Chapter 8 Discussion Questions

1. What similarities are there between the language used by Orwell in Minimus' poem about Napoleon and the language of hymns? Why is there this similarity?


- Orwell uses the language of praise just as how hymns are sung in praise of god, this song is sung in praise of Napoleon à Orwell, through Minimus, uses words such as “Lord”, calls him “giver”, thereby elevating him to the status of a god.
- In this song, there’s a lot of exaggeration and sentimentality e.g. “Friend of the fatherless! Fountain of happiness!” Tone is formal and serious, and compels the singers to be totally devoted and obedient, like how they would be in worship.
- Orwell is making fun of hymns through this song --> we often exaggerate and do not really understand what we are singing praises for/about.


2. Why does Orwell use the word 'unaccountably' about Squealer's absence from the fighting? Do the animals believe him when he says they have won a victory?

- It is because he had no reason to be away from the fight and not participate.- Initially, they do not, but he soon manages to convince them. Napoleon and he raise their flag, fire the gun, and Napoleon makes a great speech congratulating them on their victory. Also, “two whole days were given over to celebrations”, which included songs, more speeches, and giving each animal a special gift of an apple.- Thus, in the end, the animals do feel as if they had indeed won a great victory.


3. How does Orwell show the effect of the whisky on the pigs? Are we meant to find the incident amusing?

- Yes, the incident is meant to be amusing because the whole idea of pigs getting drunk is funny.- The pigs suffer from hangover the next day, but none of them except us, the readers, realise this. They think that Napoleon is about to die since he appears to be seriously ill. Thus the animals all become teary-eyed.- Napoleon initially says that drinking alcohol is punishable by death but once the effects of the alcohol wear off, he modifies the commandment to “No animal shall drink alcohol in excess.”


4. Which words or phrases in the last 2 paragraphs of this chapter do you think are ironic?

- “…a strange incident which hardly anyone was able to understand” --> this phrase is ironic because as the readers, we know what Squealer is doing in this incident, and that it is he who has all along been modifying the commandments. However, the animals are unable to see the significance of this, even though they have caught him in the act. The signs such as the ladder, brush, and paint pot are all too obvious in telling us what Squealer has been doing but the animals are unable to understand its implications.

- “there was yet another of them which the animals had remembered wrong”- “…but there were two words that they had forgotten” --> These phrases are ironic because it is not that the animals had remembered wrongly or had forgotten the commandments, but in fact, they had been changed by Squealer. However, the animals are too stupid and gullible that they fail to realise this. They ironically think that their memories are failing them although we know better.