Animal Farm
And
The Russian Revolution
Web Quest
Introduction and Task:
The novel Animal Farm is an allegory for the Russian Revolution. This means that the characters and
events symbolize actual people and events in history. The task of this web quest is to research
who and what happened so that you can understand the “story underneath the story,” so to speak.
Your task is simple: visit the websites throughout the web quest, and fill in the answers on your handout.
Part I: George Orwell
Use the following site to find information to answer questions about Animal Farm's author,
George Orwell. Although we could spend an entire Web Quest on George Orwell, his life, and his writing,
we are focusing on Russian history today. A brief overview is all we need.
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Jorwell.htm
If you want to know more, you can also visit:
http://www.george-orwell.org/l_biography.html
Part II: Nicholas II
Use the following pages to find information about Tsar Nicholas II.
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWtsar.htm
http://www.alexanderpalace.org/palace/AlexPalaceNRbio.html
Part III: Karl Marx, Leon Trotsky, and Communism
Visit the following sites to answer questions about these men.
History/Biography of Marx: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/karl_marx.htm?&0=
A famous quote from Marx:
http://www.whatquote.com/quotes/Karl-Marx/24493-Workers-of-the-world.htm
A succinct explanation of Communism: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-communism.htm
Trotsky: http://www.answers.com/topic/leon-trotsky
More Trotsky: http://www.marxist.net/trotsky/life/life.htm
Part IV: Joseph Stalin
Stalin….What a guy……
A pretty succinct page on Stalin:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/stalin_joseph.shtml
A little more in depth, but still pretty succinct and easy to understand:
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/kbank/profiles/stalin/
Stalin and Propaganda (Scroll down to #4): http://www.johndclare.net/Russ12.htm
Secret Police: http://www.ibiblio.org/expo/soviet.exhibit/secret.html
NAME ____________________________
PERIOD ___________
DATE ___________
CERRITO
ENGLISH 10H
ANIMAL FARM
GEORGE ORWELL
Directions: Answer the questions in your own words. Do not cut and paste the information.
Be thorough and thoughtful.
Aim: How does literature (and Animal Farm specifically) help us to better understand the
world around us?
1. What is an allegory?
2. What is George Orwell’s real name? Why do you think he wrote under a pseudonym?
3. What is the name of the first book he published?
4. In what year was Animal Farm published?
5. What is democracy? How did Nicholas II feel about democracy?
6. What were working conditions in Russia like with Nicholas II as a leader?
7. What was Bloody Sunday? Why might this be significant?
8. Was Nicholas II an effective or poor leader? Explain.
9. Karl Marx said what about religion? Why might this be significant?
10. Marx helped to write The Communist Manifesto, which stated that all men were born
free but that society had got to such a state that the majority were
______________________. What does this mean?
11. Marx had ten points. Name two:
12. Write out the famous quote from Marx. Explain the quote.
13. What is the phrase that explains Communism in a “nutshell”? What does it mean?
14. According to the site (and common sense), Communism would probably function well if
humans did not have the unfortunate tendency toward
___________________________.
15. Leon Trotsky wanted to improve life in Russia; he used his pen to oppose what leader?
Why or why not was Trotsky effective?
16. Who ordered Trotsky’s assassination? Why?
17. What title was Stalin given in 1922?
18. By the late 1920’s, what was his role? What does this suggest about the nature of
power?
19. What happened in the 1930’s during the Great Terror or Great Purge?
20. What did children learn about Stalin from their mothers?
21. What are some of the forms of propaganda that Stalin employed?
22. Stalin used a secret police force to force support of him and to kill the disobedient. We,
in recent years, think of the KGB, but what four letter acronym were they called in his
time?
23. In a previous class you tried to create a world that was entirely equal. What types of
government do you think may work best? Explain why. Reflect in your thoughts on the
following: your life in America, your knowledge of both history and current events, and
our reading of literature, including: Iran as portrayed in Persepolis and the downfall of
humanity as portrayed in Lord of the Flies. Write in fully developed paragraphs. Proof
read for grammar, mechanics, and usage.
24. Finally, reflect on the Aim statement: How does literature (and Animal Farm specifically)
help us to better understand the world around us?