UNSJ – FFHA – LENGUA INGLESA II
ANIMAL FARM BY GEORGE ORWELL
A. George Orwell, whose real name was Eric Blair, published Animal Farm in 1945. Before
reading this novel or novella (a short novel), make sure you understand some of the facts of the
writer’s life which could help you understand his work. Watch this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvXU3vzHq8E
The following questions may help you get the most important ideas put forward in the video:
1. Which social group did George Orwell belong to? Was he happy to be a member of this
group?
2. What secondary school did he go to? Find out what the phrase public school means in
England.
3. How would you describe his relationship with ordinary people?
4. When did Orwell write his two most widely known novels?
5. According to the video, what was Orwell’s genius when writing Animal Farm?
6. What is the name of Orwell’s dystopian novel?
A. Orwell called this novel a fairy story. Do some research and answer: what is a fairy story
or tale? What is an allegory?
B. Read the first two chapters in the novel. Answer the guiding questions:
1. What is significant about how the animals arrange themselves as they gather to hear
Major? What might this arrangement say about future meetings or events?
2. According to Major, what is the cause of all the animals’ problems?
3. What motto does Major give the animals?
What are the commandments Major gives the animals? Can you think of ways each of
them could be considered a vice?
4. Examine the song “Beasts of England” as poetry. What imagery is present? What is the
message? Why do the animals like it so much that they memorize it on the spot? To what
emotions and needs does it appeal?
5. After Major’s death what happens to the idea of rebelling against man?
6. Why don’t the pigs like the pet raven Moses’ stories about Sugarcandy Mountain?
7. What causes the animals to finally rebel against Mr. Jones and his four farmhands?
8. When the humans have been chased from the farm, what do the animals do?
9. What do the animals do about the farmhouse?
10. How does the behavior of the pigs foreshadow their eventual leadership positi
UNSJ – FFHA – LENGUA INGLESA II
ANIMAL FARM BY GEORGE ORWELL
C. Read chapters III and IV in the novel. Answer the guiding questions:
1. What further examples of the difference between the pigs and the other animals occur in
these two chapters?
2. What are Napoleon’s ideas about education?
3. How is Squealer able to convince the other animals to accept whatever Napoleon decides?
4. Describe the Battle of the Cowshed.
5. What was Snowball’s part in this battle?
6. Where is Napoleon during the battle?
7. What is the significance of the gun’s placement at the foot of the flagpole?
E. Read chapters V and VI Answer the questions:
1. Why does Mollie run away from the farm?
2. What changes have been made in the weekly meetings over the last year?
3. Explain the windmill controversy from Snowball’s point of view.
4. Explain the windmill controversy from Napoleon’s point of view.
5. What changes does Napoleon make after his dogs chase Snowball off the farm?
6. Why don’t the other animals protest Napoleon’s decisions?
7. Note how the animals now arrange themselves when they enter the barn to receive their
orders as compared to the description in Chapter I.
8. What is the importance of the dogs accompanying Squealer when he comes to talk to the
animals?
9. How much work are the animals now doing?
10. Why does Napoleon decide to engage in trade with neighboring farms?
11. How do the animals react?
12. How is the windmill destroyed? Why does Napoleon blame Snowball?
13. Why does Napoleon insist the windmill must be rebuilt immediately?
D. Read chapters VII and VIII and answer the guiding questions
1. Why does Napoleon order that the hens’ eggs be sold?
2. How does Napoleon react when the hens’ rebel against his orders?
3. Why does Napoleon revive the threat of the farm being sabotaged by Snowball?
4. Explain why the animals confessed to being traitors.
5. Why does Napoleon order the animals to stop singing “Beasts of England?”
6. What purpose is served by the production figures Squealer reads to the animals?
7. How is Napoleon becoming more and more like a typical dictator?
8. Compare/contrast the poem “Comrade Napoleon” to “Beast of England.”
9. Describe the sale of the stack of lumber. How does Napoleon outwit himself?
10. What makes the battle against Frederick’s men different from the Battle of the Cowshed?
11. Why do the men blow up the windmill?
UNSJ – FFHA – LENGUA INGLESA II
ANIMAL FARM BY GEORGE ORWELL
12. The animals celebrate a victory, but at what cost?
13. Describe the whisky incident. Why would Orwell make this scene somewhat humorous?
E. Read chapters IX and X and answer the guiding questions
1. Why are the animals so easily fooled, even when they find Squealer with a ladder and
white paint beside the barn at night?
2. What is happening to Boxer?
3. What are living conditions like for all of the animals except the pigs and dogs?
4. Why does Napoleon allow Moses to return and to tell his stories about Sugarcandy
Mountain?
5. What happens to Boxer? How do the animals accept it?
6. Of what kind of person does Benjamin remind you? Give some examples. What is your
opinion of such people? What makes people behave this way?
7. What changes have the years brought to the farm?
8. How does Orwell make fun of bureaucracy?
9. How do the animals now feel about their social order, their farm?
10. What drastic actions do the pigs use to shatter the animals’ complacency?
11. All seven commandments are erased. What is the new commandment and how has it
been true from the beginning?
12. At the conference with neighbouring farmers, what new changes does Napoleon point
out?
13. What happens to the pigs’ appearance?
