Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/4-1-4-narrator-and-allegory [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [GCSE](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse.md) › [English Lit](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature.md) › [AQA](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa.md) › [English Lit: AQA GCSE Animal Farm](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm.md) › Narrator & Allegory # Narrator & Allegory English Lit: AQA GCSE Animal Farm, topic 4.1.4 ## Narrator _Animal Farm_ has an omniscient narrator who appears to be giving the reader the facts in a simple way using simple language. It is told from the animals’ point of view and in chronological order. ### Clover ![Clover](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/08c75c4c-fa4b-4c52-8687-b91a50d032e6/shutterstock_427190146.jpg) - There is only a brief moment when we see through an individual animal’s eyes, and that is through Clover (who represents the working classes). - This suggests that Orwell wants the reader to sympathise with the working classes. - It also shows the reader that the animals are blindly loyal and enables us to see things which the animals cannot. ### Simple language ![Simple language](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/2229e098-1f34-4fb2-89f9-8f3fdc8485f0/shutterstock_517896415.jpg) - The simple language makes events seem factual, inevitable and threatening (almost as if it cannot be argued with). - This, and the narrator’s lack of reaction, makes the events even more shocking. ### Simple language - quotes ![Simple language - quotes](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/d89577de-da8e-42e7-b6e1-2be01a5c890b/shutterstock_435473020.jpg) - __“The milk was “mixed every day into the pigs’ mashes”__. - __“The dogs promptly tore their throats out”__. - __“Boxer was never seen again”__. ## Allegory _Animal Farm_ is an allegory of the Russian Revolution. ### Soviet Union ![Soviet Union](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/b5f587d3-0541-49cd-8576-b48dc843c961/shutterstock_332352404.jpg) - The pigs create Old Major’s ideal society just as Trotsky (Snowball) and Lenin created the Soviet Union, where all wealth was meant to be divided equally. ### Stalin and Trotsky ![Stalin and Trotsky](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/89c7f49c-077f-4c83-a0fd-e8e9805d8093/shutterstock_1077815534.jpg) - Snowball and Napoleon disagree over everything. Napoleon forces Snowball to leave. - After Lenin’s death, Trotsky and Stalin battle for power. Stalin wins and Trotsky is forced to leave Russia. He is later assassinated in Mexico. ### Stalin's propaganda ![Stalin's propaganda](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/7db718f2-58b1-4092-b427-702dddf275c8/shutterstock_186791741.jpg) - Squealer convinces the animals that Napoleon has their interests at heart just as Stalin used propaganda and manipulation to convince people that he was the only one who could protect them. ### Confessions and persecutions ![Confessions and persecutions](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/9a799790-4020-45f1-bb7d-fe8ccc22c4d2/shutterstock_465350537.jpg) - The chickens are persecuted when they resist giving up their eggs. - The public executions take place where animals confess to crimes that they haven’t committed and anyone who is a threat to Napoleon or who has shown loyalty to Snowball is executed. - In Russia, many were forced to confess to non-existent crimes and were publicly executed. ### Stalin's police ![Stalin's police](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/88ecb7e2-9ff8-49ff-a872-0a0cc1a27e6e/shutterstock_445124728.jpg) - Napoleon's dogs are allegorical figures for Stalin's secret and violent police force who eliminated any threats to Stalin’s power. ## Test yourself on Narrator & Allegory - There is only a brief moment when we see through an individual animal’s eyes. Which animal is this? - What type of language is used to make events seem factual, inevitable and threatening? - What is _Animal Farm_ an allegory of? - In _Animal Farm_, Squealer convinces the animals that Napoleon has their interests at heart. What is this an allegory of in the Russian Revolution? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/45bed650-4258-11e8-9c8e-b1f077ab1bf9/section/2eaea430-43bc-11e8-941c-9b2bccef54e7/session) - Previous topic: [4.1.3 Symbols](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/4-1-3-symbols.md) - Next topic: [5.1.1 Old Major Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/5-1-1-old-major-quotes.md) ## English Lit: AQA GCSE Animal Farm contents ### 1 Plot Summaries - 1.1 Plot Summaries - [1.1.1 Chapters 1-2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/1-1-1-chapters-1-2.md) - [1.1.2 Chapters 3-4](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/1-1-2-chapters-3-4.md) - [1.1.3 Chapters 5-6](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/1-1-3-chapters-5-6.md) - [1.1.4 Chapters 7-8](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/1-1-4-chapters-7-8.md) - [1.1.5 Chapters 9-10](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/1-1-5-chapters-9-10.md) - [1.1.6 Keywords](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/1-1-6-keywords.md) - [1.1.7 End of Topic Test - Chapters 1-5](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/1-1-7-end-of-topic-test-chapters-1-5.md) - [1.1.8 End of Topic Test - Chapters 6-10](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/1-1-8-end-of-topic-test-chapters-6-10.md) ### 2 Characters & Their Links to History - 2.1 Key Characters - [2.1.1 Old Major](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/2-1-1-old-major.md) - [2.1.2 Snowball](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/2-1-2-snowball.md) - [2.1.3 Napoleon](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/2-1-3-napoleon.md) - [2.1.4 Squealer](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/2-1-4-squealer.md) - [2.1.5 Boxer](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/2-1-5-boxer.md) - [2.1.6 End of Topic Test - Key Characters](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/2-1-6-end-of-topic-test-key-characters.md) - [2.1.7 AO2/3 - Key Characters](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/2-1-7-ao23-key-characters.md) - [2.1.8 Exam-Style Questions - Boxer](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/2-1-8-exam-style-questions-boxer.md) - 2.2 Other Characters - [2.2.1 Mr Jones](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/2-2-1-mr-jones.md) - [2.2.2 Clover](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/2-2-2-clover.md) - [2.2.3 Hens](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/2-2-3-hens.md) - [2.2.4 Sheep](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/2-2-4-sheep.md) - [2.2.5 Mollie](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/2-2-5-mollie.md) - [2.2.6 Benjamin](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/2-2-6-benjamin.md) - [2.2.7 Moses](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/2-2-7-moses.md) - [2.2.8 Mr Frederick](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/2-2-8-mr-frederick.md) - [2.2.9 Pilkington](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/2-2-9-pilkington.md) - [2.2.10 Mr Whymper](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/2-2-10-mr-whymper.md) - [2.2.11 End of Topic Test - Other Characters](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/2-2-11-end-of-topic-test-other-characters.md) - [2.2.12 End of Topic Test - Other Characters 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/2-2-12-end-of-topic-test-other-characters-2.md) ### 3 Key Themes & Orwell's Purpose - 3.1 Key Themes - [3.1.1 Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/3-1-1-education.md) - [3.1.2 Power & Control](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/3-1-2-power-and-control.md) - [3.1.3 Power & Language](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/3-1-3-power-and-language.md) - [3.1.4 Equality](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/3-1-4-equality.md) - [3.1.5 End of Topic Test - Key Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/3-1-5-end-of-topic-test-key-themes.md) ### 4 Language, Form & Structure - 4.1 Language, Form & Structure - [4.1.1 Form & Structure](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/4-1-1-form-and-structure.md) - [4.1.2 Language](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/4-1-2-language.md) - [4.1.3 Symbols](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/4-1-3-symbols.md) - [4.1.4 Narrator & Allegory](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/4-1-4-narrator-and-allegory.md) ### 5 Recap: Main Quotes - 5.1 Characters Quotes - [5.1.1 Old Major Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/5-1-1-old-major-quotes.md) - [5.1.2 Snowball Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/5-1-2-snowball-quotes.md) - [5.1.3 Napoleon Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/5-1-3-napoleon-quotes.md) - [5.1.4 Squealer Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/5-1-4-squealer-quotes.md) - [5.1.5 Boxer Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/5-1-5-boxer-quotes.md) - [5.1.6 Clover Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/5-1-6-clover-quotes.md) - [5.1.7 Moses & Mr Frederick Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/5-1-7-moses-and-mr-frederick-quotes.md) - [5.1.8 Benjamin Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/5-1-8-benjamin-quotes.md) - [5.1.9 Sheep Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/5-1-9-sheep-quotes.md) - [5.1.10 Hens Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/5-1-10-hens-quotes.md) - [5.1.11 Mollie Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/5-1-11-mollie-quotes.md) - [5.1.12 Pilkington & Mr Whymper Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/5-1-12-pilkington-and-mr-whymper-quotes.md) - [5.1.13 Mr Jones Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/5-1-13-mr-jones-quotes.md) - 5.2 Text Structure Quotes - [5.2.1 Education Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/5-2-1-education-quotes.md) - [5.2.2 Power, Control & Language Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/5-2-2-power-control-and-language-quotes.md) - [5.2.3 Propaganda Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/animal-farm/5-2-3-propaganda-quotes.md)