Animal Farm - AQA - GCSE

• Animal farm has a simple structure, like most fairy stories. The events are described in chronological order (the order they happen) so the story is easy to follow.
• The chronological structure lets the reader see the gradual decline of Animalism. It shows Napoleon taking control by slowly undermining each commandment in turn, until there is nothing left "except a single commandment"
• The story is cyclical - the end of the novel is very similar to the beginning. Orwell hints at this ending throughout the book, so there is a sense of inevitability about the rebellions failure.
• Orwell uses the farms name to show the revolutions progress. Under Jones, the farm is called "Manor farm". When the animals are free from Jones it becomes "Animal Farm". When Napoleon renames it "The Manor Farm", it shows the revolution has failed.
• The final chapter shows the pigs "melting" and changing into men. The other animals can barely distinguish the two.
• Narrator uses simple, unemotional language, and only describes what the working animals see. As a result the readers view of the farm is restricted, and you are left to make up your own mind about what's happening.
• De attached - The anonymous narrator thoughts are controlled and de attached so that the reader isn't directly influenced, this is important because one of the books themes is the twisting of language.
• The story is told from the working animals point of view - this suggests that Orwell sympathises with the working class. For example, the reader is told what "Clover would have said" if she had spoken her thoughts.
• Telling the story from more from the working animals point of view shows how naive they are. The reader understands things the animals don't.
• Whereas the reader draws conclusions from what the narrator does (or doesn't) say, the animals fail the earn from the events of the novel.
• How do the pigs' actions reflect the breakdown of the seven Commandments?

  They alter the Commandments to justify their actions
• What does Napoleon's character represent in the context of the story?

  A corrupt opportunist using brute force
• What commandment does Napoleon violate through violence?

  No animal shall kill any other animal
• Who does Snowball represent in the context of the USSR?

  Leon Trotsky
• What happens to animals who oppose Napoleon?

  They are killed on the spot
• What imagery does Orwell use to describe the violence on the farm?

  Negative connotations of "slain" and "torn"
• What does the term "corpses" imply in the context of the narrative?

  Deliberate violence akin to human purges
• How many Soviet members were killed during Stalin's purges?

  Approximately 20 million
• What change is made to the commandment after the violence?

  No animal shall kill any other animal without cause
• How does Orwell use the character of Squealer in the narrative?

  To represent media manipulation in the USSR
• What does the circular plot structure signify in Animal Farm?

  The pigs become like their old oppressors
• What is the final form of the seven Commandments?

  All animals are equal, but some are more equal
• What does the phrase "systematic abuse of logic" refer to?

  The pigs' manipulation of the Commandments
• How does Orwell depict the pigs' characteristics in the story?

  They resemble human traits like walking and wearing clothes
• What does Orwell suggest about equality through the breakdown of the Commandments?

  Equality is difficult, if not impossible, to achieve
• What does the transformation of the farm represent in the context of the USSR?

  A shift from utopia to totalitarian nightmare
• What is the significance of the character Squealer's actions with the paintbrush?

  It symbolizes media control and manipulation
• What does Orwell's narrative ultimately critique?

  The perversion of Communist ideology
• How does the video suggest improving paragraph analysis?

  Focus on one idea and explore it in detail
• What is the effect of the pigs' gluttony on the other animals?

  It highlights the disparity in their treatment
• What does the term "totalitarian nightmare" imply about the farm's condition?

  Oppression and loss of freedom for animals
• What does the character of Napoleon symbolize in the story?

  Authoritarian leadership and corruption
• How does the narrative reflect on the nature of power?

  Power corrupts and leads to oppression
• What literary technique does Orwell use to convey his themes?

  Allegory and symbolism
• What is the role of violence in the pigs' rise to power?

  It eliminates opposition and instills fear
• What does the phrase "the comradeship that have previously existed is now unheard of" imply?

  Loss of unity among the animals
• How does Orwell's portrayal of the pigs challenge the idea of equality?

  It shows how power leads to inequality
• What does the cyclical structure of the narrative reveal?

  History repeats itself with oppressive leaders
• What does the phrase "the ending of the Novella is extremely significant" suggest?

  It highlights the transformation of the farm
• What does the character of Squealer represent in the context of the narrative?

  Media manipulation and propaganda