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Year 10
Edexcel

Using context effectively in 'Animal Farm' essays

I can understand what context is and how to include it effectively in my responses.

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New
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Year 10
Edexcel

Using context effectively in 'Animal Farm' essays

I can understand what context is and how to include it effectively in my responses.

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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Context refers to the historical, social, literary and biographical.
  2. Context should not be presented as isolated facts or generalisations.
  3. Context should be relevant to the analysis and embedded in the response.
  4. Context should develop your ideas and give an insight into the writer’s purpose and intention.

Keywords

  • Literary movement - A way to divide literature into categories focusing on philosophical, ideological or stylistic similarities.

  • Disillusionment - A feeling of disappointment in the realisation that something is not as good as it seems.

  • Generalisation - If a statement is applied to more things than to which it directly applies, then it is known as a generalisation.

  • Theme - A repeated idea in a story is known as a theme. Power is a theme in ‘Animal Farm’.

Common misconception

That context refers only to historical facts.

Interesting context also includes different attitudes and values. How would different audiences respond to the text and why?

Prepare and share some model responses that effectively use context, these can also become part of the improvement task in learning cycle 2.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to a copy of 'Animal Farm' by George Orwell.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which word describes the overarching statement you include in an introduction to an essay?
topic
Correct answer: thesis
evaluative
conclusive
Q2.
What word beginning with 'A' describes a story that has a hidden moral or political meaning?
Correct Answer: allegory, allegorical, Allegory, Allegorical
Q3.
Which famous independent school beginning with 'E' did Orwell attend between 1917 to 1921?
Correct Answer: Eton, eton
Q4.
Match the characters from 'Animal Farm' to the quotes they say.
Correct Answer:Old Major,"All men are enemies. All animals are comrades."

"All men are enemies. All animals are comrades."

Correct Answer:Boxer,"I will work harder."

"I will work harder."

Correct Answer:Mollie,"Will there still be sugar after the Rebellion?"

"Will there still be sugar after the Rebellion?"

Correct Answer:Squealer,"Do not imagine, comrades, that leadership is a pleasure!'

"Do not imagine, comrades, that leadership is a pleasure!'

Correct Answer:Napoleon,"Comrades, do you know who is responsible for this?"

"Comrades, do you know who is responsible for this?"

Correct Answer:Snowball,"liberty is worth more than ribbons"

"liberty is worth more than ribbons"

Q5.
Match the character from 'Animal Farm' to the historical figure or group they represent.
Correct Answer:Boxer,Working class

Working class

Correct Answer:Squealer,Propaganda

Propaganda

Correct Answer:Napoleon,Joseph Stalin

Joseph Stalin

Correct Answer:Moses ,Religion

Religion

Correct Answer:Mollie,Bourgeoisie

Bourgeoisie

Correct Answer:Snowball,Trotsky

Trotsky

Q6.
Complete the sentence, Orwell considered himself a ...
Communist
Marxist
Correct answer: Democratic socialist
Fascist

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which word beginning with 'D' describes a feeling of disappointment, in the realisation that something is not as good as it seems.
Correct Answer: disillusionment, disillusion , Disillusionment, Disillusion
Q2.
Match the type of context to the definition.
Correct Answer:historical,refers to what was happening at the time

refers to what was happening at the time

Correct Answer:social,refers to cultural constructions or ideas

refers to cultural constructions or ideas

Correct Answer:literary,refers to what influenced the text's style or genre

refers to what influenced the text's style or genre

Correct Answer:biographical,refers to information about the writer's life

refers to information about the writer's life

Q3.
Orwell fought in the Spanish Civil war in 1937. What type of context is this sentence referring to?
literary
historical
Correct answer: biographical
social
Q4.
Which of these statements is not true when using context?
Correct answer: It should introduce a new point.
It should be embedded within the response.
A range of different context can be used.
It should be linked to writer's purpose.
Q5.
Which of these is an example of literary context?
Correct answer: Orwell draws on the fairy tale tradition.
Orwell was born in 1903.
Stalin was a key figure in the Russian Revolution.
The perception of leadership is constantly evolving.
Q6.
In 'Animal Farm', what is Orwell's primary purpose in the use of the fairy tale and fable style?
To entertain children.
To give a historical account of the Russian Revolution.
To revive the genre for an adult audience.
Correct answer: To reveal the dangers of corruption and power.