ANIMAL FARM, CH. 8
SSR Continue reading from wherever you left off in Animal Farm. If you don t have a book, get a red one from the bookshelf on the side of the room.
Warm-Up Take a couple minutes to discuss Ch. 8 with your table partner. What happened in this chapter? Be prepared to share with the class. Reactions? Questions?
Historical Background Ch. 8 During the 1930s, the Soviet Union (Stalin) had been unable to reach a collective-security agreement with Britain and France against Nazi Germany. A collective security agreement is when two or more countries agree not to attack each other or do anything else to harm each other, including aligning with each other s enemies. By early 1939, Stalin faced the prospect of resisting German military expansion on his own, so he began searching for a change of policy. Adapted from http://www.britannica.com/ebchecked/topic/230972/german-soviet-nonaggression-pact
Historical Background, continued Stalin s Foreign Minister soon began negotiations with the Nazi Foreign Minister. The Soviets also kept negotiating with Britain and France, but in the end, Stalin chose to reach an agreement with Germany in August 1939. Does this sound familiar? Where do we see Napoleon behave like this in the text? (With your table partner, find a quote.) By agreeing with Hitler, he hoped to keep the Soviet Union at peace with Germany and to gain time to build up the Soviet military establishment, which had been badly weakened by the purge of the Red Army officer corps in 1937. Adapted from http://www.britannica.com/ebchecked/topic/230972/german-soviet-nonaggression-pact
German-Soviet Nonagression Pact (1939) Terms of the pact: the two countries agreed not to attack each other, either independently or in conjunction with other powers not to support any third power that might attack the other party Adapted from http://www.britannica.com/ebchecked/topic/230972/german-soviet-nonaggression-pact
German-Soviet Nonagression Pact (1939) Terms of the pact, continued: to remain in consultation with each other upon questions touching their common interests not to join any group of powers directly or indirectly threatening one of the two parties to solve all differences between the two by negotiation or arbitration Adapted from http://www.britannica.com/ebchecked/topic/230972/german-soviet-nonaggression-pact
German-Soviet Nonagression Pact, continued (1939) The pact was supposed to last 10 years. What do you think happened between Germany and the Soviet Union? Did they keep their pact? Find a quote from the text that tells what happened between Animal Farm and the other two farms (Mr. Frederick/Pinchfield Farm & Mr. Pilkington/Foxwood Farm) in Ch. 8. Adapted from http://www.britannica.com/ebchecked/topic/230972/german-soviet-nonaggression-pact
German-Soviet Nonagression Pact, continued (1939) The Nonaggression Pact became a dead letter on June 22, 1941. Nazi Germany, after invading much of western and central Europe, attacked the Soviet Union without warning. Adapted from http://www.britannica.com/ebchecked/topic/230972/german-soviet-nonaggression-pact
German Invasion of Soviet Union For months, the Soviet leadership had refused to heed warnings from the Allies that German troops were building up along the Soviet western border. Germany and its Axis partners achieved almost complete tactical surprise. Adapted from http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?moduleid=10005164
German Invasion of Soviet Union, continued Much of the Soviet air force was destroyed, and the Soviet armies were initially overwhelmed. German units encircled millions of Soviet soldiers. They had few options other than to surrender because they were cut off from supplies and reinforcements. Adapted from http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?moduleid=10005164
German Invasion of Soviet Union, continued On December 6, 1941, the Soviet Union launched a major counterattack, driving the Germans back from Moscow in chaos. Although they won, the Soviet Union was devastated. At least 25 million Soviet citizens died. Which character in the book represents the Soviet people? What happened to that character during and after the attack by Frederick? Adapted from http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?moduleid=10005164 & http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/hitler_russia_invasion_01.shtml
How is history reflected in Animal Farm? Work with your table partner to answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper. You do not have to copy the question; just copy the title above. Answer each question in 3-5 sentences. 1. What purpose is served by the statistics that Squealer reads to the animals? (see pg. 92) 2. What dealings does Napoleon have with Frederick and Pilkington? How does Napoleon outwit himself? How are these events like Stalin s negotiations with the Allies and Hitler? 3. How does the battle over the windmill affect the animals? What events from Soviet history is Orwell highlighting? 4. What changes are made to the Fifth and Sixth Commandments? How is the entire list of Commandments ultimately re-fashioned? What point is Orwell making about the role of communication in Soviet society?
Homework due Friday, 5/19 LATE WORK: If I have not approved a piece of propaganda for you to analyze in for your project, you need to e-mail me your piece. If I have approved your piece and you have not e-mailed me a rough draft of your PowerPoint, you need to e-mail me your PowerPoint rough draft. WORK DUE FRIDAY: If I have responded to your PowerPoint e-mail and asked you to make changes to it, then e- mail me your revised PowerPoint, and be prepared to present on Friday. Bring your Lit. books to turn in to Ms. Fonseca