Plot & Events
What is the name of the farm before the rebellion?
Manor Farm.
Which pig becomes the dictator of Animal Farm?
Napoleon
What is an allegory?
A story with a literal meaning and a deeper symbolic meaning, often conveying political, social, or moral ideas.
What does Animal Farm itself represent on the historical level?
Revolutionary Russia and, later, the Soviet Union.
What is propaganda?
Information or messaging designed to influence people's beliefs or behavior, often through bias, selective facts, or manipulation.
Which animal inspires the rebellion with a speech about freedom and equality?
Old Major.
Which pig uses persuasive speeches and propaganda to defend Napoleon?
Squealer.
What historical event does the animals' rebellion represent?
The Russian Revolution of 1917, especially the overthrow of the old ruling order.
What does the windmill symbolize?
Industrialization, promised progress, and the exploitation of workers.
What fear does Squealer repeatedly use to convince the animals to obey the pigs?
The fear that Mr. Jones will return.
What major project do the animals work on throughout much of the novel?
The windmill.
Which animal is known for the motto 'I will work harder'?
Boxer.
Which historical leader is represented by Napoleon?
Joseph Stalin.
What do Napoleon's dogs symbolize?
The secret police and the use of violence and intimidation to enforce political power.
What slogan do the sheep repeat after the pigs begin walking on two legs?
Four legs good, two legs better!
What happens to Boxer after he becomes too weak to work?
Napoleon sells him to the horse slaughterer, while Squealer claims he was taken to a veterinarian.
How does Benjamin's attitude toward the rebellion differ from Boxer's?
Benjamin is skeptical and cynical, while Boxer is loyal, hardworking, and trusting.
Who does Snowball represent, and what happens to him?
Leon Trotsky; like Trotsky, Snowball is driven out by a political rival and later blamed for problems.
What do the Seven Commandments symbolize?
The original ideals and laws of Animalism, later manipulated by the ruling pigs.
How does Napoleon use Snowball as a scapegoat?
He blames Snowball for failures, damage, and setbacks, directing the animals' anger away from his own leadership.
What do the animals see at the end of the novel that shows the pigs have become like humans?
The pigs and humans look so alike that the other animals cannot tell them apart.
How does Napoleon's treatment of Snowball reveal his leadership style?
Napoleon uses violence, intimidation, scapegoating, and lies to eliminate opposition and consolidate power.
How does the conflict between Napoleon and Snowball reflect the struggle for power after the Russian Revolution?
It parallels Stalin's rivalry with Trotsky, including Trotsky's removal, the consolidation of Stalin's power, and the rewriting of history.
What does the pigs' decision to walk on two legs symbolize?
Their complete adoption of human behavior and the betrayal of the revolution's promise of equality.
Explain two methods Napoleon uses to control the animals without relying on physical force alone.