Research Paper on Animal Farm 7 Commandments

Helpful tips to writing a research paper on the “ 7 commandments” in George Orwell’s book Animal Farm. 

Before you begin your writing process, you must know what those seven commandments are, and what they represent. 

  • The animals in the story belong to a man named Farmer Jones, who is a drunkard that neglects and treats the animals badly. 
  • The animals are prompted to take over the farm after a speech by Old Major, the wise old boar, just before he dies. He tells them that they must rebel and fight for “the good of all animals.”  The animals, led by the pigs, carry out Old Major’s dying wish, rebelling against Farmer Jones and taking over the farm. 
  • The pigs then come up with a set of rules, the commandments, for all the animals to follow. 
  • The seven commandments are as follows:
  1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
  2. Whatever goes on four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
  3. No animal shall have clothes.
  4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.
  5. No animal shall drink alcohol.
  6. No animal shall kill any other animal.
  7. All animals are equal.
  • These commandments or rules, represent the principles the animals have set for themselves to separate themselves from the world of humans. 

Think about the significance of the commandments and what they represent. 

  • What message was Orwell trying to send to his readers? 
  • Do they fit in with the overall theme of the book?
  • Would you change any part of it? 
  • These are the types of questions you need to ask.

Be original, look at the commandments from different angles

  • For example, try a comparison of the 7 commandments of animalism to the 10 commandments written in the bible, putting a religious spin to your analysis.
  • You could then compare the differences between the two, and the challenges of following them for the animals in the book, and people.
  • You would have to use historical examples as evidence of how well the commandments work, or to prove that they don’t. 

Finally, don’t forget to include history and context information

  • Example - Animal Farm was written in the 1940s, and is still a widely discussed book today because it focuses on how governments can become corrupted.
 
 
#