A puzzle to keep your minds active over Christmas

See if, as a class, you can find the answers to all of these. Use the comments section to post answers as you work them out.

Answers in class during the first week back.

1. 26=L of the A
2. 7=W of the AW
3. 1001 = A N
4. 12= S of the Z
5. 54=C in the D[with the J]
6. 9=P in the SS
7. 88=P K
8. 13=S on the A F
9. 32= D F at which W F
10. 6= S on a H
11. 18= H on a G C
12. 90= D in a R A
13. 200= P for P G in M
14. 3= B M [S H T R]
15. 24= H in a D
16. 1= W on a U
17. 57= H V
18. 11= P on a F T
19. 1000= W that a P is W
20. 29=D in F in a L Y
21. 64= S on a C

Good luck.

Animal Farm essay due Tuesday

Just to reiterate that your essays are due in on Tuesday. I am very aware that you have the Junior Dance on Monday evening, so it's up to you to get the work done in advance. You will have the double period on Monday to get it finished if you are hand writing it. If you are typing it up, you may be able to go to the library to finish it off on Monday, so bring in the work on a flashdrive.

Animal Farm Critical Essay

Here are the instructions which I gave you for the main paragraphs of your essay:

1. Look at the sheet with the class’s ideas for contemporary relevance. Find one way in which you think that Animal Farm is relevant today.

2. Make a clear statement about how a modern reader would relate the issue to Animal Farm.

3. Discuss, using evidence, how Orwell develops the theme or idea in the text. Make sure that you analyse Orwell’s techniques to show how the idea is effectively developed.

4. Pick out aspects, referring to techniques where possible, that make it relevant to the modern reader.

See below a sample paragraph. Try to work out which bits apply to which point above.


Contemporary readers of Animal Farm, aware as we are of the techniques of advertisers and government spin doctors, would immediately respond to the theme of propaganda. Orwell develops the theme mainly through the character of Squealer, who acts as Napoleon’s mouthpiece, persuading, placating and hoodwinking the animals into supporting Napoleon and subjecting themselves to his will. When explaining to the animals, following the destruction of the first windmill, that rations would be cut, Squealer claims that "A too rigid equality in rations...would be contrary to the principles of Animalism". Orwell creates an ironic tone in the phrase "too rigid", making it clear that the principles of fairness are now being subverted by clever language. The narrator goes on: “it had been found necessary to make a readjustment of rations (Squealer always spoke of it as a ‘readjustment’, never as a ‘reduction’)”. Here, the manipulation of language becomes more flagrant. The basic fact, known to all, that less food is being made available is being covered up through Squealer's propaganda, and is being referred to as a 'readjustment'. Contemporary readers, used to budget statements which require specialist knowedge to work out whether we're paying more or less tax, and advertisers who convince us that we can have everything, will recognise the murky intent of Squealer's language. Earlier in the novel, when faced with doubts about the state of the Rebellion, Squealer quashes them with threats of the return of Jones:

"Surely, comrades,’ cried Squealer almost pleadingly, skipping from side to side and whisking his tail, ‘surely there is no one among you who wants to see Jones come back?’...When it was put to them in this light, they had no more to say."

This cynical manipulation might put a modern reader in mind of George Bush's claim, early in the 'War on Terror', that "You're either with us or against us." In both cases, a simple choice is being posed, either complete support for the leadership, or subjection to the opposition.


Clearly, this is a very detailed paragraph, running to over 300 words and containing three separate pieces of evidence and analysis. If you were to write something this detailed, then three paragraphs would be plenty. The important thing is that you pick out Orwell's techniques to show how he develops the themes.

You will notice that I have not indented the longer quote, as I should have done. This is because I can't work out how to do this on Blogger.

For further, general advice on writing critical essays, see this page on the English section of the school website, currently in development.

You may also find it useful to see the assessment criteria which we use to assess your critical essays.

I hope you find this post useful. Please comment.