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Animal Farm - Language

Explore how Orwell’s language shapes power in Animal Farm. This quiz practises spotting key phrases, slogans and imagery that reveal control, rebellion and fear.

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Fascinating Fact:

Animal imagery carries character. Boxer’s maxims show loyalty, the sheep’s bleating shows blind obedience.

In GCSE English Literature, close language analysis is vital. This Animal Farm quiz helps you notice imagery, slogans, repetition and word choices so you can explain how Orwell presents power, manipulation and resistance across the novel.

Key Terms

Imagery: Descriptive language that creates clear pictures or strong impressions in a reader’s mind.
Rhetoric: Persuasive language techniques, such as repetition or questions, used to influence an audience.
Maxim: A short statement, often repeated, that sums up a belief, rule or attitude, like a personal motto.

Frequently Asked Questions (click to see answers)

How do I analyse language in Animal Farm for GCSE?

Start by choosing a short quotation, pick out key words, then comment on connotations, tone and any techniques, linking your ideas to power, control or propaganda in the story.

What are important slogans and phrases in Animal Farm?

Key examples include the Seven Commandments, Boxer’s hard working mottos and later chants shouted by the sheep. These short phrases show how language keeps animals loyal yet confused.

How can I write about imagery and symbolism in Animal Farm?

When you spot striking images, explain what they literally show, then explore what they symbolise in terms of revolution, class or dictatorship, and link this to Orwell’s wider message.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .

"Curiously enough, Clover had not remembered that the Fourth Commandment mentioned sheets; but as it was there on the wall, it must have done so. And Squealer, who happened to be passing at this moment, attended by two or three dogs, was able to put the whole matter in its proper perspective." Which of the following phrases does NOT appear as reassuring?

"Happened to be passing"

"Attended by two or three dogs"

"Whole matter"

"Proper perspective"

The style of narration in these two sentences first creates unease, then the acceptance of the existence of words as proof that the commandment had not been remembered correctly. The association of reassuring phrases with the appearance of Squealer conveys his constant surveillance of the thoughts and beliefs of the other animals on the farm

2 .

"Hitherto the animals had had little or no contact with Whymper on his weekly visits: now, however, a few selected animals, mostly sheep, were instructed to remark casually in his hearing that rations had been increased." The phrase "instructed to remark casually" is an example of which of the following?

Metaphor

Simile

Juxtaposition

Assonance

"Instructed" and "remark casually" contradict one another. The content of the instruction, its purpose and its method are all instances of deceit, a prevalent feature of the farm almost from the moment of its inception

3 .

"Yes, it was theirs — everything that they could see was theirs! In the ecstasy of that thought they gambolled round and round, they hurled themselves into the air in great leaps of excitement. They rolled in the dew, they cropped mouthfuls of the sweet summer grass, they kicked up clods of the black earth and snuffed its rich scent." Which words convey the animals' sense of ecstasy and excitement here?

Thought, air, leaps, dew, grass, clods, earth, scent

Great, sweet, summer, black, rich

Gambolled, hurled, rolled, kicked, snuffed

Everything, theirs, round, mouthfuls, up

The verbs are active and chosen to provide a vivid image of the animals' great joy. Most of the other words illustrate the natural wonders filling the animals with ecstasy

4 .

"Clover's old dim eyes flitted from one face to another. Some of them had five chins, some had four, some had three. But what was it that seemed to be melting and changing?" Why is the number of chins significant here?

The men and pigs are growing extra chins while the other animals watch

The multiple chins represent greed

The multiple chins represent deceitfulness

The number of chins represents differences in respectability

The most striking similarity in looks between the men and the pigs is the multiple chins each one has, designating their greed. Greed brings them together, along with their negative actions, such as lying, which are also motivated by greed

5 .

"They listened in astonishment while Snowball conjured up pictures of fantastic machines which would do their work for them while they grazed at their ease in the fields or improved their minds with reading and conversation." What effect does the use of the word "conjure" have here?

It makes the idea of such labour-saving machines seem like illusions

It implies that Snowball might be like a magician misleading an audience

It reminds the audience of the powerful effect of Snowball's words

All of the above

To the animals, machines which could accomplish all of their work for them belong in the realm of magic

6 .

"On Sunday mornings Squealer, holding down a long strip of paper with his trotter, would read out to them lists of figures proving that the production of every class of foodstuff had increased by two hundred per cent, three hundred percent, or five hundred per cent, as the case might be. The animals saw no reason to disbelieve him, especially since they could no longer remember very clearly what conditions had been like before the Rebellion." Which phrase implies that the animals are suspicious of Squealer?

"As the case might be"

"The animals saw no reason to disbelieve him"

"They could no longer remember very clearly"

All of the above

By mentioning the possibility of disbelief, Orwell draws attention to the way that the animals are compelled to question Squealer and his figures (at least in the privacy of their thoughts), even if they subsequently decide to believe him

7 .

"If they went hungry, it was not from feeding tyrannical human beings; if they worked hard, at least they worked for themselves." How could the tone of this sentence best be described?

Optimistic

Bitter

As one of weary resignation

Rebellious

By the end of the novella, the animals have resigned themselves to their dreary lives, hoping for better days. Their one consolation is that they do not work for human beings any longer and have no master

8 .

"Napoleon ended his speech with his usual cry of 'Long live Animal Farm!' and after the singing of 'Beasts of England' the animals were dismissed." What is implied by the use of the word "dismissed"?

It hints that the animals are becoming bored with singing "Beasts of England"

It hints that "Beasts of England" might be replaced by another anthem

It reminds the reader of the order and discipline which make the farm successful

It highlights the fact that the animals are no longer equal

After Napoleon becomes the leader, the animals are ordered around rather than encouraged

9 .

"The stupidest questions of all were asked by Mollie, the white mare." In using the word "stupidest", the narrator speaks from whose viewpoint?

Mollie's

The sheep only

The consensus of pro-rebellion animals

George Orwell's own viewpoint

An unspecified consensus of animals agrees that Mollie's questions are stupid. Throughout the novella, the narrator voices the thoughts and perceptions of the pro-rebellion animals, but never those of the pigs or the sheep, who are only observed from the outside

10 .

"Then Napoleon stood up to reply. He said very quietly that the windmill was nonsense and that he advised nobody to vote for it, and promptly sat down again; he had spoken for barely thirty seconds, and seemed almost indifferent to the effect he produced." Considering the imminent appearance of Napoleon's private security force, the dogs, what is the effect of the description of him speaking "very quietly"?

The phrase shows Napoleon to be gentle and kindly

The phrase shows Napoleon's actions to be shockingly at odds with his outward manner

The phrase is consistent with Napoleon's belief in consensus

The phrase demonstrates that Napoleon is defeated and depressed

Napoleon's disdain for reasoned argument and persuasion is chilling

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Form, structure and language

Author: Sheri Smith (PhD English Literature, English Teacher & Quiz Writer)