For Mother
You nursed me through
me milk teeth,
consoled me through
me spots
- I love you like
an auction, Mum.
Lots and lots and lots!
1. Introduction to Figurative Language
b) 1. I love you like an auction, Mum. The type of figurative language used is simile. The poet chose to use this figurative language as this simile expresses the poet's love for her mother.
b) 2. I like this poem as the poet loves her mother so much, and she even dedicated her time to come up with a poem to express her gratitude towards her mother. This poem reminds us to follow the poet and always be grateful to our mother for all she has done for us. This poem tells us to always remember to be grateful to our mothers and to appreciate them for what they have done, be it big or small. When we grow up, we have to repay our mothers with the same amount of love they treated us with.
2. Analyzing and composing own poem
c) Writing task(creative poem-individual effort)
School is stressful
School is fun
Its been like that
Since time begun
For what is life
Without some stress
Our brains would wither
We'd be a mess
Mental sums
The order of the day
The teacher said
To our dismay
Worked our brains
We sure did
Day in day out
With sure grit
But I love school
They say I'm mad
Get a life
You poor lad
To me
This is life
And it's really fun
Hey, it's been like that since time begun
Monday, May 24, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Gulliver's Travels And Animal Farm Comparison
On reading Animal Farm and Gulliver's Travels, one cannot help but see the obvious similarities between the two. Both authors Swift and Orwell use satire to criticise and make fun of human behaviour. Swift takes a dig at the British government while Orwell criticises the communists of Russia. In Animal Farm, a group of animals from Manor Farm successfully take over the running of the farm after chasing Farmer Jones and his cronies away. The farm, run by the pigs, prospered and they managed to create their own ideal society. The animals soon realised that even the pigs could not abide by their own rules and things began to take a turn for the worse. It is obvious that the basis of Animal Farm's satirising is communism where by each animal depicts an individual person in the communist party. In Gulliver's Travels, the author, Jonathan Swift brings up many scenes to highlight the pride and folly of human beings. He uses many satires to compare the lives of strange creatures to the way mankind lives in our society today. For example, in the island of Lillliput, the people there distinguish their parties by the height of the heels on their shoes and how they crack their eggs. Gulliver's Travels also shows how human beings are so caught up in making their lives better and richer than what they have at present. The last place that Gulliver travels to is the land of the Yahoos and Houyhnyms. There, he satires humans are like animals. In both books, the authors have chosen to place animals in a higher hierarchy than human beings. Perhaps they are trying to say that animals are more civilised than humans.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Animal Farm Glencoe Study Guide Worksheets
Active Reading Animal Farm Chapters 1-4
Old Major gets the revolution started; inspires hope for real change
Snowball fought bravely at the battle of the cowshed; good leader
Napolean manipulates the animals
Squealer Napolean's close assistant and loyal follower who controls the animals
Boxer very hardworking; wakes up an hour earlier just to do work
Clover very caring; takes care of the welll being of animals on the farm
Mollie very vain, likes to wear clothes; only works for personal gain
Guard Dogs maintain law and order on the farm
Moses spreads rumours about Sugar Candy Mountain around the farm
Responding Animal Farm Chapters 1-4
Personal Response
I feel that the animals should stand up for what they believe in and go against the humans.
I sympathise with the animals' complaints and goals. The animals are forced to work for the humans, and in the end they are only given sufficient food to prevent them from starving. It is only logical that the animals feel that they have been treated unfairly.
Analyzing Literature
1. When Old Major died, Snowball held secret meetings with the animals and discussed with them the teachings of Old Major. Soon after, they plotted and succeeded in chasing Farmer Jones and his wife out of the farm. The animals stood up for their own rights and were brave to stand up against the humans, which is a characteristic of humans. The animals butted and kicked Farmer Jones, which is a characteristic of animals.
2. The pigs said that they were the smartest animals on the farm, and that they needed milk for their brains to think of new ideas for the farm. The animals believed the pigs led by Snowball, as Snowball was the leader of the farm at that time. Pigs had the most power on the farm and they were held with the highest esteem.
3. In simple words, Animalism meant that four legs were good while two legs were bad. The animals were not well educated and wanted to use simple language. The pigs use the language we humans speak.
4. He describes and writes about many characters in the book which are unsure of the animal rebellion against the human race.
5. Snowball is a very ruthless but effective leader in my opinion. His reaction was appropriate as in war, we have to be merciless in order to triumph over our enemies.
Active Reading Animal Farm Chapters 5-7
In future all questions relating to the working of the farm would be settled by a special committee of pigs presided over by himself.--Napolean is going to make all the decisions from now on.
This work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations cut by half.--All animals had to work on Sunday no matter what.
Beasts of England has been abolished--Napoleon is starting to have human characteristics and is slowly changing his ways.
The pigs would get up an hour later--The pigs had priority and were superior compared to the other animals.
On the contrary, it was he who had advocated it in the beginning and the plan which Snowball had drawn on the floor of the incubator shed had actually been stolen from Napoleon’s papers--Tarnish Snowball’s reputation and make the animals distrust him
But not more comfortable then we need, I can tell you, comrades, with all the brain work we have to do nowadays--The pigs lived in luxury with many human inventions
For we have every reason to think that Snowball’s secret agents are lurking among us at the moment--Napolean criticised Snowball.
Responding Animal Far Chapters 5-7
Personal Response
I thought it was par for the course and was expected that Snowball would be eventually kicked out from Animal Farm because Napolean had been plotting and training his guard dogs to chase Snowball out of the farm as he was jealous of Snowball's authority.
Analyzing Literature
1. Snowball is expelled from animal farm by the Napolean's guard dogs. This scene suggests the expulsion of Stalin by Trotsky.
2. Napolean uses Squealer to manipulate the animals on the farm. Napolean also has trained guard dogs to scare any animals which are doubtful about his ideas or his ways. He even goes to the extreme and kills any animal which gets in his way. After the expulsion of Snowball, Napolean was in total control as he was the next smartest animal on the farm. He did not have any more meetings like Snowball used to conduct, but instead did all the decision making by himself.
3. The executions took place so as to get rid of Snowball's spies and to also ensure that the other animals would not betray Napolean.
4. Orwell tells the readers that the animals suffer from starvation and are killed mercilessly. This is worse than when the farm was under Farmer Jones rule as at least the animals were decently fed. Orwell tells us that totalitarian governments are often corrupt and that they cause more trouble compared to last time to the people living there.
5. I do not think it's fair. I feel that everyone, no matter how intelligent, deserve to make decisions and stand up for what they believe in.
Active Reading Animal Farm Chapters 8-10
pigs live in farmhouse work longer hours
Napolean is waited on receive less food
have shorter working hours sleep in the barn
get to drink milk
make all the decisions on the farm
have the luxury of sleeping on beds
Responding Animal Farm Chapters 8-10
Personal Response
I found the ending very appropriate. The ending shows that the human race would do anything to win, even resorting to illegal means.
Analyzing Literature
1. Napolean trades goods and merchandise with Frederick and Pilkington. The animals are now under a Republic with Napoleon as their corrupt leader. Orwell is highlighting the controversy when Stalin took over the Republic.
2. Boxer is sent to the slaughterhouse and is brutally murdered. The other animals know of this through Squealer. The animals come to a final conclusion that Napolean kills any animals which are of no use to him.
3. The fifth commandment is changed to "No animals shall drink alcohol to excess" and the sixth commandment is changed to"No animals shall kill any other animal without cause". The leaders of the Soviet at that time always modified and changed the rules to satisfy their needs, just like how Napolean and Squealer changed the commandments so that they would not have broken any rules of the farm.
4. In my opinion, this evolution is a sign of progress. Initially, the pigs hated the humans and vowed to rebel and overthrow the human race. However, as the story progressed, the pigs started taking on human characteristics, including sleeping on beds and engaging in trade with the other farms. In the end, the pigs transform completely into humans and lose all their animal characteristics.
5. I think that all leaders are interchangeable. Most leaders are corrupt and are full of greed, such as Napolean and Stalin, and therefore, they deserve to be overthrown.
Responding Animal Farm
I find the scene in which Boxer was sent to the slaughterhouse the most effective and memorable. Squealer tricked the animals and said that Boxer was being sent to the hospital, when in actual fact, Boxer had been sent to the slaughterhouse to be killed. I found the scene very sad and depressing as Boxer was one of Napolean's most loyal followers. Boxer trusted Napoolean and devoted his work entirely to him. However, after Boxer was of no use anymore, Napolean did not hesitate to sell him off for money. I feel sorry for Boxer because his loyalty to Napolean never paid off. I was also moved because a basic human trait like loyalty was totally betrayed.
Old Major gets the revolution started; inspires hope for real change
Snowball fought bravely at the battle of the cowshed; good leader
Napolean manipulates the animals
Squealer Napolean's close assistant and loyal follower who controls the animals
Boxer very hardworking; wakes up an hour earlier just to do work
Clover very caring; takes care of the welll being of animals on the farm
Mollie very vain, likes to wear clothes; only works for personal gain
Guard Dogs maintain law and order on the farm
Moses spreads rumours about Sugar Candy Mountain around the farm
Responding Animal Farm Chapters 1-4
Personal Response
I feel that the animals should stand up for what they believe in and go against the humans.
I sympathise with the animals' complaints and goals. The animals are forced to work for the humans, and in the end they are only given sufficient food to prevent them from starving. It is only logical that the animals feel that they have been treated unfairly.
Analyzing Literature
1. When Old Major died, Snowball held secret meetings with the animals and discussed with them the teachings of Old Major. Soon after, they plotted and succeeded in chasing Farmer Jones and his wife out of the farm. The animals stood up for their own rights and were brave to stand up against the humans, which is a characteristic of humans. The animals butted and kicked Farmer Jones, which is a characteristic of animals.
2. The pigs said that they were the smartest animals on the farm, and that they needed milk for their brains to think of new ideas for the farm. The animals believed the pigs led by Snowball, as Snowball was the leader of the farm at that time. Pigs had the most power on the farm and they were held with the highest esteem.
3. In simple words, Animalism meant that four legs were good while two legs were bad. The animals were not well educated and wanted to use simple language. The pigs use the language we humans speak.
4. He describes and writes about many characters in the book which are unsure of the animal rebellion against the human race.
5. Snowball is a very ruthless but effective leader in my opinion. His reaction was appropriate as in war, we have to be merciless in order to triumph over our enemies.
Active Reading Animal Farm Chapters 5-7
In future all questions relating to the working of the farm would be settled by a special committee of pigs presided over by himself.--Napolean is going to make all the decisions from now on.
This work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations cut by half.--All animals had to work on Sunday no matter what.
Beasts of England has been abolished--Napoleon is starting to have human characteristics and is slowly changing his ways.
The pigs would get up an hour later--The pigs had priority and were superior compared to the other animals.
On the contrary, it was he who had advocated it in the beginning and the plan which Snowball had drawn on the floor of the incubator shed had actually been stolen from Napoleon’s papers--Tarnish Snowball’s reputation and make the animals distrust him
But not more comfortable then we need, I can tell you, comrades, with all the brain work we have to do nowadays--The pigs lived in luxury with many human inventions
For we have every reason to think that Snowball’s secret agents are lurking among us at the moment--Napolean criticised Snowball.
Responding Animal Far Chapters 5-7
Personal Response
I thought it was par for the course and was expected that Snowball would be eventually kicked out from Animal Farm because Napolean had been plotting and training his guard dogs to chase Snowball out of the farm as he was jealous of Snowball's authority.
Analyzing Literature
1. Snowball is expelled from animal farm by the Napolean's guard dogs. This scene suggests the expulsion of Stalin by Trotsky.
2. Napolean uses Squealer to manipulate the animals on the farm. Napolean also has trained guard dogs to scare any animals which are doubtful about his ideas or his ways. He even goes to the extreme and kills any animal which gets in his way. After the expulsion of Snowball, Napolean was in total control as he was the next smartest animal on the farm. He did not have any more meetings like Snowball used to conduct, but instead did all the decision making by himself.
3. The executions took place so as to get rid of Snowball's spies and to also ensure that the other animals would not betray Napolean.
4. Orwell tells the readers that the animals suffer from starvation and are killed mercilessly. This is worse than when the farm was under Farmer Jones rule as at least the animals were decently fed. Orwell tells us that totalitarian governments are often corrupt and that they cause more trouble compared to last time to the people living there.
5. I do not think it's fair. I feel that everyone, no matter how intelligent, deserve to make decisions and stand up for what they believe in.
Active Reading Animal Farm Chapters 8-10
pigs live in farmhouse work longer hours
Napolean is waited on receive less food
have shorter working hours sleep in the barn
get to drink milk
make all the decisions on the farm
have the luxury of sleeping on beds
Responding Animal Farm Chapters 8-10
Personal Response
I found the ending very appropriate. The ending shows that the human race would do anything to win, even resorting to illegal means.
Analyzing Literature
1. Napolean trades goods and merchandise with Frederick and Pilkington. The animals are now under a Republic with Napoleon as their corrupt leader. Orwell is highlighting the controversy when Stalin took over the Republic.
2. Boxer is sent to the slaughterhouse and is brutally murdered. The other animals know of this through Squealer. The animals come to a final conclusion that Napolean kills any animals which are of no use to him.
3. The fifth commandment is changed to "No animals shall drink alcohol to excess" and the sixth commandment is changed to"No animals shall kill any other animal without cause". The leaders of the Soviet at that time always modified and changed the rules to satisfy their needs, just like how Napolean and Squealer changed the commandments so that they would not have broken any rules of the farm.
4. In my opinion, this evolution is a sign of progress. Initially, the pigs hated the humans and vowed to rebel and overthrow the human race. However, as the story progressed, the pigs started taking on human characteristics, including sleeping on beds and engaging in trade with the other farms. In the end, the pigs transform completely into humans and lose all their animal characteristics.
5. I think that all leaders are interchangeable. Most leaders are corrupt and are full of greed, such as Napolean and Stalin, and therefore, they deserve to be overthrown.
Responding Animal Farm
I find the scene in which Boxer was sent to the slaughterhouse the most effective and memorable. Squealer tricked the animals and said that Boxer was being sent to the hospital, when in actual fact, Boxer had been sent to the slaughterhouse to be killed. I found the scene very sad and depressing as Boxer was one of Napolean's most loyal followers. Boxer trusted Napoolean and devoted his work entirely to him. However, after Boxer was of no use anymore, Napolean did not hesitate to sell him off for money. I feel sorry for Boxer because his loyalty to Napolean never paid off. I was also moved because a basic human trait like loyalty was totally betrayed.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Animal Farm: Review Of The Play
If you are expecting fancy costumes and humans dressed up like pigs and dogs, then you will be disappointed by the Wild Rice production of Animal Farm currently at the Drama Centre @ NLB. I was, but the acting and the storytelling made up for it to some extent. The "animals" such as Napoleon and Snowball are created not through fancy costumes but by the human body. This serves to reinforce one of the main messages of the novel: the fine line between humans and animals. The cast hams it up and certain parts are quite funny, eliciting laughter from the audience. For me, one of the highlights of the play is the construction of the windmill, which looms large on the stage in shades of grey. I personally would have wished for more of such props, like in the London production of Lion King I watched two years ago. That was indeed a feast for the eyes. However, the Wild Rice production is minimalist in its approach. I guess it is a different experience from the productions I have watched -- no crashing chandeliers as in the Phantom of the Opera, or a flying car as in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Different, in this case, can be refreshing.
Animal Farm: Most Effective Character In The Play
In my opinion, the most effective character in the play is Boxer. The actor, Gani Abdul Karim, brings the workhorse in Animal Farm to life. Boxer is the most hardworking animal on the farm, but he is also the most gullible. Not exactly bright, he could not read the alphabet beyond the letter 'C'. An encounter with Squealer, which reveals his ignorance, is both funny and poignant. When Boxer is being sent to the slaughter house, he still does not know what lies ahead of him. He innocently bids farewell to his animal comrades, thinking that they will miss him. The actor portrays the horse's gullibility well, evoking sympathy from the audience.
Animal Farm: The Play's Relevance To The Book
The Wild Rice production mirrors the book, so I had no trouble following the storyline. Some sections were summarised or simply narrated, like the Battle of the Cowshed. As I had read the book before, and knew the plot like the back of my hand, it was not a problem for me. Watching the play helps reinforce some of the messages and themes of the book. However, for sheer character development and plot nuances, I would still prefer the book version to the play.
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