Animal Farm - Character Foils
by Mickey Vickroy
Standards:
CO-2010.RWC.9.GLE.2.1
Increasingly complex literary elements in traditional and contemporary works of literature require
scrutiny and comparison
Objectives:
Students will be able to use quotes from the text to compare and contrast characters from the literature.
Students will understand what a character foil is and how it is used in literature.
Activities:
Before Instruction: Allow about 10 minutes
1. Number students off by threes.
2. Designate a different section of the class for each number and have the students move there.
3. Ask them to partner up with 3 or 4 other students who share their number.
4. Distribute the activity sheet appropriate to each group.
1. Group 1 gets the Boxer and Mollie sheet
2. Group 2 gets the Benjamin and Moses sheet
3. Group 3 gets the Napoleon and Snowball sheet
5. On the back of each sheet is the pre and post assessments.
1. Preassessment:
1. The word Foil, and its various definitions, is displayed on the board and on the
activity sheets given to each student. Definitions include a type of sword, thin
sheets of metal, the act of preventing success of a plan, and the definition we will
use for today's lesson, a character who contrasts with another character in
literature.
2. Students are asked to circle or highlight the definition that they think we will be
working on today.
3. This assessment is informal, and will serve to show growth in understanding
when they are asked to describe what a character foil is after the lesson's
activities.
2. Postassessment:
1. What is a character foil?
2. Why do you think it's important to pay attention to how characters act and what
they say rather then simply let the narrator describe the character's personality to
you?
3. Assessment Rationale:
1. Students may or may not have been introduced to the concept of a character foil.
2. Preassessing their knowledge by asking them to identify the definition of a
character foil and then assessing their knowledge after the lesson will show
student growth.
During Instruction: Allow about 30 minutes
1. Using Squealer's character as an example, model how you would scan the text looking for
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
dialog, and determine who's talking. Emphasize that we are skimming the pages looking for
quotation marks and information on who's speaking.
Ask the class if they think the quotes you find are things that define Squealer's character, and if
they are, write them into the section. 5 min
Each group will search the text looking for quotes or mottoes for the characters they have been
assigned and write them into the appropriate section of the worksheet.
They will then work together to come up with a list of ways in which the characters are foils for
each other and write them into the appropriate section of the worksheet. 15 min
As the groups finish up, have them stand and read the quotes that they found for the characters
and the list of character differences. 7 min
When all groups have finished, ask them to complete the assessment on the back of the sheet
and hand it in for credit. 3 min
Boxer
Mollie
Character Description:
The cart-horse whose incredible
strength, dedication, and loyalty
play a key role in the early
prosperity of Animal Farm and the
later completion of the windmill.
Quick to help but rather slowwitted, Boxer shows much devotion
to Animal Farm’s ideals but little
ability to think about them
independently. He naïvely trusts the
pigs to make all his decisions for
him.
Character Description:
The vain, flighty mare who pulls Mr.
Jones’s carriage. Mollie craves the
attention of human beings and loves
being groomed and pampered. She
has a difficult time with her new life
on Animal Farm, as she misses
wearing ribbons in her mane and
eating sugar cubes.
Quotes/Mottoes (include page #):
Quotes/Mottoes (include page #):
Contrast these characters. In what ways are these characters foils for each other?
Benjamin
Moses
Character Description:
The long-lived donkey who refuses
to feel inspired by the Rebellion.
Benjamin firmly believes that life
will remain unpleasant no matter
who is in charge. Of all of the
animals on the farm, he alone
comprehends the changes that take
place, but he seems either unwilling
or unable to oppose the pigs.
Character Description:
The tame raven who spreads
stories of Sugarcandy Mountain,
the paradise to which animals
supposedly go when they die.
Moses plays only a small role in
Animal Farm, but Orwell uses him
to explore how communism
exploits religion as something with
which to pacify the oppressed.
Quotes/Mottoes (include page #):
Quotes/Mottoes (include page #):
Contrast these characters. In what ways are these characters foils for each other?
Napoleon
Snowball
Character Description:
The pig who emerges as the leader
of Animal Farm after the
Rebellion. Based on Joseph Stalin,
Napoleon uses military force (his
nine loyal attack dogs) to
intimidate the other animals and
consolidate his power. In his
supreme craftiness, Napoleon
proves more treacherous than his
counterpart, Snowball.
Character Description:
The pig who challenges Napoleon
for control of Animal Farm after
the Rebellion. Based on Leon
Trotsky, Snowball is intelligent,
passionate, eloquent, and less
subtle and devious than his
counterpart, Napoleon. Snowball
seems to win the loyalty of the
other animals and cement his
power.
Quotes/Mottoes (include page #):
Quotes/Mottoes (include page #):
Contrast these characters. In what ways are these characters foils for each other?
Foil
verb - to keep (a person) from succeeding in an enterprise, plan, etc.
noun - metal in the form of very thin sheets
noun - a person who contrasts with another character (usually the protagonist) in order to
highlight various features of the character's personality
noun - a flexible four-sided rapier having a blunt point
1. What is a character foil?
2. Why is it important to pay attention to how characters act and what they say rather
than simply let the narrator describe the character's personality to you?