Animal Farm- Songs/Slogans/Rituals
Shawn Huang and Nick Gutierrez
Overview
In George Orwell's Animal Farm, songs, slogans, and rituals play a very important role in society. The revolution which occurs in Animal Farm is powered by patriotic songs, slogans, and rituals of honor, equality, and animal pride. Unfortunately, the true, original ideals and values are soon disregarded, and are even turned against the animals' own comrades in a tragic turn of events. Our presentation will show the importance and power of songs, slogans, and rituals. Judge on whether they were for the better or for the worse.
Songs/Slogans/Rituals Passages
Passage #1- Song (Beasts of England)
"Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland/Beasts of every land and clime/Hearken well and spread my tidings/Of the golden future time/Soon and late the day is coming/Tyrant Man shall be o'erthrown/And the fruitful fields of England/Shall be trod by beasts alone
Rings shall vanish from our noses/And the harness from our back/Bit and spur shall rust forever/Cruel whips no more shall crack/Riches more than mind can picture/Wheat and barley, oats and hay/Clover, beans, and mangel-wurzels/Shall be ours upon that day/Bright will shine the fields of England/Purer shall its waters be/Sweeter yet shall blow its breezes/On the day that sets us free/For that day we all must labour/Though we die before it break/Cows and horses, geese and turkeys/All must toil for freedom's sake
Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland/Beasts of every land and clime/Hearken well and spread my tidings/Of the golden future time" (Orwell 12-13)
Analysis of Passage #1
Passage #2- Slogan
Analysis of Passage #2
Passage #3- Slogan
Analysis of Passage #3
Passage #4- Ritual
Analysis of Passage #4
Passage #5- Ritual
Analysis of Passage #5
Discussion Questions
2) Songs, slogans, and rituals can be inspiring because they stand for the ideals that a societ stands for; however, they can also be misleading. Can you think of and justify any examples where this is the case in Animal Farm? In real life?
3) Do songs, slogans, and rituals inevitably evolve from patriotic ideals and values to a method of control and even to the extent of brainwashing in Animal Farm?
4) If you could generalize, what ideals are normally portrayed in songs, slogans, and rituals? Why?
5) What is the most famous/successful song, slogan, or ritual that you know of? Why? What makes it so prominent?