Download Animal Farm Revision Guide

English Literature Prose Exam 23rd May
3 questions on Animal Farm
1a) What do you learn about (character) in this extract? [8 marks]
1b) How is language used to present (tension/excitement etc) in this
extract? [12 marks]
1c) Find and explore an example of how the theme of
(manipulation/corruption/control) is shown in one other extract in
the novel. [16 marks]
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What happens in the novel?
Chapter 1
Major, a prize-winning boar, tells the other animals on Manor Farm about a dream he has had,
in which animals live free from human slavery
Major’s speech inspires the animals to rebel against mankind and create their own society
based on Major’s ideas of equality and freedom.
Summarise in 3 words:___________________________________________________________
Chapters 2 and 3
Mr Jones, the farmer, is driven out of the farm. Mrs Jones flees too, followed by the raven
Moses.
The farm is renamed Animal Farm.
The Seven Commandments are written on the barn wall by Snowball as a permanent reminder
of the new farm rules.
The animals discover that the pigs have taken the milk and apples for themselves.
The animals work hard to get the harvest in and do a better job than Mr Jones ever did.
Snowball teaches the rest of the animals to read and write.
Napoleon takes the puppies away to be educated in private.
Squealer tells the animals that the pigs have taken the milk and apples for everyone’s benefit.
Summarise in 3 words:___________________________________________________________
Chapters 4 and 5
The animals try to spread the revolutionary ideas of Animal Farm across the countryside
Two neighbouring farmers, Mr Frederick and Mr Pilkington, are frightened that the revolution will
spread to their own farms. They help Mr Jones to attack Animal Farm.
Snowball leads the animals to victory in the Battle of Cowshed.
Mollie vanishes from the farm.
The conflict between Napoleon and Snowball increases.
After he disagrees with Napoleon about the building of the windmill, Snowball is attacked by the
Napoleon’s dogs and driven from the farm.
Napoleon tells the other animals that there will be no more debates – the pigs will make the
decisions.
Summarise in 3 words:___________________________________________________________
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Chapters 6 and 7
The animals work harder than ever before.
The windmill runs into difficulties.
Napoleon decides to trade with humans.
The pigs move into Mr Jone’s house and sleep in beds.
The animals face starvation. Napoleon takes Mr. Whymper, his solicitor, around the farm and
tricks him into thinking that gossip about the famine is untrue.
Napoleon holds a terrifying ‘show trial’, accusing his opponents of ludicrous ‘crimes’. The
accused animals are publicly executed. The other animals are frightened and confused.
Summarise in 3 words:___________________________________________________________
Chapters 8 and 9
The pigs continue to alter the Commandments on the wall to justify their actions.
The animals work harder than they did under Mr Jones but eat far less.
Napoleon’s trade with Mr Frederick causes problems and the humans destroy the finished
windmill.
The new young pigs are to be educated separately.
Moses returns to the farm.
Boxer collapses in the quarry. The pigs sell Boxer to the knacker’s yard as he is too weak to
work. They use the money they get for him to buy more whisky.
Chapters 10
The farm is richer than ever but the animals also work harder than ever.
Clover sees the pigs walking on their hind legs and Napoleon carrying a whip.
The Commandments have been erased and replaced by a single slogan: ‘All Animals Are Equal
But Some Animals Are More Equal Than Others.’
The pigs invite the farmers to dinner.
The animals look in through the farmhouse window and can no longer see the difference
between the pigs and the humans.
Summarise in 3 words:___________________________________________________________
Animal Farm and the Russian Revolution
Animal Farm is an allegory of Russian history.
3|Page
Create a visual representation of the 10 chapters in the form of a flow chart – select
one image to represent each chapter. Draw arrows between them to show the
movement between chapters:
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What’s the history?
Can you match up the reality and the story?
Events in the Russian Revolution
1. The Communist Party under the leadership of Lenin rose and
took power, seizing control of the empire and executing the
Romanovs (the Tsar’s family)
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Communism was strongly influenced by the idea that life
could be explained in economic and social terms. It is based
on the belief that the rich capitalist class exploited the
proletariat and this situation could only be reversed by the
revolution.
After the Revolution, Trotsky and Lennin established a
Communist society in the Soviet Union (as it was then called).
All property, wealth and work was meant to be divided equally
between all individuals.
Events on Animal Farm
A. Napoleon instructs the hens to sell their eggs, but
they smash them rather than let him sell them, in
the same way that the peasants opposed
collectivism. The animals work hard to build a
windmill on the farm. Napoleon shows Whymper
the apparently full grain stores (which are mainly
filled with sand)
B. Jones and his men attempt to recapture the farm
in the Battle of the Cowshed. Snowball’s clever
tactics mean that the animals win.
C.
Forces loyal to the Tsar, helped by countries abroad (who did
not want Communism to spread throughout Europe) invaded
Russia. Trotsky’s brilliant command of the Red Army meant
that the Bolsheviks stayed in power.
After Lenin’s death, a struggle for power took place between
Trotsky and Stalin. Trotsky, although favoured by Lenin, was
beaten by Stalin who then tried to eliminate all trace of him.
Trotsky was forced to leave the Soviet Union. He was
sentenced to permanent exile in 1929.
D.
Stalin insisted that all farms should be collectivised (come
under state control). These large collective farms had to give
their produce to the government, which was opposed by the
peasants. He also tried to modernise Soviet industry through
his Five-Year-Plans – the success of which he then
exaggerated.
The Soviet Union endured several famines as the result of
Stalin’s economic policies. It is thought that 5 million people
starved to death between 1932 and 1934.
Stalin’s power increased so that he had complete control over
the Soviet Union. Stalin created a ‘cult of personality’ around
him. Russians were told that he was the wisest man in the
world. Pictures of him were displayed in schools and
factories. He used propaganda to convince the Russian
people that only he could protect them.
F.
9.
Stalin used the murder of a potential rival, Kirov, in 1934 as
an excuse to eliminate anyone who he thought was a threat
to him. Between 1934 and 1938, 7 million people
disappeared, many of them ordinary Russians. Most were
executed or sent to gulags (slave labour camps). The most
important victims were given ‘show trials’ and made to
confess publicly to non-existent crimes, often to save their
families from punishment.
10. In an effort to protect the Soviet Union from attack, Stalin
negotiated with both Britain and Hitler’s Germany. His treaty
with Germany was seen as worthless when Germany invaded
the Soviet Union in 1941. The Germans were later defeated
at the Battle of Stalingrad, but not before Russia suffered
heavy casualties.
11. At the Tehran Conference in 1949, the Soviet Union, Britain
and the United States of America claimed to be allies. A few
years later, the Cold War began, which placed the Soviet
Union against the wartime allies.
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E.
Napoleon uses Snowball’s alleged destruction of
the windmill to get rid of the four porkers who
protested against the abolition of the Sunday
debates and the hens who led the egg rebellion.
They confess publicly to ridiculous crimes before
being slaughtered. Even Boxer, having defended
himself against one of the dogs, is later eliminated
– once he has served his purpose.
Under the leadership of Major, the animals revolt
against Jones and drive him from the farm.
Napoleon and Snowball disagree on virtually
every issue. At a meeting in the barn, Napoleon
drives Snowball from the farm. Napoleon and
Squealer later tells the animals that Snowball is an
enemy of Animalism. Napoleon claims Snowball’s
idea for the windmill as his own and Snowball’s
actions during the Battle of the Cowshed are
completely distorted.
Animalism is founded on Major’s ideas in chapter
1. These ideas echo many of Marx’s theories.
G. The pigs and farmers have dinner together but
their friendship is destroyed when both sides are
discovered to have cheated at cards.
H. Napoleon uses a combination of terror and
propaganda to become a dictator. Squealer is
crucial in convincing the animals that Napoleon
has only their best interests at heart. A portrait of
Napoleon is painted on the barn wall. Songs,
poems and speeches praising life on the farm are
written.
I. The pigs attempt to create Major’s ideal society
and change the farm’s name from Manor Farm to
Animal Farm to reflect this new beginning.
J.
Napoleon has dealings with both Freerick and
Pilkington over selling the timber and is finally
tricked by Frederick who pays in forged notes.
The animals defeat Frederick’s men in the Battle
of the Windmill but it is a hard and painful struggle.
K.
The animals suffer increasingly from hunger after
Napoleon comes to power, while the pigs are well
fed.
Who’s who in Animal Farm and the Russian Revolution?
Write in the bubbles what the shared characteristics are.
Czar Nicholas II
Mr Jones
Old Major
Karl Marx
Snowball
Leon Trotsky
Napoleon
Joseph Stalin
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Character revision
What can you remember about the following characters and their involvement in the
novel? What can you remember about their relationships with other characters as
well? Make sure you can say at least 5 things about each character!
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How to answer in the exam
1a) What do we learn about (character)? [8 marks]
Before we start practising our responses to questions on character, we need to determine what constitutes
a good response. The examiner basically wants to see that you can do three things
 Identify what you have learnt about the character’s actions / thoughts / feelings in the set scene
(POINT)
 Quotations from the text to demonstrate the character’s actions / thoughts / feelings (EVIDENCE)
 Your explanation to show that you have understood the text and the character’s actions / thoughts /
feelings (EXPLANATION)
Look at the following response to a question about the character of Boxer
What do we learn about Boxer from this response?
 Boxer is a popular and well-respected character
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




Boxer is taken to the slaughter house
Boxer is dear to them and the idea of his death terrifies them
Boxer has a determined personality
The other animals admire him
Boxer has great strength
The candidate has constructed a response that tells the examiner 6 things they have learnt about Boxer in
this section of the scene. Trying to get across as much as you can about what you have learnt about a
character is essential!
In addition, the candidate has used the following quotes:





‘Get out, Boxer! Get out!’
‘cry of horror’
‘He was trying to kick his way out.’
‘But alas! His strength had left him.’
‘A few kicks from Boxer’s hooves would have smashed the van to matchwood.’
The candidate has used 5 quotations from the extract to support the points he / she is making about the
character of Boxer in this part of the novel.
As a result of being able to say 6 different things about the character and using 5 quotations, the candidate
is able to show a thorough understanding of the character and a sustained reference to the text. The
examiner gave this candidate a 7/8.
Extract 1
Now have a look at the following response:
How many points has this candidate made about the character of Boxer?
How many quotations has this candidate used to support his/her points?
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What mark out of 8 would you give this response? Why?
Extract 2:
Now have a look at this response:
How many points has this candidate made about the character of Boxer?
How many quotations has this candidate used to support his/her points?
What mark out of 8 would you give this response? Why?
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Now let’s start to practise responding to character based questions. Here is our first
practice extract, taken from Chapter 2.
Extract One – Taken from Chapter 2
In past years Mr Jones, although a hard master had been a capable farmer, but of late he had fallen on
evil days. He had become much disheartened after losing money in a lawsuit, and had taken to drinking
more than was good for him. For whole days at a time he would lounge in his Windsor chair in the
kitchen, reading the newspapers, drinking and occasionally feeding Moses on crusts of bread soaked in
beer. His men were idle and dishonest, the fields were full of weeds, the buildings wanted roofing, the
hedges were neglected, and the animals were underfed.
June came and the hay was almost ready for cutting. On Midsummer’s Eve, which was a Saturday, Mr
Jones went into Willington and got so drunk at the Red Lion that he did not come back till midday on
Sunday. The men had milked the cows in the early morning and then had gone out rabbiting, without
bothering to feed the animals. When Mr Jones got back he immediately went to sleep on the drawingroom sofa with the News of the World over his face, so that when evening came, the animals were still
unfed. At last they could stand it no longer. One of the cows broke in the door of the store-shed with her
horns and all the animals began to help themselves from the bins. It was just then that Mr Jones woke up.
The next morning he and his four men were in the store-shed with whips in their hands, lashing out in all
directions. This was more than the hungry animals could bear. With one accord, though nothing of the
kind had been planned beforehand, they flung themselves upon their tormentors. Jones and his men
suddenly found themselves being butted and kicked from all sides. The situation was quite out of their
control. They had never seen animals behave like this before, and this sudden uprising of creatures whom
they were used to thrashing and maltreating just as they chose, frightened them almost out of their wits.
Here is the associated question:
From the extract, what do you discover about the character of Mr Jones?
Use evidence from the extract to support your answer.
Here are some of the points the examiners expect you to make:










A ‘hard’ but ‘capable farmer’
He has fallen on ‘evil days’
‘disheartened’ after losing money
Drinking more due to the loss of money
Lazy ‘for whole days at a time he would lounge’
Inconsistent in his attitude to animals seen in how he ‘occasionally’ and inappropriately feeds his pet
‘Moses’, but allows the farm animals to be ‘underfed’
He is not a good manager as he is cheated by his men, who are ‘idle and dishonest’
He is a poor supervisor of the animals: shown by his visit into Willingdon, staying out overnight and
sleeping on the sofa the next day, without checking that the animals had been fed
Poor control of temper and is cruel ‘whips…lashing out’
Frightened by the animals’ behaviour
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Now using the POINT / EVIDENCE / EXPLANATION structure, complete the response I have started
below:
Orwell presents the character of Mr Jones as a ‘hard’ but capable’ farmer which suggests that although he
ran the farm quite strictly, his strict approach paid off as his skills in farming were good and his farm was a
success.______________________________________________________________________________
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Why have we only left you a small space to write?
Band
0
1
Mark
0
1-3
2
4-5
3
6-8
Criteria
No rewardable material
 Generally sound or sound understanding of the character
 Uses relevant evidence from the extract to demonstrate knowledge about the character
 Thorough understanding of the character
 Uses a good range of evidence from the extract to demonstrate knowledge about the
character
 Perceptive understanding of the character
 Uses a variety of discriminating evidence from the extract to demonstrate knowledge about
the character
The first thing you have done well is
The second thing you have done well is
To improve you need to
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Extract TWO – taken from Chapter 7
The animals were stupefied. This was a wickedness far outdoing Snowball’s destruction of the windmill.
But it was some minutes before they could fully take it in. They all remembered, or thought they
remembered, how they had seen Snowball charging ahead of them at the Battle of the Cowshed, how he
had rallied and encouraged them at every turn, and how he had not paused for an instant even when the
pellets from Jones’s gun had wounded his back. At first it was a little difficult to see how this fitted in with
his being on Jones’s side. Even Boxer, who seldom asked questions, was puzzled. He lay down, tucked his
fore hoofs beneath him, shut his eyes and with a hard effort managed to formulate his thoughts.
“I do not believe that,” he said. “Snowball fought bravely at the Battle of the Cowshed. I saw him
myself. Did we not give him “Animal Hero, First Class” immediately afterwards?”
“That was our mistake, comrade. For we know now – it is all written down in the secret documents that
we have found – that in reality he was trying to lure us to our doom.”
“But he was wounded,” said Boxer. “We all saw him running with blood.”
“That was part of the arrangement!” cried Squealer. “Jones’s shot only grazed him. I could show you
this in his own writing, if you were able to read it. The plot was for Snowball, at the critical moment, to
give the signal for flight and leave the field to the enemy. And he very nearly succeeded – I will even say,
comrades, he would have succeeded if it had not been for our heroic Leader, Comrade Napoleon. Do you
not remember how, just at the moment when Jones and his men had got inside the yard, Snowball
suddenly turned and fled, and many animals followed him? And do you not remember, too, that it was just
at that moment, when panic was spreading and all seemed lost, that Comrade Napoleon sprang forward
with a cry of “Death to Humanity!” and sank his teeth in Jones’s leg? Surely you remember that,
comrades?” exclaimed Squealer, frisking from side to side.
Now when Squealer described the scene so graphically it seemed to the animals that they did remember
rit. At any rate, they remembered that at the critical moment of the battle Snowball had turned to flee.
But Boxer was still a little uneasy.
“I do not believe that Snowball was a traitor at the beginning,” he said finally. “What he has done since
is different. But I believe that at the Battle of the Cowshed he was a good comrade.”
“Our Leader, Comrade Napoleon,” announced Squealer, speaking very slowly and firmly, “has stated
categorically – categorically, comrade – that Snowball and Jones’s agent from the very beginning – yes,
and from long before the Rebellion was ever thought of.”
“Ah, that is different!” said Boxer. “If Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right.”
Here is the associated question:
Explain how Orwell presents the character of Boxer in the extract.
Use evidence from the extract to support your answer.
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Extract THREE - taken from Chapter 10
They could not remember. There was nothing with which they could compare their present lives: they had
nothing to go upon except Squealer's lists of figures, which invariably demonstrated that everything was
getting better and better. The animals found the problem insoluble; in any case, they had little time for
speculating on such things now. Only old Benjamin professed to remember every detail of his long life and
to know that things never had been, nor ever could be much better or much worse--hunger, hardship, and
disappointment being, so he said, the unalterable law of life.
And yet the animals never gave up hope. More, they never lost, even for an instant, their sense of honour
and privilege in being members of Animal Farm. They were still the only farm in the whole county--in all
England!--owned and operated by animals. Not one of them, not even the youngest, not even the
newcomers who had been brought from farms ten or twenty miles away, ever ceased to marvel at that. And
when they heard the gun booming and saw the green flag fluttering at the masthead, their hearts swelled
with imperishable pride, and the talk turned always towards the old heroic days, the expulsion of Jones, the
writing of the Seven Commandments, the great battles in which the human invaders had been defeated.
None of the old dreams had been abandoned. The Republic of the Animals which Major had foretold, when
the green fields of England should be untrodden by human feet, was still believed in. Some day it was
coming: it might not be soon, it might not be with in the lifetime of any animal now living, but still it was
coming. Even the tune of 'Beasts of England' was perhaps hummed secretly here and there: at any rate, it
was a fact that every animal on the farm knew it, though no one would have dared to sing it aloud. It might
be that their lives were hard and that not all of their hopes had been fulfilled; but they were conscious that
they were not as other animals. If they went hungry, it was not from feeding tyrannical human beings; if
they worked hard, at least they worked for themselves. No creature among them went upon two legs. No
creature called any other creature "Master." All animals were equal.
One day in early summer Squealer ordered the sheep to follow him, and led them out to a piece of waste
ground at the other end of the farm, which had become overgrown with birch saplings. The sheep spent the
whole day there browsing at the leaves under Squealer's supervision. In the evening he returned to the
farmhouse himself, but, as it was warm weather, told the sheep to stay where they were. It ended by their
remaining there for a whole week, during which time the other animals saw nothing of them. Squealer was
with them for the greater part of every day. He was, he said, teaching them to sing a new song, for which
privacy was needed.
It was just after the sheep had returned, on a pleasant evening when the animals had finished work and
were making their way back to the farm buildings, that the terrified neighing of a horse sounded from the
yard. Startled, the animals stopped in their tracks. It was Clover's voice. She neighed again, and all the
animals broke into a gallop and rushed into the yard. Then they saw what Clover had seen.
It was a pig walking on his hind legs.
Here is the associated question:
Explain how Orwell presents the character of Squealer in the extract.
Use evidence from the extract to support your answer.
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Extract FOUR- Taken from Chapter 9
Squealer came to announce the news to the others. He had, he said, been present during Boxer's last hours.
"It was the most affecting sight I have ever seen!" said Squealer, lifting his trotter and wiping away a tear. "I
was at his bedside at the very last. And at the end, almost too weak to speak, he whispered in my ear that his
sole sorrow was to have passed on before the windmill was finished. 'Forward, comrades!' he whispered.
'Forward in the name of the Rebellion. Long live Animal Farm! Long live Comrade Napoleon! Napoleon is
always right.' Those were his very last words, comrades."
Here Squealer's demeanour suddenly changed. He fell silent for a moment, and his little eyes darted
suspicious glances from side to side before he proceeded.
It had come to his knowledge, he said, that a foolish and wicked rumour had been circulated at the time of
Boxer's removal. Some of the animals had noticed that the van which took Boxer away was marked "Horse
Slaughterer," and had actually jumped to the conclusion that Boxer was being sent to the knacker's. It was
almost unbelievable, said Squealer, that any animal could be so stupid. Surely, he cried indignantly,
whisking his tail and skipping from side to side, surely they knew their beloved Leader, Comrade Napoleon,
better than that? But the explanation was really very simple. The van had previously been the property of
the knacker, and had been bought by the veterinary surgeon, who had not yet painted the old name out.
That was how the mistake had arisen.
The animals were enormously relieved to hear this. And when Squealer went on to give further graphic
details of Boxer's death-bed, the admirable care he had received, and the expensive medicines for which
Napoleon had paid without a thought as to the cost, their last doubts disappeared and the sorrow that they
felt for their comrade's death was tempered by the thought that at least he had died happy.
Explain how Orwell presents the character of Squealer in the extract.
Use evidence from the extract to support your answer.
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1b) How does the writer….
Language devices mix and match
1. adverb
2. rhetorical question
3. cluster of three
4. personal pronouns
5. simile
6. metaphor
7. onomatopoeia
8. repetition
9. imperatives
10.
personification
11.
verb
12.
alliteration
13.
adjective
14.
noun
a. Giving an inanimate object human attributes.
b. A comparison between two things saying something is
/ was something else.
c. A word used to identify any of a class of people,
places or thing.
d. A word to describe an action or mental state.
e. A comparison between two things using the words
‘like’ or ‘as’
f. A question that does not require an answer
g. Using the same letter at the start of two or more
words.
h. Saying the same thing more than once for effect.
i. A word used to describe how an action is completed
j. An instruction or a command.
k. Words like ‘we’, ‘you’ and ‘us’
l. A word that sounds like the noise it is making.
m. A describing word.
n. Three phrases or describing words used to emphasise
a point
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Which parts of speech are still a problem for you? What can you do to remember them?
Before we start practising our responses to questions on language, we need to determine what constitutes
a good response. The examiner basically wants to see that you can do three things
 Identify the technique that has been used to present a character or a situation (POINT)
 Use a quotation from the text to show how this technique is used (EVIDENCE)
 Explain how the use of the technique contributes to the presentation of a character, setting or event
(EXPLANATION)
Look at the following response to the question -
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What language techniques has the candidate identified within this extract?




Adjective
Metaphor x2
Repetition
Short sentences
The candidate has constructed a response that analyses the use of four different language techniques.
Knowing these techniques and being able to use the technical terminology will really help!
In addition, the candidate has used the following quotes:






‘in the midst of a deadly silence’ – ‘deadly’
‘cry of horror’
‘Get out quickly!’
‘Clover forced her way to the front’
‘the van began to gather speed’
‘drumming of hooves’
The candidate has used 6 quotations from the extract to support the points he / she is making about how
language has been used to convey the panic in this part of the novel.
As a result of being able to identify four language techniques and using 6 quotations which are explained
and referenced back to the question of panic (so how are language techniques used to convey the sense of
panic), the candidate is able to show an assured understanding of how language has been crafted and
demonstrates a sustained reference to the text. The examiner gave this candidate a 10.
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Find a page reference
that you might use here
How do the themes to the left feature within the novel ‘Animal Farm’?
Remember synonyms for the themes could be use. Try to list these in the left hand column
Parallels with Soviet
Union / corruption
Power / control
Class
Education and learning
Language and power
Propaganda
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Dishonesty and
betrayal
Ignorance
Friendship
Dreams
Key Quotations by Theme
Power, leadership and corruption
Mr. Jones, of the Manor Farm, had locked the hen-houses for the night, but was too drunk to remember to shut the
pop-holes. With the ring of light from his lantern dancing from side to side, he lurched across the yard, kicked off his
boots at the back door, drew himself a last glass of beer from the barrel in the scullery, and made his way up to bed,
where Mrs. Jones was already snoring. (1.1)
The pigs did not actually work, but directed and supervised the others. With their superior knowledge it was natural
that they should assume the leadership. (3.2)
Throughout the spring and summer they worked a sixty-hour week, and in August Napoleon announced that there
would be work on Sunday afternoons as well. This work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself
from it would have his rations reduced by half. (6.2)
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It was about this time that the pigs suddenly moved into the farmhouse and took up their residence there...It was
absolutely necessary, he said, that the pigs, who were the brains of the farm, should have a quiet place to work in. It
was also more suited to the dignity of the Leader (for of late he had taken to speaking of Napoleon under the title of
"Leader") to live in a house than in a mere sty. (6.10)
In April, Animal Farm was proclaimed a Republic, and it became necessary to elect a President. There was only one
candidate, Napoleon, who was elected unanimously. (9.7)
Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike. No question, now, what had happened to the faces of
the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already
it was impossible to say which was which. (10.35)
Power and control over less intelligent creatures:
The birds did not understand Snowball's long words, but they accepted his explanation, and all the humbler animals
set to work to learn the new maxim by heart. FOUR LEGS GOOD, TWO LEGS BAD, was inscribed on the end wall of
the barn, above the Seven Commandments and in bigger letters (3.10, 3.11)
At the Meetings Snowball often won over the majority by his brilliant speeches, but Napoleon was better at
canvassing support for himself in between times. He was especially successful with the sheep. Of late the sheep had
taken to bleating "Four legs good, two legs bad" both in and out of season, and they often interrupted the Meeting
with this. (5.8)
Once again the animals were conscious of a vague uneasiness. Never to have any dealings with human beings, never
to engage in trade, never to make use of money– had not these been among the earliest resolutions passed at that
first triumphant Meeting after Jones was expelled? All the animals remembered passing such resolutions: or at least
they thought that they remembered it. (6.7)
I do not understand it. I would not have believed that such things could happen on our farm. It must be due to some
fault in ourselves. The solution, as I see it, is to work harder. From now onwards I shall get up a full hour earlier in
the mornings. (Boxer 7.28)
As Clover looked down the hillside her eyes filled with tears. If she could have spoken her thoughts; it would have
been to say that this was not what they had aimed at when they had set themselves years ago to work for the
overthrow of the human race. These scenes of terror and slaughter were not what they had looked forward to on
that night when old Major first stirred them to rebellion. (7.30)
Lies and deceit
All the other male pigs on the farm were porkers. The best known among them was a small fat pig named Squealer,
with very round cheeks, twinkling eyes, nimble movements, and a shrill voice. He was a brilliant talker, and when he
was arguing some difficult point he had a way of skipping from side to side and whisking his tail which was somehow
very persuasive. The others said of Squealer that he could turn black into white. (2.2)
"Comrades!" he cried. "You do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege?
Many of us actually dislike milk and apples. I dislike them myself. Our sole object in taking these things is to preserve
our health. Milk and apples (this has been proved by Science, comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to
the well-being of a pig. We pigs are brainworkers. The whole management and organization of this farm depend on
us. Day and night we are watching over your welfare. It is for YOUR sake that we drink that milk and eat those
apples." (3.14)
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"Comrades," he said, "I trust that every animal here appreciates the sacrifice that Comrade Napoleon has made in
taking this extra labour upon himself. Do not imagine, comrades, that leadership is a pleasure! On the contrary, it is a
deep and heavy responsibility. (5.19)
Napoleon was well aware of the bad results that might follow if the real facts of the food situation were known, and
he decided to make use of Mr. Whymper to spread a contrary impression. Hitherto the animals had had little or no
contact with Whymper on his weekly visits: now, however, a few selected animals, mostly sheep, were instructed to
remark casually in his hearing that rations had been increased. In addition, Napoleon ordered the almost empty bins
in the store-shed to be filled nearly to the brim with sand, which was then covered up with what remained of the
grain and meal. On some suitable pretext Whymper was led through the store-shed and allowed to catch a glimpse
of the bins. He was deceived, and continued to report to the outside world that there was no food shortage on
Animal Farm. (7.4)
Do you not remember how, just at the moment when Jones and his men had got inside the yard, Snowball suddenly
turned and fled, and many animals followed him? And do you not remember, too, that it was just at that moment,
when panic was spreading and all seemed lost, that Comrade Napoleon sprang forward with a cry of 'Death to
Humanity!' and sank his teeth in Jones's leg? Surely you remember THAT, comrades?" exclaimed Squealer, frisking
from side to side. (7.17)
It had come to his knowledge, he said, that a foolish and wicked rumour had been circulated at the time of Boxer's
removal. Some of the animals had noticed that the van which took Boxer away was marked "Horse Slaughterer," and
had actually jumped to the conclusion that Boxer was being sent to the knacker's. It was almost unbelievable, said
Squealer, that any animal could be so stupid. Surely, he cried indignantly, whisking his tail and skipping from side to
side, surely they knew their beloved Leader, Comrade Napoleon, better than that? But the explanation was really
very simple. The van had previously been the property of the knacker, and had been bought by the veterinary
surgeon, who had not yet painted the old name out. That was how the mistake had arisen. (9.28)
Rules and order
THE SEVEN COMMANDMENTS
1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
3. No animal shall wear clothes.
4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.
5. No animal shall drink alcohol.
6. No animal shall kill any other animal.
7. All animals are equal. (2.22)
On Sundays there was no work. Breakfast was an hour later than usual, and after breakfast there was a ceremony
which was observed every week without fail. First came the hoisting of the flag. Snowball had found in the harnessroom an old green tablecloth of Mrs. Jones's and had painted on it a hoof and a horn in white. This was run up the
flagstaff in the farmhouse garden every Sunday morning...After the hoisting of the flag all the animals trooped into
the big barn for a general assembly which was known as the Meeting. Here the work of the coming week was
planned out and resolutions were put forward and debated. (3.5)
They had just finished singing it for the third time when Squealer, attended by two dogs, approached them with the
air of having something important to say. He announced that, by a special decree of Comrade Napoleon, "Beasts of
England" had been abolished. From now onwards it was forbidden to sing it. (7.32)
A few days later, when the terror caused by the executions had died down, some of the animals remembered– or
thought they remembered– that the Sixth Commandment decreed "No animal shall kill any other animal." And
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though no one cared to mention it in the hearing of the pigs or the dogs, it was felt that the killings which had taken
place did not square with this.(8.1)
About this time, too, it was laid down as a rule that when a pig and any other animal met on the path, the other
animal must stand aside: and also that all pigs, of whatever degree, were to have the privilege of wearing green
ribbons on their tails on Sundays. (9.4)
"My sight is failing," she said finally. "Even when I was young I could not have read what was written there. But it
appears to me that that wall looks different. Are the Seven Commandments the same as they used to be,
Benjamin?"
For once Benjamin consented to break his rule, and he read out to her what was written on the wall. There was
nothing there now except a single Commandment. It ran:
ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS (10.17, 10.18, 10.19)
Dreams, hopes and plans
"Is it not crystal clear, then, comrades, that all the evils of this life of ours spring from the tyranny of human beings?
Only get rid of Man, and the produce of our labour would be our own. Almost overnight we could become rich and
free. What then must we do? Why, work night and day, body and soul, for the overthrow of the human race! That is
my message to you, comrades: Rebellion! I do not know when that Rebellion will come, it might be in a week or in a
hundred years, but I know, as surely as I see this straw beneath my feet, that sooner or later justice will be done. Fix
your eyes on that, comrades, throughout the short remainder of your lives! And above all, pass on this message of
mine to those who come after you, so that future generations shall carry on the struggle until it is victorious. (1.11)
The flag was green, Snowball explained, to represent the green fields of England, while the hoof and horn signified
the future Republic of the Animals which would arise when the human race had been finally overthrown. (3.5)
All that year the animals worked like slaves. But they were happy in their work; they grudged no effort or sacrifice,
well aware that everything that they did was for the benefit of themselves and those of their kind who would come
after them, and not for a pack of idle, thieving human beings. (6.1)
Only old Benjamin professed to remember every detail of his long life and to know that things never had been, nor
ever could be much better or much worse-hunger, hardship, and disappointment being, so he said, the unalterable
law of life. (10.6)
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The Of Mice and Men essay question – 47 marks
24 marks for sociohistorical context and explanation of theme or character
16 marks for evaluation of evidence
7 marks for spag
What is the significance of Curley’s wife?
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Explore the role of dreams within the novel?
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What is the importance of nature within the novel?
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What is the significance of violence within the novel?
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How do you make the sociohistorical context relevant?
Character
George
Lennie
Slim
Curley’s Wife
Curley
Crooks
Candy
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Relevant Context
The dustbowl and the depression forced people to move around looking for work
(migrant workers). This meant that they didn’t often form lasting friendships or bonds
and so George and Lennie are unusual/present a contrast to ordinary behaviour.
Steinbeck is suggesting that friendship is better than isolation.
 The dustbowl and the depression forced people to move around looking for
work (migrant workers). This meant that they didn’t often form lasting
friendships or bonds and so George and Lennie are unusual/present a contrast
to ordinary behaviour. Steinbeck is suggesting that friendship is better than
isolation.
 Lennie is also a victim of prejudice. Mental Health treatment was virtually
unknown in the 1930s and people with learning difficulties were often locked
up and mistreated. Steinbeck uses the character of Lennie to suggest that
helping people and treating their needs will have better results than either
ignoring or imprisoning them.
 Slim has a skilled trade and so he does not need to move around for work. This
presents a contrast with the other men on the ranch.
 His behaviour is different (maybe because of this) as he is kind and
compassionate. Few people felt able to do this during the Great Depression as
people were forced to look out for themselves as money and jobs were scarce.
 Fewer jobs are open to women at this point in time and this further isolates
Curley’s Wife.
 Women would not do hard farm work and so her presence on the ranch seems
like it is not useful. She is just an ornament or something to be looked at.
 She dreams of a life in Hollywood. This would be common at the time but the
reader is aware that the idea of being a rich and famous actress in unrealistic.
 Hollywood in the 1930s presents a vision of the American Dream that is very
different from the harsh reality.
 Curley has certain ideas about what it means to be a ‘real man’. This stereotype
of a man being tough and eager to fight would be fairly common in the 1930s.
 Curley is eager to prove that he is better than other people. The desire for
power and status and the idea of life being competitive were both common in
the 1930s
 Racial prejudice was common in the 1930s and this isolates Crooks. Laws that
forced white and black people to remain separate in many aspects of life
existed. People from different races seldom trusted each other and
segregation, whether forced or voluntary, was normal during this time period.
 Crooks is also isolated by his disability. Little was done to care for disabled
people and this often led to them living lonely lives.
 Candy is isolated due to his age and disability and attitudes to these qualities at
the time.
 In the 1930s there was no social welfare. If a person didn’t work they didn’t eat
or perhaps even had no place to live. Candy is desperate to be part of ‘The
Dream’ because otherwise he will be lonely and poor when he can no longer
work.