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Test yourself on themes in Animal Farm.

Animal Farm - Themes

Explore the main themes of Animal Farm, from power and class to education, propaganda and responsibility, and see how they shape the animals’ revolution from hope to betrayal.

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Fascinating Fact:

Education and ignorance decide outcomes. Literacy lets pigs rule, the flock’s ignorance keeps them ruled.

In GCSE English Literature, themes in Animal Farm link the story to real politics. Power, class, education and propaganda all show how a hopeful revolution turns into harsh dictatorship.

Key Terms

Theme: A central idea in a text, such as power, corruption or equality, explored through characters, events and setting.
Propaganda: Biased or misleading information used to control opinion, often repeated in slogans or speeches.
Class: Social groups divided by wealth, work or status, such as leaders, workers and the powerless.

Frequently Asked Questions (click to see answers)

What are the main themes in Animal Farm for GCSE?

Key themes include power and corruption, class and inequality, the importance of education, the danger of propaganda, and the betrayal of ideals after revolution.

How does Orwell show power and corruption in Animal Farm?

Orwell shows power and corruption through the pigs, who slowly take control of decisions, change rules, use fear and reward, and finally behave like the humans they replaced.

How is education and ignorance presented as a theme?

The pigs learn to read and write, so they control the commandments and information. Most animals stay uneducated, so they cannot question lies, which keeps them easily controlled.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .

When the animals gather in the harvest after they successfully oust Mr Jones, the pigs "did not actually work, but directed and supervised the others". What does this statement indicate to the reader?

The pigs might have a tendency to laziness

The pigs do not know how to cut or rake the hay

The other animals dislike being told what to do

All of the above

Intelligence and laziness are shown to coexist quite comfortably both in pigs and in human beings. The pigs use their intelligence to guide and direct the other animals

2 .

Boxer nearly crushes the head of the dog who unexpectedly attacks him, looking first to Napoleon for instructions. To which of the following themes does this episode relate?

The innate violence of the working class

The unpredictability of the working class

The power of the working class

All of the above

Napoleon overreaches himself in attempting to get rid of Boxer as easily as he has the ringleaders of the hen rebellion killed. Nevertheless, Boxer is placid and is in no danger of leading a rebellion even against the dictatorial Napoleon

3 .

Which of the animals models idealism?

Snowball

Benjamin

Napoleon

Boxer

Snowball's idealism is very attractive for the other animals. His idealism falls, however, to Napoleon's willingness to use violence and intimidation in his pursuit of power

4 .

"I trust that every animal here appreciates the sacrifice that Comrade Napoleon has made in taking this extra labour upon himself. Do not imagine, comrades, that leadership is a pleasure! On the contrary, it is a deep and heavy responsibility." Which of the following is true of Napoleon's pursuit of power?

Napoleon seeks power in order to provide the greatest benefit to all animals

Napoleon finds the exercise of power very burdensome

Napoleon ruthlessly pursues power, but wishes to portray himself as leading for the common good

Napoleon feels forced to take the position of leader since no one else is capable

Napoleon reveals himself as ruthless and as a liar. His bid for power also demonstrates the influence he has over many of the animals, including Squealer

5 .

How do Snowball and Napoleon differ in their views on the importance of education?

Snowball believes in educating all the animals, while Napoleon does not wish for any animal to be educated

Snowball believes in educating all the animals to the best of their ability, while Napoleon only believes in educating the young

Snowball believes only in the indoctrination of beliefs, while Napoleon believes every animal should have an equal education

Snowball and Napoleon share the same views on education

Napoleon believes in educating particular groups for particular purposes. The dogs are trained to recognise and attack his enemies and the sheep are brainwashed into obedience and the repetition of simple phrases. Proper education is planned for the litters of piglets when they are born

6 .

Which of the following characterises the relationship between Animal Farm and its neighbours?

Friendly cooperation

Wise diplomacy

Enmity

Cautious trust

The existence of outside enmity allows Napoleon greater control over the other animals. The animals always have an enemy to fear, even when this enemy changes seemingly randomly according to the whim of Napoleon

7 .

Animals on other farms begin to sing "Beasts of England". Why?

The animals believe the stories about the terrible happenings on the farm and sing the song for reassurance

Napoleon secretly travels around the neighbouring farms, encouraging the animals to rebel

They have been ordered to sing the song as a mockery of Animal Farm

The vision of a farm run by animals for themselves, on a basis of equality, is very attractive

Orwell presents an attractive vision of an idealised socialist state before those ideals are crushed by the leaders' desire to gather power to themselves

8 .

Which of the following describes the text's presentation of language?

Language is not important in comparison to physical strength

Language is only important for sharing factual information, but not for songs and stories

Control over language ensures that goodness and right will triumph

Control over language allows control over history

Words are strictly controlled: the commandments are changed, animals' memories are replaced with new versions of history and some language is banished (including the censorship of "Beasts of England")

9 .

How does Moses's story of Sugarcandy Mountain function?

The promise of Sugarcandy Mountain encourages the animals to work hard and to teach Animalism to animals throughout the region

The promise of Sugarcandy Mountain displaces the animals' hope for a better future to an abstract reward after death

The promise of Sugarcandy Mountain inspires the animals to revolt

Sugarcandy Mountain is an enlightening story which encourages the animals to organise and to question their leader

Promises of a better place to be found after death work as well under Napoleon's totalitarian regime as under Mr Jones's. Moses represents anyone who preaches religion as a means of controlling a population and making people content with injustice in life

10 .

The behaviour of the pigs is motivated primarily by which of the following?

Greed

A belief in justice

Anger

Foolishness

The pigs always make choices determined by greed, whether in sleeping on comfortable beds, living in the farmhouse, drinking whisky or reserving windfall apples for themselves. They find ever more inventive ways to justify their choices to the other animals

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Themes

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