Animal farm: propaganda and narrative voice

Animal farm: propaganda and narrative voice

Propaganda (noun)

Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view: “He was charged with distributing enemy propaganda.” 

Propaganda example

American

Propaganda example

Chinese

Propaganda example

Star Wars

Narrative perspective

The narrator is the person who relates the events of a story to a reader or audience. It is the lens through which we view the story and characters. 

3 main types of Narrative perspective

• First Person: The narrator is a character in the story – uses the first person “I” to tell the story.

• Third Person Limited: The narrator does not participate in the action of the story – relates the thoughts and feelings of only one character.

• Third Person Omniscient: The ‘all knowing’ narrator does not participate in the action of the story, however does relate the thoughts and feelings of many different characters. 

Animal farm: 3rd person omniscient point of view

• Animal Farm is told from the third person omniscient point of view, which allows the reader to see into the minds of characters and gain a better understanding of their true opinions of the happenings of Animal Farm. The narrator is a voice that has no part in the story, and tells the story of Animal Farm objectively.

• As a result, the reader is able to understand the true situation throughout the story, even while the animals have a limited view and/or do not understand what is happening.

Multiple Choice

Identify the narrative perspective of the text: “When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim’s warmth but finding only the rough canvas cover of the mattress. She must have had bad dreams and climbed in with our mother. Of course she did. This is the day of the reaping.” - The Hunger games by Suzanna Collins

• First person narrative

• Third person - limited narrative

• Third person - omniscient narrative

Multiple Choice

Identify the narrative perspective of the text: “The voice was growing fainter. Harry was sure it was moving away - moving upward. A mixture of fear and excitement gripped him as he stared at the dark ceiling; how could it be moving upward? Was it a phantom, to whom stone ceilings didn’t matter? “This way,” he shouted, and he began to run, up the stairs, into the entrance hall. Harry sprinted up the marble staircase to the first floor, Ron and Hermione clattering behind him.” - From Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling

• First person narrative

• Third person - limited narrative

• Third person - omniscient narrative

Multiple Choice

Identify the narrative perspective of the text: “Mae Mobley was born on a early Sunday morning in August, 1960. A church baby we like to call it. Taking care a white babies, that’s what I do, along with all the cooking and the cleaning. I done raised seventeen kids in my lifetime. I know how to get them babies to sleep, stop crying, and go in the toilet bowl before they mamas even get out a bed in the morning. But I ain’t never seen a baby yell like Mae Mobley Leefolt. First day I walk in the door, there she be, red- hot and hollering with the colic, fighting that bottle like it’s a rotten turnip. Miss Leefolt, she look terrified a her own child.” - From The Help by Kathryn Stockett

• First person narrative

• Third person - limited narrative

• Third person - omniscient narrative

Multiple Choice

Identify the narrative perspective of the text: “Mr Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three and twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character. Her mind was less difficult to develop. She was a woman of mean understanding, little informa- tion and uncertain temper. When she was discontented she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news.” - From Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

• First person narrative

• Third person - limited narrative

• Third person - omniscient narrative

Multiple Choice

Identify the narrative perspective of the text: “Tonight, I find myself here in a guest house in the city of Salisbury. The first day of my trip is now completed, and all in all, I must say I am quite satisfied. This expedition began this morning almost an hour later than I had planned, despite my having completed my packing and loaded the Ford with all necessary items well before eight o’clock. What with Mrs Clements and the girls also gone for the week, I suppose I was very conscious of the fact that once I departed, Darlington Hall would stand empty for probably the first time this century – perhaps for the first time since the day it was built. It was an odd feeling and perhaps accounts for why I delayed my departure so long, wandering around the house many times over, checking one last time that all was in order.” - From The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

• First person narrative

• Third person - limited narrative

• Third person - omniscient narrative