1. Literary Heritage Prose A664
Animal Farm
George Orwell
You will have a choice of two questions and 45 minutes to answer. This is
one half of the exam – the other being unseen contemporary poetry.

2. Showing an understanding of the
story and its possible interpretations.
Choose quotes that
support the point AO1 Respond to texts critically and imaginatively;
you have made and select and evaluate relevant textual detail to
then analyse what
illustrate and support interpretations.
that quote reveals
about the AO2 Explain how language, structure and form
story/characters and contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas,
how a reader might themes and settings.
respond to those
ideas.
Language: The words on the page. Orwell’s descriptions of
Give a characters/setting/action and what the characters actually say.
detailed Structure: The way the story has been put together. The order of
analysis. events within the story. The significance of the extract in terms of the
whole novel. The significance of the type of characters used. How the story
is told.
Form: The overall shape of the story as a whole. The type of story it is.

3. How is this part of the exam marked?
A band 1 response:
AO1 AO2 QWC
•sophisticated critical •sensitive understanding of •text is legible
perception in response to and the significance and effects of •spelling, punctuation and
interpretation of text(s) writers’ choices of language, grammar are accurate and
•cogent and precise evaluation structure and form assured
of relevant detail from the •meaning is very clearly
text(s) communicated
REMEMBER: Quality of Written Communication is assessed in this paper.
You are expected to:
•ensure that text is legible and that spelling, punctuation and grammar
are accurate so that meaning is clear;
•present information in a form that suits its purpose;
•use a suitable structure and style of writing.

4. GRADE D/E GRADE C GRADE A
Simply repeats your Makes a point and Makes a point, embeds
idea supports it with a a quote and develops
quote your idea
When Napoleon gives When Napoleon gives The ‘terrible baying sound
the signal, there is the the signal, terror is outside’ heightens the
sound of the dogs heightened through the terror of Snowball’s
barking outside the description of the expulsion from the farm
barn, ‘there was a ‘terrible baying sound and also emphasises the
terrible baying sound outside’. animals’ confusion at
outside’. what unfolds before
them, building the tension
before the dogs actually
appear in the barn.

5. The words on the page
Words used to describe characters, actions, places
and the speech between characters.
• What does the language used reveal about the
characters, setting or action?
• How does the language used make the reader feel or
respond to the characters or themes presented?
Using quotes:
• Always use quotation marks, even if you are just quoting one word.
• Do not use a quote that just repeats what you have already written,
it should develop your point.
• Fit the quotation into your sentence.

6. The way the story has been put together
The novel’s narrative structure
• It parallels the RUSSIAN REVOLUTION: it is a political allegory. The farm
represents Russia; Napoleon represents Stalin; the Battle of the Windmill
is when Germany invaded Russia. The book charts the corruption of
Major’s ideals in stages; making complex political events easy for the
reader to understand.
• Narrative Voice: Third person; omnipotent; detached; trustworthy; acts as
a typical storyteller, unfolding the story for us.
• Cyclical Structure: Life ends up just as bad as it was at the beginning.
IN AN EXTRACT BASED QUESTION Your answer should consider
these points:
• What is significant about this particular moment in relation to the whole story?
• Does the extract hint at something yet to happen in the story?
• What is revealed about a character, relationship or a theme and how is it
revealed?

7. The type of story it is
It is an ALLEGORY: a story with two different meanings. A
straightforward surface meaning is used to reveal a
deeper political meaning underneath
It is a POLITICAL SATIRE: an attack on dictatorships and
the way in which they seized and held onto power. A
satire works by attacking an idea to make it look stupid
and ridiculous.
Other ideas you can write about:
A FAIRYSTORY: Orwell subverts the expected form of a fairystory.
Good is punished and bad is rewarded, there is no happy ending.
A BEAST FABLE: Animals used to teach moral points to children.
Ambiguous ending – we don’t know how life will turn out for the
animals.

8. An Extract Based Question
Just like in an ‘Journey’s End’ you need to show that
you are able to analyse in detail a key moment in the
story and comment on its significance to events and
themes in the rest of the novel.

9. Answering an exam question
• Choose a question - there will be a choice between an extract based and a
discursive question.
• Underline the key words in the question. Keep using these key words in your
answer, at least once per paragraph, this will help to keep you on track; make sure
everything you do focuses on these key words. The wording from the question
should feature at the start of each paragraph.
• Aim to write at least 5 developed paragraphs – a purposeful opening in which the
focus of the question is introduced and, in an extract based question, you ground
the extract in the novel; 3 developed PEARL paragraphs; and a relevant and well-
reasoned conclusion.
• Spend 10 minutes planning your answer: what will you write about?
– If there is more than one strand to the question, try to address each equally. Depending on
the question, try to answer with 2 points per strand.
– Make a list of the key points (no more than a few words per point) that will help you answer
the question.
– Select relevant textual detail to illustrate EVERY one of your points.
– For each significant moment in the novel you are analysing in detail, mindmap the context of
the ‘moment’.
– In an extract based question Consider the context of the extract within the novel: what has
just happened/what will happen next; which characters are in this extract; what the characters
know; how the characters are feeling; what the reader knows; what the reader is likely to be
feeling.
– Focus on the READER and the ways in which reader reactions are influenced (the R of PEARL).
– Avoid over-simplified character analysis – try to explore alternative interpretations of the
characters and the ways in which the author uses the character.

10. Key Point Reference Link to the rest of the novel
Your answer must be A reference can be a Even if you are focusing on a few key
organised. direct quote, a moments from the novel, you must also
Remember the paraphrasing of a quote bring in other parts. When completing your
PEARL structure for or a brief description of plan, try to think of where you can use other
each of your key the structure/action/ parts of the novel to explain/ justify/ provide
point paragraphs. plot. further evidence/ contradict your key point.
Key points can be In a discursive question: Don’t do this for
organised by: every key point – only where it is relevant.
•Chronological order
•Character (one at a In an extract based question: The key points
time) based on the extract will form the spine of
•Method (e.g. one the answer – and must account for 4/5 of
section on structure, your response. However you must also
one on language, one bring in other parts of the novel. This
on form OR one of should account for 1/5 of your answer.
characters, one on Don’t write this as a separate paragraph but
themes, one on integrate this into your key points.
style...)
AIM TO HAVE 3-4 KEY POINTS.

11. Plan your answer to this
extract-based question
In what way does Orwell
powerfully depict the relationship
between the pigs and the other
animals in this extract?

12. In what way does Orwell powerfully depict the relationship between the pigs and the other
animals in this extract?
They had won, but they were weary and bleeding. Slowly they began to limp back towards the farm. The sight of their dead comrades
stretched upon the grass moved some of them to tears. And for a little while they halted in sorrowful silence at the place where the
windmill had once stood. Yes, it was gone; almost the last trace of their labour was gone! Even the foundations were partially destroyed.
And in rebuilding it they could not this time, as before, make use of the fallen stones. This time the stones had vanished too. The force of
the explosion had flung them to distances of hundreds of yards. It was as though the windmill had never been.
As they approached the farm Squealer, who had unaccountably been absent during the fighting, came skipping towards them, whisking his
tail and beaming with satisfaction. And the animals heard, from the direction of the farm buildings, the solemn booming of a gun.
‘What is that gun firing for?' said Boxer.
'To celebrate our victory" cried Squealer.
'What victory?' said Boxer. His knees were bleeding, he had lost a shoe and split his hoof, and a dozen pellets had lodged themselves in his
hindleg.
'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!’
'What matter? We will build another windmill. We will build six windmills if we feel like it. You do not appreciate, comrade, the mighty
things that we have done. The enemy was in occupation of this very ground that we stand upon. And now - thanks to the leadership of
Comrade Napoleon - we have won every inch of it back again!'
'Then we have won back what we had before,' said Boxer.
'That is our victory,' said Squealer.
They limped into the yard. The pellets under the skin of Boxer's leg smarted painfully. He saw ahead of him the heavy labour of rebuilding
the windmill from the foundations, and already in imagination he braced himself for the task. But for the first time it occurred to him that
he was eleven years old and that perhaps his great muscles were not quite what they had once been.

13. In what way does Orwell
powerfully depict the In Animal Farm, Orwell powerfully depicts the
relationship between the pigs relationship between the pigs and the other animals
and the other animals in this through their conversations on the farm. In this
extract? extract, when Squealer says ‘We will build another
windmill. We will build six windmills if we feel like
Point it’ we are shown how little he cares about Boxer’s
Evidence injuries by not even acknowledging them. Squealer
doesn’t mention how he, or any of the pigs, will be
Analysis
participating in rebuilding the windmill and his
Reader response words are indicative of the growing divide between
Link back to question the ruling class and the workers on the farm. His
repetition of the word ‘we’ is ironic, especially as
Squealer himself did nothing to help the building of
the windmill and was ‘unaccountably absent’ from
the fighting. The reader is made to feel sympathetic
towards Boxer’s situation as we know that the
burden will fall on him to rebuild, and we begin to
realise that his situation in life, and that of the other
animals, is only going to get worse under the pigs
rule. The relationship between the pigs and the
other animals is quite clearly depicted as problematic.

14. Now you try:
Choose another part of the text that
Point shows the relationship between the
Evidence pigs and the other animals.
Analysis Construct a PEARL paragraph.
Reader response
• Make a clear POINT
Link back to question • Remember to choose EVIDENCE that develops
your point.
• Most of your writing should be in the
ANALYSIS, developing your point and
commenting on the language used.
• Comment on the effect of this language and/or
idea on the READER.
• Your last sentence should LINK back using
words from the question.

15. Plan your answer to this
discursive question
How does Orwell vividly portray the
importance of the sheep and dogs
in Animal Farm? Remember to
support your ideas with details from
the novel.

16. How does Orwell use language to show the
differences or similarities between the
animals and the human beings?
Language analysis and
PEARL Paragraphing

17. How does Orwell use language to show the
differences or similarities between the animals
and the human beings?
“worthless parasitical human beings”
What does the word ‘parasitical’ suggest?
And ‘worthless’?
What other quotation could be used to support this one? –
consider what Major said in his speech to the animals.
What is Orwell doing by describing the humans in this way?

18. How does Orwell use language to show the
differences or similarities between the animals
and the human beings?
“worthless parasitical human beings”
Strong adjective
Provokes feelings of distaste and dislike
Living off other creatures!
Describing the humans using negative adjectives for impact.

19. PEARL paragraph
Orwell uses language to show the differences between the
humans and the animals by describing the humans using
negative adjectives for impact, “worthless parasitical human
beings”. The strong adjective “parasitical” implies the humans
are creatures who live off other animals and provokes feelings
of distaste and dislike from the reader because a parasite is an
insect that sucks the blood (or life) out of another creature.
Orwell’s manipulation of language here is further reiterated
through Major’s speech “Man is the only creature that
consumes without producing”.
(Continue this analysis)

20. How does Orwell use language to show the
differences or similarities between the animals
and the human beings?
By using the adjective “worthless”, Orwell
conveys his thoughts about the humans and
paints a negative image for the reader…
Colour code your own PEARL paragraph,
ensuring your paragraph is detailed and the
analysis is thorough.