Benjamin

Question 1

Introduction

Answer 1

-Orwell presents Benjamin as a politically apathetic character
-abstains from sharing his valuable insight on the dictatorship that could have prevented many of the other animals from falling into an oblivious state of subservience. -Benjamin is stubborn due to his narrow mindset, which is shown through his pessimistic manner.
-It is clearly depicted that remaining apathetic causes negative repercussions and increases the inevitability of the animals being susceptible to exploitation and manipulation.
-Because of the lack of involvement, Benjamin allows the pigs’ cycle of exploitation to continue – as there is no
opposition/ sense of challenge conveyed.

Question 2

PG 1

Answer 2

-Benjamin displays a stubborn nature throughout the novella regarding his participation in
his community.
-His character remains headstrong and unswayable by any of the occurrences at the farm.
-This monotone approach to the depraved actions of the
leadership is detrimental for the welfare of the rest of the farm as they don’t know the ill intentions of the pigs and how engaging with their legislations can lead to the farm’s
downfall.

Question 3

PG1 Quotes

Answer 3

1. “Donkeys live a long time. None of you has ever seen a dead donkey.”
2. ’ … life would go on as it had always gone on – that is, badly.’

Question 4

PG 2

Answer 4

• Benjamin’s intellect is conveyed as explicit but withdrawn. -He has a fundamental knowledge base on the nature of Napoleon’s abuse of power and Squealer’s manipulation.
• However, he is apathetic because he refuses to alert the animals by displaying ambiguity in his prose regarding the red flags over Squealer’s web of lies.

Question 5

PG 2 Quotes

Answer 5

“refused to meddle in such matters”

Question 6

PG 3

Answer 6

• Benjamin’s pessimistic ways are flagrant as he does not hesitate to add cynical comments that bring the other animals’ unrealistic idealisms.
• We acknowledge the repercussions of his confidentiality even when he is more intellectually superior than others.

Question 7

PG 3 Quotes

Answer 7

“The oldest animal on the farm and the worst tempered. He seldom talked, and when he did, it was usually to make some cynical remark”/
“And the others just had to be content with his cryptic answer.”
“Donkeys live a long time. None of you has ever seen a dead donkey”
{A contrast to his pessimistic ways are the point of which he finds amusement in certain parts; “Slowly, and with an air of almost amusement, Benjamin nodded his long muzzle”- there is almost something comical which Benjamin finds to the fact that the windmill will come crashing down in the end.}

Question 8

Conclusion

Answer 8

-In conclusion, Orwell uses Benjamin as a character to convey the idea that political apathy not only brings harm to the individual themselves but also to the rest of the animals.
-Benjamin is proven right by the novel’s end, and the only thing that he knows for sure — “Life would go on as it had always gone on — that is, badly” — proves to be a definitive remark about the animals’ lives.
-Although pessimistic, he is a realist.
-However, as readers we always have the question of whether the farm would never break apart from the
inevitable failure, and whether Benjamin’s inclination could be the solution.
-Although Orwell does suggest this, he does not place full blame/ does not vilify Benjamin for the reason for the failure of the farm, yet Orwell does in fact criticise Benjamin’s apathy and highlights it to be one of the many reasons which led to the end of Animal Farm.