Animal Farm
GCSE English
Literature Revis
, Key moments in the novel, characters, themes
Old major’s speech and death (ch1/2) : misleading, power, hope, leadership Napoleon: growin
Squealer lies about apples (ch3) : propaganda, control, threats, deceit, contrast to Snowb
control, keeping po
betrayal, leadership
others
Battle of the Cowshed (ch4) : power, violence, rebellion, hope
Squealer: propag
Snowball’s expulsion (ch5) : control, propaganda, violence, betrayal, authority,
Snowball : contra
fear
idealistic, obliviou
Wind blows over windmill, Snowball blamed (ch6) : propaganda,
Boxer : Stupid bu
powerlessness, deceit
pressure on others
Hens’ rebellion (ch7) : hope, control, power/ powerlessness, lack of freedom and
kindhearted, oppo
hope, rebellion
dedicated
Show trial (ch7) : mental control, power/ powerlessness, violence, fear, lack of
Mollie: not convin
freedom and hope, authority, mislead betrayal, enjoys aff
Drunk pigs and caught Squealer (ch8) : fear, misleading, manipulated into
Dogs: educated y
, Context and techniques
O RW E L L ’ S T E C H N I Q U E S
C O N T E X T O V E RV I E W
Persuasive questions
Equality, differences in leadership, Controlling questions
Repetition
dictators, control (dogs, propaganda, Emotive language
memory) Powerful verbs
Factual and direct language
SQUEALER AND SECRET SPY , Personal pronouns
Adverbs
SOPHISTICATED LANGUAGE, PACIFIES
Limited dialogue
THE ANIMALS STRESS, THE ONE TIME Irony
BOXER DOESN’T, ANIMALS DIE- Images of suffering
Ridiculous images
THREAT IN THEY MUST BELIEVE WHAT Things happen quickly without animals having time to
HE SAYS. HEIRACHY EVEN AT THE Animals fail to articulate argument and doubt memory
, Summary ‘It had been agreed that they should all meet in the big ‘Majestic-looking pig, with a wise and benevolent appearance’ – pag
Old Major, a ‘wise and barn’ – page 2, chapter 1 Old Major is the opposite of Jones as he is given human like qualities de
benevolent pig’, calls the Old Major is a passive voice for the animals, he is respected triplet of positive adjectives to describe Old Major emphasises how prop
animals to a meeting in the
barn and gives a speech
and wise but this suggests that the animals act as a group demonstrates how Old Major demands great admiration and respect fro
inspiring rebellion against the and seem to lack individual identity. They only react to a leader to them. Old major is described in a positive way. The adjective
oppressive control from Mr what others tell them and the animals represent the and that he is someone who commands respect. He also contrasts favou
Jones. Old major unites the working class of Russia. Use briefly irresponsible Mr Jones. The adjective ‘wise’ indicates a level of maturity
animals against the humans.
‘I have had a long life […] I understand the nature of life on this earth’ - lot on the farm. The adjective ‘benevolent’ implies that old major is cons
page 3, chapter 1 best interests at heart. Use briefly
‘Let us face it: our lives are miserable, laborious and short’ - page 3, chapter 1
Old major establishes authority on the farm through his experience and age,
Old major asks the animals to think about their lives, mainly focusing on the negatives. The
which the other animals cannot match. He makes statements using alliteration
‘our’ conveys a sense of unity among the animals by outlining how every animal is affected
in ‘long life’ which highlights his many experiences and the lengths of his life
be more persuasive because it makes the animals feel like they are in this cause together. T
through the lasting ‘l’ sound. These simple declarative statements conveys a
through, also pauses Old Major’s flow of speech which builds anticipation for what he is ab
confident and assertive tone, naming him sound more convincing. Gives old
that this is negative emphasises Old Major using opinion as fact since what he says is not t
major credibility and suggests the to animals that they can trust what he is
learn that he died ‘peacefully’ at old age, and mollie doesn’t work. The emotive language a
saying. Use briefly
qualities about their lives highlights the oppression experienced because of man and furth
Old Major’s Speech opinion as fact as makes his speech believable since the animals blindly agree with Old Ma
‘Forced to work to the last atom of our strength […] We are slaughtered with hideous cruelty.’ ‘All men are enemies. All animals are comrades.’ – page 4, chapter 1
- page 3, chapter 1 Old Major’s speech is made more persuasive through the use of maxims.
Emotive language is blunt and short but has a vivid image of the animals which evokes sympathy men are enemies. All animals are comrades.’ Which reduces a complex ide
from the reader. and the plural pronoun ‘we’ is inclusive of everybody suggesting that not even so it is easy to understand for all animals and it is memorable which mean
the most powerful, intelligent or useful animals will escape. Gives them a sense of fear to knock to themselves and remember what they are revolting for. The contrast bet
them into reality and give them more of a cause to rebel to prove they can escape. The emotive ‘comrades’ is persuasive as it unites the animals against a common enemy
verb ‘slaughtered’ has horrific imagery of mass killings and immoral activities that any animal they can change their own lives. The clear declarative statement shows his
could imagine therefore further increasing the animals’ hatred for man. However, again there is but there is already a sense of fanaticism and power in his wording since i
a sense of irony since Old Major himself is not ‘slaughtered’ but dies ‘peacefully’. The verb commandments are similar or use the modal verb ‘shall’ which seems to im
‘forced’ indicated a level of oppression and suggests that the animals are treated like slaves for imposing his will and vision on the intellectually weaker animals and this in
the humans. This is ironic as later the animals are described to have worked ‘like slaves’ but his ideas for an equal society. The two simple declarative statements are u
instead of being for man, it is for the pigs. The metaphor and hyperbole, ‘’last atom of our division between the animals and man. The use of the intensifier ‘all’ enha
strength’ emphasises man’s greed and cruelty, suggesting he will take advantage of the animals on the farm. The simplistic summary of the speech enables all listeners inc
in any way he can, to the full extent since an atom is the smallest part of the animals. animals to feel understood and as they are included in the ideas and this e
Simplistic language also ensures that every animal on the farm has unders
‘Threw the animals into the wildest excitement. […] everyone
fled to his own sleeping-place.’ – page 6, chapter 1 ‘Cruel whips no more shall crack’ – page 6, chapter 1
The verb ‘threw’ implies the pace at which the animals took to the ‘Jones will sell you to the kn
Part of the Beasts of England song. The lyrics paint a picture of a boil you down’ - page 4, ch
song and have been brought together by it, thinking that the world that is free from ‘cruel whips’ that ‘crack’. The harsh ‘c’
revolution would have a positive outcome, not knowing the Old major warns boxer that
consonants capture the pain of the whips that the animals endure slaughtered and his use of v
difficulties they would face. The superlative ‘wildest’ demonstrates with the emotive language inspiring them to be free from their
how this comradeship they have is so notable however then it is animals to confront the real
torture. Old major’s use of the verb ‘shall’ shows a strong level of hitting monosyllables and th
contrasted by the the reality when the animals ‘fled’. The
certainty he sees this future utopia as an event that will definitely
