Animal Farm Flashcards
Themes
class
equality and inequality
power, control and corruption
How are the themes explored?
These themes are explored through the events and characters in the novel, and are an allegory for the Russian Revolution.
The animals’ unhappiness represents class struggle, this leads to the Rebellion which offers some equality. Then the pigs’ actions allow inequality back on the farm.
The theme of power and control is explored throughout the novel and is highlighted by the characters’ relationships on the farm.
How is the theme of class shown in the novel?
the hardships of the animals during Mr Jones’ rule
the exploitation of the animals by Mr Jones
the exploitation of the animals by the pigs after they take control
How does Orwell explore class in Animal Farm?
The hardship that the working class animals endure under Mr Jones’ rule.
As part of the ruling class, Mr Jones fails to look after the animals properly, he takes everything they produce from them for his own profit and then slaughters them when they are no longer able to work.
The pigs adopt Mr Jones’ old ways, first by taking more food for themselves and then slowly changing the Commandments to suit themselves - becoming a new ruling class that continue to exploit the working class animals.
How is the theme of equality and inequality shown in the novel?
the inequality between the animals and mankind
the equality that the animals seek to establish after the rebellion
the inequality that begins again after the pigs take control
How does Orwell explore equality and inequality in Animal Farm?
The inequality that exists between the animals and Mr Jones - Mr Jones spends his time drinking whilst the animals go unfed. He is the only one who profits from their hard work.
When the animals chase Mr Jones away, there is a chance for equality after the rebellion - ‘All animals are equal’ is one of the Commandments the animals decide on. There are hints that this sort of equality might be hard to establish - the animals aren’t sure whether to include the rats in their comradeship and the pigs clearly have a better quality of life than the other animals, even under the rule of Mr Jones.
The chance for equality is lost when the pigs come to power - they start to change the rules, they take more food and enjoy more leisure time until life on the farm is filled with just as much inequality as before the rebellion.
How is the theme of power and control shown in the novel?
Mr Jones exploiting his power and treating the animals badly
the rebellion and how the animals use their power to take over the farm
the pigs and how they cleverly control the other animals
How does Orwell explore power and control in Animal Farm?
Mr Jones uses his power over the animals. It is suggested that Mr Jones uses physical violence to maintain control of the animals - they sing about the ‘crack’ of his whip in the song ‘Beasts of England’.
The animals use their own power to take control of the farm. They gang up on Mr Jones and his men and physically kick them off the farm.
The pigs use the power of speech or rhetoric to maintain their control of the other animals.
Napoleon uses fear to control the farm.
