Storyboarding is a great way to focus on the various types of literary conflicts within different types of literature. Have students choose some examples of literary conflict, and depict them using the Storyboard Creator!
Boxer worries about the farm, and blames himself. When Napoleon starts killing other animals, he says, "I would not have believed that such things could happen on our farm. It must be due to some fault in ourselves."
Old Major begins the ideology of "Animalism", which goes against the current way of life.
These two pigs have it out for each other. As Napoleon becomes a tyrannical dictator, Snowball struggles to find order. Napoleon eventually uses brute force to run Snowball off the farm.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows at least three forms of literary conflict in Animal Farm.
Begin by giving students simple and interesting definitions of different types of conflicts. First, explain the difference between internal and external conflict then gradually move to the different types of internal and external conflicts. Give students simple examples to familiarize them with the concept.
After students are clear on the concept, help them identify the different types of conflicts in Animal Farm. Focus on the internal conflicts which are harder to identify and analyze. For instance, the conflict Boxer faces when he thinks he is to blame for Napoleon’s actions.
Encourage the students to investigate the reason behind the internal conflict. Ask the students why they think Boxer blames himself or other animals and do they think would happen because of this conflict. Focus on analyzing the reason and consequences of the conflict.
Connect the internal struggles to the story's overarching themes, which include loyalty, power, corruption, and the effects of revolution. Ask the students to connect these conflicts with the overall story to find out more about its emergence and future consequences.
Encourage students to offer their opinions and interpretations during class discussions. Encourage them to consider how crucial internal struggles were in forming the main characters and the story as a whole. Guide the students to discuss any internal conflicts they have faced recently and how they solved them.
A major conflict in "Animal Farm" is between man and society since the animals' uprising against human domination represents a larger social battle for equality and freedom. This contradiction is best shown by the development of animalism and the endeavor to build a just society. Students can focus on similar conflicts experienced during the Russian Revolution to understand the conflict between the animals and the human society in the story in a better way.
The struggles in "Animal Farm" aim to emphasize the difficulties and complexity of authority, revolt, and societal change. They show how internal and external disputes may affect a revolution's trajectory and its results. As the story progresses, we can see the development of these conflicts and how they enhance the plot as well as play a role in character development.