Animal Farm Assignments and Schedule – WHISL
Due dates:
Fri 4/29 – Chapters 1-4, five vocabulary words
Mon 5/2– Chapters 5-7, five vocabulary words
Wed 5/4 – Chapters 8-10, five vocabulary words
Goals:
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Expand vocabulary.
Use the book to evaluate the effectiveness of revolutions
and compare the allegory of the story/characters to the Russian Revolution.
Analyze the effectiveness of (political) speeches using the concepts of logos, ethos, pathos.
Observe how Orwell (the author) uses a variety of rhetorical strategies to get his point across.
Assignments: Though you do not have homework attached to your reading (besides vocab), you can expect pop
quizzes for any due date. If you feel like you need to annotate or keep track of characters or summarize, feel
free to do what you need to in order to understand and remember the novel. You may also keep notes on how
you would write on the below prompts.
Final Writing: You will be writing a 50 min timed essay Friday 5/6 on one of the following prompts – I will
tell you the prompt you are to write over that day (so be ready to write on all three). You may use your book
and any hand-written notes. Worth two 4 pt grades using our usual rubric:
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In literary works, a minor character (often known as a foil) possesses traits that emphasize, by contrast or
comparison, the distinctive characteristics and qualities of the main character. For example, the ideas or
behaviors of the minor character might be used to highlight the weaknesses or strengths of the main
character. Choose two such characters from Animal Farm and analyze how the relationship between
them contributes to the meaning of the book as a whole.
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Explore how Orwell uses satire to communicate a point in Animal Farm. Choose a human vice/weakness that
Orwell focuses on in the book. How does he demonstrate this vice (use specific examples from the book),
what point is he making, and how does it relate to the meaning of the book as a whole?
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Orwell is trying to persuade his readers to accept his point of view. What is Orwell trying to communicate
through Animal Farm, and how does he do this through rhetorical strategies like logos, ethos, and pathos.
Terms you need to know:
- Satire: makes fun of human vices/weaknesses, often with intent of correcting or
changing the subject of the attack.
- Parody: intentionally uses comic effect to mock a literary work or style – imitates the
piece in a comic/mocking way.
- Irony: a phrase/action/situation that means the exact opposite of its literal or normal
meaning.
o Dramatic irony: the audience sees the character’s mistakes, but the character does
not.
o Verbal irony: the writer says one thing but means something opposite
o Situational irony: the situation/action turns out to have the opposite result/effect
from what was expected.
- Allegory: teaches a lesson through symbolism or metaphor – communicates its message
by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation.
- Fable: a story that features animals, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature which
are anthropomorphized (given human qualities), and that illustrates a moral lesson.
Vocabulary from Animal Farm – choose from these words to fill out your vocabulary sheet
for each due date. Sorry the page numbers only apply to the white cover edition of the book
– but it can let you know where you would come across it in the story…start with early
words first.
Vocabulary
Ensconced
page
25
Benevolent
26
Comrade
28
Enmity
31
Acute
46
Doled
46
Cockerels
46
Indefatigable
49
Tractable
56
Ignominious
58,82
Procured
65
Disinterred
70
Malignity
82, 137
Indignation
82
Capitulated
87
Retinue
99
Skulking
101
Machinations
103
Censured
103
Sallied
106
Poultices
114
Superannuated
115
Morose
127
Taciturn
127
Filial
128
Insoluble
130
Incumbent
135
Subversive
137
Quotes from Animal Farm
“Man is the only real enemy we have.
Remove Man from the scene, and the
root cause of hunger and overwork is
abolished forever. Man is the only
creature that consumes without
producing. He does not give milk, he
does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull
the plough, he cannot run fast enough
to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the
animals. He sets them to work, he gives
back to them the bare minimum that
will prevent them from starving, and
the rest he keeps for himself.”
“Four legs good; two legs bad.”
Seven Commandments
1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy
2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has
wings, is a friend.
3. No animal shall wear clothes.
4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.
5. No animal shall drink alcohol.
6. No animal shall kill any other animal.
7. All animals are equal.