Question

How does Orwell’s use of satire affect the meaning of this passage? Check all that apply.

Ridicule makes Pilkington seem beneath the animals.
The reversal makes Pilkington a very likable character.
Parody compares the pigs with human leaders in the real world.
Exaggeration makes Pilkington seem ridiculous and similar to the pigs.
Satire creates an attitude of contempt for the pigs’ treatment of the other animals.

Answer 1

Correct choices: Parody compares the pigs with human leaders in the real world; Exaggeration makes Pilkington seem ridiculous and similar to the pigs; Satire creates an attitude of contempt for the pigs’ treatment of the other animals.

Brief explanations:
- Parody: Orwell uses the farm and its leaders as a parody of real-world political leaders (especially Soviet leaders), so the pigs are deliberately compared to corrupt human rulers.
- Exaggeration: Satirical exaggeration blurs the line between pigs and humans (the final scene where they are indistinguishable), making Pilkington and the pigs appear almost equally ridiculous and alike.
- Contempt: The satire highlights the pigs’ hypocrisy and betrayal of the other animals, encouraging the reader to feel contempt for how the pigs exploit and deceive them.

Why the others are incorrect:
- Ridicule makes Pilkington seem beneath the animals: No — the satire doesn’t elevate animals above Pilkington; it levels pigs and humans and mocks both human leaders and the pigs’ mimicry of them.
- The reversal makes Pilkington a very likable character: No — the role reversal doesn’t portray Pilkington as especially likable; it exposes moral corruption and absurdity rather than creating sympathy for him.