Language Arts: Mrs. Garcia
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Animal Farm Reading Journal Assignments

Annotating/Highlighting for chapters 1-2 of Animal Farm by George Orwell

 

As you read, underline or highlight and then label passages that reveal the following:

  • Any part that illustrates the idea of inequality, exploitation, inhumanity, betrayal, and tyranny
  • When new characters are introduced, highlight phrases that describe them. As you continue to encounter information about these characters, keep highlighting passages that characterize them. Remember that a character can be characterized by things the narrator says about them, things other characters say about them, things the character him/herself says, and through the actions of the characters.

 

 

Dialectical Journals for chapters 1-2 of Animal Farm

 

Do a journal entry just as the sample below about the following characters:

  • Major
  • Boxer
  • Snowball
  • Napolean
  • Squealer

 

Character Analysis Example: from “The Most Dangerous Game” (a story about a man who hunts humans)

 

Character: General Zaroff

Evidence                                                       Inference/commentary

“The weak of the world were put here to give the strong pleasure…I hunt the scum of the earth.” (26)

It is obvious that Zaroff feels superior; he feels he is better than the people he hunts. Because he is strong he feels like he has the right to do whatever he wants. He is arrogant, judgmental, and egotistical.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annotating/Highlighting for chapters 3 - 4 of Animal Farm by George Orwell

 

As you read, underline or highlight and then label passages that reveal the following:

  • the idea of power and how it can corrupt
  • the use of propaganda (definition of propaganda: ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further a cause or to damage an opposing cause)
  • Information about characters: Focus especially on Snowball, Napolean, Squealer, and Boxer. Remember that a character can be characterized by things the narrator says about them, things other characters say about them, things the character him/herself says, and through the actions of the characters.

 

 

Short Essay Questions for chapters 3-4 of Animal Farm

 

On a separate piece of notebook paper answer the questions below. Your answers should be written in complete sentences, and the question should be written into your answer. You should also spend a minimum of four sentences answering the questions. Your answer must also include textual evidence from chapters 3 and 4. An example has been done for you.

 

EX: Why is Mollie’s behavior a threat to the Rebellion and the principles of Animalism?

Mollie’s behavior is a threat to the Rebellion and the principles of Animalism because successful revolutionaries must be able to delay immediate personal satisfaction. This would probably be difficult for Mollie because all she seems to care about is eating sugar cubes and having pretty ribbons in her mane. When the other animals tour the farmhouse and discover its horrifying contents, Mollie does not seem horrified by anything, but instead spends her time taking “ a piece of blue ribbon from Mrs. Jones’s dressing table and was holding it against her shoulder and admiring herself in the glass in a very foolish manner.” (p. 41). Mollie’s vanity might also make her more prone to corruption by humans and less willing to sacrifice for the common good.

 

  1. The seventh commandment of animalism is that all animals are equal. Has this proven to be true? Why or why not? Use textual evidence from chapters 3 and 4 to support your answer.
  2.  2. How do the pigs gain the rights to the cow’s milk? Why do the other animals allow this to occur? What does this event suggest about the power structure on the farm? GIVE TEXTUAL EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT YOUR Answer.
    3.
  3. How do Snowball and Napoleon compare as leaders? Whose leadership do you support the most and why? GIVE TEXTUAL EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER.

Annotating/Highlighting for chapters 5 - 6 of Animal Farm by George Orwell

 

As you read, underline or highlight and then label passages that reveal the following:

  • exploitation, betrayal, tyranny
  • the idea of power and how it can corrupt
  • the manipulation of language to convince animals of a certain viewpoint
  • illusion vs. reality: what the animals think they are working for vs. what is really happening

 

 

TAKS Journal entry for chapters 5 - 6 of Animal Farm

 

Who do you admire most, Snowball or Napoleon? Why? Use textual evidence from chapters 5 and 6 to support your answer.

 

Annotating/Highlighting for chapters 7-8 of Animal Farm by George Orwell

 

As you read, underline or highlight and then label passages that reveal the following:

  • Totalitarianism, betrayal, tyranny, scapegoat
  • the manipulation of language to convince animals of a certain viewpoint
  • illusion vs. reality: How Napolean presents Animal Farm to the humans vs. the actual state of Animal Farm

 

 

TAKS journal entry for chapters 7-8 of Animal Farm

 

GIVE TEXTUAL EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER.

  1. Why does Napoleon feel that he needs to show Snowball to be dangerous?
  2. Why do apparently innocent animals confess to being traitors?
  3. Look back at Major’s speech in ch. 1. Describe the current status of the society Major envisioned.

 

Annotating/Highlighting for chapters 9-10 of Animal Farm by George Orwell

 

As you read, underline or highlight and then label passages that reveal the following:

  • betrayal, tyranny, exploitation

 

 

Answer the question below. Your answer should be written in complete sentences, and the question should be written into your answer. You should also spend a minimum of four sentences answering the question. Your answer must also include at least 2 pieces of textual evidence from any part of the novel. An example has been done for you.

 

 

  1. Choose one of the quotes below and explain how it relates to Animal Farm. Remember that you must also include at least 2 pieces of textual evidence from any part of the novel.

 

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” ---George Santayana

 

“Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” --- Lord Acton

 

“What experience and history teach is this—that people and governments never have learned anything from history, or acted on principles deduced from it.” ---G.W.G. Hegel

 

“In general, the art of government consists in taking as much money as possible from one class of people to give it to the other.” ---Voltaire