Levels of study:   1.  An entertaining fairy tale.
                                  2.  A disguised history of the development of communism under Lenin and Stalin.
                                  3.   An account of the way revolutions are made and ultimately corrupted.

George Orwell:  1.  Life
                                 2.  Philosophy

Communism and Russia: 1.  History
                                                    2.  Vocabulary:
                                                             totalitarianism
                                                             capitalism
                                                             Bolshevik
                                                             bourgeoisie
                                                             utopia
                                                             purge

Chapter One
 1.  How is Mr.  Jones portrayed in the first chapter?

 2.  The animals who gather to hear Major’s speech each mirror a single human   trait.  What trait is revealed in
 Clover?
 Boxer?
 Benjamin?
 Mollie?
 the cat?
 the dogs?
 the pigs?
 the raven?

 3.  What is the political statement that emerges from Major’s dream?

 4.  What are the evil human habits against which Major particularly warns the   animals?

 5.  Describe the song and the animals’ response.

Chapter Two
 1.  How do the animals respond to this new philosophy?

 2.  How does the revolution come about?

 3.  Discuss the significance of the following objects or people:

 Moses,

  Boxer’s straw hat,

 learning to read,

 and milk.
 

Chapter Three

 1.  What are Snowball’s and Napoleon’s attitudes toward education?

 2.  What is Squealer’s explanation of why pigs must be given special food?

Chapter Four

 1.  How does Snowball direct t the Battle of the Cowshed?

Chapter Five

 1.  On what issues do Napoleon and Snowball disagree?  How do they handle   the bitter controversy over the windmill?

 2.  What is the first right Napoleon takes away from the animals?

 3.  What is Squealer’s explanation of the abolishment of animal vote?  Why is   Boxer’s reaction important?

Chapter Six

 1.  What is the quality of life for the animals?

 2.  Why does sit become necessary to trade with the Humans?

 3.  How are the Commandments distorted?

 4.  How does Napoleon react to the destruction of the first windmill?

Chapter Seven

 1.  What is the quality of life in the winter?

 2.  What is the outcome of Napoleon's investigation into Snowball’s activities?
 3.  What action is taken after this discovery?

 4.  How do the animals respond to the executions?

Chapter Eight

 1.  What turns the Battle of the Windmill in the animals’ favor?

 2.  What new  vice do the pigs acquire?

Chapter Nine

 1.  What is Squealer's new explanation of unequal rations?

 2.  What is the significance of the new ruling on ribbons?

 3.  How do the animal’s react to Boxer’s removal?

Chapter Ten

 1.  What is the quality of the animals’ lives?

 2.  What is the final interpretation of the word “equal”?

 3.  What is the significance of the change in the flag’s design?
 

Composition Topics-  Write a five paragraph paper with an introduction and thesis, three major points with details, and a conclusion.  Use two quotations from the text.

Trace the meaning of the word “equal” during the pigs’ administration.

A variety of forces, rather than a single factor, corrupts the revolution.  Tell the factors that influence the downfall of the animal republic.

Animal Farm offers a judgment about the corrupting nature of power.  Lord Acton phrased the same judgment this way:  “Power corrupts;  absolute power corrupts absolutely.”  Is this statement true?  In what ways might the pigs have handled power better?

Discuss how the “last commandment”  “All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others” is apparent in Animal Farm and then in our society.
 

Research Paper:

 Describe the similarities between Orwell’s characters and the Russian historical figures, Stalin, Lenin, or Trotsky.  You will have further instructions on research methods.

Animal Farm Projects

Each project must center around a topic or theme.  Be as creative as possible, using a variety of writing forms visual aids.  Below are some ideas and suggestions:

1.  Creative poem interpreting Animal Farm.

2.  A secret conversation among several animals, taking a differing point of view.

3.  A new list of commandments for a new society.

4.  Write a newspaper describing the Battle of the Cowshed.  Rewrite the articles as they might have been published in an animal newspaper.

5.  Write a short skit of what would have happened if have happened if the animals had rebelled against Napoleon when Boxer was sent to the slaughterhouse.  Would they have succeeded?  Why? or why not?

6.  Create your own utopia, commandments, flag, song, etc.

7.  Hold a debate  on the proposition:  Resolved that Snowball would have made Animalism work for the betterment of the animals.

8.  Hold a political speech/or debate/campaign for an animal running for office.  Use slogans, buttons, songs, etc.

9.  Write a poem or song describing the victory of the Battle of the Cowshed.

10.  Write a script for a victory celebration after “Cowshed.”

11.  Write a script for a confrontation between Snowball and Napoleon if Snowball had returned to the farm while Napoleon was entertaining Pilkington.

12.  Create a dialogue between the animals who observed the “dinner”;  write their reactions to the new side of the pigs.