ANI M A L FA R M

CHAPTERS 1 & 2
THE BIG CONCEPTS & WHY THEY
MATTER
• ANIMAL FARM IS AN ALLEGORY.
• ALLEGORIES ENDURE BECAUSE THEY ARE
RELEVANT ACROSS TIME AND PLACE.

• ANIMAL FARM IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE RUSSIAN

REVOLUTION; IT’S ABOUT THE MANAGEMENT
OF POWER AND INFLUENCE IN THE NAME OF
POSITIVE CHANGE.
 Power

AN INQUIRY Change
INTO Perspective
Manipulation
UNIT QUESTIONS

Conceptual
Factual Debatable
What are some of the
What factors (or Who should have the
reasons individual
people) have the most most voice when
voice(s) are important
influence in times of society undergoes
in time of social
social change? significant change?
change?
OUR AIMS
Review Review characterisation and its function

Introduce Introduce new literary devices and develop analysis skills

Understand Understand the mechanics of satire

Develop Develop skills required for literary essay writing

 UNIT ASSESSMENT
ANALYSE HOW ORWELL USES MINOR CHARACTERS TO PORTRAY HOW & WHY POWER IS MANIPULATED
IN WHAT WAYS DOES ORWELL USE SATIRE TO COMMENT ON LARGER ISSUES TO DO WITH POWER AND
MANIPULATION?

• FORMATIVE PRACTICES
• SHORT ANALYTICAL PARAGRAPHS
• ESSAY INTRODUCTION AND PARAGRAPH 1
• HOT SEATING
• SUMMATIVE - FINAL COMPLETE ESSAY (CRITERIA A, B AND D)
CHAPTERS 1 & 2
• WARM-UP 
• SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION - USING SKILLS FROM LAST UNIT
• ACTIVITY (PAIRS, GROUPS OR SOLO)
• VOCAB CHECK 
• QUOTE TRACKING - CHARACTERS
• H/W IN BLOG
THINK OF AN ANTHEM, CHANT OR PLEDGE
THAT YOU REMEMBER SINGING OR RECITING,
OR MAYBE ONE YOU KNOW ABOUT. THIS
COULD ONE BE FOR YOUR COUNTRY, A
SPORTS TEAM, A CLUB OR OTHER GROUP
THAT YOU FEEL CONNECTED TO OR KNOW
ABOUT.

• HOW LONG HAS THIS ANTHEM OR PLEDGE

EXISTED? (IF YOU’RE NOT SURE, TAKE A
GUESS). WHAT KINDS OF TIMES/PLACES
DOES THIS GET SUNG?

• HOW DO PEOPLE FEEL WHEN THEY SING

ALONG?
GROUP DISCUSSION

1 2 3 4
Read the questions and make a Prepare individually for Give your own response and Ask clarifying questions to
choice of which one(s) you 4 – 5 minutes, making sure to explanation, and then invite make sure you understand
will personally take the lead check the text for support. others to piggyback by adding your partners’ ideas and
on. their opinion or ideas. explanation before moving on
to the next speaker.
 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Look at the song “Beasts of England.”
A. What is the mood/tone of the song? Refer to specific words in the song to support your opinion.
B. What are some of the “images” in the song?
C. Why do you think the animals liked the song so much?
D. Why are songs a good way to communicate ideas and encourage support?
 
2. What are the rules Major gives the animals? Can you think of analogies in your culture? Do you think all the animals will follow the rules?

3. Why don’t the pigs like the pet raven Moses’ stories about Sugarcandy Mountain? (this requires ‘reading between the lines’)

4. Discuss the events that began the Revolution. What were the key events that led up to the Revolution? In your opinion, would it have been
possible for the Revolution to have happened without Animalism?

5. The words Orwell uses to describe the morning after the revolution are very descriptive. What sort of words and images does he use? What
does he want readers to think about the farm?

6. The pigs begin to slowly take more control than the others. Can you find some examples of this in Chapter II? Where are those?

7. The animals change the name of the farm from Manor Farm to Animal Farm. Why is this important? What does changing (or creating) a name
do for ideas, behavior, power, etc.? Can you think of any examples in the real world?
 SOLO/PAIRS ACTIVITY
IN THE UNIT, WE WILL BE STUDYING THE ROLE THAT DIFFERENT
CHARACTERS PLAY IN THE REVOLUTION AND WHAT PURPOSE
Character Quote (from or about Characteristics/Words/Actions/Purpose which apply to this
ORWELL HAD IN MIND FOR THEM. THIS WILL REQUIRE TRACKING the character) character

EXAMPLES THROUGHOUT OUR DISCUSSIONS. 

“everyone was quite Old, wise and respected old boar. He gets the Revolution started,
INSTRUCTIONS: IN YOUR BLOG, CREATE A TABLE LIKE THIS ready to lose an
hour’s sleep to hear
advocates for big changes.

INCLUDING INTERESTING EXAMPLES ABOUT THE CHARACTER AND what he had to say”
(pg 1)
Old Major
COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT THESE IMPLY  
 

   
BENJAMIN BOXER CLOVER MURIEL MOSES    

NAPOLEON SNOWBALL MR. PILKINGTON MR.  Boxer

 
   

FREDERICK SQUEALER MR. JONES. MOLLIE    

GETTING STARTED – EXAMPLE QUOTES
IDENTIFY THE CHARACTER FROM THE QUOTE OR DESCRIPTION. 
WHAT IS ORWELL IMPLYING ABOUT THE CHARACTER THROUGH THESE? ADD ANY TO YOUR TABLE IF THEY ARE USEFUL.
1. ALONE AMONG THE ANIMALS ON THE FARM HE NEVER LAUGHED.
2. “OUR LABOUR TILLS THE SOIL, OUR DUNG FERTILISES IT, AND YET THERE IS NOT ONE OF US THAT OWNS MORE THAN HIS
BARE SKIN.”
3. A WHITE STRIPE DOWN HIS NOSE GAVE HIM A SOMEWHAT STUPID APPEARANCE.
4. HE WAS STILL A MAJESTIC LOOKING PIG, WITH A WISE AND BENEVOLENT APPEARANCE.
5. “CAN YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THAT LIBERTY IS WORTH MORE THAN RIBBONS?”
6. HE WAS A SPY AND A TALE-BEARER, BUT HE WAS ALSO A CLEVER TALKER.
7. HE COULD TURN BLACK INTO WHITE.
VOCAB CHECK-IN:  MATCH & CHECK
1. cannibalism - noun
2. cryptic - adjective
3. gambol - verb
4. ignominious - adjective
5. indefatigable - adjective
6. parasitical - adjective
7. pre-eminent – adjective
8. expounded – verb
9. spinney – noun
10. unalterable - adjective
A. SKIP ABOUT IN PLAY
B. SHAMEFUL OR DISHONORABLE
C. PRACTICE OF EATING ONE’S OWN KIND 
D. MYSTERIOUS OR OBSCURE
E. UNTIRING
F. LIKE A PARASITE; GAINING BENEFITS FROM A HOST IT INJURES
G. A SMALL AREA OF TREES AND BRANCHES UNALTERABLE
H. TO PRESENT AND EXPLAIN A THEORY OR IDEA
SYSTEMATICALLY AND IN DETAIL
I. NOT ABLE TO BE CHANGED.
J. SUPERIOR TO OR NOTABLE ABOVE ALL OTHERS; OUTSTANDING
H/W – IN YOUR BLOG
IMAGINE YOU MUST DESIGN A SOCIETY WHERE EVERYONE IS
EQUAL. THIS MAY MEAN EQUAL IN WEALTH, EQUAL IN
EDUCATION, EQUAL IN OPPORTUNITY, BUT IT IS UP TO YOU TO
DECIDE WHAT “EQUAL” MEANS.

A. LIST FIVE RULES OR LAWS THAT YOU WOULD NEED TO

MAKE SO THAT EVERYONE IS EQUAL.
B. CAN YOU PREDICT ANY PROBLEMS THAT MIGHT RESULT
FROM THESE RULES AND LAWS?