George Orwell's Language

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 5

Objectives

Today we will:

• Think about Orwell’s attitude to language;
• Think about the power of language and how it can corrupt; 
• Think about irony in the novel; 
• Look at speeches by Old Major and Squealer;
• Discuss chapter 4 and 5

Animal Farm

The power of language

Orwell's view on language

• Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech that you are used to seeing regularly; 
• Avoid clichés;
• Never use a long word when a short one will do; 
• If it’s possible to cut a word out always cut it out; 

Orwell's view on language

• Never use a foreign phrase, scientific word or jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent; 
• Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous. 

Which of the characters uses language that is very different?

What does the simple language in Animal Farm symbolize?

One of Orwell’s central concerns in Animal Farm , is the way in which language can be manipulated as an instrument of control.
How does that become clear in the novel?

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely (Lord Acton)

1. Agree
2. Disagree

Irony

• One way to express power is through ironic language. 
• Irony is when the surface meaning and the underlining meaning of what is being said is not the same 
• Orwell frequently uses irony to make readers think about the motives and morals of the characters in the story. 

Give some examples of irony
or
Give examples of irony in Animal Farm

ItunesU:

Old Major's Speech

Highlight

• Repetition of words 
• Rhetorical questions
• Emotional words 

Read the speeches and answer the questions

Squealer's speech

Highlight

• The parts that mirror Old Major's speech