Responding, Animal Farm Chapters 1-4

Personal Response

What is your reaction to the animals' revolution?

It is quite amazing how the animals want to start their own revolution. I was thinking that it would be easy for the animals to start the revolution, but it would be hard to continue it, especially if they are living by the 'laws' set by Old Major, as they would not have the needed gold and resources. It makes me want to read on.

Do you sympathize with the animals' complaints and goals? Why or why not?

Yes, I sympathize with the animals' complaints and goals. Mr Jones and his men had really gone too far in maltreating the animals. It would be perfectly normal for the animals to want to fight for their own freedom under such circumstances.

Analyzing Literature
Recall and Interpret

1. Describe how the rebellion takes place. How does the animals' behaviour during the Rebellion suggest both human and animal characteristics?

The animals became very rowdy after they had not been fed for days. The animals then barged into the barn in search for food. When Mr Jones and his men found out what had happened, they went to stop the animals, but because of the animals' anger at that time, they bravely stood up against them and drove them out of the farm. The animals suggest the characteristics of both human and animals as they became rowdy after they had not gotten their food, and they could do anything like barging into the barn in search for food. It depicts human characteristics too as humans would get rowdy if they do not get food, and they would be desperate and would not be afraid of anythings to get food if they were not given food for days.

2. How do the pigs gain the tights to the cow's milk? Why do the other animals allow this to occur? What doest this event suggest about the hierarchy on the farm?

The pigs were the 'thinkers' of the farm and they needed brain power, and milk, as stated by Squealer, would help boost their brain power, and thus, the pigs gain the rights to the cow's milk. The other animals allowed this to occur as they did not want Jones to come back, as Squealer said, if the pigs could not think and plan properly, Mr Jones would come back, and none of the animals would want this to happen, therefore, they allowed this to occur. This shows that no one in the farm dares to doubt the pigs.

3. How does the original version of Animalism become the slogan "Four legs good, two legs bad"? In your opinion, do the animals want rules with simple language? What kind of language do the pigs use?

The pigs realised that the original vision were too long and hard for the animals to remember and understand, thus they reduced it to an easier slogan. I think the animals want rules with simple language, but the pigs use complicated and deep English.