Animal Farm
BY GEORGE ORWELL
Teaching Guide edited by Earl A. French
Copyright
e }969 X,rox Corporation
Eart A. French serves as Editor of the Secondary
Book Programs of American Education Publications.
He has taught English on every level from seventh
grade through college. He received his undergraduate
degree from Central Connecticut State College. Mr.
French has done graduate studies at Trinity College
(Hartford, Conn.), Yale University, and Syracuse Uni­
versity.
ANIMAL FARM
Animal Farm. published in 1945, nearly coincident
with the dropping of the first atom bomb on Hiroshima,
has demonstrated amazing staying power, despite the
fact that books are constantly reassessed in the light of
current history and changing trends of thought. Perhaps
the reason for its endurance is that George Orwell is not
simply deriding the phenomenon of communism as it
developed in Russia.
The novel is a direct attack upon all forms of totali­
tarianism. It offers a warning of what can happen any­
where. Although the Russian experience serves as a
historical model for the literary work, Orwell's satire is
as relevant today as it was in 1945. Implicit within the
novel is a condemnation of the abuse of power in any
form of government.
SYNOPSIS
Animal Farm tells how the beasts of Manor Farm,
after continued mistreatment, rebel against their drunken
master, take over his property, and establish it as an
ideal community called Animal Farm. The community
is modeled on the tenets of Major, the philosopher of
"Animalism," a communistically oriented philosophy
that purports that man is the cause of all evil and that
an animal-run farm will provide equality and an equita­
ble livelihood for all animals.
Is it not crystal clear then, comrades. that all the
evils of this life Of ours spring from tile tyranny of
human beings? 01lly get rid of Man, and tile produce
of our labor would be our own. Almost overnight we
could become ric" alld free. What then must we do?
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Creative Approaches to Reading Literature
Why, work night and day, body and soul, for the
overthrow oj the human racel
Such is the inflammatory oratory of Old Major, the
prize boar on Manor Farm. While Old Major does not
live to see his comrades throw off their chains, his ideas
do, nevertheless, become the seeds for revolution and
the system of thought that comes to be known as Ani­
malism.
After the rebellion is a success. the animals tempor­
arily achieve the Animalistic dream. But it is soon
distorted by two pigs, Napoleon and Snowball, who gain
control of the revolution while constantly fighting each
other for mastery. Napoleon eventually ousts Snowball
by secretly rearing a pack: of vicious dogs who act only
on his command. The dogs ultimately chase Snowball
from the farm. Snowball is then labeled a traitor and
used as a scapegoat for anything that goes wrong on
the farm.
At first the human neighbOrs attempt to recapture
the farm, but they are successfully defeated. The humans
continue to circulate wild stories about Animal Farm
and refuse to recognize it as a reality. Eventually,
though, they accept it as a permanent feature.
The animals, through economic necessity. are forced
to compromise with the human system. They begin to
trade with their neighbOrs. Napoleon seizes power, es­
tablishes a personal dictatorship. negotiates an alliance
with the human enemy, makes the pigs and dogs "more
equal" than the other animals, commits acts as inhu­
mane as those of the humans, destroys the original goals
of the revolution by manipulating and by taking ad­
vantage of the other an.im.a.I.s, and creates a way of life
that is worse than the first.
The first third of the fable includes Old Major's revo­
lutionary ideas, his prophetic dream, the hopes and in·
spirations of Animalism, and the successful revolution.
The middle portion of the fable deals with an internal
struggle for power, the pitfalls of any Utopian venture,
the betrayal of the ideals of the revolution, and the
difficulties of establishing and maintaining a republic.
)
Animal Farm 39
The final third of the story depiCts the emergence of
despots who rule a gullible populace by use of a police
state, promises, and propaganda.
POLlnCAL SYMBOLISM
Animal Farm is a satire on dictatorship with animals
portraying human eharacteristics. This is not a new lit­
erary form-writers from Aesop through Walt Disney
have told their stories using this satirical medium-but
Orwell bas invested his creatures with a second side,
that of political symbolism. Eaeh animal is representa­
tive of an individual person or a politieal type that
played an important part in Russia's historical develop­
ment.
Since the names of Lenin, Stalin, Trotsky, and Czar
Nicholas II mean little to the present generation, stu­
dents should be asked to search for three aspects in each
animal:
1. What political type or individual person does each
animal in the story represent?
2. Why was the particular name given to the animal?
3. How does the animal (horse, dog. sheep) fit its per­
sonality?
The major chara~ers in Animal Farm should be
identified first with their Russian counterparts.
MAJOR
A prize Middle White boar is Lenin. He is presented
as a dignified animal who enunciates the "major" politi­
cal philosophy to the animals, triggering their revolt.
Major imparts his Marxist yhilosophy of man as a
tyrant who takes the fruit 0 th~ animals' labors and
gives them nothing but misery in return.
He urges the animals to rid themselves of parasitic
man and enjoy the fruits of their labors in a society
where all animals are equal. He recalls a song from his
past called "Beasts of England," which mirrors the
Communist "Internationale" very closely. Orwen hu­
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Creative Approaches to Reading Literature
Animal Farm
morously inserts that Major's "tushes [long teeth1 had
never been cut," implying that Farmer Jones never re­
alized that Major could be a dangerous animal-just
as Czar Nicholas II never realized that Lenin would be
a dangerous revolutionist. Had be foreseen Lenin's po­
tential power, NichOlas would have had him killed in.
stead of exiled.
cally, the Russian people). He and his neighbors, Pil­
kington of Foxwood (England) and Frederick of Pinch­
field (Germany), often engage in lawsuits (wars) that
take their time and money. There are many references
to the Czat's preoccupation with the gay life of Europe
(Jones comes in late from the Red Uon Inn, falls asleep
with the newspaper, News 0/ the World, over his face)
and especially to his ties with England. The Czarina, a
first cousin to the reigning monarch of England, was the
granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Orwell emphasizes
this English tie by mentioning that the farmer sits in a
Wmdsor chair and has a picture of Queen Victoria in
the living room.
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NAPOLEON
The name "Napoleon" can mean only one thing-an
ambitious, militaristic, domineering leader. Although
the present generation might have a dim idea of who
the Napoleon of Russia was--a "fierce-looking Berk­
shire boar, not much of a talker. but with a reputation
for getting his own way"-the name conveys only one
picture to the generation of World War II: Joseph
Stalin. Napoleon's use of his terroristic dogs, his disre­
gard for his people's sufferings, and his greed for the
materialistic trappings of Farmer Jones. all find their
form in the shape of a pig to prove Orwell's theory
that the greed for power corrupts.
SNOWBAlL
A snowball is symbolic of two ideas: purity and im­
permanence. Snowball is Leon Trotsky's fictional coun­
terpart. Snowball's political endeavors are totally un­
selfish. He believes in the possibility of a utopia and is
willing to sacrifice himself for it. Snowball doesn't last
very long when Napoleon finds that he has a powerful
rival who actually believes the revolutionary philosophy.
Uke Trotsky-who was expelled from the party in
1925 and, while in exile in Mexico, was killed by a
"friend" of the party in 1940-the idealistic Snowball
receives the death sentence from the self-appointed dic­
tator Napoleon.
41
SQUEALER
The name "Squealer" is assigned not as a mark of an
informer but rather as an indication of his purpose-to
lIlliIke convincing noises. Squealer is a member of the
party. and so he appears in the party uniform-the body
of a pig. Squealer secretly changes the wording of the
Seven Commandments to suit the party actions. He
then convinces the animals that they are mistaken in
believing that the wording was ever different. Squealer
can only be symbolic of Russia's official news organ,
Pravda. (It is ironic that the name of this organ, re­
sponsible for changing 1'!lack into white, means truth.)
BOXER
MR•. JONES
Orwell portrays his hero-the common man. the
hardest working animal on the farm-as a horse. His
name fits him because Boxer is willing to fight for the
survival of the farm with the sweat of his labors and
with his hooves in battIe. His political type is repre­
sentative of the hard-working Russian people who
blindly believed in the Revolution and gave their all
to it.
MOSES
Mr. Jones, representative of Czar Nicholas II. is a
hard-drinking man who neglects his animals (symboli-
The raven Moses is the symbol of the Russian Ortho­
dox church and its black-garbed priesthood. Orwell de­
,J
)
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Creative Approaches 10 Reading Literature
scribes Moses as a "spy and a tale-bearer, but ••• also
a clever talker. He claimed to know of the existence of
a mysterious country called Sugarcandy Mountain,
where animals went when they died." He did no work,
and Mr. JOtles fed him on crusts of bread and beer.
Since Orwell links the raven with Mrs. Jones (he rues
away with her when she leaves), a quick encyclopedic
report should be made on Rasputin, that mysterious,
mystical monk whom the Czarina regarded as a god
because of his effect on her hemophiliac son.
MINOR CHARACTERS
The cat, sheep, and Mollie are minor animals repre­
sentative of types of personalities found in an}' com­
munistic society. The cat is the sneaky opportunist who
votes on both sides. He shows up after the work is done
with very convincing excuses. Mollie is the beautiful
horse who won't give up the luxurious life she had in
the old times. ConsequenUy, she defects. The Commu­
nist party would call her a "comfort-loving bourgeoise."
The sheep represent the masses who are blindly and
. willingly led in any direction by party order.
After tbe characters in Animal Farm are associated
with their historical counterparts, students will be better
able to understand how George Orwell's literary presen­
tation of events parallels the events of the Russian Rev­
olution.
HISTORICAL RELEVANCE
Just as a study of Orwen's political symbolism aids
the student in understanding Anlmol Farm, so, too, will
a study of certain passages in the novel illuminate the
historical relevance of the plot.
Each of the fonowing passages selected from Animal
Farm and printed here in bold-faced type is succeeded
by a commentary that points out the historical parallel
involved.
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Ammal Farm{!'
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CLASSICAL ECONOMICS
We are given just so much food as will keep breath
10 OUl' bodies.
Much of the Marxist doctrine is based on the Man­
chester School of Classical Economics, which maintains
the subsistence level as the "natural" order for the
workingman. 'Marx developed his theory of increasing
proletarian misery and his Labor Theory of Value from
the writings of the English economists Richard Malthus
and David Ricardo. According to Marx, the v~ue (i.e.,
the selling price) of a product is fixed solely by the cost
of the labor needed to produce iL
THEORY OF MISERY
The life of an animal is misery and slaverys that Is
the plaiD truth. • • • But is this simply part of the or­
'der of nature'l ••• No, comrades, a thOu.saJld times,
nor • • • Why then do we continue 10 tbis miserable
condJUon'l Bcaluse nearly tbe whole of the produ£e of
OUl' labour Is stolen {rom us by human beings. There,
'Comrades, is tbe answer to aU OUl' problems. It is
summed up In a single word-man. • • • Only get rid
of Mao, and the produce of our labour would be our
own. • • • Wbat then must we do'l ••• Rebellionr
Lenin's theory of revolution as set forth in his 1902
pamphlet What Is To Be Done states in part: "The life
of the worker is misery-he is exploited by the capi­
talist and he never enjoys the full benefits of his labor."
CONCEPT OF LEADERSHIP
The work of teachiDg and organizing the others feU
IUtturaUy to the pigs.
Lenin absolutely dictated that a professional, dedi­
cated revolutionary ~litc must lead the proletariat of
ignorant workers ~d peasants.
fi'
P
..01
S
Animal Farm
4S
• • • bad entered Into an agreement with him to band
over Animal Farm to Mr. Fredreick. • • • The dogs
promptly tore their throats out. • • • And SO the tale
of confessions and executions went on.
Stalin directed the purges from 1936 through 1938 in
which at least two-thirds of the governing class of Rus­
sia literally devoured and destroyed itself. As George
Kennan has stated, "The jailers and judges of one day
were the prisoners and the victims of the next. And over
this whole macabre procedure Stalin presided, with dia­
bolical. cynical composure, with his customary self­
deprecating manner of having nothing to do with it aU
-but presumably enjoying every minute of it, relishing
every new exhibition of misery and degradation and
helplessness of his former aides and associates."
CULT OF PERSONALITY
Napoleon was now never spoken of simply as Na­
poleon. He was always referred to in formal style as
"our leader, Comrade Napoleon," and the pigs liked to
Invent for him such tiOes as Father of all Animals, Ter­
ror of Mankind, Protector of the Sheep-fold, Duck­
lings' Friend, and the like. • • • It bad become usual
to give Napoleon the credit for every successful achieve­
ment and every stroke of good fortune.
Stalin's cult of personality demanded the deification
of tbe political leader. Under this concept the super­
leader replaces the czar as a father figure and the priest
as a religious leader. This practice was denounced by
Khrusbcbev in 1956--three years after Stalin's death­
as a "bourgeois concept and incompatible with Com­
munistic theory." Tbe autocratic Godlike leader was
replaced by an oligarchy.
NONAGGRESSION PACT
The animals • • • were struck dumb with surprise
when Napoleon announced that he had sold the pile of
timber to Frederick [Germany). ••• Throughout the
whole period of his seeming friendsWp with Pilkington
,)
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Creative Approaches to Reading Literature
REVOLUTION
With one, accord, tbough nothing of the kind had
been planned beforehand, they Bung themselves upon
their tormentors. ••• Yes, it was their&--everything
that they conJd see was theirs!
The March 1917 uprising was an unplanned, unled,
spontaneous revolution that resulted in the first and only
truly democratic regime in Russian history. It was over­
thrown by the Bolshevik (Communist) Revolution of
November 1917.
CLASH OF IDEOLOGY
As usual, Napoleou and Snowball were In disagree­
ment. According to Napoleon, wbat the animals must
do was to procure &rearms and trmn themselves iu the
use of them. According to Snowball, they must send out
more and more pigeons and stir up rebelliou among the
animals on the other farms. The one argued tbat if they
could not defend themselves they were bonnd to he
conquered; the other argued tbat if rebellions happened
everywhere they would have nO need to defend them­
selves.
Stalin and Trotsky' disagreed about wbetber to con­
centrate on consolidating socialism in one country
(Stalin) or on fomenting world revolution (Trotsky).
Although there were otber points of dispute between.
the two, this was the most important Communist doc­
trinal conffict.
By gaining complete control of the party machinery,
Stalin ultimately forced Trotsky out of the party and
into exile. This was a victory of pragmatism over ideal­
ism.
PURGES
The four pigs waited, trembling, 1\ith gullt written on
every Hue of their countenances. • • • They confessed
that they had been secretly iu touch with Snowball • • •
had collaborated with him In destroyiug the windmill
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Creative Approaches to Reading Literature
[EnglandJ. Napoleon had reaDy been in secret agreement
with Frederick. • • • The very next morning tile at.
tack came. The lookouts came racing in with the news
tbat Frederick and his foDowers had already come
through the five-barred gate.
Hitler and Stalin signed a nonaggression pact in Au­
gust 1939. Hitler wanted time to defeat the Western
democracies without worrying about his Eastern fron­
tier. Stalin wanted time to prepare for war. Stalin also
hoped to pick up the spoils when fascism and democ­
racy had destroyed each other. His hopes were shattered
in June 1941 when Germany, having defeated France,
invaded Russia.
CLASSLESS SOCIETY
Somehow it seemed as though the farm had grown
richer without maldog the animals themselves any richer
--except, of course, the pigs aod the dogs....
Squealer told them that the pigs had to expend enor­
mous laboU1'5 every day upon mysterious things caDed
"(des," "reports," "minutes," aod "memoraoda." •••
This was of the highest impol1ance for the welfare of
the farm. But still, neither pigs nor dogs produced any
food by their own labour, and there were very many of
them, aod their appetites were always good.
Marx's vision of a classless society has not material­
ized. Rather, a new class composed of party members
(3 percent of the population), bureaucrats, intellectuals,
athletes, etc. has arisen from the ashes of old Russia.
Enjoying special privileges, their presence irrefutably
denies the possibility that communism will ultimately
achieve its goal, the "withering away of the state." (See
Milovan Djilas, The New Class.)
UNIT PLACEMENT
Animal Farm is rich in possibilities for teaching. This
fable, parable, faotasy'. fairy taIe--it has been caUed all
of tbese--appeals strongly to students. Like all signifi­
cant novels. it has many levels of comprehension.
Animal Farm
47
Thematically. the book fits in well with units on jus­
tice, courage. fear, power, survival, conformity, and
similar topics. Structurally, Animal Farm profusely U­
lustrates the uses of satire and irony.
With problem-centered units the novel exemplifies
the conflicts of man VS'. man, man vs. society, man's in­
humanity to man. illusion vs. reality. It illustrates that
power corrupts, that absolute power corrupts absolutely.
and that utopias fail.
Transcending the barriers of a strict disciplinary ap­
proach, Animal Farm may be an important vehicle for
an interdisciplinary approach to the study of man. It
may be used fruitfully in courses inVOlving the study of
government. political history, political theory, utopian
literature, and philosophical thought.
A biographical approach to Animal Farm also bears
development. In his own right Eric Blair, an English­
man who wrote under the pen name of George Orwell,
remains a fascinating subject of research.
Certainly the casual reader will not expect to discover
that the author of Animal Farm was an avowed social­
ist who fought as a Loyalist in the Spanish CivU War
against Franco's troops-an experience that prompted
him in 1939 to publish his "Homage to CataIonia."
Nor is the reader likely to suspect that this author
of Animal Farm, a noted 1iterary critic, possessed a
deep-seated distrust of intellectuals. Educated at Eton.
producer of British intellectuals, he was born in Bengal.
India, and served with the Indian Imperial Police in
Burma.
In addition to Orwell's personality. his other major
political satire, 1984, offers fertile grounds for com­
parison with Animal Farm. Both novels present un­
sentimental, grave forecasts of mankind's future.
EVALUATION
Reading for Fact
1. What animal is Mr. Jones's favorite, but considered
a spy by the other animals?
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Creative Approaches to Reading literature
Animal Farm 2. By what title does Major address the other animals?
What does the use of this word indicate about his
political leanings?
3. What does Major predict will eventual1y happen to
the farm where the animals live?
y 4. Whom does Major blame for al1 the troubles of the
'f\
animals? How does the story prove him. partially
wrong?
S. What will be the result of the rebellion according
to Major?
6. What does Major caution the animals against, if
and when they are victorious?
7. How does Major die?
8. Who are the leaders who push for revolution?
9. What are some of the obstacles that the revolu­
tionists overcome in order to win the animals over
to their way of thinking?
10. What specific abuse by Mr. Jones causes the revolu­
tion?
11. How does the revolution take place? Is this as it
was planned?
12. What is the Battle of Cowshed?
13. How do the animals react to their newly won free­
dom? Is it a natural reaction?
14. What differences are there in the labors of the pigs
and the other animals?
15. What are some of the advantages for the animals
when the new system is established?
16. What crime against the animal community does
Mollie commit?
11. What is the basic cause of the disagreement over
the windmill? What is the real issue between Na­
poleon and Snowbal1?
18. How does Napoleon gain complete control?
19. What happens to SnowbaI1?
20. What title does Napoleon assume?
21. What role does Squealer play throughout the story?
22. How does the regime under Napoleon change the
meaning of the word "voluntary"?
23. How does Napoleon justify trading with humans?
24. What is indicated when the humans change even­
tually to calling the new community "Animal
Farm" instead of "Manor Farm"?
25. Why does Napoleon blame Snowbal1 for the de­
struction of the windmill?
26. What happens to the second windmill?
27. Why do the animals attempt to show that every­
thing is going well on their farm when it isn't?
28. Why do the hens rebel? What is the result of their
rebellion?
29. Why does Napoleon deal with rebels in such a
severe fashion?
30. Why is the song "Beasts of England" banished?
31. What characteristics of Boxer contribute to his de­
struction?
32. What is Napoleon's idea of the "happy life" for
himself? For his friends? For others?
33. What is the purpose of letting Moses return to the
farm with his stories about Sugarcandy Mountain?
Why do many of the animals believe what he says?
34. What is the significance of the pigs walking on two
legs?
35. To what single maxim does Snowball quickly re­
duce the Seven Commandments?
36. What becomes of the. flag, the song, the Sunday
morning march, and the other customs derived
from the early days of the Animal Farm revolu­
tion?
31. What is the new commandment that is mysteriously
written on the wal1?
38. What does the single remaining commandment
reveal has happened to the society of animals?
39. Identify the following: Animalism; Sugarcandy
Mountain; Midsummer's Eve; Foxwood and Pinch­
field; Wild Comrades' Reeducation Committee.
48
~)
49
For Discussion or Writing
1. What steps can be seen that show the separation of
the pigs from the other animals?
2. What kinds of symbols were created to bind the
)
)
I
~ P.GO'l' Un
Is this B. story of events 01: 1s 1tone ot charactel"lzation? 1,lst t.he ,nain aw.mtD8 nottg thoeo whi"h were hUMorous or which C..
DOl
moved you omotlQ'(w,lly>
Are tner,. e..llY lmI)Ol'babll!!l or i.m£"G'.H~Cli'v.lbl~ incj.den'cB?
Do all the lncl<i"l'\~-';S bear di.A:··~H,;tly eli't 'I,;he plot? Any l:mb.... plota7
An
II .. SE'l'rING Aft
What is the time of the st.ory? (apPt)Trd.llw.tely what t!acC1,do) Did the writer attt9mptto ~rii,H a l;t{;J:'Y -t.haG 'tIt"afj rcald 01~ r;>fi,a
Do
j t
imaginative?
Do you think -the a.uthor succ~r.!(.'od 1n i'l is pu:::pc..\sEI'r L? '1:.11(";' S';O.l~y ;,:0.:;;
8upp()oed to bfl road r. did it 6(>*",m l:lfc,."J.1.lce?
Was t.heT.9 doaerip'tlon of ilh'r;Ul:"o in 'UH';- stoUY? leW :<lfO v why dhl t;l~
C..,
On
author do so?
E
III o CHARACTERS
AI) Who are tho principal characta:rsf? What &1"8 their outstclnding traits',
Bo Are the chief chax'aa:tf'rs persons 0'1 Rlmple or complex pq!rsonall t"J1
Arc ·thayqthree d!mensionaJ:1
C" Do the characters devc,llop or rGlt")oll.in s';;atic? Do th.ey age?
0"
II3 the character rBv(u.\led mainly ·thl~ough deacrlptl.on. dl.alogueo
or action?
F.>,. Ie there Ii variety of 'typen of cilUn'lct0i.:'S? What is the s.uthora
Ilttl tude toward the (.',aJIl:,·ac·t,GK·~·?
r'" Whleh seems to ~u to dominate
'the plo·t or the characters?
'r
IV
I)
S'lT1E
Ao Does
~he au'thor u£~e strong vm.. . b:J" precise nouns!) descriptive
ad.jectlvfis D largE: voca'bulary?
Doos th8 author USB words luul l')hw..d:see that appaal t.o the senses",
Give emmples of A and Dc.
Is -the QuthorO e Bontenco strutz 1.;\J.l·~ v~),ried, al'e his f{en.tent}oa simple
or Involvod?
Wha:i; 1s tho px'oportion of dialoelA~ to narrn;t;lve 1/ does the d1.a:bogue
Do
Co
Do
set-l1r& natural?
Does the dialogue i'urttler th3 act:ton of the story?
Sa
Vo POINT OF VIEW
Is the story writ'ten in thE) first paI"fJon? Third person?
Is the story told by l(!tters@ ()oul.'nals?
Ao
Bo
Vlo
PURPOSE
13..
Is the book written llI9.irJ.y -Co ontertalno or is the author teacllng
a lesson? If. 80t' what is tho lesson? What virtues seem to be
atressl;d?
Does t.he author ma.k!! the ntol'Y ~;\. 'MJa.nc of pl"esenting his attutude
C
Ar.,-, you (!onsiiQuf) of' the opinIons of the author a.u you l"'ead'l
A"
toward llfe'?
I)