DICTION AND SETTING
Which phrase in the excerpt shows that the animals are working cooperatively?
Nobody stole, nobody grumbled over his rations.”
According to the excerpt, who are the two pigs most active in debates?
Answer: Snowball and Napoleon.
Which theme begins to appear in this excerpt?
Answer: Inequality / corruption of leadership.
What aspect of Orwell’s style is shown through the clear, simple sentences?
Answer: Direct, plain prose /journalistic
Which animals save “five bushels of corn"?
Answer: Hens and ducks.
What does the word “superior” in “their superior knowledge” imply about the pigs’ self-image?
That they believe they are smarter / more capable.
What early conflict between Snowball and Napoleon is hinted at here?
Answer: Competing leadership styles and personalities.
What does Squealer’s ability to “turn black into white” symbolize?
Answer: Propaganda / manipulation of truth.
Orwell’s tone in describing the pigs’ leadership is best described as:
A. Admiring
B. Neutral
C. Ironically critical
Ironically critical.
What job do the pigs claim for themselves instead of working?
Answer: Directing and supervising.
How does Orwell’s phrase “directed and supervised” affect the reader’s sense of hierarchy on the farm?
Shows the pigs placing themselves above laboring animals.
How do the pigs’ actions create conflict among the other animals, even if it isn’t explicit yet?
Answer: They refuse to work but control others, creating inequality.
What literary element is present when Squealer moves “from side to side… whisking his tail” to persuade others?
Answer: Characterization through imagery.
How does Orwell use understatement in this excerpt?
Answer: He lightly describes the pigs not working, making their laziness seem “natural.”
What detail suggests Squealer is respected but also feared?
Answer: He can “turn black into white.”
What does the diction “vivacious,” “inventive,” and “depth of character” reveal about Snowball and Napoleon?
Contrasts their personalities; Snowball lively, Napoleon serious/strategic.
How does Squealer’s persuasive communication make him important in future conflicts?
Answer: He manipulates arguments to control opinions and justify leadership.
How does the absence of “quarrelling and biting” shape the theme?
Answer: Shows initial unity before power corrupts.
Explain how Orwell’s voice creates subtle satire in describing Squealer.
Answer: Comic exaggeration of his charm points to manipulation.
Which phrase shows early propaganda at work?
Answer: “Superior knowledge… should assume the leadership.”
Explain how Orwell’s use of the verb “assume” in “natural that they should assume the leadership” subtly critiques the pigs.
Answer: Suggests self-appointed power / not earned / feels automatic or manipulative.
Suggests self-appointed power / not earned / feels automatic or manipulative.
Explain how this excerpt foreshadows the power struggle between Snowball and Napoleon.
Answer: Their differences in behavior, energy, and approach predict eventual clash.
Identify one symbol in the excerpt and explain its deeper meaning.
Exmple Answer:
Squealer’s twinkling eyes symbolize deception and charm used for political control
How does Orwell’s description of Snowball as “vivacious” but lacking “depth” reflect a stylistic choice?
Answer: Shows balanced characterization while hinting at political commentary.
Explain how Orwell signals that the pigs’ power is increasing in this excerpt.
Answer: They stop working, take intellectual authority, dominate debates, and use persuasion.