Animal Farm Ch.9 Litblog

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
12-4-12

Chapter 9

Summary: In chapter 9, rations were reduced again and all the young piglets are trained by Napoleon and any animal who meets a pig on the path must step aside for the pig. Pigs are also allowed to wear green ribbons on Sunday. The field was full of barley all for the pigs and the once a week Sponetaneous Demonstartion was put into place. Boxer falls when hauling a rock and is driven the "hospital" (the knacker's). At the end of the chapter, the pigs receive another box of whisky.

Quotation: "'Comrades, comrades!' they shouted. 'Don't take your own brother to his death!' But the stupid brutes, too ignorant to realise what was happening, merely set back their ears and quickened their pace" (114).

Quotation Significance: The aniamls say this as the horses and the driver are taking away Boxer to be cut up and killed for horse meat. They are telling the animals to rebel against the humans and not listen to what they have to say. What is ironic is that Napoleon is sending them to death by the way that he is treating them. They don't realize it but they are being treated worse than when they had Jones.

Reflection: Napoleon has now even more control. He is conversing freely with humans. The only commandment he has not broken is "All animals are equal". But it is easy to predict that this commandment will eventually be broken as well. In fact it is almost borken when the other animals haveto move aside for hte pigs when they are walking down a path and they meet up. I find it hard that someone hasn't really spoken up. It is obvious that Benjamin knows what is going on and either doesn't care or knows what will happen if he doesn't obey the rules. Either way, Napoleon is getting away with being a ruthless tyrant and no one now is trying to stop him at all. Animal Farm directly comapres with the Russian Revolution. Marx, the man who invented Communism is Old Major.  Jones is the old Czar (ruler) and the last ruler of Animal Farm before the Animals take it over and replace his way with Animalism. Napoleon is Stalin (ruler of new Communism governement) because he is the ruler of the Animal Farm and exiles his co-ruler, Snowball (Trotsky). Snowball and Trotsky also believed in Animalism and Communism. Stalin and Napoleon basically pretended they di and then corrupted the system.  When Boxer is sent to the knacker's he will be chopped up for horse meat and dog food. Napoleon obviously did this to receive money so he wouldn't have to keep caring for Boxwer and feeding him for more and more years. Squealer comes up with a lie and tells the animals that Boxer was really at the hospital and that he couldn't be saved. Next I think that the pigs will become so much like the humans that soon they won't be able to tell the difference between the two species.

Discussion Question: How far do you think Napoleon will go for complete control of the farm? Do you think that the pigs will become the humans themselves?



Animal Farm Chapters 7-8 Litblog

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
12-4-12

Chapters 7-8 

Summary: In chapter 7, a famine breaks out at the farm and the hens are required to give up their eggs to trade for other foods. The hens rebel this and they are not allowed any food, nine hens die and any animal that helps them will be executed. Snowball is framed for sneaking around the barn at night and working with Jones and the neighboring barns to take over Animal Farm. Napoleon held a meetings and countless animals were killed and confessed to working with Snowball or plotting against him. Then the song Beasts of England was abolished. In chapter 8, Napoleon is only seen once fortnight with a whole procession before him and guards. He had special quarters in the farmhouse and was always waited on. More animals came forward with crimes to murder Napoleon and Napoleon now has  taste-testers and more guards. The windmill is finished and named Napoleon Mill. The money paid for the timber is fake and Frederick has been pronounced to death. Frederick and fifteen men attack the farm and they blew up the windmill. The animals attacked them and won the battle. Napoleon and the pigs start to drink alcohol and catch Squealer changing the commandments to accommodate this. 

Quotation: " So Beasts of England was heard no more. In its place, Minimus, the poet, had composed another song which began: Animal Farm, Animal Farm, Never through me shalt thou come to harm! And this was sung every Sunday morning...But somehow neither the words nor the tune ever seemed to the animals to come up to Beasts of England" (86-87).

Quotation Significance: This is reflected by the animals once the Beasts of England song is abolished. This song stood for everything the animals stood for and now this is gone. They have no rights and this new song by Minimus doesn't justify the rights they should have which disappoints them. 

Reflection: Napoleon is now more in control then ever. Famines break out in the barn and food goes missing, and Snowball is blamed. I personally believe that Snowball is innocent and ran away because of a threat from Napoleon or seeing the damage that Napoleon is causing and decided he wanted to be a part of it. The hens don't want to give up their eggs and because of this they are allowed no rations and any animal who gives them food will be slaughtered. So far, the pigs have violated almost every single rule in Animal Farm and some of the animals catch Squealer changing some of the commandments in the barn because he has a ladder and a paint brush. The animals don't realize what this means however and let it slide. Whenever an animal protests a new rule Squealer is always abel to convince them that it is for the best and everything is much better than it was when Jones ran the farm. The animals agree reluctantly, only because of the dogs and they don't want to be killed by the pigs. They are starting to have suspicions of what is really going on at the farm but they don't have sufficient memory or skills to do this correctly. The pigs are smart and now how to "beat around the bush" and lie when it comes to the other animals and they know that these animals are easily persuaded. During the meeting when dozens of animals were slaughtered, it makes the animals who are still alive worry about their own future and Napoleon has no basically become the king/dictator of Animal Farm. He swore to never drink, kill animals, sleep in beds, be equal with other animals, and never live in the farmhouse. He has violated all the rules he helped to make in the first place. With using trickery and cunning tactics he has turned everyone against Snowball, who is most likely innocent, so everyone will look to him to save them. This is a tactic used with types of government to gain trust and they slowly trick and use cunning strategies to bend and twist the truth until no one remembers the truth anymore (the old commandments). 

Discussion Question: Do you think that some of the animals will try and stand up to Napoleon? How will they accomplish this?

Animal Farm Chapters 5-6 Litblog

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
12-3-12

Chapters 5-6

Summary: In chapter 5, there is a dispute between Snowball and Napoleon whether to build a windmill to generate power for the farm. Mollie disappears to a neighboring farm. The nine dogs that Napoleon had raised attacked Snowball and ran him off the farm and he never returned. With Napoleon in charge it was announced that the pigs would make all farm decisions, and that the windmill would be made after all. Napoleon opposed it  because Snowball had stolen Napoleon's ideas in the first place. In chapter 6, work on Sunday has been established, and started working on the windmill. However they were running out of supplies and traded with Mr. Whymper, and then the pigs moved into the farmhouse and slept on beds. During that winter, the windmill was destroyed and Snowball was blamed and he was officially sentenced to death.

Quotation: "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?" (70).

Quotation Significance: Squealer says this to Clover and Muriel who are looking at the seven commandments. Clover is one of the animals that is suspicious that the pigs are becoming more and more like greedy humans and Squealer basically justifies it by talking about having Jones back. Obviously this is not what the animals want so they are persuaded into obeying the pigs. 

Reflection: The pigs are really beginning to take over! It all starts when Snowball goes missing. Without someone to argue with Snowball and need votes to break their fights Napoleon can make all the decisions. He fought with Snowball over the windmill saying it would be useless. And now that Snowball is gone he wants to use these plans and win the animal's favor he says that they were his plans in the first place and Snowball stole them. I think that Napoleon just wanted to utilize the plans for the windmill and turn the animals against Snowball so if he comes back Napoleon will be in full control. When Napoleon announces that the pigs will make all the decisions some of the young porkers protest but Napoleon's dogs scare them. This happens several times when other animals try to speak up against Napoleon and I think he raised these dogs to enforce his rules and ensure no rebellions. This parallels to men and guns. Men use guns to enforce rules and protect themselves. This is exactly what Napoleon and his sidekick Squealer are doing. Now, work on Sunday has been established though it isn't technically mandatory if the animals don't particiapte their rations are cut in half. The pigs still have the apples and milk all to themselves and the pigs sleep in the house on beds. In the beginning of the story there is a strict law against it but one of the pigs changes it to say "We will never sleep on beds with sheets".  Since most of the animals aren't too smart, the believe Napoleon and now he has control over everything, food, the house, weapons, the government, and the animals themselves. Napoleon finds another chance to blame Snowball when the windmill is destroyed. Obviously this was the storm, a small pig couldn't wreck a huge windmill. But Napoleon is convincing and most likely has a pig lay false tracks to prove to the animals that the Napoleon is there for them and that Snowball is bad. This greatly compares with government. When two parties try to take over, they make cunning and sly plots to trick their people into going against the other party and choosing them. I think next Napoleon will press for more control and eventually animals will speak up. 

Discussion Question: Do you think that Napoleon is trying to sabotage Snowball?

Animal Farm Ch. 1-2 Litblog

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
11-28-12

Chapters 1-2

Summary: In chapter 1, . Major (the wise pig) calls a meeting to discuss his dream he had.  He talks about a revolution for animals overthrowing humans.  Major states that animals live, short and hard lives and they do all the work to get nothing back from the humans and humans are enemies. Major then sings a song from his childhood he remembered in his dream t called Beasts of England (about the revolution). In chapter 2, Major dies in his sleep. The other pigs take over his place and they call Major's philosophy Animalism and have meetings about it. At this time, Mr. Jones forgot to feed the animals. Eventually one of the cows broke in the store-shed to eat. The men came and started to whip the animals and the cows chased the men off the farm. The animals now owned the farm. The animals all burned the instruments of torture and humility in the barn and ate and went to bed. The animals explore the farmhouse and decide no one will live there. The animals then write Animal Farm on the farm sign with paint. The animals then made 7 commandments they must all live by no matter what which are that animals are friends, humans are enemies, no animal will sleep on a bed, wear clothes, kill another animal, drink alcohol, and all animals are equal. After harvesting hay they came back to notice their milk had disappeared from earlier that day. 

Quotation: "And remember also that in fighting against man, we must not come to resemble him. Even when you have conquered him do not adopt his vices... All the habits of Man are evil." (21) 

Quotation Significance: This is Major talking the animals before he tells them the dream he has. He is saying that they must not become what a terrible thing that the man is, otherwise there would be no point in what they are trying to achieve.  He believes that men are evil and do not ever be evil like them

Reflection: So far, this story has been exciting. The animals are inspired by the ideas of Animalism and Major inspires them, and warns them to never become like man. It is obvious to see that the smartest animals at the farm are the pigs and I think that in the future the pigs will become the dictators of the farm. I think they will become the elite on the farm and become the very thing they were fighting for in the first place. I'm thinking that one of the pigs stole the milk and maybe drank it or stored it for later. I think that eventually the pigs might even move into the house and start making the other animals work for them and trick them into doing things or obeying them. With animals like Mollie, this would be easy. All they would have to do would be to entice her ribbons as rewards for obeying them. I think that this is a comparison to types of government like Communism. They have this small and cunning elite population (pigs) that surpresses the majority of the population and tricks them into working for their benefit. It starts with not forced control but with winning people over (Mollie?) and then making them work for them and making them do things for their benefit. Obviously, it seems like Major had an idea that this might happen and is warning them against it. 

Discussion Question: Do you think that the pigs are planning to take over the farm?

Tale of Two Cities Book 3 Ch. 13-15 Litblog

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
11-26-12

Book 3 Chapters 13-15

Summary: In chapter 13, 52 people have been condemned to die. Carton visits Darnay and tricks him into switching clothes with him and Carton drugs Darnay with the chemical he bought from the chemist's shop. He orders Barsad to take Darnay to the carriage and Carton waits to be executed. Darnay takes Carton's papers and they all flee the city. In chapter 14, Madame Defarge goes to Lucie's apartment to try and catch her mourning for a prisoner (which is illegal) Miss Pross is discussing plans to leave Paris with Jerry Cruncher and he leaves when Madame Defarge comes in. The women fight and Miss Pross shoots Madame Defarge. In chapter 15, The Vengenance worries that Madame Defarge will miss the death of Darnay and when Carton is executed and has a peaceful look on his face and pictures a child of Darnay and Lucie with his name and pictures everyone being happy and Paris being peaceful yet again. 

Quotation: "I see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss, and, in their struggles to be truly free,... I see the evil of this time....gradually making expiation for itself and wearing out."   

Quotation Significance: This is what Carton is thinking of when he is being executed. He sees that people will rise from all the death and ashes and the evil draining away. He sees a future of peace and happiness for everyone.

Reflection: This is the end of Tale of Two Cities! This book was very exciting and came to a very exciting end! I would definitely read this book again and I give this book four stars! Carton decides to trick Darnay and sacrifice himself. He knows that Darnay has a huge life ahead of him and since the look alike Carton knows he can pull it off. Carton thinks he has accomplished nothing worthwhile in his life and that this would be his biggest contribution to the world and the happiness of Darnay, Lucie and their family. Carton thinks little of himself and he knows that this way he will be remembered as honorable by people after he is still dead and his memory will live on. Madame Defarge is dead and Miss Pross and Jerry are leaving Paris presumably to meet up with Darnay and Lucie. The fear of the aristocrats has been banished and people are rising to make the world good again and for the light to shine once more. Carton will be loved and cherished by Darnay and Lucie and they decide to most likely name a son after him and in Carton's last moments he sees this and is touched by this and will cherish this memory where he goes on to. All in all, this was a fantastic book with a fantastic ending and a twisting and very intriguing plot.

Discussion Question: Why did Carton sacrifice himself for Darnay/

Tale of Two Cities Book 3 Ch.5-8 Litblog

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
11-19-1

Book 3 Chapters 5-8

Summary: In chapter 5, Lucie stands in town by the wood-sawyer store so that way Darnay can see her a couple hours of the day through the prison window in his cell. Lucie talks to the wood-sawyer and pretends that his saw is a guillotine. One day, a group of people do a horrible dance that was called the Carmagnole. The dancers leave and Manette arrives and comforts Lucie when Madame Defarge arrives and she salutes Manette. Manette tells Lucie that Darnay is going to be on trial tomorrow and will most likely win the case. In chapter 6, a crowd assembles for the trial. Darnay wins the case because he renounced his title because he didn't like how the peasants were being treated and because he is Manette's son-in-law. He is carried home in a chair on the shoulders of the cheering crowd. In chapter 7, Darnay is re-arrested under the accusations of the Defarges and a third person whom will be found out the next day.  In chapter 8,  at the same time, Miss Pross and Jerry find Miss Pross's long lost brother, Solomon, who is a spy for the rebels. He was the one who accused Darnay of treason and his other name he goes by is Barsad. Carton comes in and threatens to reveal his identity unless he takes them to Tellson's. Carton tells Jerry and Mr. Lorry that Darnay has been arrested again and tells them he has a plan if he is convicted. If Barsad doesn't cooperate then Carton will reveal him as an English spy. Carton says that he saw Barsad talking with the English spy, Roger Cly. Cly was supposedly dead but his death was faked. Barsad disagrees but agrees to help them get Darnay out of prison. 

Quotation:  "No fight could have been half so terrible as this dance. It was emphatically a fallen sport... a healthy pastime changed into a means of angering the blood, bewildering the senses, and steeling the heart."

Quotation Significance: This quote is when the dancers danceing to the Carmagnole do a dance around Lucie and when they fall, another group takes their place. This seems to me like a war, one group replacing the next who has died but this keeps going forever. I think that this is why this dance scared Lucie so much she had to be consoled by her father when it was over.

Reflection: In these four chapters, Darnay is almost saved, but has to go back to prison the next day. Darnay is relieved when he is released after this trial and thinks that maybe his nightmare his over. A nightmare that lasted a year and three months  He was subjected to many horrible things in prison. I couldn't imagine going through that and having to go back the next day. He would have to relive the memories and remember how close he was to actual freedom. Lucie is frightended and relieved when her husband is back because she has a feeling that they will take him again and they end up doing this very thing and the next day too! Lucie was devastated at this and it would be harder to imagine how his child, little Lucie was feeling. She knows something terrible is happening to her father and must be upset that she can't be around him. It is a huge moment when Miss Pross, Carton, and Cruncher find Solomon (Barsad), he convicted Darnay and Carton says that he will reveal him as an English spy if he doesn't help them. Barsad agrees because he doesn't want his cover blown. Carton has a plan to save Darnay and resuce him from prison if he is convicted for the new crime he was convicted of doing. He was accused by Mr. and Mr. Defarge and it isn't clear what he has supposedly done and a third person whose identity hasn't been revealed yet. I think next Darnay will be found guilty for his next crime and then Carton and everyone else will have to execute their plan to save him.

Discussion Question: Why are Mr. and Mrs. Defarge accusing Darnay and who do you think is the third person who accuses him?

Tale of Two Cities Book 2 Ch. 22-24 Litblog

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
11-14-12

Book 2 Chapters 22-24

Summary: In chapter 22, Defarge says that the man Foulon has been captured, he said that that if people are starving that they should eat grass. Madame Defarge and a mob of women  find Foulon and a woman known only as The Vengeance. They  hang him on a lamp post  and they put his head on a pike and put grass in his mouth. . In chapter 23, the mender of the roads is working when a traveler comes up who is a Jacques. They exchange important info for something taking place that night.  That night, four people set the Marqui's house on fire and no one made an effort to stop it. In chapter 24, three years had gone by and the center of power of Monseigneur rests at Tellson's and England is a haven for aristocrats. Tellson's has decided to dispatch Lorry to Paris to protect valuables things from destruction. Darnay tells him not to go but Mr. Lorry goes with Jerry as his bodyguard. Lorry receives a letter for the new Marqui and Darnay opens it and reads it and it tells him to help Gabelle, who was imprisoned because he was upkeeping the Marqui estate and begs Darnay to save him so Darnay goes to Paris to help. 

Quotation: "The officers looked towards the soldiers who looked at the fire; gave no orders; and answered, with shrugs and biting of lips, 'It must burn.'"

Quotation Significance: This is what a soldier said when the found out that the Marqui house was burning and no one was going to help. Obviously, they think that the house deserves to burn after all the the Marqui has done to his people. They resent the Marqui and could not care less about what happens to him or his house.

Reflection: Alot is happening in these three chapters! The revoltution is brewing and everyone is ready to fight in Paris. The Monseigneur has been thrown from his royal circle which is now gone and has lost his home. His main center is now Tellson bank. The aristocrats are all fleeing to England so they won't be killed by the Jacques are killing most of them. So show their angry at the Marqui, they set his house on fire and his own soldiers won't help to out out the fire which shows how much he was resented by the people of Paris. The soldiers just leave the house to burn and return to their homes and go to bed. The women and Madame Defarge murder and hang a man who had no regard for the poor (Foulon) who told the poor to eat grass when the starve. This was an insulting notion and the peasants decided to kill him and put grass in his own mouth and put his head on a pike. If I lived in Paris at this time and was subjected to such awful behavior I would be ready to revolt too. Now, Lorry is being sent to Paris to protect valuables and papers for Tellson and is going with Jerry as a bodyguard. Jerry is a grave- robber and very sneaky at too so he will be able to sneak Mr. Lorry around Paris without drawing too much attention. Darnay gets a letter from Gabelle, who is imprisoned for looking after the Marqui estate. Darnay sets off  to Paris to take a look at the situation. Maybe Darnya thinks the Gabelle is good or that he can help the Jacques. Either way it is dangerous for him to go there because he is on Madame Defarge's list and he has aristocrat blood. I think that Darnay will join the rebellion in Paris and help out but then eventually someone will figure out his identity. 

Discussion Question: What do you think Darnay will do about Gabelle and saving him from prison?