'Animal Farm' Questions for Study and Discussion

Animal Farm is a famous novel by George Orwell. With this fable, Orwell was making a statement about communism and totalitarianism. Here are questions for study and discussion.

• What is important about the title?
  
  
• What are the conflicts in Animal Farm? What types of conflict (physical, moral, intellectual, or emotional) do you see in this story?
  
  
• How does George Orwell reveal character in Animal Farm?
  
  
• What are some themes in the story? How do they relate to the plot and characters?
  
  
• What are some symbols in Animal Farm? How do they relate to the plot and characters?
  
  
• From which character's perspective is the story told?
  
  
• Can you discern an authorial voice (a character who speaks the author's point of view) in the book?
  
  
• Do you find the characters likable? Would you want to meet the characters?
  
  
• Does the story end the way you expected? How? Why?
  
  
• What is the central/primary purpose of the story? Is the purpose important or meaningful?
  
  
• How effective is the novel as a fable?
  
  
• How essential is the setting to the story? Could the story have taken place anywhere else?
  
  
• How does George Orwell explore rhetoric in this book?
  
  
• Would you recommend this story to a friend?