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Animal Farm
By George Orwell
Background Information and Study Guide
1
K-W-L
TOPIC: George Orwell and Russian Revolution
Know
Want to know
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A FEW NOTES ABOUT THE AUTHOR
GEORGE ORWELL
ORWELL, George (1903-50). As a journalist and writer of
autobiographical narratives, George Orwell was outstanding. But he
will be remembered primarily for two works of fiction that have
become 20th-century classics: Animal Farm, published in 1944, and
1984 (l949).
George Orwell is a pen name. His real name was Eric Arthur Blair,
and he was born in 1903 at Montihari in Bengal, India, where his
father was a minor British official. His family had social status but
little money, a fact that influenced Orwell's later attitude toward the
English class system and the empire's treatment of its subject
peoples. About 1911 the family returned to England. Blair was sent
to school in Sussex, where he was distinguished both by his poverty
and his intelligence. He later wrote of his miserable school years in
Such, Such Were the Joys (1953). He attended Eton in the years
1917 to 1921 but decided against going on to a university. Instead he
went to Burma as a member of the British imperial police.
His own poverty, plus his growing aversion to Britain's imperial
policies, led him to resign from the government in 1928 and spend
several years as a vagrant among the poor and outcast of Europe. He also spent time among the unemployed
miners in the north of England. These experiences were recounted in Down and Out in Paris and London
(1933) and The Road to Wigan Pier (1937).
Then Orwell was off to Spain to report on the Civil War. His adventures in Spain were told in Homage to
Catalonia (1938), one of his best books.
During World War II Orwell wrote for the British Broadcasting Company and worked as a literary editor for the
London Tribune.
With each book or essay, Orwell solidified his role as the outsider willing to question any group’s ideology.
Orwell spoke his mind with Animal Farm, in which he criticized the Soviet Union despite its role as a World
War II ally of Great Britain. At first, no one would publish the novel, but when Animal Farm finally appeared,
it was a great success. It was later adapted to animated cartoon, play, and film.
In explaining how he came to write Animal Farm, Orwell says he once saw a little boy whipping a horse:
It struck me that if only such animals became aware of their strength we should have no power over
them, and that men exploit animals in much the same way as the rich exploit the [worker].
Orwell said it was the first book in which he consciously tried to blend artistic and political goals. Orwell’s
final novel, 1984, continued that effort with a grim portrayal of a world totally under government control.
Publication of Animal Farm in 1944 made him rich at long last, and he could devote himself to writing. He
bought a house on the island of Jura, where he wrote 1984. By the time it was published, Orwell was already ill
from the tuberculosis from which he died on January 21, 1950, in London.
--- Courtesy of Compton's Learning Company
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HISTORICAL BACKDROP
"Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written, directly or indirectly, against
totalitarianism and for democratic socialism as I understand it."
-- George Orwell, "Why I Write"
INTRODUCTION
Animal Farm was published in August of 1945--a crucial moment in European and world history. In the
previous four months, President Roosevelt, Mussolini and Hitler had died and Winston Churchill had been
voted out of office. Germany had surrendered, and the U.S. had dropped atomic bombs over Japan. Of the big
three Allied leaders, only Stalin survived.
In some ways, Animal Farm stands at the very beginning of the Cold War. During World War II, Russia had
been an ally of the U.S. and England. After the battle of Normandy in February of 1944--when the Allies first
began to beat back the German forces--Western nations felt a strong feeling of solidarity with the Russian
people. The Russian army had suffered great losses, but it had helped protect England from a German invasion.
As a result of the pro-Russian atmosphere, Orwell had a hard time finding a publisher for Animal Farm.
However, in the years following Animal Farm's publication, Russia fell farther and farther out of favor. In this
respect, the novel stands as a predictor of what would later come to pass. However, it is important to note that
Orwell's attack of Russia did not come from the political right--as most capitalist thinkers would attack it.
Rather, Orwell’s complaint was from the left. He was concerned with the damage that the Soviet state did to the
cause of socialism. He wrote in the preface to the Ukrainian edition:
"Nothing has contributed so much to the corruption of the original idea of Socialism as the belief that
Russia is a Socialist country and that every act of its rulers must be excused, if not imitated. And so for
the past ten years I have been convinced that the destruction of the socialist myth was essential if we
wanted a revival of the socialist movement."
KARL MARX: THE FATHER OF COMMUNISM
In 1848, German political philosopher Karl Marx with Friedrich Engels, published an influential pamphlet
called the Communist Manifesto. Marx's criticism focused on the dominant political and economic system of
his time, known as "capitalism." Germany, the United States, and England were powerful nations that lived
under this system, and they were exporting it--sometimes by force--over the face of the globe. Capitalism
encourages competition between its citizens, and provides rewards in an unequal way. Capitalist nations
defended this distribution of goods on the grounds that the factory owners had often taken risks, or mastered
skills, that the meat-packer had not. Therefore, the factory owner deserved the extra benefits.
Marx directed scathing attacks against this philosophy. The capitalist nations, he argued, allowed the wealthy
few to amass huge fortunes, while the numerous poor toiled in unsafe factories for low wages, lived in wretched
filth, and died before their time. Worse still, the rich denied equal opportunity to the poor, hoarding goods and
reserving advantages like education and health care for themselves. Vast mansions existed alongside tenementhouses; in the one, every possible luxury could be found and every need was met, while next door whole
families stuffed themselves into single rooms and ate meager rations. How could it be fair that the wealthy few
had extra millions in the bank, while the masses struggled to survive, or starved to death?
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Writing from Paris--where he lived in exile--Marx spoke of the dawning of a new social order based on the
equal distribution of wealth and possessions among a nation's citizenry. In such a society, Marx theorized,
tranquil relations would prevail between all men and women, and age-old problems like poverty, ignorance, and
starvation would vanish. The rich would be compelled to yield their surplus to the poor, and individuals would
produce according to their abilities, and consume according to their needs. Everyone would have what they
needed, and no one citizen would possess more than another.
An idealistic vision of the future--which would never arrive, Marx realized--until certain events came to pass. A
brilliant economist and social critic, Marx understood that massive obstacles stood in the way of his better
world. Casting his eye back across the arc of history, he asserted that in every era the same fundamental conflict
emerged: The few well-placed and powerful sought to maintain their wealth by actively suppressing the natural
desires of the many poor. These cruel circumstances were hard to change because the rich had no reason to
share, and possessed the means by which to control the impoverished masses. The sheer numbers of the
downtrodden represented a definitive advantage, however, and a declaration of war on their part would resolve
the dispute. Marx took the view that it was the destiny of history itself that this battle should take place, and that
the victorious poor would usher in an age of justice and equality.
A COUNTRY IN TURMOIL: RUSSIA 1900-1918
In 1883, Karl Marx died in London, England. At the time of his passing, the full-scale revolutions he had
predicted had not occurred, and no nations had declared themselves communist. Between 1848 and 1883,
however, Marx had been busy spreading his creed. In the 1850's and 1860's he succeeded in forming various
councils which directed broad revolutionary strategies. Throughout Europe, discontented workers met to plot
the overthrow of political systems that were not communist in nature. Among the leaders of these wide-spread
movements were two Russians--Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky. Having been banished from Russia on the
charge of treason, both promoted revolution from abroad. Within Russia itself, a young man recently converted
to the cause of democratic socialism hoped to unseat the leader. His given name was Joseph Dzhugashvili, but
he adopted the surname Stalin, which translates as "man of steel."
As the dawn of the 20th Century approached, Russia lingered in the past. Where other European nations had
begun the process of "industrialization," which sent citizens pouring into the cities and brought the unmatched
power of machines to their daily lives, Russia remained a country of farmers tethered to the old-fashioned plow.
Illiteracy was higher in Russia than elsewhere, poverty was more widespread, land was scarce, and food was
hard to come by.
More significantly, Russia's political system was a remnant of the past. In Great Britain, France and Germany,
democratic political systems had replaced the ancient rights of kings and queens, and yielded partial power to
the common man. Voters elected representatives to governing bodies, and thus secured a voice in the national
decision-making process. In Russia, however, little had changed in centuries. The Czar (pronounced "zar") still
occupied the royal throne and dictated state policy without regard to the concerns of the people. He claimed to
draw his power directly from God, and passed the throne to a chosen successor without the interference of
elections. His rule was absolute, those who protested his decisions were subject to severe and immediate
punishment, including execution.
Russian citizens thus faced enormous hardships: grinding poverty, hunger, and joblessness were widespread. In
1914, tensions between the expanding and increasingly wealthy nations of Europe exploded in World War I.
Russia joined the battle on the side of the British, French, and Italians; they fought the united Germans and
Austrians. From the beginning of the conflict, Russia was outmatched. Money, food, and raw materials flowed
out of the country to support the war effort. A dangerously unstable populace sunk deeper into despair: Food
was even more scarce, the cotton needed to make clothing was used by the soldiers; precious metals were
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fashioned into guns and bullets. Starvation and disease ran rampant throughout the country, and still the Czar
persisted in the war effort. The royals, it was understood, were not as deeply affected by the war as the common
people were; they possessed luxuries even while the peasants desperately sought the barest necessities.
Between 1914 and 1917, the cities of Russia witnessed many minor revolts among the citizenry. Tens of
thousands of hungry workers joined the communist "soviets"--the Russian word for "councils"--which
organized massive protests and labor strikes to show their displeasure at food shortages and the endless
prosecution of the war. The well-organized communists dominated the soviet leadership, and made impassioned
speeches demanding "land, bread, and peace." The workers, ignored by their government, rallied to the soviets
and thus added themselves to the communist cause.
Meanwhile, the Russian army suffered numerous defeats in the field, and Russian territory began to be lost to
the enemy. Finally, in February of 1917, weeks of violent street skirmishes backed by the soviets ended with a
mob assault on the seat of government. In a remarkable and long-awaited moment, the Czar's soldiers stood
aside and let the people take control of the streets. On February 28, 1917, Czar Nicholas II admitted defeat, and
left the royal throne.
"ALL POWER TO THE SOVIETS": THE COMMUNIST TAKEOVER
For eight months following the czar's abdication in late February, 1917, there was no unified, widely accepted
government within Russia. A council of acknowledged leaders formed a Provisional Government, but it proved
weak and ineffective. Worse, what little power the Provisional Government possessed it used foolishly: It
repeatedly decided to keep Russia in World War I, despite continuing street protests and disastrous shortages of
food and raw materials.
Meanwhile the soviets--now fully controlled by the brilliant organizer and motivator Vladimir Lenin--focused
on winning the support of army troops, and began to take control of Russia's railroads and telegraph lines. In
this way the soviets could manipulate all movement and communication within the country. With the full
backing of the troops, they would possess the means with which to secure state authority for themselves.
Lenin was aided by two prominent communist allies: his old friend Leon Trotsky, and a new acquaintance,
Joseph Stalin. The three guided soviet policy, promising workers and soldiers food, abundant land, and an end
to Russiaís involvement in the war. In the future, Lenin declared, goods would not be stolen from the poor and
given to the rich. Vast tracts of land would not be held aside for the church, the royal family, or the wealthy.
Everyone, he said, would benefit equally from a new social order, an experiment that had never been tried
before. "Land, bread, and peace" for everyone, Lenin promised: "All power to the soviets!"
In October of 1917, Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin decided to make their move. Thousands of soviet workers and
soldiers were armed and informed of a plan to seize the government. On October 24, 1917, the assault on the
Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, where the Provisional government was headquartered, began. By the following
night, the Provisional Government had fallen, and Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin were poised on the verge of
ushering in the first-ever Communist government.
THE AFTERMATH: COMMUNISM'S FIRST YEARS, 1917-1922
Days after the successful revolution, Lenin called a meeting of all Russian soviets. He opened this Congress
with words of characteristic bravado: "We shall now proceed to the construction of the communist order." The
new soviet government quickly stripped all land from owners, and forbade the holding of private property.
Fields were to be redistributed according to need. Hired labor was outlawed. Banks and businesses would be
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"nationalized" gradually; that is, they would come under state control, so that owners could not divide profits
unfairly. The communist era had begun: Its goal was equality and peace for all, and forever.
A peace agreement proved difficult to accomplish. Eventually, the Russians were forced to accept an
unfavorable treaty at Brest-Litovsk, Poland, in March of 1918. They agreed to give up a great deal of their own
territory, and pay a huge monetary penalty to the enemy. Within Russia, the formerly well-placed and wealthy-now displaced from their land and divested of their possessions--began to organize a campaign against the
soviets. General dissatisfaction with the peace treaty brought more members to their cause. Concerned foreign
nations, including the United States and Great Britain, contributed money and resources to these opponents of
the revolution.
The soviet leadership--Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin--faced a dilemma. How did they bring about an age of peace
and equality when they were confronted with opposition? Their answer was quick and brutal: The dissenting
elements must be rooted out and destroyed. The soviets formed the "Red Army" and began a terror campaign
which identified and executed suspected anti-Communists. Between 1918-1921, a civil war raged between the
communists and their enemies. Led by Leon Trotsky, the "Red Army" prevailed, and the communists
maintained their hold on power. Some wondered whether the communist revolution had already been betrayed:
How could tranquility come to the Russian nation now that so many citizens had been killed?
Before Lenin could formulate an answer, and bring about the golden days of the new government, he suffered
three paralyzing strokes. In 1922, the last episode took his life. A new leader must step forward, but both Leon
Trotsky and Joseph Stalin coveted the seat of power.
TROTSKY AND STALIN: 1922-1940
Trotsky was a brilliant speaker and writer. His passionate support of communism had provided much of the fire
in the early years of the soviets. Trotsky was a man with an appetite for books and ideas. He was a visionary
thinker, and hoped to transform Russia into an industrial powerhouse, the envy of the whole world. When he
spoke in defense of these dreams, he did so with such eloquence--and with such command of his subject matter-that he gained many loyal followers. He was an intellectual giant, and a formidable opponent for Joseph Stalin.
Stalin had his strengths as well. His mind was quick and he spoke well, but he was not of Trotsky's caliber in
these realms. Where Trotsky dreamed, Stalin focused instead on administrative duties and on creating bonds of
loyalty between himself and powerful men within the soviets. By the time Lenin died in 1922, Stalin's strategy
had paid off. In the ensuing discussion of new leadership, he had the hard-won support of important allies. Even
the brilliant words of Trotsky could not turn them from backing Stalin.
The Stalin era lasted for 25 years. Among his most important contributions to the Soviet Union were his "Five
Year Plans," ambitious programs to propel Russia into the industrial age. The first "Plan" began in 1928 and
ended in 1933; the second and third were undertaken in the following ten years. By the early 1940's, Russia had
achieved an industrial strength that was equal to the former world leaders in the capitalist countries.
The changes came with a price. Unable to tolerate any competing voices or ideas, Stalin maintained his grip on
power through the use of political and social terror. He increased the size of Russia's internal police force
(KGB) drastically, and he used them to spy on suspected enemies within the country. In effect, Stalin silenced
all opposition, and any words uttered against him became a rationale for incarceration, or worse. Vast prison
systems sprung up in the hinterlands of the Russian state. These "Gulags" used inmates as cheap labor and
deprived them of even the barest necessities. It was a brutal institution, designed to inspire fear in prisoners, and
in free citizens who contemplated criticizing the Stalin regime.
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In 1934, Stalin set a series of political "purges" in motion. High-ranking officials in the Soviet government were
systematically arrested, forced to admit to crimes they did not commit, and summarily executed. The purges
grew in scope quickly, so that by the conclusion of the purge years much of Russian society had come under its
terrifying gaze, and many estimates put the total number killed at between 2 and 7 million people. Many more
were made prisoners. Thus the Soviet Union became simultaneously one of the most powerful, and most
despotic, of all the world's governments. Stalin's death in 1953 brought many of his excesses to an end, but the
basic institutions and patterns of the life that he had created remained.
Sources:
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Jeffrey Meyers. A Reader's Guide to George Orwell . London: Thames and Hudson, 1975.
Averil Gardener. George Orwell. Boston: Twain Publishers, 1987.
George Orwell Homepage: http://www.k-1.com/orwell.
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Dialectical Journal Assignment
Directions: While you read Animal Farm take note of important passages that include an example of any of the
following literary/stylistic devices: figurative language (similes, implicit metaphors, explicit metaphors,
personification, hyperbole), irony (situational, dramatic, or verbal), imagery/sensory details, characterization,
foil characters, conflict (internal or external), satire, parody, allegory, repetition, flash forward, foreshadowing,
flashback, allusion, symbolism, tone, mood, suspense, diction, sentence structure, and/or parallelism. You will
need to have 25 entries for this journal and it will need to be submitted using the following format.
Passage
Analysis
1. “Why then do we continue in this miserable
condition? Because nearly the whole of the produce
of our labour is stolen from us by human beings.
There, comrades, is the answer to all our problems. It
is summed up in a single word—Man. Man is the
only real enemy we have. Remove Man from the
scene, and the root cause of hunger and overwork is
abolished for ever” (Orwell 28-9).
This passage is an example of allegory. Orwell is
using the inequality of the situation between Farmer
Jones and the farm animals to symbolize how the rich
citizens and government have control over the poor.
The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. In this
case, the farmer reaps the benefit of what the animals
produce and it is free labor. In real-life society, it is
the sweat off of millions of men’s backs that produce
the items that the rich sell for large profits. The
working man makes nothing in comparison to the boss
who sits back and watches his employees do all the
work. This passage also points out the irony in the
situation. All society has to do is remove Man—that
is, our government, and all of its problems should go
away.
2.
3.
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VOCABULARY
Chapters 1-3
Part I: Using Prior Knowledge and Contextual Clues
Below are the sentences in which the vocabulary words appear in the text. Read the sentence. Use any clues you
can find in the sentence combined with your prior knowledge, and write what you think the italicized words
mean on the lines provided.
1. He seldom talked, and when he did, it was usually to make some cynical remark--for instance, he would say
that God had given him a tail to keep the flies off, but that he would sooner have had no tail and no flies.
2. Is it not crystal clear, then, comrades, that all the evils of this life of ours spring from the tyranny of human
beings?
3. And remember, comrades, your resolution must never falter.
4. Pre-eminent among the pigs were two young boars named Snowball and Napoleon, whom Mr. Jones was
breeding up for sale.
5. Snowball was a more vivacious pig than Napoleon, quicker in speech and more inventive, but was not
considered to have the same depth of character.
6. At the beginning they met with much stupidity and apathy.
7. He did his work in the same slow obstinate way as he had done it in Jones's time, never shirking and never
volunteering for extra work either.
8. He was indefatigable at this.
Part II: Determining the Meaning -- Match the vocabulary words to their dictionary definitions.
1. cynical
A. lively; spirited
2. tyranny
B. waver in confidence; hesitate; fail
3. falter
C. bitterly mocking
4. pre-eminent
D. outstanding
5. vivacious
E. stubbornly inflexible
6. apathy
F. lack of interest or emotion
7. obstinate
G. untiring; tireless
8. indefatigable
H. absolute power, esp. when used unjustly or cruelly
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Chapters 4-6
Part I: Using Prior Knowledge and Contextual Clues
Below are the sentences in which the vocabulary words appear in the text. Read the sentence. Use any clues you
can find in the sentence combined with your prior knowledge, and write what you think the italicized words
mean on the lines provided.
1. Its owner was a Mr. Frederick, a tough, shrewd man, perpetually involved in lawsuits and with a name for
driving a hard bargain.
2. And yet the song was irrepressible.
3. And so within five minutes of their invasion they were in ignominious retreat by the same way as they had
come, with a flock of geese hissing after them and pecking at their calves all the way.
4. An impromptu celebration of the victory was held immediately.
5. There was also "Animal Hero, Second Class," which was conferred posthumously on the dead sheep.
6. It was noticed that they were especially liable to break into "Four legs good, two legs bad" at crucial
moments in Snowball's speeches.
7. But of all their controversies, none was so bitter as the one that took place over the windmill.
8. On every 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.
Part II: Determining the Meaning -- Match the vocabulary words to their dictionary definitions.
9. shrewd
A. excuse
10. perpetually
B. critical; of supreme importance
11. irrepressible
C. disputes
12. ignominious
D. astute; clever
13. impromptu
E. disgraceful; shameful
14. posthumously
F. impossible to control or restrain
15. pretext
G. not rehearsed; at the spur of the moment
16. crucial
H. continually
17. controversies
I. after one's death
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Chapters 7-8
Part I: Using Prior Knowledge and Contextual Clues
Below are the sentences in which the vocabulary words appear in the text. Read the sentence. Use any clues you
can find in the sentence combined with your prior knowledge, and write what you think the italicized words
mean on the lines provided.
1. Emboldened by the collapse of the windmill, the human beings were inventing fresh lies about Animal Farm.
2. For five days the hens held out, then they capitulated and went back to their nesting boxes.
3. "For we have reason to think that some of Snowball's secret agents are lurking among us at this moment!"
4. Napoleon appeared to change countenance, and sharply ordered Boxer to let the dog go . . . .
5. Presently the tumult died down.
6. When he did appear, he was attended not only by his retinue of dogs but by a black cockerel who marched in
front of him and acted as a kind of trumpeter . . . .
7. As the summer wore on, and the windmill neared completion, the rumors of an impending treacherous attack
grew stronger and stronger.
8. In addition, four pigeons were sent to Foxwood with a conciliatory message, which it was hoped might reestablish good relations with Pilkington.
Part II: Determining the Meaning -- Match the vocabulary words to their dictionary definitions.
18. emboldened
A. those accompanying a person of rank
19. capitulated
B. about to take place
20. countenance
C. encouraged; made brave
21. lurking
D. showing good-will; peace-making
22. tumult
E. gave up all resistance
23. retinue
F. commotion
24. conciliatory
G. facial expression
25. impending
H. exist concealed or unsuspected
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Chapters 9-10
Part I: Using Prior Knowledge and Contextual Clues
Below are the sentences in which the vocabulary words appear in the text. Read the sentence. Use any clues you
can find in the sentence combined with your prior knowledge, and write what you think the italicized words
mean on the lines provided.
1. . . . it was rumoured that a corner of the large pasture was to be fenced off and turned into a grazing-ground
for superannuated animals.
2. There was only one candidate, Napoleon, who was elected unanimously.
3. "Up there, comrades," he would say solemnly, pointing to the sky with his large beak--"up there, just on the
other side of that dark cloud that you can see--there it lies, Sugarcandy Mountain . . . ."
4. They all declared contemptuously that his stories about Sugarcandy Mountain were lies . . . .
5. He did not care what happened so long as a good store of stone was accumulated before he went on pension.
6. Jones too was dead--he had died in an inebriates' home in another part of the country.
7. They accepted everything that they were told about the Rebellion and the principles of Animalism, especially
from Clover, for whom they had an almost filial respect; but it was doubtful whether they understood very
much of it.
8. The source of the trouble appeared to be that Napoleon and Mr. Pilkington had each played an ace of spades
simultaneously.
Part II: Determining the Meaning -- Match the vocabulary words to their dictionary definitions.
26. superannuated
A. scornfully
27. unanimously
B. befitting a son or daughter
28. solemnly
C. sum of money paid as a retirement benefit
29. contemptuously
D. drunkards
30. pension
E. retired because of age or infirmity
31. inebriates
F. in complete agreement
32. filial
G. happening at the same time
33. simultaneously
H. seriously, deeply earnest
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SHORT ANSWER STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS
Chapters 1 - 3
1. Identify Old Major, Boxer, Clover, Benjamin and Mollie.
2. For what purpose did Major call the meeting of the animals?
3. After they vote and decide rats are comrades, Major summarizes his points for the animals to remember.
What are they?
4. What is "Beasts of England"? For what does it stand?
5. Why did the pigs get the job of teaching and organizing?
6. Identify Snowball, Napoleon, Squealer and Moses.
7. What actually brought about the rebellion?
8. What were the Seven Commandments?
9. Who gained leadership of the animals? Why?
10. Describe the animals' flag.
11. What happened to the milk and apples? How did Squealer rationalize that?
Chapters 4 - 6
1. What was the Battle of the Cowshed?
2. What was Snowball's role in the Battle of the Cowshed?
3. Describe the relationship between Napoleon and Snowball.
4. What topic divided the animals? Which pig was for and which was against?
5. How did Napoleon get rid of Snowball and gain full control of the animals?
6. What changes did Napoleon make first?
7. How did Squealer justify Napoleon's take-over to the others?
8. What two maxims did Boxer adopt?
9. Why did Napoleon in fact change his mind and decide to have the animals build the windmill?
10. For what purpose did Napoleon begin trading?
11. Why did the pigs say they had to move into the house?
12. Who did Napoleon blame for the windmill disaster? Why?
Chapters 7 - 8
1. Why did the hens have to give up their eggs?
2. How has Snowball's role been changed by the end of Chapter 6?
3. Why did Napoleon begin executing animals?
4. Whom did Boxer blame for the executions? What was his solution?
5. Why did the animals sing the "Beasts of England" song slowly and mournfully as they were gathered on the
knoll?
6. Why was the singing of "Beasts of England" banned?
7. In what ways has Napoleon set himself apart from the other animals?
8. How did Frederick cheat Napoleon?
9. What moved the animals to attack Frederick and his men at the Battle of the Windmill?
10. Why was Comrade Napoleon "dying"?
Chapters 9 - 10
1. What special treatment did pigs and piglets get?
2. What happened to Boxer?
3. The animals on the farm worked hard. What was their consolation?
4. What was Clover startled to discover?
5. What commandment took the place of the Seven Commandments?
6. What did the other animals see when they looked in to the farmhouse?
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MULTIPLE CHOICE STUDY GUIDE
QUESTIONS
Chapters 1-3
1. Identify by matching
Old Major
A. Foolish, pretty white mare; liked sugar & ribbons
Boxer
B. Donkey; oldest animal on the farm
Clover
C. Raven who spoke of Sugarcandy Mountain
Benjamin
D. Huge, strong horse; not very smart, but of good character
Mollie
E. More vivacious pig than Napoleon
Snowball
F. He began the whole idea of the revolution.
Squealer
G. Motherly, middle-aged mare
Moses
H. Not much of a talker; but got getting his own way
Napoleon
I. A brilliant talker
2. For what purpose did Major call the meeting of the animals?
a. To tell them about his vision
b. To make the animals feel guilty
c. To complain that the animals weren't working hard enough
d. B & C
3. After they vote and decide rats are comrades, Major summarizes his points for the animals to remember.
What are they?
a. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
b. All the habits of Man are evil.
c. All animals are equal
d. All of the above
4. What is "Beasts of England"?
a. Jones's name for his farm animals
b. A book written by Old Major
c. The song of the revolution
d. The animals' name for Man
5. Why did the pigs get the job of teaching and organizing?
a. They were generally recognized as being the cleverest of animals.
b. No one else wanted the job.
c. They were the only animals with enough time to do it.
d. Jones appointed them.
6. What actually brought about the rebellion?
a. Jones went away, and when he got back, the animals revolted
b. The animals were hungry and broke in to get food
c. Jones sent Old Major to the butcher
d. The animals were well-rested and thought they could win
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7. Which of these was not one of the Seven Commandments?
a. No animal shall wear clothes.
b. No animal shall sleep in a bed.
c. No animal shall actually kill a man.
d. All animals are equal.
8. Describe the animals' flag.
a. It was green with white skull & cross bones.
b. It was white with a red barn.
c. It was green with a white pig footprint.
d. It was green with a white hoof and horn.
9. What happened to the milk and apples?
a. The pigs were eating them.
b. The horses were eating them.
c. Farmer Jones took them.
d. No one ever knew what happened to them.
Chapters 4 - 6
1. What was the Battle of the Cowshed?
a. Snowball made the cows join the rebellion.
b. Snowball and Napoleon fought for leadership of the animals.
c. Jones and the other farmers came with sticks and guns to retake the farm.
d. The animals fought among themselves about the windmill.
2. Describe the relationship between Napoleon and Snowball.
a. They do not agree on anything.
b. They are best friends.
c. They agree on everything.
d. They are father and son.
3. What topic divided the animals?
a. What to do with Jones's house
b. Building the windmill
c. The Battle of the Cowshed
d. Assignment of duties
4. How did Napoleon get rid of Snowball and gain full control of the animals?
a. Napoleon killed Snowball.
b. Snowball was killed at the Battle of the Cowshed.
c. Napoleon had the largest farm animals threaten Snowball.
d. Napoleon's guard dogs ran Snowball off the farm.
5. What changes did Napoleon make first?
a. He ruled that decisions would be made by the pigs in committees.
b. There would be no more debates.
c. The animals would work in shifts.
d. A & B
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6. How did Squealer justify Napoleon's take-over to the others?
a. He said that Napoleon had taken on extra responsibility.
b. He said that he wouldn't want the animals to make the wrong decisions.
c. He said that Snowball was not as great as the animals had thought.
d. All of the above
7. What maxims did Boxer adopt?
a. "Napoleon is always right."
b. "I will work harder."
c. "It doesn't matter."
d. A & B
8. Why did Napoleon in fact change his mind and decide to have the animals build the windmill?
a. He decided it would be useful after all.
b. Busy animals don't have time to think and revolt.
c. He wanted to smooth over their disagreement.
d. all of the above
9. For what purpose did Napoleon begin trading?
a. The animals wanted him to do it.
b. He wanted to see what it was like.
c. He wanted to get money to buy the items the animals needed.
d. A & B
10. Why did the pigs say they had to move into the house?
a. They needed a quiet place to work.
b. They needed a clean place to work.
c. They needed access to Jones's farm records.
d. B & C
11. Who did Napoleon blame for the windmill disaster?
a. Squealer
b. Boxer
c. Snowball
d. Benjamin
Chapters 7 - 8
1. Why did the hens have to give up their eggs?
a. There were too many chickens on the farm.
b. The eggs were attracting foxes and other animals dangerous to the farm.
c. Napoleon needed assets to sell to get money for food for the animals.
d. All of the above
2. Why did Napoleon begin executing animals?
a. He went crazy.
b. He wanted to stop any rebellion against him by keeping the animals in fear.
c. He wanted to stop the spreading of disease; the ones he executed had rabies.
d. The ones he executed were too old to be productive. They were too expensive to keep.
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3. Whom did Boxer blame for the executions?
a. Snowball
b. All the farm animals
c. Napoleon
d. A & C
4. Why did the animals sing the "Beasts of England" song slowly and mournfully as they were gathered on the
knoll?
a. They were singing it over the graves of their slain comrades.
b. They were wishing that Jones would come back.
c. Life on the farm was not as they had hoped it would be when the revolution
began.
d. A & C
5. Why was the singing of "Beasts of England" banned?
a. The revolution was over.
b. It reminded the animals of the original ideas of the revolution.
c. Boxer didn't think it was appropriate anymore.
d. A & B
6. In what ways has Napoleon set himself apart from the other animals?
a. He had titles like Our Leader, Comrade Napoleon, etc.
b. He lived in separate quarters.
c. He had guards to protect him.
d. All of the above
7. How did Frederick cheat Napoleon?
a. Gave him grain mixed with filler
b. Gave him forged bank notes
c. Sent only half what he promised
d. Took twice as much as what he paid for
8. What moved the animals to attack Frederick and his men at the Battle of the Windmill?
a. The men blew up the animals' windmill.
b. The men took too much timber.
c. The men made fun of their animal farm.
d. The men killed Napoleon.
9. Why was Comrade Napoleon "dying"?
a. He had eaten far too much; his stomach was bursting.
b. He had had too much whiskey to drink.
c. He was wounded by Frederick.
d. He was just pretending so the animals would feel sorry for him.
Chapters 9 - 10
1. What special treatment did pigs and piglets get?
a. They received a special education.
b. Pigs had the right-of-way.
c. Pigs could wear green ribbons on their tails on Sundays.
d. All of the above
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2. What happened to Boxer?
a. Napoleon sold him to the butcher.
b. He died of old age.
c. He was sent to be treated at a hospital.
d. Napoleon personally executed him.
3. The animals on the farm worked hard. What was their consolation?
a. They were making lots of money.
b. They could take long vacations when they wanted.
c. They could also have long play periods.
d. They were working for themselves; not Man.
4. What was Clover startled to discover?
a. A pig drinking whiskey
b. A Man by the windmill
c. Snowball blowing up the windmill
d. A pig walking on its hind legs
5. What commandment took the place of the Seven Commandments?
a. "Hard work yields just rewards."
b. "Comrades are one for all and all for one."
c. "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."
d. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
6. What did the other animals see when they looked into the farmhouse?
a. Men giving orders to servant pigs
b. Pigs and Men together eating animal meat
c. Men and animals together, undistinguishable one from another
d. Nothing; it was empty; the pigs had left
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Animal Farm in comparison to Russian Revolution
Directions: Fill in the following chart after learning about the Russian Revolution and reading
the novel Animal Farm. Write at least three to four bullet points in each cell of the chart. The first has been
completed for you.
Animal Farm
Mr. Jones
 Irresponsible with is animals (let them starve)
 Sometimes is cruel (beats them with a whip)
 Sometimes is kind (Mixes milk in animal
mash)
 Animals rebel against him
Russian Revolution
Old Major
Czar Nicholas II
 A poor leader at best, compared to western
kings
 Cruel, sometimes brutal with opponents
 Sometimes kind—hired students as spies to
make money
 His people revolted against him
Karl Marx
Animalism
Communism
Snowball
Leon Trotsky
Napoleon
Joseph Stalin
Squealer
Propaganda Department of Lenin’s Government
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The Dogs
KGB-Secret Police
Moses, the Raven
Religion
Mollie
Vain, selfish people in Russia and world
Boxer
Dedicated, but tricked communist supporters
Benjamin
Skeptical people in Russia and outside Russia
Windmill
Five-Year Plan
Overall Details about the Rebellion
Overall Details of Russian Revolution
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Novel and Film
Compare and Contrast
Directions: Fill in the following chart. Consider the director’s choice of character voice casting, deleted, and
added scenes, as well how the director chose to depict a certain scene from the novel. For instance, what
modern touches or slight alterations did he add/make to the scene?
Similarities
Differences
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