“For George Orwell, politics … started and ended with
personal responsibility.”
The Economist, July 2002
“A voice is a human gift: it should be cherished and
used, to utter human speech as fully as possible. Powerlessness and silence go
together.”
Margaret
Atwood, Canadian novelist and poet
"Frightened though they were, some of the animals might have protested, but at this moment the sheep set up their usual bleating of 'Four legs good, two legs bad,' which went on for several minutes and put an end to the discussion."
Animal Farm, ch.7
For all who still believe a K-12
public school education should see our students first and foremost as future citizens—and not future workers—I recommend one book.
Too long since you last read it?
3. What is the role of dissent in maintaining a
free society?
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For all who are finding it difficult to manage classroom discussions on politics and current events, or Someone in Particular – discussions a teacher hopes will be honest and constructive, that suddenly cross the line and become partisan and nasty, I recommend this same book.
Great literature examines the abuse
of power; as English and History teachers we can explore texts from the Greeks
and Shakespeare—invariably tragedies—that focus on leaders. But for all who wish to focus on the rest of us and our role as citizens, I recommend one short novel. George Orwell’s Animal Farm.
My sixth-grade teacher read it aloud
to us – back in Cold War days, 1961. It
has been on the reading list at most of the schools, in four states, where I
taught. I loved teaching it here in
Colorado—one of the essential texts recommended for 8th graders in close to 40 Core
Knowledge middle schools in our state. Expectations for 21st century
learning often start with “critical thinking.” What is the price, when we lose
this faculty? Read this book!
If I were teaching it now, I would
focus on two kinds of citizens, and one key idea: responsibility.
Over the first few chapters, after the Rebellion, we see
how the animals lose their voice. Chapter 5 ends with the shifty mouthpiece for
the new Leader, Squealer, giving one of many false stories.
… The animals were not certain … but Squealer spoke
so persuasively, and the three dogs who happened to be with him growled so threateningly, that they accepted his
explanation without further questions.
After reading of the brutal executions in chapter 7—the
slaughter of the innocent “rebels”—we see how “the remaining animals, except
for the pigs and the dogs, crept away in a body. They were shaken and
miserable.” Orwell takes us inside the mind of one, Clover:
…
If she could have spoken her thoughts, it would have been to say that this was
not what they had aimed at when they had set themselves years ago to work for
the overthrow of the human race… Instead, she did not know why – they had come
to a time when no one dared speak his mind ….
I would focus on the silence of Boxer and Benjamin. The powerful
horse, Boxer represents one type of follower: loyal, hard-working, with more
faith in the leaders than in himself. He is introduced as “not of
first-rate intelligence.” In chapter 5,
told there would be no more Sunday meetings and debates, just weekly “orders”
from the Leader, “Even Boxer was troubled … but in the end he could not think
of anything to say.” It is far too easy
to call him “stupid.” What is it that makes
Boxer so obedient?
It is certainly
not fear. In chapter 7, his courage—or maybe his naiveté—allows Boxer to speak up and question the party line. When Squealer “makes
the necessary explanations”—more spin—for a new lie:
The animals
were stupefied… But it was minutes before they could fully take it in.… Even
Boxer, who seldom asked questions, was puzzled. He lay down, tucked his fore
hoofs beneath him shut his eyes, and with a hard effort managed to formulate
his thoughts.
“I do not
believe that,” he said.
Only to succumb. Squealer says:
“’Our Leader, Comrade Napoleon, has stated
categorically—categorically, comrade--….”
“Ah that is different!” said Boxer. “If
Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right.”
“That is the
true spirit, comrade!” cried Squealer, though it was noticed he cast a very
ugly look at Boxer with his twinkling eyes.
A few days later, with Napoleon eager to claim a win,
Squealer delivers more nonsense.
“What is the gun firing for?” said Boxer.
“To
celebrate our victory!”
“What
victory?” cried Boxer.
“What
victory Comrade? Have we not driven the enemy off our soil – the sacred soil of
Animal Farm?”
“But they
have destroyed the windmill. And we had worked on it for two years!” (ch. 8)
But Boxer will only go so far. If there is any misunderstanding—or apparent
untruth—the fault must lie with him alone.
Orwell portrays Boxer as a victim—and we do sympathize. (Several of my 8th-grade girls cried over his
death.) And yet we must ask: Does he choose to shut his mind to what he sees?
Is he in any way responsible for his
own tragic end?
.…
About the Rebellion and its results, he would express no opinion. When asked whether he was not happier now
that Jones was gone, he would say only “Donkeys live a long time….” (ch.3)
…
Benjamin could read as well as any pig, but never exercised his faculty. So far
as he knew, he said, there was nothing worth reading. (ch. 3)
… Benjamin, as usual, said that he refused to meddle in such
matters…. (ch. 8)
Detached, even
mocking. As when the enemy prepares to blow up the animals’ windmill:
… Benjamin was watching the
movements of the men intently … Slowly, and with an air of almost amusement, Benjamin
nodded his long muzzle.
“I thought so,” he said. “Do you not see
what they are doing?” (ch. 8)
Clearly, he is
not blind. But Orwell’s cautionary tale
asks us what Benjamin does with his
understanding.
… None
of the animals could form any idea as to what this meant, except old Benjamin,
who nodded his muzzle with a knowing air, and seemed to understand, but would
say nothing. (ch. 8)
If I were teaching Animal
Farm now, our class would examine the quote, above, from Margaret Atwood—a
power point I used with my 8th graders. I would ask what Animal Farm might be saying about a citizen
of this type—cynical, and silent. And
what it tells us that he speaks up only when it is too late.
… The animals were … astonished to see Benjamin
come galloping from the direction of the farm buildings, braying at the top of
his voice. It was the first time they had
ever seen Benjamin excited—indeed the first time that anyone had seen him
gallop. “Quick, quick!” he shouted. “Come at once! They’re taking Boxer away!” (ch.
9)
The animals—who
love Boxer—come running. The old
horse—working with his last ounce of strength—had fallen. The others do not see what Benjamin does.
After all, he can read.
“Fools! Fools!” shouted Benjamin, prancing
round them and stamping the earth with his small hoofs. “Fools! Do you not see what is written on the
side of that van?” … he read: “Alfred
Simmonds, Horse Slaughter and Glue Boiler.” (ch. 9)
Only then do the animals act, crying “Get out, Boxer, get
out!”
Only then does Boxer himself understand he is not being
taken to the veterinarian for care. He struggles in vain to kick his way
out. Too late….
Who now, we must ask, is the greatest fool?
Readers, our students, reach the final pages of this fable …
aghast that it ends like this. How is it possible, we would ask our class, that
whatever the Leader pronounces, no matter how absurd— “All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others”—can
stand, unchallenged?
After reading, no end of questions to discuss: What,
finally, is Orwell saying about the Boxers and Benjamins of the world? What is
a citizen’s responsibility? Especially,
perhaps, if we do not live in a totalitarian state like Animal Farm, where fear
can take away our voice. Is it our role—even
our duty—to keep our eyes open, to use whatever intelligence we have been
given, to seek the truth, to question?
Whatever our politics, Animal
Farm can inspire terrific class discussions. To be sure, I would recommend it at any
time—but especially now, in the fall of 2017.
**
FOR TEACHERS – Addendum includes handouts and assignments used with my 8th grade English classes.
Addendum
Animal Farm -
Guiding Questions
What
is totalitarianism?
How
do totalitarian rulers succeed?
What
strategies do they use and what kind of atmosphere do they create in order to
build and maintain control?
What
does Animal Farm have to say about the Russian Revolution?
About
many revolutions?
About
the use (or abuse) of power?
For
a society to be free, what is necessary?
To prevent
totalitarian leaders from succeeding, to prevent a society and its government
from becoming totalitarian, what should citizens do?
BEYOND THE TEXT
Animal Farm raises a number of other provocative questions:
How
can those in power manipulate or control people’s thinking?
What
role do fear and intimidation play in helping tyrants succeed?
Why
do people conform? Why do they fear challenging or protesting against a leader
who causes them to suffer?
Which
is more important to people – freedom or security?
What
role do propaganda and distortions of the truth play in helping tyrants
succeed?
Are
we all equal?
Is
creating equality for all a reasonable and worthy goal?
What
responsibility do human beings have to maintain freedom and human rights for
all?
What
responsibility in a democracy do citizens have to maintain freedom and human
rights for all?
What
is the role of dissent in maintaining a free society?
Is
it up to the government, or up to the people, to ensure that freedom and human
rights are upheld?
Are
there certain universal human rights all people and all countries should submit
to?
What
are they? (This can lead to a nice connection to the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights (1948) that students read among their five post WW II essays and
speeches in the Core Knowledge curriculum.)
Recommended:
02.18.15- CLOSE
READING CASE STUDY: ELLIE STRAND TEACHES ANIMAL FARM
Language 8
Character
Analysis – Animal Farm
Who
are they? Why do they act this way?
What
is the author saying about such “people”?
Writing between
350 and 500 words on two characters in Animal Farm
Due Tuesday
Not an essay –
these are simply two independent pieces, perhaps 200 words each, examining who
this character is, what he believes (does he believe in power? in his leader?
in himself? in nothing), how he approaches life (to please myself, please
others, or please no one), what human
qualities he represents, and what Orwell is saying about this type of
leader or citizen.
We have said that
in most fables animals are the main characters, but they are used to represent
human qualities and flaws. In Aesop’s
fables, for example, the fox and the crow, the hare and the tortoise, each
represents some aspect of human behavior.
Keep in mind that a fable usually criticizes certain human traits, so
even those of you who like Boxer and Benjamin, you should be sure to observe
and comment on what aspects of their character Orwell might be censuring. You should write about TWO of the following
four characters in Animal Farm.
Boxer Benjamin
Napoleon Squealer
______________
To help you get
started, here are some words we have discussed in class (or if we didn’t, that
we probably should have discussed in
class) in commenting on one or more of these characters. Looking at and perhaps using some of these
words might be helpful to you as you plan each paragraph and decide what
qualities you will describe.
Truth Lies Manipulation Intimidation
Control Power Tyrant Distorts
truth
Domination Compromise Intelligent Unintelligent
(stupid)
Cynic Believe Resist Rebel
Slave Brainwashing Blame Responsibility
Surrender Freedom Questions Think
Selfish Unselfish Cruel Obedient
Fear Blind Apathetic Ruthless
Animal Farm
1. Did you like the ending of the book? Why or why not? If not, how would you have preferred to have
it end, and why?
2. Did you think the ending seemed appropriate,
given what we know about Napoleon’s power over the animals, and how most traces
or hints of rebellion had largely been removed from the farm? Or did you think a rebellion by the animals
against Napoleon would have been the appropriate ending, and if so, why?
3. What is Orwell’s point in having the animals
not only behave but even look like humans at the end? What is he trying to say about the Rebellion? What might that be saying about the Russian
Revolution that brought an end to the Romanov dynasty and the czars’ rule of
several hundred years?
4. Poetic justice is a term you should know and
be able to use about the literature you read.
It means, reward for virtue and punishment for vice. It is a concept that is found in many books,
plays, stories, and movies. Goodness
gets rewarded in some fashion, and bad or evil actions or behavior are
punished.
In Animal
Farm, we see no reward for virtue or any punishment for vice. You could say, the bad guys win! Why does Orwell do this? Why does he leave
the reader with the “bad guys” in charge, with little hope for change?
5. In studying fables we said some give advice,
and some give a warning. Is Animal
Farm
trying to
give advice? If so, what kind of
advice? To whom? If it is a warning, what is the warning? To
whom is the warning being directed?
