Question

Read the passage from chapter 6 of Animal Farm.

"You have heard then, comrades," he said, "that we pigs now sleep in the beds of the farmhouse? And why not? You did not suppose, surely, that there was ever a ruling against beds? A bed merely means a place to sleep in. A pile of straw in a stall is a bed, properly regarded. The rule was against sheets, which are a human invention. We have removed the sheets from the farmhouse beds, and sleep between blankets. And very comfortable beds they are too! But not more comfortable than we need, I can tell you, comrades, with all the brainwork we have to do nowadays. You would not rob us of our repose, would you, comrades? You would not have us too tired to carry out our duties? Surely none of you wishes to see Jones back?"

What is Orwell ridiculing in this passage?

the hypocrisy of some leaders
the uncleanliness of pigs
the frivolity of some rules
the ridiculousness of sheets

Answer 1

the hypocrisy of some leaders

Orwell is ridiculing how leaders twist rules and language to justify privileges for themselves — claiming the rule was only against "sheets," redefining "beds," and invoking fear of Jones to excuse their comfort. This exposes their hypocrisy and self-serving rationalizations.