Skip to content
Oak National Academy
Oak National Academy
Teachers
Pupils
New
New
Year 11
Edexcel

The consequences of complicit and apathetic language in Orwell's 'Animal Farm'

I can explore how Orwell presents apathy and complicity in ‘Animal Farm’.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils
New
New
Year 11
Edexcel

The consequences of complicit and apathetic language in Orwell's 'Animal Farm'

I can explore how Orwell presents apathy and complicity in ‘Animal Farm’.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

View new resources

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Arguably, Benjamin's language conveys apathy throughout 'Animal Farm'.
  2. We might see Orwell as suggesting that Benjamin's apathy is a form of complicity.
  3. Potentially, we might see the animals’ complicity as allowing the pigs’ oppression.
  4. On the other hand, we might consider the pigs’ language as conditioning the animals to be complicit.

Keywords

  • Complicit - involved in or knowing about a crime or some activity that is wrong

  • Apathetic - showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern

  • Inherent - belonging to the basic nature of someone or something

  • Oppression - prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or exercise of authority

  • Conditioned - to influence a person so that they do or expect a particular thing without thinking about it

Common misconception

The only interpretation of Orwell's 'Animal Farm' is that the pigs' desire for power leads to the animals' oppression.

We might also interpret the animals as being complicit in allowing their oppression to happen.


To help you plan your year 11 english lesson on: The consequences of complicit and apathetic language in Orwell's 'Animal Farm', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

You could broaden the discussions by bringing in real world examples and considering how apathy and complicity arguably play a part in creating oppressive regimes.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You may wish to have a copy of Orwell's 'Animal Farm' for this lesson.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Skip lesson video

Loading...

Starter quiz

Download starter quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
In Orwell's 'Animal Farm', which of the following is true of the pigs' alterations to the seven commandments?
The pigs explain to the animals why they need to alter the seven commandments.
Correct answer: The pigs insist that the seven commandments have not been altered.
The pigs consult the animals about the proposed alterations to the commandments.
Q2.
In Orwell's 'Animal Farm', how do the majority of the animals react to the pigs' increasingly oppressive actions?
They openly rebel against the pigs.
Correct answer: They do nothing.
They hold secret meetings without the pigs.
Q3.
'Prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or exercise of authority' is the definition of which word beginning with 'o'?
Correct Answer: oppression, oppressed, oppressive, oppress, Oppression
Q4.
'A belief or opinion, often held by many people and based on how things seem' is the definition of which of the following?
inscription
Correct answer: perception
susceptible
Q5.
Which of the following is true of Benjamin in Orwell's 'Animal Farm'?
Benjamin cannot read.
Correct answer: Benjamin can read but chooses not to.
Benjamin helps the other animals to read.
Q6.
What is a paradox?
A politically divisive statement.
Correct answer: A seemingly contradictory statement.
A statement in a fixed order that has a particular meaning.

Exit quiz

Download exit quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
'Showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern' is the definition of which word beginning with 'a'?
Correct Answer: apathetic, apathy, Apathetic
Q2.
'Belonging to the basic nature of someone or something' is the definition of which of the following?
acquired
Correct answer: inherent
extraneous
immaterial
Q3.
Complete the quotation about Benjamin from Orwell's 'Animal Farm': “[Benjamin] seldom talked, and when he did, it was usually to make some remark”
Correct Answer: cynical, Cynical
Q4.
'To influence a person so that they do or expect a particular thing without thinking about it' is the definition of which of the following?
complicity
Correct answer: condition
independent
apathetic
Q5.
'Involved in or knowing about a crime or some activity that is wrong' is the definition of which of the following?
implicit
explicit
Correct answer: complicit
solicit
Q6.
Complete the quotation from Orwell's 'Animal Farm': “their lives now, [the animals] , were hungry and laborious”
Correct Answer: reasoned, Reasoned