George Orwell

Animal Farm is an allegorical short novel against Stalinism but it can be considered Orwell’s fictional manifesto against any form of totalitarianism.
 It tells the story of a group of farm animals who rebel against their human farmer, hoping to create a society in which animals can be equal, free and happy. However, the rebellion is betrayed and, under the dictatorship of a pig named Napoleon, the animals slowly realise that one form of tyranny has been replaced with another.
 The book is enriched with dossiers about the historical and political context in which the allegory takes place.
 
 Teacher's Resources available online: Answer Key - Audioscripts - Summing-up Activities
 
 Animal Farm è un romanzo breve allegorico contro lo Stalinismo ma può essere considerato il manifesto di Orwell contro ogni forma di totalitarismo. Gli animali di una fattoria si ribellano contro il fattore sperando di creare una società dove essi possano essere uguali, liberi e felici. Tuttavia, la ribellione viene tradita e gli animali alla fine si rendono conto che una forma di tirannia è stata sostituita da un’altra. Il libro è arricchito da approfondimenti sul contesto storico-politico in cui si svolge la vicenda.

Chapter 1 – Beasts of England

Extension: An allegory of the Russian Revolution

We work the soil, our dung fertilises it, and yet there isn’t one of us that owns more than their skin. You cows that I see before me, how many thousands of gallons of milk have you given during this last year? And what’s happened to that milk? Every drop of it has gone down the throats of our enemies. And you hens, how many eggs have you laid? Most of them have gone to market to bring in money for Jones and his men. And even the miserable lives we lead aren’t allowed to reach their natural end. I don’t complain for myself, because I’m one of the lucky ones. I’m twelve years old and have had over four hundred children. This is the natural life of a pig. But no animal escapes the cruel knife in the end. We all must come to that horrible end – cows, pigs, hens, sheep, everyone. Even the horses and the dogs have no better fate. You, Boxer, the day that your great muscles lose their power, Jones will sell you to the butcher. As for the dogs, when they grow old and toothless, Jones ties a big stone round their necks and drowns them.” All the animals were looking at one other, many were terrified. “Isn’t it clear, then, comrades, that all the evils of this life of ours come from the tyranny of human beings? Let’s get rid of Man and the produce of our work will be ours! We could become rich and free. What must we do then? Well, work night and day, body and soul, for the overthrow of the human race! That’s my message to you, comrades: REBELLION! I don’t know when that Rebellion will come; it might be in a week or in a hundred years, but I know that sooner or later justice will be done. Above all, pass on this message of mine to those who come after you, so that future generations will carry on the fight until it’s victorious! And remember, never listen when they tell you that Man and animals have a common interest, that the success of the one is the success of the others. It’s all lies! Man serves the interests of no creature except themselves! Among us animals, there must be perfect unity in the struggle . All men are enemies. All animals are comrades!” 12 13 14 15 16 17 : solid waste from animals, especially cattle and horses. : a unit for measuring liquid. In the UK it is equal to about 4.5 litres. : to push someone under water and make them die because they cannot breathe. : to free oneself of something or someone unpleasant or undesirable. : the act of removing someone from power using force. : fight 12. dung 13. gallon 14. drown 15. get rid 16. overthrow 17. struggle

Animal Farm è un romanzo breve allegorico contro lo Stalinismo ma può essere considerato il manifesto di Orwell contro ogni forma di totalitarismo.

Animal Farm

Level B1 • Pre-Intermediate - Collana RAINBOWS

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