Plot Events
What causes the Rebellion to happen earlier than expected?
Mr. Jones forgets to feed the animals. They break into the food shed. He whips them. The animals rebel.
Who does Mollie represent? Who does Boxer & Clover represent?
Upper Class
Lower Class
What did the Communists change the name of Russia to?
Soviet Union
What event mimics the Czar being overthrown?
The Rebellion
Who is the author of Animal Farm?
George Orwell
Why does Mollie leave the farm?
She wants sugar cubes, ribbons, and attention. She does not like hard work. The other farmer gives her all of these things. She is selfish.
How does Mr. Jones represent the Czar?
The Czar was a wealthy, frivolous ruler who did not care about his people. Mr. Jones was a drunk who frequently forgot to care for his animals.
Why did the Russian people support the Communists in overthrowing the Czar?
They were unhappy that the Czar put them in war, was not feeding them, did not care about them, and lived a lavish lifestyle. The Communist Party promised to end this and make all equal.
How did Snowball & Napoleon's relationship represent the Russian Revolution?
Snowball & Napoleon disagreed on leadership on the farm, much like Trotsky & Stalin. Snowball (like Trotsky) wanted more intellectual things, while Napoleon (like Stalin) wanted power. Napoleon had his dogs chase Snowball off the farm, like Stalin had his Secret Police exile and kill Trotsky.
How is Animal Farm an allegory?
Animal Farm represents the Russian Revolution. Allegories are stories that have a deeper meaning, usually political or historical. The representation of the Russian Revolution is this one's deeper meaning.
What happens in the Animal Executions?
Napoleon kills any animals who claim to have worked with Mr. Jones and/or Snowball in a violent mass execution. He has his dogs do the killing in front of the other animals.
Who do the four pigs represent? Snowball, Squealer, Napoleon, Old Major
Snowball - Trotsky
Squealer - Propaganda
Napoleon - Stalin
Old Major - Marx, Lenin
What is communism?
Essentially, everyone gets equal of everything (food, money, etc.) and the excess goes to the government.
How does Mr. Whymper represent the Russian Revolution?
Mr. Whymper represents capitalism. When Napoleon uses him to trade with other farms, it represents Stalin beginning to trade with capitalist countries.
He thought their political system was terrible and dangerous.
What do the pigs do to the Commandments? Why?
The pigs begin adding or deleting words in order to make their actions okay, as they are breaking the Commandments.
How does Napoleon represent Stalin in his use of propaganda?
Napoleon wants power and abuses this power deeply. Stalin did so as well. They are both evil, cruel, power-hungry, etc. Napoleon used Squealer to justify all actions that did not make sense. He also used Squealer to create self-praise. Stalin used propaganda to justify his cruel actions, as well as placed pictures of himself in buildings, rewrote history, and had ceremonies praising himself, just like Napoleon did in Animal Farm.
Lenin was first, leading until he died of natural causes. When he died, Stalin and Trotsky wanted leadership. Eventually, Stalin had the Secret Police exile and kill Trotsky. Stalin then took control.
What does Boxer's death represent in the Russian Revolution?
Boxer was sent to the slaughter house because he no longer was useful to Napoleon. In Russia, the lower class were worked until they died or became no longer useful. Stalin no longer cared about them once they did not provide use to him.
How do the dogs in Animal Farm show that Animal Farm is a fable?
The dogs are the Secret Police, who are fiercely loyal to Napoleon. In fables, dogs are often shown as loyal.
What is the final commandment at the end of the book?
All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.
How does Old Major represent Marx & Lenin? I need at least one reason for both. You need to tell me what Old Major did and how that mimics something in Marx and Lenin.
Old Major represents Marx by coming up with the ideas for animalism, like Marx came up with the ideas for Marxism/communism. He represents both by dying before the Rebellion happened, like both died before communism fully took hold. He was the first leader of the farm, like Lenin was the first leader of the communist party. All were wise and well-respected.
In what ways did Stalin become a dictator?
He controlled work, money, food, media, history, education, etc. He controlled all aspects of life. In addition, if you opposed him, you were sent to labor camps or killed.
How does Squealer's NEW account of the Battle of Cowshed mimic the Russian Revolution?
Squealer claims Snowball was against the Farm the whole time. Propaganda, placed by Stalin, said Trotsky was a criminal. Squealer also claims Napoleon was the hero, rewriting the history of the battle. This was much like Stalin rewrote the history books in Russia.
Animal Farm is three different types of stories. What are they?
satire, allegory, and fable