Pre-reading

1. The key term of this chapter is ‘hierarchy’. What do you think a hierarchy is?

ANSWER:

a. A hierarchy is a system in which members of a society are ranked according to

relative status.

2. Pretty much every culture and every community has some form of hierarchy. Usually,

hierarchies don’t officially exist, meaning there aren’t any laws that enforce them.

However, there are exceptions. Can anyone think of countries that have or used to have

legally enforced hierarchies?

ANSWERS:

a. America (Jim Crow era, that time women couldn’t vote)

b. India (caste system)

c. South Africa (Apartheid)

d. Saudi Arabia (women not being allowed to drive without a male chaperone)

3. Now, hierarchies are often based on at least one of the following: race, gender and

wealth. Which quality do you think is the end all be all?

OPEN TO INTERPRETATION:

a. In my opinion, wealth is the end all be all.

4. What do you think Dominica’s hierarchy is based on?

OPEN TO INTERPRETATION:

We’re going to watch a video about the caste system, a very old hierarchy.

***Let’s get to reading.***

Recap & Analysis
1. So, the rebellion happens sooner than one would expect. But before we get into the main

event, let’s discuss the events leading up to it. After Major’s death, what do the animals

do?

ANSWER:

a. Led by the pigs, especially Napoleon and Snowball, the animals meet secretly for

three months and learn the new system of thought called Animalism. Boxer and

Clover, the two horses, help to convince the other animals.

2. Notice how the pigs are more or less in charge of the whole operation. Do you think the

pigs are the best leaders for the Revolution? Why or why not?

POSSIBLE ANSWERS:

a. YES - The pigs have already been described as clever in comparison to the other

animals. They demonstrate their cleverness in their ability to read and write. The pigs

also seem the most dedicated to the rebellion and the ideals of Animalism. They

spend their time arguing with the other animals about their beliefs, working tirelessly

to reverse the effects of Moses, and answer the animals’ questions in a way that

would convert the animals their cause.

b. NO - It could be argued that the pigs are trying too hard to force Animalism on the

others. Their answers to the other animals’ questions can be interpreted as demeaning

(i.e., asking Mollie, “Can you not understand that liberty is worth more than

ribbons?”). Their actions can be seen as controlling: throwing the ribbons onto the

fire, declaring the farmhouse a museum, deciding what to do with the milk, ignoring

the hens’ reminders of how Farmer Jones used to treat them, giving orders to the
 animals in general. These actions would lead one to conclude that the pigs, while

clever and capable, are not necessarily to be trusted.

3. Out of all the pigs, which ones are the most notable?

a. Snowball

i. Why do you think he was named Snowball?

POSSIBLE ANSWERS:

 He’s innocent and pure

 Snowball's name suits the revolution in general, which "snowballs" and

grows.

 Like a melting snowball, this pig will disappear eventually.

b. Napoleon

i. Why do you think he was named Napoleon?

POSSIBLE ANSWERS:

 Napoleon's name suggests his stern leadership style (he has "a

reputation for getting his own way") and, of course, his incredible lust

for power. Napoleon Bonaparte was seen as a hero of the revolution

and soon came to power in France during the French Revolution.

c. Squealer

i. Why do you think he was named Squealer?

POSSIBLE ANSWERS:

 A squeal is a sound that is used to represent the communication of

pigs. In other words, Squealer represented the pigs in communication.

 Squealers are people who tell on others.

i. Between Napoleon and Snowball, who do you think would make the best leader?

POSSIBLE ANSWERS:

 Napoleon - Snowball does not show the fight necessary to get the animals to

respond. Napoleon provides extra food to the animals as a reward or

celebratory prize. He is also the one who gives the orders to fetch paints for

Snowball and orders the animals to the fields to harvest following the milking

of the cows. Although Snowball has the ideas and the words to support the

ideas, Napoleon appears to be the stronger leader because he acts rather than

just talks.

 Snowball – Snowball is described as the most inventive and seems to be the

most dedicated to Animalism.

ii. Who or what do you think these three pigs represent?

 Napoleon – Stalin

 Snowball – Trotsky

 Squealer – Propaganda

4. What do those pigs do to Old Major’s beliefs?

ANSWER:

a. They organize Major’s message into specific principles and rules for the animals of

the farm to follow. This system is called Animalism.

5. Despite singing a song of rebellion in the previous chapter, some of the animals are

hesitant to rebel against Mr. Jones. What reasons do they give?

ANSWERS:

a. Many animals suggest they owe loyalty to Mr. Jones.

 i. What do you call people like that?

ANSWERS:

 Bootlickers

b. Others point out that they’ll starve without Mr. Jones to feed them.

c. Others insist simply that they don’t need to care about what might happen

long after they’re dead.

6. What about Mollie in particular?

ANSWER:

 She wants to continue the privileged life she lived during Jones’ rule.

7. Another obstacle to the rebellion is Moses. Why don’t the pigs like his stories about

Sugar candy Mountain?

ANSWER:

a. If the animals believe a fantastic world of ease and plenty awaits them when they

die, they will not be as eager to rebel against the life they currently live.

i. So, with that being said, what role in the allegory does Moses begin to assume in

this chapter? In other words, who or what does he represent?

ANSWER:

 Moses is a representation of the church in general or, more specifically,

the Russian Orthodox Church.

***Marx famously said religion is the opiate of the people. People can

take a lot of abuse if they know a better place awaits them. ***
 ii. Based on the relationship Moses has with Jones, his absence at Old Major’s

speech and his refusal to do any work, what do you think Orwell was saying about

the Church?

ANSWER:

 The Russian Orthodox Church enjoyed many privileges before the

Russian Revolution.

***Exactly. And you’ll find that religious institutions often have a strong

influence on politics, even in countries that officially have a separation of

Church and State. ***

8. Now, despite all the planning and arguing, the rebellion itself is impromptu. What causes

the animals to finally stand against Jones?

ANSWER:

a. Mr Jones forgets to feed the animals and a fed-up cow pushes her way into the

store-shed to look for food. The rest of the animals go in to help themselves and

Mr Jones and his men try to get the animals back in line but the animals chase

them off the farm.

9. After chasing off the humans, what do the animals do?

ANSWER:

a. The bits, nose rings, dog chains, knives, etc. are thrown down the well; the

harness, whips and ribbons are thrown on the rubbish fire; and the animals eat

double rations and sing “Beasts of England” seven times before they go to sleep.

i. Right! And in particular, Boxer burns his hat, the same hat he used to keep

flies out of his ears. What do you think that says about him?
 ANSWER:

 Boxer is a fanatic that lacks critical thinking skills.

10. What do the animals do about the farmhouse?

ANSWER:

a. They all file through the house looking at all the luxuries. Some hams are taken

out and buried, and a barrel of beer is destroyed. The animals agree that the

farmhouse is to be preserved as a museum and that no animal may ever live there.

*** Right. Turning places where people suffered into museums isn’t uncommon.

For example, in Germany, the worst camp got turned into a museum. ***

11. The pigs manage to reduce the principles of animalism to a set of commandments. What

are they?

ANSWERS:

a. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.

b. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.

c. No animal shall wear clothes.

d. No animal shall sleep in a bed.

e. No animal shall drink alcohol.

f. No animal shall kill any other animal.

g. All animals are equal.

12. How does the creation of the seven commandments solidify the pigs’ position on the

farm?

ANSWER:
 a. By summarizing the principles of Old Major’s speech into a specific number of rules,

the pigs have begun to erase the importance of Major to the animal’s beliefs. Instead,

the animals can rely on the pigs for guidance.

13. Despite all the celebrations, there are already some red flags. What are they?

ANSWERS:

a. The pigs are the de facto leaders of the revolution.

i. What’s so bad about that? Doesn’t Orwell say leadership naturally fell upon

them?

POSSIBLE ANSWERS:

 It’s a sign that an unspoken hierarchy already exists on the farm.

 Pigs are known for being greedy.

***Yes. In fact, a lot of anti-capitalist cartoons portray rich people

as pigs. ***

b. The pigs secretly taught themselves to read and write.

i. What makes this a red flag?

POSSIBLE ANSWERS:

 The pigs are already acting like humans.

***Yes. Despite vilifying humanity, the pigs saw fit to learn how

to read and write books written by humans. ***

 It puts the pigs above the other animals.

 The pigs learning to read and write in secret has created a sort of

power imbalance on the farm.

  The fact that the pigs hid their literacy gives you the impression

that they might be hiding or will hide other things

***Exactly. Let me tell you guys something. For centuries, being

literate was a sign of wealth and power in many cultures. In fact, a major

reason the Church lost its influence is because more people knew how to

read. We take literacy for granted, but back then, it was a game changer.

c. The pigs create the seven commandments in secret, without asking their supposed

“equals” for their input.

d. The milk goes missing under Napoleon’s watch.

14. What do you think all these red flags mean?

ANSWER:

a. The pigs will rule the farm much like Jones did.

***We’ll see. ***