Is it likely that Snowball is guilty of the things Napoleon accused him of or is he a scapegoat? Why do we scapegoat people?
Animal Farm Study Guide Questions
Questions with ** require research and are extra credit. Answer other questions to the best of your ability. Long answers that don’t fit the space may be listed by chapter on a separate sheet of paper.
Chapter I
Vocabulary
tush—tusk cud—partially digested food foal—colt knacker—horse slaughterer mangel-wurzel—beet
1. The animals act as animals do (ex. cows chew their cuds). Because they think and speak, they also seem to represent types of humans. What types of people do these animals represent?
Boxer
Mollie
The cat
2. Keeping in mind the Russian Revolution, whom do the animals collectively represent? Thinking of the allegory, what person does Old Major represent?
3. Specifically in Russia’s history, whom might Mr. Jones represent? In general power struggles, whom might he represent?
4. When Old Major addresses the animals, what emotions is Orwell trying to arouse in the reader?
5. Why do you suppose Orwell has this microcosm (miniature fictional world) set in England, rather than Russia? Why might he name the human farmer “Mr. Jones”?
6. While Orwell is making fun of revolutionary rhetoric, which truth in the speech seems sincere?
7. Early in the story how considerate are the animals, who represent the exploited masses) to each other?
8. The revolutionary rhetoric has stirred and united them. What is the first sign of potential disunity?
9. Old Major warns the animals that they must always be hostile to Man and his ways. Specifically, what are man’s evil ways?
10. As they sing the song “Beasts of England,” what is the mood in the barn?
11. Some critics see Old Major’s speech as a parody that makes fun of overblown revolutionary rhetoric. How can a parody mock something while still being deadly serious?
12. The sentiments expressed in the song may represent Orwell’s feelings, but how does the tune go? Is there meaning to his tune choice?
Questions with ** require research and are extra credit. Answer other questions to the best of your ability. Long answers that don’t fit the space may be listed by chapter on a separate sheet of paper.
Chapter I
Vocabulary
tush—tusk cud—partially digested food foal—colt knacker—horse slaughterer mangel-wurzel—beet
1. The animals act as animals do (ex. cows chew their cuds). Because they think and speak, they also seem to represent types of humans. What types of people do these animals represent?
Boxer
Mollie
The cat
2. Keeping in mind the Russian Revolution, whom do the animals collectively represent? Thinking of the allegory, what person does Old Major represent?
3. Specifically in Russia’s history, whom might Mr. Jones represent? In general power struggles, whom might he represent?
4. When Old Major addresses the animals, what emotions is Orwell trying to arouse in the reader?
5. Why do you suppose Orwell has this microcosm (miniature fictional world) set in England, rather than Russia? Why might he name the human farmer “Mr. Jones”?
6. While Orwell is making fun of revolutionary rhetoric, which truth in the speech seems sincere?
7. Early in the story how considerate are the animals, who represent the exploited masses) to each other?
8. The revolutionary rhetoric has stirred and united them. What is the first sign of potential disunity?
9. Old Major warns the animals that they must always be hostile to Man and his ways. Specifically, what are man’s evil ways?
10. As they sing the song “Beasts of England,” what is the mood in the barn?
11. Some critics see Old Major’s speech as a parody that makes fun of overblown revolutionary rhetoric. How can a parody mock something while still being deadly serious?
12. The sentiments expressed in the song may represent Orwell’s feelings, but how does the tune go? Is there meaning to his tune choice?