Narrative conventions

Question 1

Characterisation

Answer 1

The way characters are portrayed reveals a lot about the message of the text. Do the characters fit a particular archetype? What techniques are used to present the purpose and motives of the characters

Question 2

Setting

Answer 2

The setting (time and place) helps readers understand the actions happening there. It also gives information about the characters that inhabit that space.
Farm – worker’s location.
Farms represent nations. Fences borders.
Ambiguous time period – relevant to any time.

Question 3

Themes of Animal Farm

Answer 3

Corruption and totalitarianism
Class system and inequality
Power and control

Question 4

Historical context of Animal Farm

Answer 4

Written in 1945 towards the end of WWII in which Orwell had worked as a BBC reporter. Due to what he witnessed in the war, he hated totalitarian regimes.
As a democratic socialist, he was critical of Stalin’s version of communism.

Question 5

Satire in Animal Farm

Answer 5

Critiques totalitarian governments, particularly Stalinist Russia.

Question 6

Allegory

Answer 6

A story or narrative with two meanings; the obvious or literal meaning that is immediately clear, and a second, usually hidden meaning. The second meaning often acts as a commentary on real world events or issues or relates to a specific topic/theme being dealt with.
Allegory of Stalinist Russia.

Question 7

Allusion

Answer 7

A subtle or passing reference to an event, person, place, other text, etc. that is intended to be noticed by readers (though isn’t always picked up on).
Mr Jones is an allusion to Tsar Nicholas II.
Old Major is an allusion to Lenin.
Snowball is an allusion to Trotsky.
Napoleon is an allusion to Stalin.

Question 8

Tone of Animal Farm

Answer 8

The tone of Animal Farm is initially playful and lighthearted, but it becomes bitter as the story unfolds.

Question 9

Symbolism in Animal Farm

Answer 9

The barn wall (propaganda and control)
The windmill (pigs manipulation of other animals)
Names (Jones, a common name, represents any man; Napoleon is an allusion to the French emperor; Squealer = a snitch).
Milk and apples symbolises wealth.
Jones’ rifle symbolises victory.

Question 10

Situational Irony

Answer 10

A disconnect between what is said and what is meant, usually with the words said having a second insulting, humorous or satirical meaning.
The animals took over the farm because they didn’t like the way they were treated by the humans. The pigs ended up being exactly like the humans.

Question 11

Structure of Animal Farm

Answer 11

Cyclical - the pigs end up the same as the humans.