11 Animal Farm Discussion Questions

11 Animal Farm Discussion Questions Since  George Orwells 1945 novel Animal Farm is such a complex work, you can better understand its themes and plot devices with a list of study and discussion questions. Use these questions as a guide to writing an essay about the book, but for context, first, make sure you understand the gist of the story and its related history. Animal Farm in Context In short, the novel is an allegory that depicts the rise of Josef Stalin and communism in the former Soviet Union. Orwell was dismayed by the favorable image of World War II era and the post-war Soviet Union. He viewed the USSR as a brutal dictatorship whose people were suffering under Stalins rule. In addition, Orwell was angered by what he viewed as acceptance of the Soviet Union by Western countries. Given this, Stalin, Hitler, and Karl Marx are all represented in the novel, which ends with the famous quote: â€Å"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.†Ã‚   With the context of the book in mind, prepare to answer the discussion questions below. You can review them before you read the book, as you read it or afterward. In any case, looking at these questions will improve your comprehension of the material. Questions for Review Animal Farm is considered one of the most important works of 20th-century literature. The answers to these  questions reveal why the book has endured for generations. Discuss the questions with your classmates or friend whos familiar with the book. You may have somewhat different takes on the novel, but discussing what youve read is a great way to really connect with the material. What is important about the title?Why do you think Orwell chose to represent political figures as animals? Why did he choose a farm as the novels setting?What if Orwell had chosen jungle animals  or animals who live in the ocean to represent his characters?Is it important to know the world history of the mid- and late 1940s to fully understand what Orwell is trying to portray?Animal Farm has been described as a dystopian novel. What are some other examples of fictional works with dystopian settings?Compare  Animal Farm with Orwells other famous cautionary tale, 1984. How similar are the messages of these two works?Which symbols are featured in Animal Farm? Are they easily recognized by readers who dont know the historical context of the novel?Can you discern an authorial voice (a character who speaks the authors point of view) in Animal Farm?How essential is the setting to the story? Could the story have taken place anywhere else?Does the story end the way you expected? What othe r outcomes could there have been for Animal Farm? What would a sequel to Animal Farm have looked like? Were Orwells fears about Stalin realized?