Orwell's Animal Farm
Classic novel-based game lets readers reimagine outcomes but could confuse
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Orwell's Animal Farm
Pros: Interactive multimedia elements help bring the story to life and provide helpful visual representations.
Cons: The end goal is not entirely clear; the game lacks the nuances and detail of the novel and may lead some kids to misunderstand characters or events.
Bottom Line: Game-based novel supplement immerses students and provides a baseline for thoughtful analysis but could use more clarity.
As a pre-reading activity, students can play Orwell's Animal Farm to familiarize themselves with the characters and plot. Having some idea of what happens before reading the novel can help students with vocabulary, characterization, and context. As a companion game, students can play the game as they read the book in order to reinforce their comprehension of events. The opportunity to compare the novel with the choices they are making and see how the outcomes differ is sure to spark discussion among classmates.
For struggling readers, the game may be exceptionally helpful in obtaining background knowledge and being able to listen to and visualize the events described in the book. Although the game covers only the basics, it can be an excellent way to help readers take a more active role in class discussions and recognize events as they occur. Depending on how the students play, they may not hit on all of the characters or outcomes, so teachers should warn students that it's no substitute for reading the book. Obviously, the full text is much more nuanced and contains vocabulary and symbolism that the game doesn't have. However, the app is a solid companion that may encourage students to get immersed in Orwell's classic novel. And, with current use of propaganda and "fake news," Orwell's work can help students recognize that propaganda is a useful tool to control the masses and that an informed and literate society is of vital importance.
As the title suggests, Orwell's Animal Farm is an animated interactive game based on George Orwell's classic novel. At the outset, students can choose from several languages for narration and text. The game sets the scene with the opening events and then lets players make decisions about what the animals should do in certain situations. For example, do they work, doubt, celebrate, question, run away, or do something else? Those decisions come in the form of a magnifying glass icon that the player drags to a character. With each decision, gameplay takes a turn that may or may not match what happens in the book. However, the main events remain the same in that the animals overthrow their oppressor, adopt Animalism as their philosophy of governance, and cede power to the pigs.
The story progresses through yearly cycles as the animals go from season to season completing the same tasks. Players can check stats along the way in the Handbook to see which characters they have encountered and which of several outcomes they've achieved. The game can end in a variety of ways, depending on the user's choices. Then it's possible to reset the game and play again, making different selections along the way.
Orwell's Animal Farm has strengths that lie in its ability to help students visualize the story, hear the narrator, and see the outcomes of their decisions. Having to make frequent decisions encourages players to think critically and analyze outcomes, while narration, pictures, and interactive elements help engage students in the plot. Teachers can pose questions about the consequences of the animals' decisions to accept their leaders' edicts without questioning their motives. This may help them contribute to a rich discussion as they fill in the gaps with details from the book, bringing digital age excitement to a classic that is both timeless and timely.
That said, the game experience itself can be confusing. There are no instructions that begin the game, so the mechanics and consequences of each choice are totally opaque. Even if a student has read the novel, the act of dragging the magnifying glass icon to a character -- who expresses a certain reaction to events -- isn't at all clear at first. Game achievements and progress come in the form of stamps in the Handbook, though it's not clear if the goal is to get all of those stamps and meet all of the characters, or not. Finally, the yearly cycle can get monotonous as it has the same narrations and animations. Students will likely groan when a new year begins and they encounter the same choices. With more initial guidance, some supporting materials for teachers, and less repetition, this game could reap more of what it sows.
Learning Rating
Animal Farm is a book you should read.
Imagine you are an animal on a farm who works day and night for nothing, but then later you are encouraged to kick your owner off the farm who forces you to do labor.What would you do? Well that happened in the book Animal Farm by George Orwell.It is about animals who rebel over their Farm owner.That farm owner forced his animals to work for nothing which caused them to rebel and kick him off the farm, but after the rebellion there was a shocking turn.That is why you should read Animal Farm. One reason you should read Animal Farm is because of its great use of language. Animal Farm shows how the power of language corrupts the pig leaders. The power of language corrupts the pigs because they use it to manipulate the animals on the farm so they can gain their trust. Another reason you should read Animal Farm is because of its allegory. Napoleon, a pig on the farm, who is also a leader,represents Stalin because of his Manipulating Personality. This shows great allegory because the book showcases Napoleon as a Quiet and Manipulating.This connects to Stalin because he has the same personality. Animal farm has many features to be seen as a good book that's why it should be read.
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