Pre-Reading NotesPre-Reading Notes

Animal FarmAnimal Farm

Anticipation Guide: Journal Anticipation Guide: Journal PromptsPrompts

1. Which do you think is a more powerful medium for political 1. Which do you think is a more powerful medium for political voice, a charged political essay or a fictitious fable?voice, a charged political essay or a fictitious fable?

2. Do religion and politics belong together?2. Do religion and politics belong together?

3. Are you a political revolutionary or political drop-out?3. Are you a political revolutionary or political drop-out?

4. Are you influenced by political propaganda? What are 4. Are you influenced by political propaganda? What are examples of political propaganda today?examples of political propaganda today?

5. Is it good to re-write History? Why do some attempt to re-write 5. Is it good to re-write History? Why do some attempt to re-write History?History?

6. How important is literacy to intellectual, political, and other 6. How important is literacy to intellectual, political, and other kinds of freedom?kinds of freedom?

propagandapropaganda

devices used to persuade someone devices used to persuade someone to do somethingto do something

many times uses many times uses lieslies or or exaggeration exaggeration in order to make a pointin order to make a point

Propaganda #1Propaganda #1

How might this image have an effect on others?

Propaganda #2Propaganda #2

How might this image have an effect on others?

satiresatire

writing that uses humor to ridicule writing that uses humor to ridicule problems in a societyproblems in a society

often stories are used to bring about often stories are used to bring about warnings or hopes of changewarnings or hopes of change

Modern Example: SNL’s political skitsModern Example: SNL’s political skits

Satire Example #1Satire Example #1

Do you understand what is being made fun of?

How might this influence change?

Satire Example #2Satire Example #2

Do you understand what is being made fun of?

How might this influence change?

George OrwellGeorge Orwell As a child he was sent to an As a child he was sent to an

expensive prep school in England as a expensive prep school in England as a “charity case” “charity case”

Therefore, he was often abused by his Therefore, he was often abused by his peers because he was teased for peers because he was teased for being poor and felt like a failurebeing poor and felt like a failure

Realized those with money often Realized those with money often make many of the rules in lifemake many of the rules in life

Getting involved as an Getting involved as an adult…adult…

Traveled to Spain to write for a Traveled to Spain to write for a newspaper and joined a military group newspaper and joined a military group fighting for freedom against the gov’t fighting for freedom against the gov’t (backed by the Communists) (backed by the Communists)

Later when the communist party gained Later when the communist party gained more power, they outlawed the military more power, they outlawed the military group he had once been part ofgroup he had once been part of

Orwell felt let down by CommunistsOrwell felt let down by Communists

During World War II…During World War II…

Worked for England’s BBC which was Worked for England’s BBC which was in charge of using propaganda to in charge of using propaganda to make “our side” look goodmake “our side” look good

BBC told him to make communists BBC told him to make communists look good (Because Russia wanted to look good (Because Russia wanted to join forces on “our side”)join forces on “our side”)

Wrote Wrote Animal FarmAnimal Farm during during

the closing years of the warthe closing years of the war

Rejected..Rejected.. The book was rejected four times before The book was rejected four times before

finally being published in 1945finally being published in 1945

Shortly after the war, people began to Shortly after the war, people began to see that Communism was not see that Communism was not necessarily as good as it once soundednecessarily as good as it once sounded

Animal Farm satires the idea that a Animal Farm satires the idea that a

perfect society is impossible, because perfect society is impossible, because

ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELYABSOLUTELY