Animal Farm
A theme is a repeated idea or common thread throughout a piece of literature. Identify a theme in Animal Farm. Refer to specific places throughout the novel that include this theme. Explain how it shapes the novel—why is it important? How does it affect the characters? What does this theme teach you?
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The theme of the novel is deceit. Throughout the whole story, you can see where this theme is included. Many times, the pigs had deceived the other animals into believing anything they said. Quite a few times, the pigs had changed the Seven Commandments that were written upon the wall, and the other animals were tricked into thinking that they had always had those changes. Also, the pigs changed things that had happened in the past, and manipulated the other animals’ memory. They were able to trick them into thinking that Snowball had been helping Jones the whole time, and he had tried to get them defeated at the Battle of Cowshed. This theme shapes the novel, because the whole story started off where all the animals were equal, and they all wanted to have a revolution. Through the revolution, the pigs were able to gain power over the other animals, and from there, through the lies and deceit, started changing into the very thing that they had sought out to get rid of. The theme is important because it shows how too much power really is a bad thing. The theme affects the characters in many ways. The pigs were able to gain power over all the other animals, and they ended up acting just like the cruel humans that had owned them before. While the other animals were completely deceived and believed everything they were told. This theme taught me that when one person or group has too much power over everyone, corruption will most likely occur. When you have leadership over others, you must act responsibly.
ReplyDeleteOne theme in Animal Farm is corruption from having too much power. This theme affect’s the characters because the pigs start acting like the humans that they claim they replace. The fact that the pigs abuse their power makes them seem like humans, not because they wear Mr. and Mrs. Jones clothes and walk on two legs. One place in the novel that corruption is located is chapter six where it says, “Throughout the spring and summer they worked a sixty-hour week, and in August Napoleon announced that there would be work on Sunday afternoons as well. This work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half.” (Orwell 59) This shows corruption because the pigs change the definition of voluntary to make the other animals think that they have freedom. Corruption shapes the novel because when the pigs take over and become the ruling class, they say that their goal is to be in charge of a farm of all equal animals. That quickly changes and the pigs begin to take more and more control away from the other animals. It is important because this shows that having too much power can be a bad if one doesn’t use it right. This theme teaches that having too much power can make some people become greedy for more power.
ReplyDeleteI believe the theme of this novel is rebellion against humans. In chapter five, Napoleon is teaching the sheep a motto, "four legs good, two legs bad." I don’t believe this motto is correct or fair. Just because Mr. Jones made them work hard, does not mean that all humans are bad. This shapes the novel by making their main goal to take over the farm and rebel against humans. I think it is important because this shows that the animals will stand up for what they believe in. They are very determined. I think this affects the characters in a big way. Some of the animals who may not have had as much of a problem with humans are now led to believe that all humans are horrible and cruel. Their teachings are false and I think that could possibly be why Mollie left. She realized that just because Mr. Jones made them work hard, doesn’t mean they have the right to hate all humans. This theme teaches me that if I have a bad experience with something, then I shouldn’t assume everything else will be bad too. It also teaches me that I should not always believe everything that others say. I should take chances and try new things.
ReplyDeleteThe theme of Animal Farm is the rottenness of socialism. Socialism is a corrupt version of making everyone equal. And in this novel they are trying to make everyone equal. But it doesn’t seem equal to the other animals if they write a commandment that no animal sleeps in a bed, but then eventually the pigs go to sleep in the farm house. And then later they say that it said a bed with sheets. I don’t see how that it is far too all the other animals. And there was also a commandment that said no animal kills another animal. But Napoleon kills some of the animals that admit to seeing Snowball. It also doesn’t seem far that Snowball was on Jones’s side the whole time. And he was really seeking revenge towards the animals by the windmill and cracking open the eggs. This affects the characters because if the animals had once trusted Snowball, now they may think they can’t trust anybody else. So they would have to be cautious about who they trust. This theme teaches me that I should be careful who I trust and what I say to people. This also teaches me that I should not seek revenge towards others. I should go to them make it right.
ReplyDeleteIn a way, I believe the theme is political. It shows when they hold meetings in the barn because an animal says one thing while the others disagree, and it turns into a big argument among them. It also shows when Snowball and Nepolian are running against each other to see who should be leader over the entire farm. This topic is important because that is mainly what the book is about – one ruling over the others by running against one another. When Nepolian became leader, it affected most of the animals in a bad way because he would not treat them nearly as equally as the pigs. He had too much power. The novel teaches me that politics are very harsh. People (or in this case, animals) will do anything in order to gain power/leadership, once they have it they can either choose to stay true to who they were when they were running, or they can make a change for the worst and rule over everyone. And ruling over the other animals is exactly what the pigs did. The more power they had, the crueler they became to everyone else. So, it is important to make sure no one has too much power.
ReplyDeleteThe theme of Animal Farm is rebellion. You can see this many times throughout the novel. The first time you can see this is when the first meeting takes place with Major. He tells all the animals the idea of Rebellion or how it is later put in the novel Animalism. This is the turning point of the rest of the animals' lives. They all have to make sacrifices. For an example, Mollie has to give up wearing ribbons in her mane. Another time is when Snowball came up with the Seven Commandments and inscribed them on the barn wall. This shows the animals the rules the need to follow if they want to be free from the humans. These rules are followed until one day, Napoleon had the dogs chase Snowball away. He had Squealer and a couple others change the rules so that all animals would obey and idolize the pigs and dogs. One of the many lessons this story teaches me is that you can accomplish something if you work really hard at it. Another is that not everything someone tells you can be true. Finally, this story teaches me that if you have a dream, don't give up on it because one day, it may be fulfilled.
ReplyDeleteOne of the many themes of this book is lies. You can observe this many times throughout the book. The pigs lie and do things that they said they would never dream of doing like sleeping in beds or in the farm house. They accomplished their lies by changing the seven commandments without any of the other animals noticing the change. Also, the pigs would make up random lies about Snowball, which some of the animals began to beleive. Later on, the pigs made up another lie when Boxer was being taken away to a horse slaughterer and the pigs told the other animals that it was really just an ambulance. This theme shapes the story because at first the pigs said that anything having to do with humans was evil and all animals are created equal. We find out later that this was not so. The lies affected all the hard working animals negatively beacause they had to work harder for less food. But it affected the pigs in a good way because they gained more power and food rashionings. The theme teaches us that we should be more wise in choosing our leaders because they could be leading in a different direction then what they originally said.
ReplyDeleteA theme in this book lying. In the book the pigs did all the lying. They lied about how they needed all the milk and apples for them to be able to concentrate easier, but they really just wanted them because they liked eating them. They also lied when they started breaking all the commandments and then they would go and paint additions to them to make it look like they weren't at fault. Another time they lied was when they said Boxer was going to the hospital when he really was going the knackers to be killed. They then made up all the lies and rumors about how Snowball had secretly come and vandalized all the food and equipment. Napoleon also lied about how the windmill was all his idea and that Snowball had actually stolen his plans and acted like it was his plans. Then they lied about how Snowball had been in contact with Jones since the very beginning. This shapes the novel because this is all the pigs did throughout the whole book. This affects the characters because it caused all the animals(besides the pigs and dogs) to work harder then ever and have less food than ever. This theme teaches us that people can lie about things to cover up other lies but what they are actually doing is creating a line of lies that will keep going untill destruction and turmoil takes over.
ReplyDeleteThe theme of Animal farm is corruption. The Pigs become leaders and take over the rebellion. They claim that the goal is to be leaders over a farm of equal animals. However, as they continue to be leaders, they soon realize that they are very powerful and that they can take advantage of the other animals for their own benefit. The pigs changed the seven commandments and the other animals who were not as smart as them, did not even realize this was happening. They took advantage of the animals that were not as intellectual as they were. Napolean lied and said that the windmill was his idea when, in fact, it was Snowball's idea. The theme of corruption shapes the whole novel in that it shows the ruthless behavior of Napolean and how with a little bit of power he was able to manipulate the animals for his benefit. The characters are affected by all of this manipulation. They start to believe that the changed commandments are true, they don't realize that they are working harder with less food, they are led to believe that Boxer is being taken by ambulance when he is being taken to a horse slaughterer. This theme taught me that absolute power leads to corruption without responsiblity and acountabilty.
ReplyDeleteA major theme of this book is the inevitable corrupt behavior of political characters. It is shown in how the pigs manipulate the other animals into believing the craziest and worst things with their lies. Napoleon even runs off Snowball to cover up his lies. Then, he had to create more lies to 'reason' with the other animals why Snowball was run off. When Napoleon breaks the seven commandments only to change them to fit his needs, the book shows how people can feel and how there is a decline that leads to despair. Despair then can make people lose any resistance towards a tyrant. I remember Mrs. Frescoln teaching us about Marxism. Karl Marx declares religion as the 'opiate' of the people. Because the animals' lives are so terrible they believe in Sugarcandy Mountain in which the pigs tell them to work even harder for their better afterlife.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the theme of this book is that the pigs are turning into the dictators of the farm. An example of this happening is when the pigs took the milk and the apples for themselves, claiming it made their brains work better.
ReplyDeleteAnother example of this is when the pigs wrote the seven commandments without asking the opinion of any other animals. This shapes the book because throughout the story they follow these commandments, even though the pigs change them quite a bit; it also affects the other characters by making them obey the commandments. Another example of this is when the pigs started living in the farmhouse; this shows that they thought they were better than everyone else.
Something else that shows that the pigs were the dictators of the farm is when they got the dogs to kill the animals that talked to snowball. I think the dogs represent an army that brutally kills people and strikes fear into their hearts for no reason.
All of these things build up to when some of the other animals found Napoleon walking on two legs and wearing cloths. This is obviously saying that Napoleon thinks he is a human and is trying to be one. It is crazy how much the pigs have taken over and they are now even worse than Jones was.
A major theme in Animal Farm is the tyranny of a corrupt leader. Numerous times throughout the book Napoleon has used his power to take advantage of his loyal "comrades" into living in conditions worse than when Jones owned the farm. He often inspires pride in themselves and in Animal Farm to keep the other animals distracted. Propoganda is another tool Napoleon used to focus them. After ousting his rival Snowball from Animal Farm, he painted Snowball into a figurehead from which all of their problems were caused. If rations were low, Napoleon would blame Snowball for stealing them. This ingenious tactic further distracted the other animals from the real injustices of Napoleon. His administrator of propoganda, Squealer, fed a constant stream of lies to give the animals a false hope of a better tomorrow. A major example of Napoleon's corruption is the changing of the seven commandments. The greatest commandment, "All Animals are Equal", was eventually changed to,"All Animals are Equal, But Some are More Equal Than Others". By the end of the book, this was the only commandment that remained, a testament to the corruption that destroyed Animal Farm. This theme has taught me that power must be tempered with discipline if a leader is to be effective.
ReplyDeleteA theme that has been showed greatly in this novel is “teamwork”. When Old Major gathers all of the animals together at a meeting to tell them about the rebellion he dreamed about, there is no way it could be done without teamwork. This rebellion would take so much teamwork! I mean you couldn’t even do it with half the animals, not even three fourths of them. All of the animals had a certain job, crucial to making the rebellion a success! If one animal tried to rebel by himself, nothing could be done. Teamwork is a crucial part of this novel because they need lots of hardworking animals together to rebel against the humans. This theme affects the characters because one of the animals maybe wouldn’t want to rebel but with all the peer pressure of the others, would kind of have to go with the plan! It is a great theme and shows us how to work together even in a real life situation! The theme of teamwork shows me that it all situations that involve many people, work together and you can accomplish your task, a lot easier than everyone trying to work it out themselves. This teaches me that with teamwork, a task is 100 percent more likely to be completed.
ReplyDeleteOne theme in Animal Farm is clever deception. Once, Napoleon overthrew Snowball, He deceived the whole farm in many ways. First he blamed anything and everything bad on Snowball, and the poor animals believed him. When some of the smarter animals started to disagree, Squealer would coax them otherwise with his persuasive speeches. One thing the pigs did to deceive the animals, was they changed animal farm’s seven commandments, not completely, but added words to them. For example, the pigs changed the fourth commandment from "No animal shall sleep in any bed", to "No animal shall sleep in any bed... with sheets." Another example would be when Napoleon tricked the animals into giving the pigs more food and better sleeping areas because “the whole management of the farm depended on them”. This theme shapes the novel because if the animals realized they were being tricked, they would have had another revolution and they would be free from the pigs. This theme affects all the characters, but some more than others. Squealer was spreading the deceit, Napoleon was the mastermind, and they animals were suffering from it. This theme has taught me to look at the whole picture and realize if I am being tricked.
ReplyDeleteThe theme of Animal Farm is rebellion. It is seen many times throughout the book. An act of rebellion is seen when the animals begin to conquer Animal Farm, and they drive Jones away. Another time the animals rebel is when the humans try to take back Animal Farm at the Battle of Cowshed. The animals attacked the humans, using all of their strength and an act of bravery. They do whatever it takes to keep Animal Farm under their ruling, and later on the humans flee. It shows that the animals are risking their lives to rebel against the humans. I believe it shapes the novel because the Rebellion is something the animals did in order to conquer Animal Farm from Jones. Through the Rebellion, the animals gained control and no longer had to work under the humans as slaves. I believe it changed the characters' ways. The animals looked at the humans as cruel and lazy people. They were determined to overthrow Jones and the rest of the men. This theme teaches me that in order to reach a goal, you have to act with perseverance and confidence. You should act with independence, but don't get carried away with it.
ReplyDeleteI think the theme of Animal Farm is having too much power. In Animal Farm the animals rebel against the humans, because the humans had power over them and made them work too hard. The animals rebelled to get power over the humans in the first place. Then after the animals achieve power the pigs change the commandments while searching to gain even more power than before. After they trick the rest of the animals on the farm into thinking the pigs are superior they still continue to search for more power throughout the rest of the book. It affects the characters by putting some of the animals, like Napoleon and the rest of the pigs, above the other animals which is exactly what Napoleon and the rest of the pigs wanted to do when they had changed the seventh commandment to say the pigs were better than any of the rest of the farm animals. The theme of Animal Farm actually teaches me a lot about having a lot of power, or in this case having too much power and what to do with that power when you get it. When you have a lot of power you should keep the people you have power over in mind. This is one of the things Napoleon didn’t do.
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