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

Chapter 2 – Animalism

Extension: Communism, capitalism and animalism

Chapter 3 –Things change

Extension: Napoleon-Stalin and Snowball-Trotsky

Chapter 4 – The windmill

Extension: Totalitarian regime methods

Chapter 5 – The new policy

Extension: Symbols and characters

Summing-up activities

Glossary

E X T E N S I O N TOTALITARIAN REGIME METHODS Animal Farm was a success from the moment of its publication. Some saw it simply as an allegory of the Russian Revolution and the corruption1 of communist ideals, but Orwell himself said that, although it was a satire on the Russian Revolution, it was also addressed to other political systems. In fact, both Russian communism (represented by the pigs) and capitalism (represented by the neighbouring farmers) are shown in a very negative light by Orwell. The writer made it clear that Animal Farm was not just about Russia: its message can be applied to any totalitarian state and even to some self-proclaimed2 democracies. The neighbouring farmers At the start of the Second World War, Stalin formed an alliance with Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), Germany s Chancellor (i.e., the head of government). But after the German invasion of the USSR in 1941, Stalin allied with the United Kingdom and the Unites States. In Animal Farm, Hitler is embodied3 by Mr Frederick, the owner of Pinchfield; Mr Pilkington, Foxwood s farmer, instead, symbolises the capitalist governments of the UK and the US. In particular, Mr Pilkington represents Winston Churchill (1874-1965) as well as Franklin Delano Roosevelt (18821945), respectively the UK s Prime Minister and the USA s President. 1. corruption: illegal, bad, or dishonest behaviour, especially by people in positions of power. Adolf Hitler. 2. self-proclaimed: which define themselves as. 3. embodied: represented. Winston Churchill. 74 Franklin Delano Roosevelt. 

Propaganda As we said in Extension 3, a powerful weapon4 which Stalin used to remain in power for more than twenty years was propaganda. Soviet propaganda was everywhere: there were posters throughout the towns and villages, most films had a propaganda message and all expressions of art were produced using the socialist realism style (an art expression that promoted Soviet ideals). In Animal Farm, Squealer is the pig who spreads Napoleon s propaganda among the other animals. Orwell uses Squealer to show how language can Propaganda poster. deform the truth and maintain political control. This will be one of the most important themes in his following novel 1984. Purges5 Fear and terror were also powerful weapons. During the purges (the campaign of political repression in the Soviet Union) of the 1930s, Stalin eliminated any potential opposition. Between 1934 and 1938, about seven million people disappeared. Many were executed or sent to gulags (forced labour concentration camps), where State prosecutor, Andrei Vyshinsky terrible atrocities were committed. reading the charges at a purge trial in the late 1930 s. The most important victims were given  show trials 6 and confessed publicly to non-existent crimes, in the hope of saving their lives or at least those of their families. In Animal Farm, Napoleon also arranges  show trials . Some animals are accused of working in league with Snowball to destroy the farm. He gets rid of four young pigs, who had protested against the abolition of the Sunday Meetings, three hens, who had organised the egg rebellion, as well as some other animals, who admit small or ridiculous crimes. (Partly taken from Spark Notes and York Notes) 4. weapon: any means used for one s defence in order to damage somebody. 5. purge: the act of removing people, often violently, from a political organisation. 6. show trial: an unfair legal action in court, organised by a government for political reasons, not in order to find out the truth. 75 

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

Flowbooks è una piattaforma di distribuzione dedicata al mondo della scuola e dell'università.  Con questa piattaforma di distribuzione, il team di sviluppo Flowbooks  si impegna a soddisfare le esigenze degli utenti digitali, rendendo l'utilizzo accessibile e piacevole.  Entra nella tua area di interesse!

Edisco è una Casa editrice indipendente che opera prevalentemente nel settore educativo.

Edisco

Flowbooks è innovazione didattica a portata di click