Socratic Seminar Animal Farm

Take notes for the upcoming socratic seminar. You will earn points based on the complexity and
clarity of your answers, as well as your use of textual evidence. 

LAST NAMES A-K: Questions 1-4 (plus one question of your own)
LAST NAMES L-Z: Questions 5-8 (plus one question of your own)

1. Explain how Animal Farm can be seen as a fable even though it doesn’t have a moral stated at
the end. What is the moral of the story?  What leads you to believe this?

2. Discuss the importance of education in the novel.  What is the difference between education
and indoctrination?

3. Explain why an “enemy” or scapegoat is necessary for the animals.  Why does the “enemy”
have to change?  If there were no “enemy,” what would that mean for any society, including that
of Animal Farm?

4. How would life on the farm have been different if Snowball had seized control, rather than
Napoleon?

5. Is it morally wrong to be someone like Benjamin who recognizes what is happening but does
not care enough to speak up, even if others will be hurt?

6. Evaluate the pigs’ use of rhetoric to maintain control over the other animals. Where do you see
this same thing happening in the world around you?

7. What evidence is there in the book that perhaps Napoleon is not as smart as he’d like everyone
else to believe? What mistakes does he make? How does he cover them up or distract the
animals from blaming him?

8. Is MAN really the root of the animal’s problems? If so, why? If not, who/what is?

FOR NEXT TIME:

1. Allow an entire class period for each group.

2. In-class on the day before: allow groups five minutes at the end of class to meet in breakout
groups.

3. Select a discussion leader: this person will contribute to the discussion but also facilitate by
acknowledging team members with hands raised, students hogging time, offering counterpoints.