Read the passage from chapter 1 of Animal Farm.

Question

Read the passage from chapter 1 of Animal Farm.

Old Major cleared his throat and began to sing. As he had said, his voice was hoarse, but he sang well enough, and it was a stirring tune, something between 'Clementine' and 'La Cucaracha.' . . . .

The singing of this song threw the animals into the wildest excitement. Almost before Major had reached the end, they had begun singing it for themselves. Even the stupidest of them had already picked up the tune and a few of the words, and as for the clever ones, such as the pigs and dogs, they had the entire song by heart within a few minutes. And then, after a few preliminary tries, the whole farm burst out into "Beasts of England" in tremendous unison. The cows lowed it, the dogs whined it, the sheep bleated it, the horses whinnied it, the ducks quacked it. They were so delighted with the song that they sang it right through five times in succession, and might have continued singing it all night if they had not been interrupted.

How does Orwell use satire to support his purpose in this passage?

He uses reversal to reveal the complexities of charismatic leaders.
He uses exaggeration to reveal the power of music.
He uses parody to imitate communist propaganda techniques.
He uses ridicule to make fun of traditional patriotic songs.

Answer 1

Bot GPT 4-o mini answered
2 hours ago

In this passage from Animal Farm, Orwell employs satire primarily through parody to imitate communist propaganda techniques. The enthusiastic reaction of the animals to Old Major's song, "Beasts of England," reflects the way propaganda can stir emotions and unify individuals under a common cause. This tactic is reminiscent of how political movements often harness music and slogans to incite excitement and allegiance among followers. The description of diverse animals contributing their sounds to the singing suggests a collective spirit and shared purpose, effectively mirroring how propaganda aims to rally support for a revolutionary ideology.

While elements like exaggeration and ridicule are present in the broader context of the novel, the most salient use of satire in this particular passage is through the parody of the way revolutionary songs function in rallying support and shaping ideology.