Active Reading, Animal Farm Chapters 5-7

Orwell’s characters and narrator use language to communicate hidden agendas. Sometimes Orwell hints that language should be carefully questioned, other times it’s up to the reader to notice. As you read Chapters 5 through 7, complete the chart below by filling in some examples of manipulative communication. Then state what you think the language really means.


The Words:
In future all questions relating to the working of the farm would be settled by a special committee of pigs presided over by himself

What They Really Mean:
Napoleon is going to make all the decisions from now on.


The words:
This work (to work on Sundays) was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself would have his rations reduced by half.

What They Really Mean:
Animals were forced to do work on Sundays.


The Words:
For the time being, certainly, it had been found necessary to make a readjustment of rations.

What They Really Mean:
It was found necessary to reduce rations.


The Words:
It was noticed that the sheep were especially liable to break into "Four legs good, two legs bad" at crucial moments in Snowball's speeches.

What They Really Mean:
The sheep were helping Napoleon.


The Words:
It was absolutely necessary, he said, that the pigs, who were the brains of the farm should have a quiet place to work in.

What They Really Mean:
The pigs are able to gain excess to do things in more comfortable areas, like the farmhouse.


The Words:
It was announced that from now on the pigs would get up an hour later in the mornings than the other animals.

What They Really Mean:
This means that the pigs are able to sleep more than the other animals, and they get to work lesser at that.


The Words:
They (the dogs) kept close to Napoleon. It was noticed that they wagged their tails to him in the same way as the other dogs had been used to do to Mr Jones.

What They Really Mean:
The dogs were Napoleon's.