Animal Farm Chapter V (5)

1. What was really wrong with Mollie?  Mollie missed her old life.

2. What rumours were there about Molly?  She was between the shafts of a dogcart.  She was stroked and fed by a human.  Her coat was newly clipped.  She had a scarlot ribbon in her forelock.  She appeared to be enjoying herself.

3. Why was Clover upset with Molly’s behaviour?  Molly was betraying the ideals of Animal Farm.

4. What was democratic about Animal Farm?  The animals could vote for the plans that were implemented.

5. In what ways were Snowball better than Napoleon and visa versa?  Snowball had more schemes to improve the farm.  Snowball won over the majority with his brilliant speeches.  Napoleon canvassed support for himself.

6. What dreams did Snowball have for Animal Farm?  Snowball talked about field-drains, silage and basic slag.  He worked out a complicated scheme for fertilization.  He wanted to build a windmill which would provide electrical power, milking machines, heating in stalls.  Machines would do the work for the animals.

7. How active was Napoleon?  Napoleon produced no schemes.  He wanted to improve food production.  Napoleon wanted to buy weapons so they could protect the farm.

8. What did Snowball say would the advantages of the Windmill be? The windmill would:  Supply the farm with electrical power  Run a circular saw  Run a chaff cutter  The animals could graze in the fields and improve their minds by reading

9. Why was Napoleon against the windmill?  He said the windmill would decrease their food production while they were building it.

10. Which slogans developed because of this?  Vote for Snowball and the three day week.  Vote for Napoleon and the full manger.

11. What was Benjamin’s view?  He refused to believe either that food would become more plentiful or that the windmill would save work.  Windmill or no windmill, he said, life would go on as it had always gone on – that is, badly.

12. What was the different views of Snowball and Napoleon of how the farm must be defended?  Napoleon said the animals had to procure fire-arms and train themselves.  If they could not defend themselves they would be conquered.  Snowball said they must send out more pigeons and stir up rebellion among the animals on the other farms.  If the rebellion happened everywhere they would have no need to defend themselves.

13. Why did the animals feel that Snowball’s idea of the windmill was great?  He painted a picture of Animal Farm as it might be when animals did not have to work anymore.  His imagination made the animals believe they were going to have a royal time.

14. What do the nine dogs represent in history?  The military/ police/ KGB

15. Why did the dogs behave in such a peculiar way towards Napoleon?  Napoleon trained them to accept him as their only master.

16. Why do you think did Napoleon abolish debates?  He wanted to make all the decisions.

17. How did Squealer explain the exile of Snowball and Napoleon’s new rule?  Napoleon made a sacrifice by becoming a leader.  He believed all animals were equal.  He didn’t want the animals to make the wrong decisions.  He also said Snowball was a criminal and bad decisions would bring Jones back.

18. What was Boxer’s maxim for Napoleon. Why was this a dangerous maxim?  Napoleon is always right.  It gives Napoleon room to make any law and Boxer will follow him.

19. Why was the skull of Major disinterred from the orchard and placed on a stick so the animals could march past it?  They were reminded of Major’s ideals and it implies that Napoleon follows those ideals.

20. Napoleon believes more than anyone that all animals are equal. Why is this a hypocritical statement?  He has placed himself above the other animals.

21. How is Snowball’s bravery in the Battle of the Cowshed belittled?  Bravery was not enough, you have to be loyal also.

22. What was the duty of Minimus?  Compose songs and poems.

23. If you look at the way the animals sit at the meeting, what do you derive has happened?  There is a class difference between leaders and animals.

24. Why were the animals surprised about the announcement of the windmill?  Napoleon was originally against it. The windmill represents the Five Years Plan

25. What would the building of the windmill hold in for the animals?  Hard work, reduced rations.

26. What does Napoleon’s two year plan remind you of when you compare it to the history of Russia?  Stalin’s Five Year plan to industrialize Russia.

27. Why did the animals accept Squealers explanation of the saga around the Windmill?  He had three dogs with him. The animals had no choice.