Studied by 3 people
“Our lives are miserable, laborious, and short”
Old Major appeals to the animals, he is relatable, he sparks ideas of change, something they aren’t used to.
Power of three emphasises the reality of the animals, reader feels pity, understandable to want change
“No animal in England is free”
Hyperbole but successfully criticises the actions of humans, spark anger amongst the animals, togetherness
“Almost overnight we could become rich + free”
Rewards, promises, appeals to the animals
But Old Major speaks in binaries, he is very vague, nothing is concrete how will the animals achieve this, is he serious?
Foreshadows disaster early on
“Comrades”
Frequently used at start of novel but dies out as novel progresses.
Shows Old Major is fair, he treats everyone the same even though he has authority - captures what the rebellion was supposed to portray
Old Major dies before he can carry out his intentions - we will never know his vision, Pigs use this because there is no accountability
“Man is the only real enemy we have” “All the habits of man are evil”
Used to radicalise the animals views of humans, immediate feelings of hatred + fear, something the pigs can use as a threat
“What have you ever had except your bare rations?”
“Boil you down for the foxhounds”
Links to Boxer’s death, similarities between Jones + the pigs
Chapter 1 - there is an emergence of slogans and songs - Significance?
The creation of “The Beasts of England” and slogans like “Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy”
Reduction of individual ideas - easier to assert and demand control
Songs are uniting - pigs create an atmosphere of grandeur + nobility
False sense of reality + hope - manipulation
“He could turn black into white”
Chap 2 - Squealer is such a remarkable speaker - poses a threat to the other animals, he can justify anything the pigs do
Hitler + Goebbels - helped consolidate Nazi rule
“They held secret meetings in the barn”
Hierarchy emerging, barn is a symbol of elite power, concealment from the working-class
“Expounded the principles of Animalism”
Suspicious that the other animals had no input, aren’t they supposed to all be equal?
“Contrary to the spirit of Animalism”
Believers trapped in a restricted system of thought
Significance of Mollie the white mare?
She is set on having her sugar and ribbons after the rebellion
- No interest in politics/ rebellion
- Doesn’t want to work - she is a materialist, she was comfortable under the humans, she undermines the pigs
- She represents the upper-class who had a comfortable life under Tsar Nicholas II - why do they need change?
Significance of Sugar Candy Mountain?
“Pigs had to argue very hard”
Said by Moses in chap 2
A means of escape from the animals’ current hardships, is a threat to rebellion and the pigs because it appeals to the animals, there is freedom, nothing is concrete with the pigs, they are vague
Illusion of an ideal utopia - Orwell demonstrates that a utopia is virtually impossible - the animals believe in it for hope - No wonder a dictatorship emerged
“Was achieved much earlier and more easily” "Good fortune” “Suddenly remembering the glorious thing that had happened”
The rebellion is very anticlimactic - stark contrast to Old Major’s dream - almost disappoints the reader
Rebellion was achieved too fast - foreshadows downfall of Animalism - it won’t last
False sense of accomplishment, insignificant, nothing has really changed even with the humans gone, were they really the enemy?
“Never mind the milk comrades”
End of chap 2: Very anticlimactic
Milk symbolises the inequality early on, even after Animalism has been established
The pigs are greedy - they stole the milk for themselves
“Taught themselves to read + write” “unalterable law” “learn the commandments by heart”
Introduction of 7 commandments:
Rhetorical dream has suddenly been reduced to into a strict law
Reduction of ideals, easier to control
Highlights the gap in education - animals will follow unquestioningly
“Flung it on the fire”
The working-class are willing to throw things away and make sacrifices but ultimately get nothing in return - in order to sustain to the lifestyles of the elite (pigs)
“No animal must ever live there”
Ironic - by end of novel, pigs have essentially contradicted the whole movement of the rebellion, due to lack of accountability and effective propaganda, transparency isn’t maintained and no one is brave or able enough to challenge them
Hypocrisy?
The pigs constantly reassure the other animals that there is equality, greatness, fairness - leading no animal to challenge them, but ultimately they secretly have hidden agendas to assert control
Meritocracy?
Ruling of Animal Farm is based on the most abled, educated, merit - the pigs emerge from the get-go as the most abled - if you are smart you will have an advantage
Note
Flashcard