Responding

RESPONDING

What is your reaction to the animal's revolution?

Indeed the story is a satirical allegory of the Russian Revolution. Like Russian citizens , the animals try to run the farm themselves on egalitarian principles. But just like Trotski and especially Stalin, the leader pigs assume the role of masters, conducting the farm like an authoritarian regime. The principles were very good, but the political developement carried to repressions and slavery, and this is the negative part of Russian Revolution.

Do you sympathize with animal's complaints and goals? Why or why not?

I think that animals (and so Russian people) demands were right, because the situation before the (Russian) Revolution was very difficult: animals (and so peasantry) worked like slaves for the masters. So I think that only a battle could bring freedom to the animals (and so to the citizens). But the developement of the situation bring to an aggravation of animals (and so Russian people) living.

1)Describe how rebellion take place

On Midsummer's Eve, Mr. Jones goes to the pub and gets drunk, so no one feeds the animals, who become so hungry that they break in the door of the store-shed and release themselves. The animals spontaneously attack the humans and drive them off the farm. The chapter describes three principal characters: Snowball is creative and quick Napoleon doesn't talk much, but has a reputation for getting his own way. Boxer is as strong as two horses put together. He he isn't highly intelligent, but he is steady, very hard-working and respected by all. Every character represents an human trait : Napoleon is the mind, Snowball is the arm and  Boxer executes orders.

2) How do the pigs gain the rights?

The animals are frightned by a probabile return of Mr Jones, so Squealer can convince them on the importance of keeping the pigs in in good health with milk and apples. The other animals can't manage the farm alone, so they let the pigs take the control. The book is clear about hiearchy: the pigs are clever and can read, so they are the leaders, the horses can only work hard. Hens and sheep are only followers: they aren't important.

3) How does the original vision become?

Although the sheep, hens and ducks may not understand what it means, they all memorize the slogan 'Four legs good, two legs bad' since this slogan is simple, easy to remember and repeat. But at the end of the story they bleat " Four legs good, two legs better!" .They are instructed by pigs to reverse one of the most important slogans. Probably they don't know what it means, but they simply get used to the sound and accept it.

At the very beginning the animals want simple rules to memorize. But they forget the original commandements so they accept all Squealer's lies.

In the first period pigs use simple language, that all the animals can understand. But when they start to take the power, they begin to use bureaucratic words like "files" "reports" "minutes" "memoranda".

carried to portò peasantry contadini              release liberano         trait caratteristica

followers gregari       bleat belano

ACTIVE READING

Mr. Jones: The farmer. In previous years, while he worked the animals hard, he used to be a capable farmer. Recently, though, he lost money in a lawsuit, became depressed, and started drinking heavily. He no longer gets much done and he spends a lot of time drinking and reading the newspapers in the kitchen.

Old Major: The prize Middle White boar, always called Old Major although at pig shows he was exhibited under the name Willingdon Beauty. At the time of his death he was twelve years old, quite stout and majestic-looking with a wise and benevolent appearance

Boxer: The male cart-horse, is very large and as strong as any two ordinary horses put together. He has a white stripe down his nose, which makes him look slightly stupid, and in fact he isn't highly intelligent, but he is steady, very hard-working and respected by all.

Clover: the female cart-horse, is very kind and motherly. She is stout, never having gotten her figure back after her fourth foal. She is devoted to Boxer.

Benjamin: The donkey is the oldest and worst-tempered animal on the farm. He doesn't seem to care who is in charge of the farm since he says it makes no difference in his life. He is very cynical, he seldom talks and never laughs. He is also very intelligent and insightful. He is devoted to Boxer in his own way, and the two of them usually spend their Sundays together grazing side by side.

Snowball: A boar. Vivacious, creative and quick in speech, but not considered as 'deep' as Napoleon. After he is expelled from the farm, Napoleon and Squealer identify him as the 'enemy' and blame him for everything that goes wrong.

Napoleon: A Berkshire boar (Berkshires are large, black pigs). He is rather fierce-looking. He doesn't talk much, but has a reputation for getting his own way. Later he becomes the Leader of Animal Farm and is hero-worshipped by the other animals.

Squealer: A porker, small and fat with round cheeks, twinkling eyes, nimble movements and a shrill voice. He is very persuasive, can convince anyone of anything, and when arguing a difficult point he has an almost hypnotic way of skipping from side to side and whisking his tail.

The Dogs: Become the 'police' for Napoleon. Originally there are three dogs on the farm, Bluebell, Jessie, and Pincher. When Bluebell and Jessie give birth to nine puppies between them, Napoleon says he will educate the young puppies and secludes them in a loft in which he trains them to be his personal guard. The dogs become his weapon of terror, tearing out the throats of his political opponents.

The Pigs: The cleverest animals on the farm, find it easiest to learn to read and write and understand Animalism, and so they teach the other animals. They do not produce food by their own labor, but say they are the 'brain-workers' and become the leaders of the farm. Of the male pigs, only Snowball and Napoleon are boars (kept for breeding) and the others are porkers (i.e. have been castrated so as to be raised for meat).

Muriel: The white goat. She learns to read even better than the dogs can, and sometimes reads to the others in the evenings from scraps of newspaper which she finds on the rubbish heap.

Mollie: The white mare is very pretty and shallow. She loves sugar and plaiting her mane with ribbons, and she doesn't understand or care about political ideas.

The Cat: She is always looking for the most comfortable place to sleep and disappears whenever there is work or danger around.

Moses: The tame raven. He is Mr. Jones's special pet, is a spy and does no work - the other animals don't like him. He tells the animals about a special place called Sugarcandy Mountain where all animals go when they die. Moses likes beer - Mr. Jones sometimes feeds him on beer-soaked crusts of bread.

Mrs. Jones: The farmer's wife.

Pilkington: An easygoing upper-class farmer who lets his farm run down and get neglected, spending most of his time hunting or fishing.

Frederick: A tough, shrewd farmer. He is money-minded, drives hard bargains and is always taking people to court.

Minimus: A pig with a special talent for composing songs and poems, who becomes the official poet.

Mr. Whymper: The solicitor. He is a sly-looking little man with side whiskers, a solicitor with a very small business, but clever enough to realize before anyone else that Animal Farm will need a broker and the commissions will be worth having.

The Sheep: Probably the stupidest animals on the farm. They become Napoleon's most brainlessly devoted followers.

ACTIVE READING

Mr. Jones: The farmer. In previous years, while he worked the animals hard, he used to be a capable farmer. Recently, though, he lost money in a lawsuit, became depressed, and started drinking heavily. He no longer gets much done and he spends a lot of time drinking and reading the newspapers in the kitchen.

Old Major: The prize Middle White boar, always called Old Major although at pig shows he was exhibited under the name Willingdon Beauty. At the time of his death he was twelve years old, quite stout and majestic-looking with a wise and benevolent appearance

Boxer: The male cart-horse, is very large and as strong as any two ordinary horses put together. He has a white stripe down his nose, which makes him look slightly stupid, and in fact he isn't highly intelligent, but he is steady, very hard-working and respected by all.

Clover: the female cart-horse, is very kind and motherly. She is stout, never having gotten her figure back after her fourth foal. She is devoted to Boxer.

Benjamin: The donkey is the oldest and worst-tempered animal on the farm. He doesn't seem to care who is in charge of the farm since he says it makes no difference in his life. He is very cynical, he seldom talks and never laughs. He is also very intelligent and insightful. He is devoted to Boxer in his own way, and the two of them usually spend their Sundays together grazing side by side.

Snowball: A boar. Vivacious, creative and quick in speech, but not considered as 'deep' as Napoleon. After he is expelled from the farm, Napoleon and Squealer identify him as the 'enemy' and blame him for everything that goes wrong.

Napoleon: A Berkshire boar (Berkshires are large, black pigs). He is rather fierce-looking. He doesn't talk much, but has a reputation for getting his own way. Later he becomes the Leader of Animal Farm and is hero-worshipped by the other animals.

Squealer: A porker, small and fat with round cheeks, twinkling eyes, nimble movements and a shrill voice. He is very persuasive, can convince anyone of anything, and when arguing a difficult point he has an almost hypnotic way of skipping from side to side and whisking his tail.

The Pigs: The cleverest animals on the farm, find it easiest to learn to read and write and understand Animalism, and so they teach the other animals. They do not produce food by their own labor, but say they are the 'brain-workers' and become the leaders of the farm. Of the male pigs, only Snowball and Napoleon are boars (kept for breeding) and the others are porkers (i.e. have been castrated so as to be raised for meat).

Muriel: The white goat. She learns to read even better than the dogs can, and sometimes reads to the others in the evenings from scraps of newspaper which she finds on the rubbish heap.

Mollie: The white mare is very pretty and shallow. She loves sugar and plaiting her mane with ribbons, and she doesn't understand or care about political ideas.

The Cat: She is always looking for the most comfortable place to sleep and disappears whenever there is work or danger around.

Moses: The tame raven. He is Mr. Jones's special pet, is a spy and does no work - the other animals don't like him. He tells the animals about a special place called Sugarcandy Mountain where all animals go when they die. Moses likes beer - Mr. Jones sometimes feeds him on beer-soaked crusts of bread.

The Sheep: Probably the stupidest animals on the farm. They become Napoleon's most brainlessly devoted followers.