1. Background of Animal Farm
Presented by Major Afram

2. Order of Presentation:
Biography of George Orwell
The Russian Revolution
Definitions of literary terms
Satire
Utopia
Allegory
Main Questions
Works Cited

3. Biography, Part I George Orwell’s real name was Eric Blair.
Orwell was born on June 23, in India. His father was an officer in the British army.
At age one, however, Orwell moved back to England with his mother.
Orwell didn’t see his father again until 1912.

4. Biography, Part II
Once Orwell reached high school, he attended one of England’s best schools, Eton.
Orwell attended Eton on scholarship, and there are reports that he felt jealous of his rich classmates.
At age eighteen, Orwell went overseas to work in Burma (now Myanmar) as an officer in the British Empire.

5. Biography, Part III
After Burma, Orwell returned to London, worked as a teacher, and became a Socialist.
(Socialists believe that businesses and other organizations should be owned by the government, not by individuals. Socialists believe that this will make life better for everyone.)
He later helped the Socialists take over in Spain, but he got upset when he saw how the leaders didn’t use their power well.

6. Biography, Part IV
Orwell is known for writing two great works: Animal Farm and 1984.
Both works have similar ideas: love for revolution, concern over the abuse of power, and a negative outlook on the world.

7. Russian Revolution, Part I
Russians, inspired by the work of Socialist Karl Marx, murdered Czar (King) Nicholas II in 1918.
Later, Vladimir Lenin, along with the Red Bolsheviks, took control of the Russian government.
During this time (World War I) Lenin had farmland given to the peasants (poor people).
Czar Nicholas
Vladimir Lenin

8. Russian Revolution, Part II
After Lenin died in 1924, Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin fought for power.
Stalin was cruel, and he had millions of Russians killed. In his rise to power, he had Trotsky sent away. Eventually, Trotsky was killed in Mexico, probably by a hit man hired by Stalin.
Trotsky
Stalin

9. Literary Terms
Satire: the use of humor to make fun of society (oxforddictionaries.com)
Utopia: a perfect state or place; or, a place of perfection (dictionary.com)
Allegory: a work of art in which each character or event represents a specific idea or quality
en.wikipedia.org

10. Essential Questions What makes a good government?
What makes a bad government?
What makes a good leader?

11. Works Cited
"George Orwell." Wikipedia.org. Wikipedia, 3 Feb Web. 7 Feb < Orwell, George. Animal Farm. New York City: Signet Classics, Print. "Utopia." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, Web. 8 Feb < Wehmeier, Sally, ed. Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary of Current English. Seventh Edition ed. Oxford: Oxford UP, Print.