Chapter Two
1. How have the pigs 'elaborated old Major's teachings into a complete system of thought'? What differences are there between the Seven Commandments and what Major tells the animals not to do?
The pigs have elaborated old Major's teachings into a complete system of thought, by which they gave the name Animalism. They held secret meetings several nights a week and expounded the principles of Animalism to the other animals. The pigs struggled hard to make every animal on the farm understand the principles of Animalism clearly. The Seven Commandments only states some, most of the principles that old Major had thought them. The animals should not have even started to learn, read and write in human language, english, which was against Animalism. Animals should not resemble man, and even when you have conquered him, do not ever adopt his vices.
2. Do you think the questions asked by the animals in the education classes are 'foolish'?
The definition of the word 'foolish' means showing lack of sense; ill-considered; unwise. From my point of view, I think that the questions asked by the animals in the education classes were pretty foolish. They asked ill-considered questions such as 'Will there still be sugar after the Rebellion?' When there's better food like oats and hay. I feel that, if the animals thought hard enough and understoood more about Animalism, they would not have asked foolish questions, and would be able to think for themselves.
3. Why do you think that Orwell chooses to call Boxer and Clover the pigs' 'most faithful disciples'?
Boxer and Clover listened to the pigs. Once accepted the pigs as their teachers, they absorbed and remembered everything that they were told, and passed it on to the other animals winning them over by simple arguments. They were too, present at every secret meeting in the barn and led the singing of ' Beasts of England' with which the meetings always ended. Boxer and Clover were really the pigs' 'most faithful disciples'.
4. Why does the Rebellion happen? Does this tells us anything about the influence of Animalism on the animals?
The Rebellion happened for two reasons. One, Mr. Jones has been feeling down lately after losing money in a lawsuit and had been drinking everyday since. He slacked the work on the farm. His men were idle and dishonest too, leaving the farm in a ugly state. The fields were full of weeds, the buildings wanted roofing, the hedges were neglected, and lastly, the animals were underfed. Two, the animals had always wanted a Rebellion and wanted to be free and have things their way, according to Animalism. Now as it turned out, the Rebellion was achieved much earlier and more easily than anyone had expected. The animals starved for days and finally, they could not take the ordeal anymore. One of the cows broke the door of the store-shed with her horns and all the animals began to help themselves out. This does tell us about the influence of Animalism on the animals. If they were not influenced by Animalism, even if they were starving, they would not have any intention to brake the fence and try to escape. They would have whined and demanded food from Mr. Jones.
5. Why do you think Orwell has Snowball make mistakes in his writing?
I think Orwell has Snowball make mistakes in his writing purposely to show a sign, a clue that the pigs had another plan in mind. The animals were not exactly 'friends', and the pigs will show signs of distortion of the commandments.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Animal Farm Task 2 Chapter 1
Chapter One
1. What are the different ways in which the animals behave as they come into the barn? What does this tell us about them?
Old Major, the White boar, sat on a bed of straw, on a sort of raised platform, under a lantern which hung from a beam. He was majestic looking with a wise appearance. This tells us that he was somewhat respected and highly regarded on the farm, and got things done his way most of the time.
First came the three dogs, Bluebell, Jessie and Pitcher eager to listen to what Old Major has to say. Then came the pigs who settled down in the straw immediately in front of the platform. The hens perched themselves on the window-sills, the pigeons fluttered up to the rafters, the sheeps and cows lay down behind the pigs and began to chew the cud. Then, two cart-horses, Boxer and Clover, came in together, walking slowly and setting down their vast hairy hoofs with great care lest there should be some small animal concealed in the straw.Muriel, the white goat, Benjamin the oldest and worst tempered donkey on the farm then came. Ducklings were present too. Mollie the foolish, white mare, came in flirting her white mane. Last came the cat, who purred contentedly throughout Major's speech. This tells us that the animals were eager to listen to what Old Major had to say and made themselves ready and comfortable in the barn for Old Major's speech.
2. What are your impressions of Benjamin, the donkey?
Benjamin was very bad tempered and seldom spoke. When he did, it was usually to make some cynical, suspicious, wierd remark. He believed that everything was here for a specific reason and he did things only for good reasons. He would only laugh if there was something to laugh at. He was the oldest animal on the farm too.
3. Why do the dogs try to kill the rats?
The dogs regarded the rats as enemies, a pest. They wanted to get rid of them.
4. What is Major's main idea? In what different ways does he repeat this idea?
Major's main idea is to tell the animals on the farm that all animals are comrades and man are enemies. He tells them not to resemble man, do not adopt his vices, and not do what man does. All animals are equal, weak or strong, clever or simple. He then tells about his dream and sing the song 'Beasts of England' to repeat his idea to the animals.
5. 'Beasts of England' is sung very enthusiastically by the animals. Why? Why is it easy to remember for even the stupidest of them?
The song was sang in a stirring tune, and was something between 'Clementine' and 'La Cucuracha', which was easy to catch. The animals were excited and sang the song wholeheartedly and with much believe, zest and passion that helped even the stupidest of the animals to sing it. They even sang it in amazing unision through 5 times in succession and might have continued singing it all night if they had not been interrupted.
1. What are the different ways in which the animals behave as they come into the barn? What does this tell us about them?
Old Major, the White boar, sat on a bed of straw, on a sort of raised platform, under a lantern which hung from a beam. He was majestic looking with a wise appearance. This tells us that he was somewhat respected and highly regarded on the farm, and got things done his way most of the time.
First came the three dogs, Bluebell, Jessie and Pitcher eager to listen to what Old Major has to say. Then came the pigs who settled down in the straw immediately in front of the platform. The hens perched themselves on the window-sills, the pigeons fluttered up to the rafters, the sheeps and cows lay down behind the pigs and began to chew the cud. Then, two cart-horses, Boxer and Clover, came in together, walking slowly and setting down their vast hairy hoofs with great care lest there should be some small animal concealed in the straw.Muriel, the white goat, Benjamin the oldest and worst tempered donkey on the farm then came. Ducklings were present too. Mollie the foolish, white mare, came in flirting her white mane. Last came the cat, who purred contentedly throughout Major's speech. This tells us that the animals were eager to listen to what Old Major had to say and made themselves ready and comfortable in the barn for Old Major's speech.
2. What are your impressions of Benjamin, the donkey?
Benjamin was very bad tempered and seldom spoke. When he did, it was usually to make some cynical, suspicious, wierd remark. He believed that everything was here for a specific reason and he did things only for good reasons. He would only laugh if there was something to laugh at. He was the oldest animal on the farm too.
3. Why do the dogs try to kill the rats?
The dogs regarded the rats as enemies, a pest. They wanted to get rid of them.
4. What is Major's main idea? In what different ways does he repeat this idea?
Major's main idea is to tell the animals on the farm that all animals are comrades and man are enemies. He tells them not to resemble man, do not adopt his vices, and not do what man does. All animals are equal, weak or strong, clever or simple. He then tells about his dream and sing the song 'Beasts of England' to repeat his idea to the animals.
5. 'Beasts of England' is sung very enthusiastically by the animals. Why? Why is it easy to remember for even the stupidest of them?
The song was sang in a stirring tune, and was something between 'Clementine' and 'La Cucuracha', which was easy to catch. The animals were excited and sang the song wholeheartedly and with much believe, zest and passion that helped even the stupidest of the animals to sing it. They even sang it in amazing unision through 5 times in succession and might have continued singing it all night if they had not been interrupted.
Animal Farm Task 1
George Orwell is the author of many books. Animal Farm was the only book he had written that had made him any money at all. Now, it has become a classic literature.
George Orwell began writing Animal Farm in 1943, and it wasn't an easy job for him at all. He felt that he ought to write the book to make people aware of the truth about Communism and dictatorships.
Communism is a structure that promotes the establishment of a classless, stateless society based on common ownership of the means of production.
It was George Orwell's experience in the Spanish Civil War that gave Orwell one of his major incentives to write Animal Farm. In Spain, he came to study the Communists accounts of what had happened during that war, and saw how they twisted and turned the truth to suit their own purposes. Some characters in the novel were also born out of these experiences by Orwell.
Animal Farm was to be Orwell's alarm call to Britain and the world. When he sits down to write a book, he writes it for reasons ... because there is some lie that he wants to expose, some fact that he wants to draw attention to, and his main concern is to get a hearing.
He wrote the story, the book, through a rebellion led by some pigs on a farm because he thought that he wanted to find a way that was simple enough to be understood by everyone, and not cause any conflicts.It struck Orwell that if only animals became aware of their power and strength we should have no power over them, and that we exploit animals in very much the same way as the rich exploit the working classes.
We can see the reason why he chose to write his political story in the form of an animal fable.
Animal Farm is very relevant to today's society. Children, students, are the oppressed, and adults, teachers, coaches are the oppressors. Another example is employees of a company and the boss of the company.
To wrap things up, George Orwell wrote to express his views, to show some facts to the world. He uses animals in a farm as they are very similar to us in today's human's society.
George Orwell began writing Animal Farm in 1943, and it wasn't an easy job for him at all. He felt that he ought to write the book to make people aware of the truth about Communism and dictatorships.
Communism is a structure that promotes the establishment of a classless, stateless society based on common ownership of the means of production.
It was George Orwell's experience in the Spanish Civil War that gave Orwell one of his major incentives to write Animal Farm. In Spain, he came to study the Communists accounts of what had happened during that war, and saw how they twisted and turned the truth to suit their own purposes. Some characters in the novel were also born out of these experiences by Orwell.
Animal Farm was to be Orwell's alarm call to Britain and the world. When he sits down to write a book, he writes it for reasons ... because there is some lie that he wants to expose, some fact that he wants to draw attention to, and his main concern is to get a hearing.
He wrote the story, the book, through a rebellion led by some pigs on a farm because he thought that he wanted to find a way that was simple enough to be understood by everyone, and not cause any conflicts.It struck Orwell that if only animals became aware of their power and strength we should have no power over them, and that we exploit animals in very much the same way as the rich exploit the working classes.
We can see the reason why he chose to write his political story in the form of an animal fable.
Animal Farm is very relevant to today's society. Children, students, are the oppressed, and adults, teachers, coaches are the oppressors. Another example is employees of a company and the boss of the company.
To wrap things up, George Orwell wrote to express his views, to show some facts to the world. He uses animals in a farm as they are very similar to us in today's human's society.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
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