Animal Farm- Reading Guide (Summer Reading 2007)

10^th Grade students- 50 test points

Please read the following overview of the book and look over the questions to help you know what to look for as you read the book.

First published just as World War II was ending Animal Farm has been read by millions of readers in over a dozen languages.  When the animals at Manor Farm oust their human owner, Mr. Jones, and take over the tasks of running the farm, they confront-and stumble over- the challenges of resolving their differences.  The novel is a hilarious and often biting satire- one that highlights themes of greed, justice, tyranny, weakness, and revolution.  In addition, though the novel makes no explicit historical parallels, many critics believe that Animal Farm is an allegory tracing the people and events that figured prominently in Soviet politics during the early 1900’s .  Be it satire or allegory, more than fifty years after its initial publication, Animal Farm still offers a relevant lesson about how human nature can corrupt even the best-intentioned government.

Directions:  Answer each question in complete sentences fully addressing the entire question.  Write neatly and legibly.  They are worth 5 points a piece.

Chapters 1-4

1. Write your reaction to the animal’s revolution.
2. Describe how the Rebellion takes place.
3. Characterize Snowball as a leader.  Do you think his reaction to the stable boy’s death is the appropriate reaction to have during a revolution?

Chapters 5-7

4.  Identify three ways that Napoleon tries to solidify his leadership position on the farm.  How does the process of decision-making on the farm change under Napoleon’s leadership?
5. Why do the executions take place?  What message do these events send to the animals about their role in a future society?
6. Do you think it’s fair that those who are more educated or more skilled- like the pigs in Animal Farm- have more influence in decision making?  Consider how decisions are made in your community, state, or the nation.

Chapters 8-10

7. What happens to Boxer and how do the other animals learn of his fate?  How do they come to a final conclusion about these events?
8. How is the entire list of Commandments ultimately refashioned?

General:

1. What is your reaction to the novel’s ending?  Is it uplifting, depressing, cynical?  Explain.
2. What, as Christians and members of society, can we learn about human nature from reading this book?

Click Here to Download this Guide