Transcript Animal Farm Review

ANIMAL FARM
Test Review
Characters
For each character, you should know:
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Description
Important Actions
Friends/allies or enemies of importance
Who they parallel in Russian history
How they parallel Russian history
Characters: Old Major, Napoleon, Snowball, Boxer,
Clover, Benjamin, Mollie, Squealer, Moses, Minimus,
Frederick, Pilkington
Old Major
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Is a very important character in the story, although he is only present
in the first chapter.
He came up with the idea of Animalism and gave the big speech in
the beginning of the novel.
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Declared all men enemies and all animals comrades.
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He inspired the revolution, but died before it happened.
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He symbolizes Marx and Lenin because they came up with the idea
of Communism
Napoleon
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A large pig who became the tyrant leader of Animal Farm.
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He was a “behind the scenes” type of leader.
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Napoleon had a pack of dogs around him at all times for protection.
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He was responsible for many changes on the farm that went against Animalism.
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He had Snowball run off the farm and killed other animals for associating with
Snowball (used him as a scapegoat).
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At the end of the novel he changed the name of the farm back to Manor Farm
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He represents Stalin
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He drove out Snowball, like Stalin exiled Trotsky
Snowball
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Other pig lead during the revolution.
Snowball is a good leader who makes lots of speeches and is
a military mastermind
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Commanded Battle of Cowshed
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He wanted to build the windmill and to make the farm better
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Doesn’t like Napoleon – competes with him for leadership until
he is run off the farm
Parallels Trotsky
Boxer
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Hard working horse and is very loyal to whoever the leader is, kind of
stupid
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Worked overtime to build windmill – nearly worked himself to death
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Friends with Benjamin and Clover
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Works hard for the communist goals
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Says, “I will work harder” and “Napoleon is always right”
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Is sent to the slaughter house instead of the hospital
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Represents the blind followers of Communism and the working class
Clover
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Clover is a kind horse who questions some of the
pigs’ behavior.
She notices when the commandments change, but
can’t read them
Close friends with Boxer
Benjamin
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Old, stubborn donkey who doesn’t believe in Animalism
He doesn’t think Animalism will make any difference. He does
not change his behavior after the revolution.
He is the only one who realizes that Boxer is being sent to the
slaughter house.
He finally reads the single commandment to Clover at the end
of the novel
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The only friend he had was Boxer
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He represents the cynics who don’t believe in communism
Mollie
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Mollie is a horse who only cares about herself.
She did not want to rebel and did not help during the Battle
of Cowshed.
She only cares about being able to wear ribbons and eat lump
sugar
She does not work for Animal Farm, and finally runs away
She represents the upper class people in the Russian revolution
who do not support communism – they want to keep their
money and luxuries for themselves
Squealer
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Pig who is in charge of explaining changes to the other
animals
Get excited very easily – skips around and moves his tail when
talking to the other animals
Tells animals to always believe in Napoleon.
Changes commandments as the pigs change the rules
Is faithful to Napoleon
Represents the use of propaganda during the Russian
revolution (the pigs need the milk and apples, instilling fear
that Jones might come back, etc)
Moses
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Moses is a raven who spreads the good word of Sugar Candy
Mountain – where he believes animals go when they die
Represents the Russian Orthodox Church – neutral toward the
idea of Animalism
In the revolution the priests dreamed of good things like
mosses dreams of a good place.
He does no work but he still gets food and beer
Other Animals to Know
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Minimus - Pig who writes songs and poems for Napoleon
Frederick – neighboring farmer who pays counterfeit money
for the timber, then blows up the 2nd windmill
Pilkington – neighboring farmer who gets mad at Napoleon
when he sells timber to Frederick – tells Napoleon, “Serves you
right,” when the windmill is attacked
Class Discussion Topics
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What changes occur on Animal Farm?
Why can the pigs get away with these changes?
How are Napoleon and Jones alike?
What does “some animals are more equal than
others” mean?
Explain the last line of the book – why is it difficult
to distinguish the pigs from the men?
Changes on Animal Farm
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7 commandment arrive, but get changed throughout the novel
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Farm changed from Manor Farm to Animal Farm, then back again
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At first, more food/successful harvests; then things change for the worse
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New Flag (flag with horn and hoof representing the communist hammer and sickle); later is just
a green flag
All the animals are happier at first, then just happy to be working for themselves and free of
humans
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The pigs were not considered equal to other animals – they had many privileges
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Committees
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Reading and writing classes
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Building the windmill and rebuilding it
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Doing business with outside farms through Mr. Whymper
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Taking eggs from the hens
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More work, less leisure time
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No one ever retires
Why can the pigs get away with these changes?
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Because the pigs are smarter and can trick the other animals
The other animals can’t remember the past very well
Squealer is extremely convincing and uses propaganda
The pigs told the animals that if they were not in power that
Jones would return
Things are still better than when Jones was on the farm and in
charge
The animals are happy to be working for themselves even if
the conditions aren’t great
How are Napoleon and Jones alike?
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They are both Tyrants and need power
They are both get more food, rest, luxuries and
power
They are both do less work than the rest of the
farm workers
They are both wear clothes, and walk on two legs,
carry a whip, and are tyrants
They are both cruel leaders.
What does “some animals are more equal than
others” mean?
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That some animals are “BETTER” than other animals
such as the pigs and dogs
Not every animal is equal because the pigs get
many more privileges (eat apples, milk, drink
alcohol, sleep in beds, walk on their hind legs)
Some animals are more the same than others and
deserve more than others
Explain the last line of the book – why is it difficult to
distinguish the pigs from the men?
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That the pigs have become so corrupt with power
that they look exactly like man, fat drunk and
tyrannical
This passage is also saying how humans can act like
pigs by being greedy, rude, etc.
Terms
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Be able to define these terms and explain how they
relate to Animal Farm
 Allegory
 Fable
 Symbolism
 Satire
Allegory
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A symbolic story where the characters and plot are to
be understood as representing something else that
occurred. There is a hidden meaning behind the
story.
Animal farm is symbolic of the rise and decline of
communism and the Russian revolution. The animals
represent specific people from history. The story is
not really about animals on a farm.
Fable
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A short story meant to teach a lesson and usually end
with a moral. Characters are usually animals.
Animal farm is a fable – the characters are animals
and the author is teaching lessons not only about
communism, but about human nature and the desire
for power and greed.
Satire
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The use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, to expose or
criticize human vices.
Animal Farm exposes the thoughtless, reckless
behavior of humankind in general and specific to
the rise and fall of Communism
Symbolism
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The use of people or objects to represent other reallife objects, ideas or themes
Animal Farm uses TONS of symbolism
 animals
symbolize people (ex. Snowball symbolizes
Trotsky)
 objects
symbolize past struggles (ex. The windmill
symbolizes the desire for industrialization in Russia)
 Pigs
and political leaders interchangeable
Propaganda
Know each the following techniques, decide if they
are used in the novel and when:
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Rhetorical Questions
Emotional Appeal
Logical Lies
Fear
Finger Pointing
Lying
Using confusing/complicated language