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English Year 10 - Animal Farm: Home

A selection of resources to support Year 10 students studying 'Animal Farm'

Animal Farm

Key

Resource Key

When accessing content use the numbers below to guide you:

brief, basic information laid out in an easy-to-read format. May use informal language. (Includes most news articles)

provides additional background information and further reading. Introduces some subject-specific language.

lengthy, detailed information. Frequently uses technical/subject-specific language. (Includes most analytical articles)

Bookmark

Synopsis

Animal Farm - Synopsis

Old Major, a prize-winning boar, gathers the animals of the Manor Farm for a meeting in the big barn. He tells them of a dream he has had in which all animals live together with no human beings to oppress or control them. He tells the animals that they must work toward such a paradise and teaches them a song called “Beasts of England,” in which his dream vision is lyrically described. The animals greet Major’s vision with great enthusiasm. When he dies only three nights after the meeting, three younger pigs—Snowball, Napoleon, and Squealer—formulate his main principles into a philosophy called Animalism...continue reading ...

Film

Video

The top 3 things every student should know about Animal Farm:
(first 30 second is an advertisement)

Books in the Library

Ending

What does the ending mean?

At the end of Animal Farm, Pilkington and other human farmers come to eat dinner with the pigs at the farmhouse. As the other animals watch through the window, they find they are unable to tell pigs and humans apart. The pigs have started to dress and behave exactly like humans. The book’s final image expresses the animals’ realization that the pigs have become as cruel and oppressive as human farmers. The ending also makes the argument that political power is always the same, whoever has it and whatever ideology is used to justify it...continue reading...

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