English Language Arts REVOLUTION Rodriguez/Smith / 2007/2008

L I T E R A R Y A N A LY S I S E S S AY
A n i m a l Fa r m b y G e o r g e O r w e l l

Is Animal Farm merely a story about animals on a farm, or are there deeper
meanings being expressed through the characters and events in the novel?
As we read Animal Farm together, you completed a series of assignments
that helped you to explore our Essential Questions and make sense of the
meaning of George Orwell’s allegory. You have been making personal
connections to the novel as well as analyzing the deeper meanings in the text.
We have had excellent discussion and activities that allowed you to explore
together the events in this novel and how they can help us to look at our own
world and ourselves.
Now, you will use all of these experiences to help you identify what has
been most significant for you in this novel and craft an essay that explores
George Orwell’s allegory through our Essential Questions.

ASSIGNMENT:
Write an essay that examines how the allegory and satire in George
Orwell’s novel Animal Farm explores the ideas of revolution and the people who
revolt. To do this, you will choose one of the following Essential Questions to
explore in your paper. Allow it to be one that you have confidence in, and that
you understand well for yourself:

• Why do people revolt?

• What can be the consequences of a revolution?
• How can we create a just society through revolution?
• What actions are justified in revolution?
• How do we create lasting change?

THIS ESSAY WILL BE DUE ON: 11/1 (L,N,P) 11/2 (M,O)

YOUR RESOURCES:
Use all of the work you have explored in reading, writing, and discussion so far in
relation to this novel:
• Animal Farm by George Orwell
• Your Dissecting Allegory Charts
• Your Quote Journals
• Your One Pager Papers
• Your Class writings and reflections, notes, creations and discussions;

ESSAY REQUIREMENTS:
1. Your essay is between 550 – 750 words long.
2. Your essay has a clear and organized introduction, body and conclusion.
3. Your essay has a clear thesis (Viewpoint) and 4-5 examples (Evidence) taken
from the novel that support and defend your thesis.
English Language Arts REVOLUTION Rodriguez/Smith / 2007/2008

4. Your essay is:

a. Typed in a 12-point font and is double-spaced
b. Edited and spell-checked for grammar, spelling and punctuation.

ESSAY FORMAT:

Introduction (2 paragraphs)
- Provide a general introduction to the novel, using questions or anecdotes to
draw the reader in
- Discuss what an allegory is and how this novel uses it to show revolution and
the various aspects of revolution.
- Provide a clear thesis statement about one Essential Question (Viewpoint)

Point #1 (1-2 paragraphs)

- Introduce and discuss the 1st event/situation from the novel that proves your
thesis (Connections).
- Use a quotation (Evidence) from the novel that supports this point of view.
- Explain why this event is important (Relevance) to the overall message of the
allegory

Point #2 (1-2 paragraphs)

- Introduce and discuss the 2nd event/situation from the novel that proves your
thesis (Connections).
- Use a quotation (Evidence) from the novel that supports this point of view.
- Explain why this event is important (Relevance) to the overall message of the
allegory

Point #3 (1-2 paragraphs)

- Introduce and discuss the 3rd event/situation from the novel that proves your
thesis (Connections).
- Use a quotation (Evidence) from the novel that supports this point of view.
- Explain why this event is important (Relevance) to the overall message of the
allegory

Point #4 (1-2 paragraphs)

- Introduce and discuss the 4th event/situation from the novel that proves your
thesis (Connections).
- Use a quotation (Evidence) from the novel that supports this point of view.
- Explain why this event is important (Relevance) to the overall message of the
allegory

Conclusion (2 paragraphs)
- Bring together all of the main points of the paper in an interesting way
- Provide a strong closing message that is connected to the thesis of your paper
by:
o Looking at the relevance of the Essential Question to your own life
English Language Arts REVOLUTION Rodriguez/Smith / 2007/2008

and the world we live in. (Keep in mind what the deeper meaning
expressed in the novel is.)
o Respond to the question about how it might feel to live through a
revolution, how you could go about creating lasting change, or what
you feel is justified in revolution. Your points should relate to your
essential question. What have you learned from this allegory? How
might our world be different if we ‘listened’ to Orwell’s message?
(Conjecture)
English Language Arts REVOLUTION Rodriguez/Smith / 2007/2008

PROGRESS SHEET
L I T E R A R Y A N A L Y S I S E S S A Y
A n i m a l Fa r m b y G e o r g e O r w e l l

Name: ___________________________________ Block:

___________

Essay Benchmarks Date Date Points Teacher Sign Off

Due Complet Receiv
ed ed
Out of
4
CHOOSE ESSENTIAL
QUESTIONS
EQ 1:

EQ 2:

INTRODUCTION
THESIS
MAIN POINT #1
MAIN POINT #2
MAIN POINT #3
MAIN POINT #4
CONCLUSION
DRAFT #1
FINAL DRAFT

NOTES: