1. Animal Farm by George Orwell
Pre-reading Background Information

2. Theme of the Novel
The most crucial theme of this novel that “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
—Lord Acton

3. Vocabulary used in reference to Animal Farm
Satire: This novel is considered a political satire, or work that uses ridicule to expose wickedness or stupidity.
Fable: This story is also considered a fable because it shows animals talking and behaving like humans. It is not really about animals, it is about us. The audience is amused by the story and more likely to pay attention to its real point.
Allegory: This story, as we have discussed before, is an allegory—it symbolically substitutes the events on the farm for actual events in history. It causes readers to make a deep comparison between events in the story and the parallel events in history.

4. KEY HISTORICAL FIGURES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND PLACES
Tsar Nicholas II: The last Russian tsar. He was an ineffective ruler that was overthrown and executed along with his family by the Bolsheviks.
Joseph Stalin: A Bolshevik leader who became prominent only after Lenin’s return. He succeeded Lenin as leader following Lenin’s death.
Vladimir Lenin: The founder of the Bolshevik Party, organizer of the October Revolution. He was the first leader of the Soviet Union. He was a devout follower of Marxism. He other Marxists believed Communism would catch on and become a worldwide movement.
Leon Trotsky: A Bolshevik leader and one of the most prominent figures of the revolution. Trotsky was closely aligned with Lenin.

5. Overview of the Russian Revolution of 1917
Russian tsar, Nicholas II, is overthrown
Civil war broke out between revolutionaries
The Bolsheviks—led by Lenin and Trotsky—come out on top
After Lenin’s death, Stalin and Trotsky fight for power—Stalin wins
By 1929, Stalin had complete control of the party
Stalin turns against his colleagues—he sentences them to death
Russia became known as USSR, or Soviet Union until 1991

6. Historical Figures and their Allegorical Parallels
Relating factor=“is represented as”
Pravda—propaganda newspaper
Lenin
Stalin
Trotsky
Old Major
Napoleon
Snowball
Squealer
The proletariat—ordinary workers
Secret Police
Tsar Nicholas II
The “Five Year Plan”
Boxer
Farmer Jones
The Windmill
The Dogs

7. “General” Level of Allegory
“Spin doctor”propa
gandist
Wise leader,
philosopher
More idealistic
& better leader
Any dictator
Napoleon
Squealer
Old Major
Snowball
A loyal follower
who’s taken advantage of
Any overthrown
ruler
Pointless goal
to keep citizens
focused
Government police
Boxer
The Dogs
Farmer Jones
The Windmill

8. And A Few More…
Relating factors: “can be generalized as” and “is represented as”
Those who watched RR skeptically, but didn’t fight it
Mindless followers of Stalin
Russian Revolution
The White
Russians
Those that would say, “I liked it the way it was…” or Loyalists
Mindless Followers of any leader
Any change of government
Skeptics
Taking Over Animal Farm
Benjamin
The Sheep
Mollie