Animal Farm George Orwell

Character/theme Analysis Research Paper Graphic Organizer

Complete each sentence prompt to build the elements of a complete character analysis.
You must include the following in your essay:
1. Five to seven vocabulary words from your various lists
2. Several of all types of syntax sentence structure: simple, compound, complex and compound-complex.
3. Lead-ins and parenthetical documentation for every quote from the primary and secondary text.
Thesis Statement

You cant begin a quality essay without establishing a guiding statement from which all ideas extend.
Within the statement name the character, his beginning personality and/or behaviors, changes and ending traits in broad terms. Those
three things will be the foundation of your body paragraphs.

You MUST use phrases and key words from the prompt or assignment.
Thesis
Claim
Statement /

Napoleon and Squealer-The Pigs- are always in charge and display totalitarianism in their actions.

Your response in each row should contain ONE SENTENCE. You will combine the sentences later to create a
cohesive analytical paragraph.

Introduction
1. Make a general
comment about the
subject matter of your
thesis stmt / claim

Use key words from the

prompt or topic.
2. Relate your general
subject matter to what
the author addresses in
the literature.
You must include the
authors name and the title
of the literary work here.
3. Brief description of the
character you are
analyzing and who they
are, what happens to
them in life in general
terms. Explain some
part or his or her life that
relates to the first three
sentences of this
introduction. .

4. Explain why it is
essential that this
character be analyzed
along with this theme.
Psychological, emotional,
physical results, etc. Be
broad but specific to your
chosen character

There will always be someone in life, looking to control everything around them.

George Orwell, the British novelist, demonstrates this uniquely with pigs Napoleon and
Squealer, the main characters of his novel Animal Farm.

Napoleons assertive personality gives him control, regarding any animal found inside his
domain.

Acting as Napoleons most loyal follower, Squealer deceives animals into believing his
lies.

5. What happens to this

character in the literature
that relates to the theme
you have chosen?

Both Napoleon and Squealer begin to shift toward a government that revolves around
dictatorship and limits animals freedom.

What point are you trying to

make?
Connect all of the previous
information to what it is you
want the reader to see in
your character.

Orwell analyzes Napoleon and Squealer with intention of showing totalitarianism existent
in Animal Farm and that even animals look for control.
6. Thesis Statement / Claim

Body Paragraph 1 Character/Theme Analysis

1.

Topic Sentence
Make a statement
about what this
paragraph will
contain.

2.

Expand on the topic

sentence with a
description of the
character in general
terms but more
specific than in the
introduction

Napoleon actions demonstrate lack of care about changing, any of the seven original
commandments.

These changes happen steadily and push Animal farm toward totalitarianism, but also
effects Napoleons personality greatly.

Include a lead-in and proper parenthetical documentation.

3.

Include a primary
source quote to
support your analysis

4.

Describe what your

primary source quote
does to support your
analysis. Why is it
important for the
reader to understand
your analysis?
5. Include a quote from
your secondary
source the
research.
This quote should
support your analysis
and back up your
primary source quote.

This is seen when Napoleon changed the six commandment rule that made sure no animal
could kill each other: He ordered the hens' rations to be stopped, and decreed that any
animal giving so much as a grain of corn to a hen should be punished by death (Orwell
30).
Do not begin with this quote shows

This displays Napoleon true character and establishes that he doesnt care about, breaking
one of the seven original principles.

Include a lead-in and proper parenthetical documentation.

Then theres the time when No animal shall kill any other animal has added to it the
words without cause in the farmhouse (Frye 206).

6. Why is this
statement important
to include in your
analysis? What
further insight does it
provide? How does it
relate to your topic?

7. Describe /

summarize the
characters
personality,
behaviors, etc. as
you have analyzed it
from the first several
chapters of the
novel.

Do not begin with this quote relates to my topic because

This gives direct proof that Napoleon will change anything that restricts his hold over
animals.

One thing can be established by reading this book; Napoleon ruthlessness gives him
control on all the animals.

Body Paragraph 2 Character/Theme Analysis

8.

Topic Sentence
Make a statement
about what this
paragraph will
contain.

9.

Napoleon and Squealer begin to act more like tyrants as story continues to progress.

Expand on the topic

sentence with a
description of the
character in general
terms but more
specific than in the
introduction
10. Include a primary
source quote to
support your analysis

Squealer acts as an orator with Napoleon enforcing the rules.

11. Describe what your

primary source quote
does to support your
analysis. Why is it
important for the
reader to understand
your analysis?
12. Include a quote from
your secondary
source the
research.

Do not begin with this quote shows

This quote should

support your analysis
and back up your
primary source quote.
13. Why is this
statement important
to include in your
analysis? What
further insight does it
provide? How does it
relate to your topic?

Include a lead-in and proper parenthetical documentation.

When speaking, Squealer only tells good things about Napoleon and performs as his right
hand pig: In his speeches, Squealer would talk with the tears rolling down his cheeks of
Napoleon's wisdom the goodness of his heart, and the deep love he bore to all animals
everywhere, even and especially the unhappy animals who still lived in ignorance and
slavery on other farms (Orwell 35-36).
This statement establishes Squealer position into the story as a public speaker whom talks
only good things about Napoleon.

Include a lead-in and proper parenthetical documentation.

Critic Connolly views Napoleons rule as A worse tyranny and a far greater efficiency
than its late human owner, the dissolute Mr. Jones, by the end of the story (200).

Do not begin with this quote relates to my topic because

This gives credit to Napoleon as a ruler, but also shows that hes a crueler ruler than Mr.
Jones.

14. Describe /

summarize the
characters
personality,
behaviors, etc. as
you have analyzed it
from the first several
chapters of the
novel.

Napoleon can be seen as a ruler that will get the any job done, for he only cares about
results and not about his fellow animals.

Conclusion
1.

Restate the thesis

statement/claim
See the first
sentence of the
sample essay.

2.

Include a secondary
source quote to
support your overall
ideas of character
development and
change within the
novel.

Characters Napoleon and Squealer look for control, even though they are just animals.

Include a lead-in and proper parenthetical documentation.

Napoleon fully embraces his dictatorship role with The pigs engaging in all the human
evils about which old Major had forewarned them, comes into fruition at the end
(Carol.n.page.).
Even pigs can become dictators and follow path of a totalitarianism government.

3.

Write one sentence

that summarizes the
analysis in your body
paragraph.

4. Describe /

summarize the
characters
personality,
behaviors, etc. as
you have analyzed it
in this essay.
Describe what the
result is from the
characters transition
or changes. What
happens to him in
the end?

Napoleon and Squealer begin to turn into humans as totalitarianism becomes entirely
present in Animal Farm.

Ideas to Consider
www.globalpost.com How to Write a College Character Analysis Essay

Defining the Role

Whether youre putting together an analysis of a main character or a minor character, it is important that your essay address the
role she plays in the story. Some roles, such as the protagonist and antagonist, may be obvious. Main characters can also serve
more complex roles than the simple protagonist definition. A lead character can be an underdog, an anti-hero, a tragic hero or
even an unwilling hero.
Discovering the purpose of a minor character often takes closer examination. Minor characters may be flat, two-dimensional
people who remain unchanged throughout the course of a story, or three-dimensional, rounded characters who experience their
own metamorphosis. These characters might serve as foils for the main characters, as older and wiser advisers, as sidekicks or
even as obstacles the main characters must overcome.

Finding Motivation
Everyone wants something, especially a character in a literary work. Whether a hero desperate to complete a quest, a villain
determined to stop him or a minor character along for the ride, each character in a story will have identifiable wants and needs.
Quite often, though, what a character wants is in direct opposition to what he really needs. For example, a man longing for the
attention of a woman out of his league might need to realize that hell only find true love when he sees his female sidekick in a
romantic light. At the college level, character analysis essays should go beyond simply identifying the wants and needs
motivating the characters; they should also address how the characters affect one another.

Addressing the Arc

While some minor characters are unchanging, most characters will be markedly different at the end of a story than they were at
the beginning. While main characters, such as the protagonist, often make the most dramatic, obvious changes, minor
characters also have a story arc. They might make only subtle changes, such as a sidekick quietly letting go to allow the hero to
find love or finish her mission alone. The arcs of unchanging characters should also be addressed, as they will most likely have
encountered situations in which theyve made the choice not to change.
http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Character-Analysis

Describe the physical appearance of the character and explain what the appearance reveals about the person.
Discuss the language that the character uses throughout the work. Does the character use the same language throughout or
does his or her choice of language change from the introduction to the conclusion?
If provided, include details about the background of the character (some of these details may have to be inferred).
Where/when was the character born and raised? What kind of education does the character have? How does the character's
past experience influence what he or she does or says?
Write about the personality of the character. Does the character act on emotions or reason? What values does the character
exhibit through words or actions? Does the character have goals or ambitions?
Describe and analyze the relationships that the character has with others in the story. Does the character lead or follow
others in the story? Does the character have close friends and family?
Explain the struggle or conflict that the character faces beyond the obvious what are the internal struggles as well as the
external conflicts.
Describe the important actions of the character. What do these actions tell the reader about the character and how the
character faces the conflict?