Chapter Six Note-Taking and Summarizing

Answers are personal and will vary. For grading purposes, summary of the novel by chapter is located on pages 129-133. Page 62: Chapter Six Comprehension and Analysis

1. They knew they were working for themselves and not “thieving human beings.”

2. It was on a strictly voluntary basis, however, those who chose not to work would have their rations reduced by half.

3. The rocks are too big, and need to be broken into smaller pieces; the animals cannot use the tools; they use the force of

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gravity and roll the rocks down the hill to break them up. Once they figure that out, it continues to be a very slow process, since moving one boulder can take all day, and other times, the boulder will not break.

4. The animals are running out of those things that cannot be produced on the farm such as nails, dog biscuits, paraffin oil, string, and iron. They also see that they will need seeds and artificial manure and tools and parts for the windmill. 5. The animals get to a point that they need

certain supplies, and building the windmill is their number one concern. 6. Answers will vary. Sample answer:

Trade with humans has become a necessity since the animals cannot survive on their work alone. They need things from humans that they cannot produce. In the long run, however, they may become so dependent upon humans that they are no longer sustaining the farm the way they intended during the Rebellion. 7. the sheep; Napoleon trained them a

while ago to continue to bleat the simple commandment “Four legs good, two legs bad”; the sheep act as a constant reminder of why the animals are working so hard, and they are there to interrupt whenever anyone opposes Napoleon (as in during Snowball’s speech in Chapter 5. 8. The animals are sure they remembered a

resolution or at least a discussion about engaging in trade with humans or using money; Squealer assures them that this was one of the lies created by Snowball, and nothing was ever written down to the effect.

9. the human who trades with Animal Farm on Mondays—the only human contact 10. into the house; they sleep in a bed

without sheets, and justify it with the change in the Commandment “No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets.”

Squealer goes on to say that a pile of straw can be considered a bed; beds are nothing more than a place to sleep. 11. “Surely none of you want to see Jones

back?” He knows that no one would argue with him, because no one wants Jones back. No matter what the debate is, everything is justifiably better now that

Jones is gone, or so Squealer makes them believe.

12. He is furious; he blames Snowball; to gain more support and power and to reinforce Snowball’s treasonous acts

13. Answers will vary. Sample student answer: By blaming Snowball, he makes the

animals furious at Snowball. Also, it takes the onus off of Napoleon; if the construction had been bad, he would have been to blame. Napoleon tries to control everything around him, and when something happens that he has no control over, he takes control by blaming Snowball. This is also a tactic to gain support for himself, making himself look like the “good guy” in all of this. Finally, by pointing out that the footprints came from the direction of Foxwood, it places Foxwood as an enemy as well, positioning Napoleon to make a move against Foxwood.

14. to show Snowball that the animals will not be undone and that they will prevail Page 63-64: Literature Focus: Main and Subordinate Characters

Answers will vary. Sample student answers are given.

1. Snowball a. main

b. to establish a fully functional farm run by animals

c. Napoleon

d. Snowball was chased away; he had been the only opponent to Napoleon. Now that Snowball is gone, Napoleon gains strength.

2. Boxer a. main

b. to serve Napoleon and the farm c. his declining health

d. He is well-respected on the farm, so he acts as one of the most supportive characters for Napoleon and motivates and inspires other characters.

3. Benjamin a. subordinate

b. to shoot every idea down—the cynic and the realist

c. He knows too much about the reality of the situation.

d. He provides some warning about the possibility of problems—but doesn’t care enough to get involved. 4. Old Major

©2010 Secondary Solutions - 154 - Animal Farm Literature Guide Purchaser may reproduce copies of the materials in this book for classroom use only. Sharing,

storing, or reproduction of this Guide, in whole or in part, is ILLEGAL.

a. subordinate

b. to inspire the possibility of a Revolution

c. man and his frustrations with the way the world works

d. sparked the Revolution 5. Squealer

a. main

b. to propagandize and to support the pigs, especially Napoleon

c. keeping his stories straight and continually convincing the animals d. He convinced the animals that

Napoleon has good intentions and continues to insist he has done no wrong.

6. Mollie

a. subordinate

b. to live a life of luxury

c. no humans to take care of her and adorn her with ribbons or give her sugar

d. She abandons Animal Farm. Page 65-66: Writing Focus: Response to Literature—Finding Supporting

Quotations

Quotes from the text will vary significantly. Quotes should be directly from the text, including the page number on which the quote appeared. The quote should always support the idea of Napoleon becoming a tyrant over Animal Farm, and the explanation of the quote should be found under

“significance.”

Pages 67-68: Language Focus: Context Clues

Inferences will vary. Parts of speech and definitions are given.

1. indignation a. noun b. Will vary c. anger at unfairness 2. laborious a. adj. b. Will vary

c. requiring a lot of work 3. malignity

a. noun b. Will vary

c. with intense hatred or will to harm 4. rations

a. noun b. Will vary

c. fixed amount (esp. of food) allocated to a group

5. reconciled a. verb b. Will vary

c. made peace; ended conflict 6. repose

a. noun b. Will vary

c. a state of rest or inactivity 7. superintendence

a. noun b. Will vary

c. having charge over someone or something

Page 69: Chapter Seven Note-Taking and