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Animal Farm (1945)

Author: George Orwell
Type: Novella · Political allegory / satire
FPS Group: Group 2 — FPS Choice/Dev
Era/Period: WH Era 4 — Soviet Union / Cold War origins
ELA Standards: 9-10.R.8 · 9-10.R.9
WH Standards: WH.6_12.4 · WH.6_12.3
Copyright: Copyrighted — excerpt only

What This Text Is About

Animal Farm is a story written by George Orwell in 1945 about a group of farm animals who rebel against their human farmer and try to run the farm themselves. The book tells us how these animals, led by two pigs named Napoleon and Snowball (who represent real-life figures like Stalin and Trotsky), initially aim for equality but end up creating a society that is just as bad as before. Orwell wrote this story to show people how dangerous it can be when those in power start changing the rules and using their authority unfairly.

Read It

Copyrighted — excerpt only.

"But no animal shall drink alcohol, or sleep in a bed, or wear clothes, or smoke tobacco, or touch money, or engage in trade. All the habits of Man are evil. And above all, no animal must kill any other animal."

With these words, Old Major's vision begins to unfold on the farm, but it doesn't last as long as the animals hope.

"All animals are equal," is one commandment, until it becomes "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

Full text available in most school libraries.

Why This Text Matters

Animal Farm is important because it tells a story that's easy to understand yet carries complex messages about power and politics. It helps us see how easily people can be led astray by those who claim to have their best interests at heart but actually just want control. By understanding the historical context, students learn about the Russian Revolution and the early years of Soviet Russia, giving them a better grasp of modern-day political issues and why they matter.

ELA Standards Connection

Standard Connection
9-10.R.8 Irony and allegorical symbolism used to critique societal norms.
9-10.R.9 The theme of corruption in leadership and the gradual erosion of democratic principles.
9-10.W.4 Write an essay arguing whether the outcome of the story could have been different if certain actions were taken by key characters.

Social Studies Connection

This novella is set during a time when countries like Russia and China were experimenting with communism, which was seen as both a threat and an alternative to Western capitalist democracies. Understanding the context helps students see why Animal Farm was so controversial and why it remains relevant today in discussions about political systems and governance.

Key Vocabulary

  1. Allegory - A story where characters, events, or settings represent abstract ideas or concepts.
  2. Dictatorship - A form of government in which a single person has complete control over the state.
  3. Egalitarianism - The belief that all people are equal and should be treated as such.
  4. Propaganda - Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view.
  5. Totalitarianism - A system where the state exercises absolute control over every aspect of public and private life.

Studio Ideas

  1. Write an argument about whether Napoleon’s actions were justified based on his interpretation of Old Major's speech.
  2. Compare Animal Farm to events in Soviet Russia during 1917-1945, focusing on the Russian Revolution.
  3. Reflect on how Orwell’s critique of leadership and power might relate to contemporary political situations or student experiences.

Pairs With

Why This Is Relevant Today?

Today, many of Orwell’s themes—such as political corruption and the abuse of power—are still relevant. Students can connect these ideas to contemporary discussions about democracy versus authoritarianism around the world, or even within their own communities.

ELA Reading Library · SDA Commons · South High School

Note: An allegory of the Russian Revolution and early Soviet state. The farm animals (led by pigs Napoleon and Snowball, based on Stalin and Trotsky) overthrow their farmer (the Tsar) and establish an egalitarian society, which gradually becomes a dictatorship indistinguishable from the original. The commandments are progressively rewritten. 'All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.' Orwell was a democratic socialist who fought in the Spanish Civil War — he wrote this as a critique of Soviet communism, not of socialism in general. Publishers rejected it during WWII because the USSR was a British ally.