Animal Farm – Unit Test Review
Name:____________________________
Use this review sheet as a guide for what you should study for your test over Animal Farm. Look for the
information listed on this sheet in your notes, reading quizzes, journal entries and worksheets.
I.
Background Information
A. Russian Revolution
1.
Czar Nicolas as a leader/the state of Russian before the Communist Revolution
2.
Karl Marx’s The Communist Manifesto – understand its basic purpose and impact on the revolution
3.
Lenin’s role in the Communist Revolution
4.
Differences between Stalin and Trotsky
a. Trotsky’s fate
b. Stalin’s rise to power
5.
Stalin as a leader/the state of Russia under his rule
a. From Communist Nation to Totalitarian Dictatorship
b. Stalin’s Great Purge and executions
c. Stalin’s impact on Russia’s economy and people
6.
1945: Orwell publishes Animal Farm
a. Why did he write AF?
II. Key Terms
A. Be familiar with the definitions of the following terms, and be able to explain how they apply to Animal
Farm
1.
Allegory
a. Be familiar with the specific allegories in Animal Farm – Napoleon as Stalin, etc.
2.
Fable
3.
Propaganda
4.
Scapegoat
5.
Irony
III. Characters
A. Be familiar with all the main characters, their personalities, and the role they played on the farm/during
and after the revolution
1.
Mr. Jones
2.
Old Major
3.
Napoleon
4.
Snowball
5.
Squealer
6.
Boxer
7.
Clover
8.
Fredericks and Pilkington
9.
Mollie
10.
Benjamin
11.
The sheep
12.
The dogs
13.
Moses
14.
The hens
IV. Important Questions, Ideas, and Events
A. State of the farm before the revolution
1.
Old Major’s speech/dream
a. Who is the enemy?
b. Why is he the enemy?
c. Laws/purpose/the future
B. The Battle of the Cowshed
C. The Windmill
1.
From Snowball’s point of view
2.
From Napoleon’s POV
a. Why does Napoleon change his mind about the windmill?
b. How does the windmill ultimately impact Animal Farm? (power)
D. Circular Plot Structure
1.
How do the animals end up at the end of the story compared to the beginning of
the story?
2.
Why is it significant that Napoleon changes the name of Animal Farm back to Manor
Farm?
E. Modified Commandments
1.
Why and how are the commandments modified?
2.
Why does no one protest?
F. Snowball
1.
How is Snowball used as a scapegoat after he is exiled?
2.
Why is he used this way?
G. Beasts of England
1.
Why is the anthem of Animalism important?
2.
How does the role of Beasts of England change throughout the story?
V. Themes
A. Absolute power corrupts absolutely
B. Language has the power to manipulate and control others
C. Individuals in society are often not treated equally
D. Ignorance contributes to social oppression
E. Violence and propaganda as tools of political and social oppression