What This Document Is
This handout supports student exploration of George Orwell’s *Animal Farm* within the context of a Capital University Engineering Statistics (ME 2019) course. It’s designed to connect the allegorical elements of the novel to the historical events of the Russian Revolution and the rise of Soviet Russia. The document provides character summaries and prompts analysis through paired discussion and video resources.
Why This Document Matters
This resource is intended for students actively reading and analyzing *Animal Farm*. It’s used to deepen understanding of the novel’s political and historical underpinnings, specifically how Orwell uses allegory to critique power structures and societal change. It’s most valuable when students are preparing for class discussions or completing related assignments.
Common Limitations or Challenges
This handout is a focused exploration tool, not a comprehensive study guide. It doesn’t provide a full literary analysis of *Animal Farm*, nor does it cover all aspects of the Russian Revolution. It requires students to actively engage with the assigned video content to complete the activities. It is a starting point for understanding, not a replacement for close reading of the novel itself.
What This Document Provides
This handout includes:
* Brief character descriptions for key figures in *Animal Farm* (Boxer, Mr. Jones, Old Major, Napoleon, Snowball, Squealer, Mollie, Benjamin).
* Discussion questions linked to a video titled “The Revolution that Shaped Russia.”
* Discussion prompts connected to a video titled “Vladimir Lenin: The Founder of the Soviet Union.”
* “Turn and Talk” activities designed for paired student engagement.
This preview *does not* include the answers to the discussion questions, the full video transcripts, or a complete analysis of the allegorical connections. It also does not include the full text of *Animal Farm*.