Name __________________________________ Literary Concepts

The theme of a literary work is a message about life or human nature that the writer presents to the reader.
Below are several thematic statements. In the middle column, give an example from Animal Farm that
supports the theme. In the right column, give an example from your experience or from modern day
happenings that supports them.

Theme Animal Farm Real Life

1. Power corrupts
those who possess it.

2. People’s ignorance
contributes to their
political and social
oppression.

3. Revolution’s may result

in a change of political
power, but often most
people’s lives stay about the
same.

4. In society, individuals
are not treated equally.

5. All societies contain

individuals who will
seize power for their
own ends.