ANIMAL FARM - by George Orwell s1

Close Reading Task Sheet 1

Chapter 1 1. Mr Jones, representative of the human race, is dismissed in a paragraph. Quote the words and phrases which condemn him (and by implication people generally)? 2. Quote the three words that especially establish Old Major's position and authority? 3. What are Old Major's 'tushes'? Why have they never been cut? 4. How are Boxer and Clover established as caring animals? 5. Orwell is careful to retain animal qualities for his characters. Quote some examples. 6. Even though he describes them as animals, Orwell also gives them human characteristics. Quote the amusing example of personification he uses for Clover. 7. Benjamin is described as 'cynical'. What does this mean? 8. Why is Moses not with the other animals? 9. Old Major mentions his dream but then goes on to make a speech. What is the purpose of mentioning the dream? 10. What is the purpose of the speech? 11. Which word gives an early indication that this novel is to be a parody of communism? 12. What are the hopes expressed in Old Major’s song 'Beasts of England'? 13. Why does the song have a catchy tune? Why is the song important? 14. What is the mood of this meeting? 15. What important 'rules' does Old Major give the animals at the end of his speech?

2 Close Reading Task Sheet 2

Chapter 2 1. Why do the pigs emerge as the natural leaders? 2. Why is the way Squealer whisks his tail "somehow very persuasive"? 3. 'Animalism' is a parody of Communism. What is Mollie told she will have to do without? What do these things represent in human terms? 4. Why do the pigs have difficulty in persuading the other animals? 5. Mollie's reaction to Animalism suggests an important reason for the failure of revolutions. Explain. 6. Moses talks about the 'Sugarcandy Mountain'. What do he and his ideas represent in human terms? 7. What qualities does Moses have that make him the appropriate bearer of this message? 8. What is suggested by the fact that Moses lives in the house with the Joneses? 9. What specifically drives the animals to an act of rebellion? 10. Why do the animals have a bonfire as their first act of freedom? 11. Snowball burns the ribbons and says that "all animals should go naked." What is Boxer's response – and what is Orwell showing by this? 12. Snowball burns the ribbons and establishes a new 'rule'. What does Napoleon do? What does this tell us about these two pigs? 13. What is significant about the fact that the pigs have learned to read and write? 14. In the last few paragraphs of chapter 2, the same verb is used several times, foreshadowing the future dominance of the pigs. Quote it, and explain its effect. 15. What happens to the milk?

Chapter 3 1. Why do the animals work so hard on their first harvest? 2. What do the designs on the flag symbolise? What does the flag parody? 3. What is the purpose of Snowball's committees? Are they effective? 4. How effective is his plan to teach all the animals to read and write? 5. Napoleon makes himself responsible for "the education of the young". What is he really doing? 6. How does Squealer justify the pigs having the apples and best food? 7. What is different about the way he uses the word 'Comrades' from the way Old Major used it? 8. What is the animals’ principal fear? 9. What is the main problem with the concept that all animals are friends? 10. By the end of Chapter 3, a number of things have occurred which foreshadow the corruption of the Revolution. List them.

Chapter 4 1. The humans could easily retake Animal Farm if they wanted to. What prevents this happening? What does this represent in political terms? 2. What is the effect in the neighbouring farms of the new organisation of Animal Farm? 3. The Battle of the Cowshed gives the animals a big success. Which animals are rewarded for their contribution to the victory – and which animals are conspicuous by their absence? 4. How are the responses of Boxer and Snowball to the battle casualties contrasted?

This is the high point of the animals' lives on Animal Farm, the time at which things are at their best. Napoleon and Snowball have promised that Animalism will make the lives of the animals far better than they were. Are their lives better?  Rule up two columns, and head one 'better' and one ' worse/no better'. Under each heading, list specific details of the ways in which their lives are better, and the ways in which their lives have not improved or have become worse.

Chapter 5 5. What qualities does Mollie demonstrate that eventually make her run away from the farm? What is the effect of her defection? 6. The next big step in the animals' return to servitude takes place this winter. What is it? 7. Napoleon and Snowball demonstrate two different approaches to politics and to leadership. Explain the difference in your own words.

Chapter 6 8. Although work on the windmill was voluntary, how does Napoleon ensure that all work on it? Why are the animals still happy to do the extra? 9. A smear campaign is begun against Snowball. What are the things he is accused of doing? Was he guilty of any of these accusations? 10. What arguments are advanced by Squealer to justify the pigs’ sleeping in beds? 11. Why does the windmill fall down in the storm? Why does Napoleon blame Snowball?

Chapter 7 12. Why is it "vitally necessary" to conceal from the outside world the poor conditions on the farm? 13. In these days Napoleon rarely appeared in public… Why does Napoleon withdraw from day to day contact with the other animals? 14. How is the revolt of the hens dealt with? 15. What is the point of the incident of the confessions, where those who confess to association with Snowball are slaughtered? Are they guilty?

Chapter 8 1. Why is it that the pigs are able to rewrite the Commandments and not be challenged on the changes? 2. What is the purpose of Squealer’s statistics? 3. The completion of the windmill poses a problem for Napoleon. What is it? 4. What do the pigs do after the Battle of the Windmill that shows them becoming more like humans? 5. What does the episode with the ladder and the paint pot tell us about the condition of the animals? Chapter 9 6. The pigs have been rewriting history to suit themselves. What example of this is given in this chapter? 7. Why is Moses allowed to return to the farm? 8. Where do the pigs get the money for their second case of whisky? Chapter 10 9. But still, neither pigs nor dogs produced any food by their own labour. What do they actually do? 10. If the animals went hungry it was not from feeding tyrannical human beings. Are they then free from tyranny?