im"rovement when the masses are alert and know how to chuck out their leaders as soon as the latter have done their #ob.$ %vii&

'ee" this in mind as we read through the novella. (his is not a story about animals it is a story about free will and democracy amidst corru"tion.
)ound familiar? * !t should.

Close Reading Res"onses

!aragra"h

+earning Ob#ective, -or you to understand that each word is significant and to learn to identify conte.tual meaning and make "redictions based on a small about of information.

What is a close reading?

A close reading is when you carefully e.amine a s"ecific "assage and inter"ret all the ways it is significant to the story with regards to such things as, character develo"ment/ "lot/ and theme. A good close reading "ays careful attention to word choice and the conte.t of the quote. !t "icks u" on the smallest of details that might be significant. 0our close reading res"onses will be a formal "aragra"h %or more if necessary&. !t will include s"ecific reference to the story through "ara"hrasing or direct quotes.

Cha"ter One and #wo

All animals are equal$ %1& and the )even 2ommandments %34&. 5ow does the quote above and the seven commandments re"resent the emotions and desires of the animals on 6anor -arm.
Since this is your first close reading we will do it as a class.
Brainstorm ideas with your partner Share with the class Participate in the class guided write

Cha"ter #hree and Four

7e "igs are brainworkers. (he whole management and organisation of the farm de"end on us. 8ay and night we are watching over your welfare. !t is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those a""les.$ %9:&

;."lain the significance of this "assage to the ideals of the animals revolution.
Your response should be at least a paragraph in length and follow formal paragraph formatting. In your response include specific reference to the story through paraphrasing or direct quotes.

Cha"ter Fi$e and Si%

!t was noticed that they <the dogs= wagged their tails to him <>a"oleon= in the same way as the other dogs has been used to do to 6r. ?ones.$ %:1&

;."lain the significance of this line to the develo"ment of the "lot. Your response should be at least a paragraph in length and follow formal paragraph formatting. In your response include specific reference to the story through paraphrasing or direct quotes.

Cha"ter Se$en and &ight

!ersuasion is a reactionary way for )queller to get the animals to acce"t the "igs command. On the other hand/ "ro"aganda is a "re'meditated way to mani"ulate "eo"le %or animals& into a s"ecific thought or action. >a"oleon a""roved of this "oem and caused it to be inscribed on the wall of the big barn/ at the o""osite end of the )even 2ommandments.$ %1:&

5ow does the "oem re"resent "ro"aganda?

Your response should be at a paragraph in length and follow formal paragraph formatting. In your response include specific reference to the story through paraphrasing or direct quotes.

Cha"ter (ine and #en

But doubtless it had been worse in the old days. (hey were glad to believe so. Besides/ in those days they had been slaves and now they were free/ and that made all the difference/ as )queller did not fail to "oint out.$ %@4&

;."lain the irony in this quote.

Your response should be at a paragraph in length and follow formal paragraph formatting. In your response include specific reference to the story through paraphrasing or direct quotes.

Conce"ts to !onder
+earning Ob#ective, 7hile the bulk of your formal work focusses on the theme of novella. (here is so much more to learn from this story. (he ob#ective of these questions is to get you thinking critically about some of the other com"le. elements.

S)ueller
A. 7hat do you know about )queller? B. 7hat is )quellers role in the story? 2. 8o modern day governments have something equivalent to a )queller? 8. +ook u" the term "ro"aganda and make connections between "ro"agandas goal and )quellers role in the story.

Snowball
A. 7hat do you know about )nowball? B. 7hat is )nowballs role in the story? 2. 7hy do the "igs make )nowball out to be such a big threat? 8. +ook u" the term fascism and make connection between that "olitical ideology and the "igs rule.

*o%er
A. 7hat do you know about Bo.er? B. 7hat is Bo.ers role in the story? 2. 7hy does Bo.er vow to always work harder? 8. Bo.er doesnt question the "igs rule. 7hat would ha""en in our society if no one questioned our rulers?