Name: _________________________ 5 Animal Farm CHAPTER X 1. What changes have the years brought to the farm? 2. a) Define bureaucracy. b) How does Orwell make fun of bureaucracy? 3. How do the animals now feel about their social order, their farm? 4. What drastic actions do the pigs use to shatter the animals’ complacency? 5. All seven commandments are erased. a) What is the new commandment and b) how has it been true from the beginning? 6. At the conference with neighboring farmers, what new changes does Napoleon point out? 7. a) What happens to the pigs’ appearance? b) What does this symbolize? Revisit Opening Topics, Part I: 1. Animal Farm on one level is an allegory of the 1917 Russian Revolution, but the story is just as applicable to the latest rebellion against dictators around the world. Do a little research and make a comparison recognizing a few similarities and differences between the animal leaders in the novel and one of our politicians today. 2. The novel also demonstrates how language can be used to control minds. Since teenagers are the target not only of the educational system itself but also of advertising, the music industry, etc., explore how language can control thought and behavior. a) Do a little research and find an example of how language is used to influence your age group specifically. Cite the source of your example. b) Describe your example with several concrete details, or maybe a visual aid. c) Explain how your source uses language in its attempt to influence you or others as a teen. 3. Work out an alternative ending of your own to this book. 4. Analyze the novel as an allegory of the Russian Revolution: a) Define allegory. b) Draw 5 parallels between actual events and people and the imaginary ones created by Orwell. 5. The novel can also be analyzed as a beast fable, like those of Aesop and James Thurber. a) Define beast fable. b) Research one fable by Aesop and explain the story and its moral (message). c) Discuss one moral you feel could be drawn from Animal Farm. Explain and support your answer. 6. Examine the work as a satirical comment on the corrupting influence of power: a) Define satire. b) Explain how the novel is a satire by tracing the corruption of characters in the novel (describe and analyze a few textual examples of characters being corrupted by power). c) How is the humor aspect of satire used in this development of corruption by power? d) Relate your findings to those in our own government who have succumbed to the lure of power at any cost and by any means: Research and find one example from contemporary politics or anytime in American history of the corrupting influence of power, and describe several details of your example. e) Cite your main source. 7. Theme: Youth are especially influenced by peer pressure. Explore the skillful use of peer pressure used by the pigs to exert control: a) Provide several examples of when the pigs used peer pressure. b) Provide several examples of when the pigs used threats later in the book. c) Analyze your own life and discuss how peer pressure may control or influence your own thoughts and actions. Revisit Opening Topics, Part II: 8. Literary Terms: a) Define Irony. b) Provide two examples of irony from the novel. a) Provide a different example of Satire than that of the corruption of power from #6 above. Name: _________________________ 6 9. Orwell’s subtitle is “A Fairy Story.” We brainstormed the elements of a fairy tale at the start of the book: a) Decide upon and list your five key elements/characteristics of the fairy tale (such as “Cinderella” or “Sleeping Beauty”) b) Read/Skim/Peruse C.M. Woodhouse’s Introduction to the novel, pages xvii to the top of page xxi, and explain a few ways Woodhouse fits Animal Farm to the definition of the fairy tale. 10. Novel Impact: a) Research 1 reason why the atomic bomb was dropped and what 1-2 of its effects were. b) Cite your source. c) Write down at least 5 key facts/ideas/points from the Woodhouse introduction, pages xiii-xvi and xxii, in order to debate the comparison Woodhouse makes between the development and dropping of the atomic bomb and the writing and publishing of Animal Farm. 11. Theme: Before reading Chapter I, you wrote about the qualities of a good leader. a) List a few of these attributes you originally wrote down. b) Compare your list to the leader characters in the novel. How do they match up? c) Would you add or change any qualities of a leader from your original list? 12. Theme: We also listed reasons why a government might be overthrown. a) Research a current world event, such as the rebellions in South Africa, Poland, Panama, or other historical revolts, like Tiananmen Square in China, recent Iranian revolts, Romania, Philippines, etc. Cite your source. b) What made these people dissatisfied with their leaders and their living conditions? 13. Students should have noted why the animals rebelled against Mr. Jones and mankind in general. a) List at least 3 reasons why the animals rebelled. b) List several differences/similarities of actual revolts (#11) and those from the novel (or make a Venn Diagram or other chart). Socratic Seminar Preparation: Write 7 higher level questions about the novel Animal Farm. Try to write questions about a wide variety of characters and chapters. Key words you can use: LEVEL 2: WHY, HOW, EXPLAIN, COMPARE/CONTRAST, WHAT EVIDENCE IS THERE TO SUPPORT ______ AND HOW, WHAT IS IMPLIED/ WHAT DO YOU INFER, HOW IS ____ DIFFERENT/SIMILAR, BREAK DOWN THE PARTS OF _____ (ANALYZE), WHAT CATEGORY DOES ____ FIT AND WHY, HOW DOES ________ RELATE OR CONNECT TO ________ LEVEL 3: WHAT IF, PREDICT, DO YOU AGREE/DISAGREE, WHAT IS THE VALUE, IS X RIGHT/ WRONG, IMAGINE, WHAT IS MOST/LEAST/BEST/WORST, WHAT IS SIGNIFICANT/ IMPORTANT, WHAT CONCLUSIONS CAN BE DRAWN, WHAT IS THE REAL WORLD APPLICATION OF, WHAT LESSON(S) CAN BE LEARNED, SPECULATE, HOW TO APPLY, SHOULD… 1. ______________________________________________________________________________
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