Fairy Tales Fables and Animal Farm Fairy Tales

Fairy Tales, Fables, and Animal Farm

Fairy Tales • Also known as a fairy story—written to entertain audience • A story of adventure involving fantastic forces and beings • Snow White is an example • Some call Animal Farm a fairy story, but it is much more than that

Fables • One of the oldest literary forms— much older than fairy tales, novels, or short stories • A brief story that teaches a moral or lesson • Stories usually have animal characters with human qualities • Aesop is the most famous fable writer of all time • He was born in about 620 B. C. and wrote over 600 fables • For example--“The Tortoise and the Hare”; “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” • Animal Farm is an example of a fable because it teaches a moral and has animals with human traits

Satire • Writing that ridicules (or makes fun of) human weakness in order to bring about reform or change • George Orwell intended Animal Farm to be true satire • Why? He wanted to expose the murderous truth about Russia’s soviet system so it would change

Symbolism • Something that represents something else • For example, a heart symbolizes love • This novel is full of symbols: Animals symbolize humans from Russian/American history, even the flag and song mentioned in the story symbolize something

Irony • A contrast between what we expect and what really happens • Dramatic irony is found throughout this novel—the reader knows what characters in the story don’t know • This may frustrate you as you read • Just remember many Russians had no idea what horrible deeds their government/ leaders were doing to them

Allegory • A story that has multiple levels of meaning and many symbols • The song “American Pie” is an allegory • On the surface this novel is about animals on a farm • On another level, however, these animals represent real people or ideas • Level One • Level Two • Level Three