Question

led by three young black minorca pullets, the hens made a determined effort to thwart napoleon’s wishes. their method was to fly up to the rafters and there lay their eggs, which smashed to pieces on the floor. napoleon acted swiftly and ruthlessly. he ordered the hens’ rations to be stopped, and decreed that any animal giving so much as a grain of corn to a hen should be punished by death. the dogs saw to it that these orders were carried out. for five days the hens held out, then they capitulated and went back to their nesting boxes. nine hens had died in the meantime.
—animal farm,
george orwell
which statement best infers orwell’s purpose in writing this passage?
○ the author wants to portray the ruthlessness of a dictator.
○ the author wants to expose the dangers in disobeying orders.
○ the author wants to show that it is useless to rebel against authority.
○ the author wants to reveal the foolishness of destroying your own property.

Explanation:

To determine Orwell's purpose, analyze each option:

• Option 1: Napoleon acts "swiftly and ruthlessly" by stopping hens’ rations and decreeing death for those aiding hens. This portrays a dictator’s ruthlessness, aligning with Animal Farm’s critique of totalitarianism.
• Option 2: The passage focuses on Napoleon’s tyranny, not dangers of disobedience (the hens’ disobedience is a minor action, not the main point).
• Option 3: The hens’ rebellion is against Napoleon, but the passage emphasizes his cruelty, not the "uselessness" of rebellion.
• Option 4: The hens destroy eggs to thwart Napoleon, but the passage’s focus is Napoleon’s dictatorship, not "foolishness of destroying property."

Answer:

A. The author wants to portray the ruthlessness of a dictator.