Animal Farm Essay Test

Read the following essay options. Answer the questions thoroughly

with support from the text. In a well organized essay of roughly one
page answer 2 questions total. You should include a bare minimum of
four rich supporting details to provide the answer, evidence and
commentary.
Choose two (2) of the following.
1. Explain how Animal Farm is an allegory and the message that
Orwell is trying to convey. Cite specific characters and actions to
support your answer.
2. Compare and contrast Napoleon and Snowball. What
propaganda techniques do the both use in their struggle for
power?
3. Discuss Boxer. What role does he play on the farm? Why does
Napoleon seemed threatened by him? In what ways in the
betrayal of Boxer seen as an alternative climax to the novel (if
we consider Napoleon chasing off Snowball as the climax)
4. Orwell felt that revolutions fail in that they result only in a
change of tyrants. Use specific examples to trace Napoleons
rise to power and show how he is an example of Orwells
philosophy.
5. Consider the beginning and the ending of Animal Farm; describe
the process of how the pigs become more human-like and
discuss what Orwell believes about human nature.
This is due _________________________________________________________
Scoring Guides on the back.
If you wish for feedback I will be checking email a few times over
break. However, I will not be responding to emails sent on January 2.
If you want feedback, please send drafts before December 30.

Scoring Rubric
Introduction

Body
Paragraphs/
Textual Support

No attempt at an
introduction or
I am going to tell
youlike it is
first grade show
and tell
6
No attempt at
constructing a
well-developed
essay

Thesis is implied
but not on the
papers..Has
thesis, but no
purpose
9
Reasons are not
tied in with
thesis, little
support,

Has thesis and

purpose, but could be
clearer. Generic;
restates the prompt

Has thesis, lacks clarity,

clear purpose, lacks
stylistic sophistication

38

40

11
Offers reasons, may
loosely be related to
text, with some textual
references. Proves
reading but doesnt
prove understanding.
Commentary is weak,
generic/may not fit the
evidence provided
42

Conclusion

No attempt at a
conclusion

Fluency

No attempt at
writing a fluent
paper

In Conclusion
The end
Summarizing
essay

4
Generic
transitions, many
errors confusing
to the reader
13

Generic summary
offering no reflection
or evaluation of essay.
A restatement if ideas
that essential becomes
a waste of time for the
reader because you
are just repeating
yourself.
6
Generic transitions,
some errors make it
confusing to the
reader. Audience is
not appropriate for the
type of writing, writing
has little
sophistication
15

13
Clear reasoning, some
valid support, some
textual references,
attempt quote
integration
Leaves gaps in essay
leaving the reader with
questions. Evidence
has some commentary,
but leaves the reader
questioning the
evidence.
50
Ties ideas together and
loosely relates to thesis
but could use a bit
more polish

8
Well-written, some
errors, generic
transitions. Errors do
not interfere with
understanding. Some
sophisticated tone and
audience awareness
but lacks sophistication
17

Has a clear thesis and

purpose with an element of
sophistication and high level
thinking
15
Clear reasoning, valid
support, including quotes
and direct, specific
references; quotes are
integrated into the
paragraphs includes
sophistication and high level
thinking Evidence has
commentary
55

Ties ideas together in an

effective manner that relates
with the thesis includes
sophistication and high level
thinking

10
Well-written, effective
transitions with few errors.
Sophisticated tone,
eloquence awareness of
audience
20

Sample: Pre-writing, mapping out if ideas sample.

Prompt: In Animal Farm, who is the good guy and who is the bad guy? Choose
two characters and explain how their actions, desires and values define them as good
or bad. Describe how each character has an impact on the outcome of the story.
*Obviously when I write my paper, I will develop more sophisticated language (Boxer
is good is not a high school thesis) and my evidence will be thoroughly supported.
This is a just a graphic organizer to layout my ideas.
Answer
Evidence 1 +
Commentary

Boxer is good*
Mollie is bad*
He works hard building
Mollie is selfish. After the
and rebuilding the
first Rebellion, Mollie was
windmill. He gets up
very concerned about
earlier and when prompted whether or not or why she
by Napoleon vow to work
couldnt wear hair ribbons
harder!
and have treats.
Boxers vow to work
Mollie liked the clothes
harder also encouraged and the badges of
the other animals to
slavery set up by the
work harder. Their
humans and Mr. Jones.
respect for him made
She felt no need to
him a good character
change the farm.
and an asset to the
farm.
Evidence 2 +
Boxer may question
While all the other animals
commentary
authority, but is loyal to
were at work, Mollie would
the cause because he
sleep late. During the
knows that Comrade
battle of the Cowshed, she
Napoleon is always right!
hid, instead of fighting.
When Napoleons dogs
Mollie running away did
tried to attack him, he was not impact the spirit or
strong enough to
the work on the farm,
withstand their attack, but but the animals never
not without questioning
talking about her again,
some of the judgments
speaks that the animals
made.
were comrades to those
Boxer knows that
who supported the
things might not be
rebellion.
great on Animal Farm,
but he know they are
better than when Mr.
Jones was in charge.
Boxer is loyal to the
cause even when the
pigs wronged the
animals.
Outcome: the actions of Boxer and Mollie are both needed to convey Orwells
message. Boxers goodness illustrates the many loyal animals devoted to the cause
despite the tyranny of their leader. While Mollie displays those who were unaffected,
happy and contented living under the leadership of the humans. Although there are
other good and bad animals in the novel, Boxer and Mollie juxtaposed show both
good and bad in their actions and their role in rebellion.