Question

Here it became apparent that Mr. Pilkington was about to spring some carefully prepared witticism on the company, but for a moment he was too overcome by amusement to be able to utter it. After much choking, during which his various chins turned purple, he managed to get it out: “If you have your lower animals to contend with,” he said, “we have our lower classes!” This bon mot set the table in a roar; and Mr. Pilkington once again congratulated the pigs on the low rations, the long working hours, and the general absence of pampering which he had observed on Animal Farm.
–Animal Farm,
George Orwell

How does Orwell’s use of satire affect the meaning of this passage? Check all that apply.

-Ridicule makes Pilkington seem beneath the animals.
-The reversal makes Pilkington a very likable character.
-Parody compares the pigs with human leaders in the real world.
-Exaggeration makes Pilkington seem ridiculous and similar to the pigs.
-Satire creates an attitude of contempt for the pigs’ treatment of the other animals.

Answer 1

I've come to these three conclusions regarding what I've read from the excerpt;

- Ridicule makes Pilkington seem beneath the animals.

- Parody compares the pigs with human leaders in the real world.

- Exaggeration makes Pilkington seem ridiculous and similar to the pigs

Considering that Orwell uses irony to mock the vices of humans because the animals overthrow the humans and then the pigs bring back all of the offenses that the humans once stood for.

Orwell's point is that pigs are really just the same as the human tyrants. Since, the pigs mingle with humans to the extent that it becomes impossible to distinguish between the both of them.

"The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which" (Chapter 10)

Answer 2

The correct answer(s) are:

C.) Parody compares the pigs with human leaders in the real world.

D.) Exaggeration makes Pilkington seem ridiculous and similar to the pigs.

E.) Satire creates an attitude of contempt for the pigs’ treatment of the other animals.