1. Animal Farm chapter 3
L/O: R AF5 – analysing how George Orwell uses language to shape meaning

2. WALT and WILF What Are we Learning Today What I’m Looking For
Working in groups to develop an understanding of character and events in chapter 3
Interpreting characters and events in chapter 3 and making the connection to events elsewhere in the novel
What I’m Looking For
Grade C: understanding of the novel’s meaning and characters
Grade B: developed interpretation of the novel’s meaning and characters
Grade A: sustained and sophisticated interpretation of the novel’s meaning and characters

3. Starter – extend yourself: answer in detail – elaborate – and support your opinions (grade A question)
In chapters 1 and 2, the reader is led to believe that the animals will become ‘rich and free’.
Using your knowledge of the novel so far, explore the strengths and weaknesses of Major’s speech.
Major begins his speech by saying the animals’ lives are ‘miserable, laborious and short’…
Grade C: understanding of the novel’s meaning and characters
Grade B: developed interpretation of the novel’s meaning and characters
Grade A: sustained and sophisticated interpretation of the novel’s meaning and characters

4. Some ideas to help you their lives eventually become ‘miserable and
laborious’
‘the produce of our labour
would be our own’
Weaknesses
(Major predicts the
future of the animals
without realising)
Strengths
(Major has good intentions)
they are
‘slaughtered
with hideous
cruelty’ at the
order of
Napoleon
wants the
animals to live
with ‘comfort and
dignity’
Boxer is forced to
work to ‘the last
atom’ of his strength

5. In your group, match the quotes to your character – what conclusion can we draw about the characters?
preserve our health
obstinate
It is for your sake that we drink that milk
tremendous muscles
could not get beyond the letter D
clever
could read as well as any pig
the most active in debates
superior knowledge

6. In your group, match the quotes to your character – what conclusion can we draw about the characters?
literate
leadership
we pigs are brainworkers
took no interest in Snowball’s committees
unchanged
the whole management and organisation of this farm depend on us
I will work harder
the admiration of everybody
would make himself responsible for [the puppies’] education

7. Napoleon – choose five more words to describe your character

8. Snowball – choose five more words to describe your character

9. Squealer – choose five more words to describe your character

10. Boxer – choose five more words to describe your character

11. Benjamin – choose five more words to describe your character

12. Explore the meaning of the following quotes each of your groups will give your interpretations to the class
‘not an animal on the farm had stolen so much as a mouthful’
‘worthless parasitical human’
‘there were days when the entire work of the farm seemed to rest upon [Boxer’s] mighty shoulders’
‘nobody stole, nobody grumbled’
‘quarrelling and biting and jealously…had almost disappeared’
‘the other animals…could never think of any resolutions of their own’
‘it was noticed that [Snowball and Napoleon] were never in agreement’
‘four legs good, two legs bad’
‘Napoleon…said that the education of the young was more important’
‘the importance of keeping the pigs in good health was all too obvious’

13. Group 4 Group 1 Group 3 Group 2 Group 5
‘it was noticed that [Snowball and Napoleon] were never in agreement’
‘four legs good, two legs bad’
Group 1
‘not an animal on the farm had stolen so much as a mouthful’
‘worthless parasitical human’
Group 3
‘there were days when the entire work of the farm seemed to rest upon [Boxer’s] mighty shoulders’
‘nobody stole, nobody grumbled’
Group 2
‘quarrelling and biting and jealously…had almost disappeared’
‘the other animals…could never think of any resolutions of their own’
Group 5
‘Napoleon…said that the education of the young was more important’
‘the importance of keeping the pigs in good health was all too obvious’

14. Plenary – how can you defend the animals’ reasons for rebelling against man?
Find examples of language in chapters 1-3 that justify the animals’ reason for rebelling against man – here are some to get you started:
‘we are slaughtered with hideous cruelty’
the humans ‘were used to thrashing
and maltreating’ the animals

15. Explore the reasons for the pigs taking control of the farm.
Work in a group as a committee of pigs. Organise the weekly work schedule of the other animals.
Discuss carefully the qualities of the different groups of animals. Remember that pigs are interested in getting as much work out of other animals as they can get away with.
Anticipate problems and decide how you will deal with them.