Understanding Animal Farm

Introduction

Before we read Animal Farm, we must first understand why the author wrote it and what was happening during the author's time so that we may get the full meaning of the novel. 

A fable is a story which uses animals as a means to teach a moral. 

An allegory is a story which really has two layers.  One layer is the actual story, with the characters and plot; and the other layer is what the characters/events in the first layer symbolically represent. An example of an allegory would be The Chronicles of Narnia.  The lion, Aslan, symbolically represents Jesus. 

A satire is when an author wants to expose and criticize the foolishness and/or corruption of a person or a society by using humor, irony, hyperbole, or ridicule. The author wants to help improve humanity by criticizing its lack of good sense and character flaws.  An example of satire would be John Stewart with the Daily Show or some skits on Saturday Night Live.  Even Family Guy uses satire!

Animal Farm is an allegory written as a fable, but we'll get into the specifics later. The novel is also a satire, but we need to read the story in order to figure out why. 

Task

In order for us to fully understand Animal Farm, we must know that it is a satirical allegory for the Russian Revolution.  

This means that Orwell is pointing out flaws with the politics of the time as well as the people (powerful or not), and the characters and events in the novel symbolically represent actual people/events during the Russian Revolution.

Something to keep in mind is that during this time, people disliked those who were bourgeois (adj--used to describe someone as materialistic middle class) and thought the bourgeoisie (n--capitalists who own most of society's wealth and means of production) were ruining countries. As a result, the Bolsheviks (the Red Army, Communists) fought to take control of Russia in an effort to make it better. 

Your task is to complete the given/attached assignment by reviewing the links provided to you.  Your answers should be in YOUR OWN WORDS!

 

 

Process

Part 1--Propaganda 

  • This link states what the different types of propaganda are.  We see nearly all of these used within our novel, and we still see these methods used today! 

Part 2--Systems of Government 

  • This link is a prezi about the different types of systems that are seen within the novel.  

Part 3--George Orwell (Author)

  • This video explains much about our author, George Orwell. 
  • This is the last interview Orwell had ever done.  He died shortly after this from tuberculosis.  Though he is discussing his novel 1984, his warnings can easily be applied to Animal Farm.

Part 4--Karl Marx (Prominent Figure)

  • This link provides information regarding a prominent figure for the Russian Revolution: Karl Marx. 
  • This link provides information regarding the emotions and thoughts of the people during this period of time. 

Part 5--Vladimir Lenin (Prominent Figure)

Part 6--Leon Trotsky (Prominent Figure)

This link will provide information about who Leon Trotsky was and his significance to the revolution.

Part 7--The Russian Revolution 

  • This link will provide a quick synopsis of the Russian Revolution. 
  • This link is a prezi which provides a fast summary of what led to the Russian Revolution.
  • This link provides another quick summary regarding the Russian Revolution. 

Part 8--Joseph Stalin (Prominent Figure)

Part 9--Czar/Tsar Nicholas II (Prominent Figure) 

Part 10--Non-Aggression Pact

  • This link explains Hitler's and Stalin's ties to each other during WWII.

Part 11--The KGB

  • This link explains what the KGB was and what they did. 
Conclusion

With the knowledge gained from this assignment, we are now ready to tackle Animal Farm and get its full, intended effect.  The burning question that should be left once we finish this unit is this: Was Orwell right?  Should the people question authority, or should they blindly follow orders?