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03-01-2012, 01:11 AM | #1 |
trying hard to be a better person
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Animal Farm
I'm going to assume that with the level of education on this site, most of you would be familiar with the novella Animal Farm by George Orwell.
Today, Aden showed his introduction for a paper he has to write, to his teacher, who told him that Animal Farm is not an allegorical piece of literature. What do you say?
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Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber Last edited by Aliantha; 03-01-2012 at 01:21 AM. |
03-01-2012, 01:26 AM | #2 |
polaroid of perfection
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Unless they have changed the meaning of the word allegorical behind my back, I say his teacher is talking out of his/ her arse.
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03-01-2012, 01:28 AM | #3 |
trying hard to be a better person
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That's what I thought.
His teacher wants him to say it's satirical, which is also true, but not the only truth imo. I'm thinking about having a chat with this teacher if Aden has no joy on his own.
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Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber |
03-01-2012, 08:50 AM | #4 | |
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I bet it's a communication glitch. The teacher probably was trying to emphasize the satire, and said something that could be interpreted as dismissing the allegory, and Aden picked up on that and thought it was a clear refuting of the allegory, when maybe the teacher meant only to diminish it a little and focus on the satire. Unless the teacher has a history of being a tool, I would tend to think it's just a miscommunication. Teacher probably isn't that dumb. |
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03-01-2012, 01:31 AM | #5 |
polaroid of perfection
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It's such an extraordinary thing to say, is there any chance Aden might have misunderstood the criticism? I know you have a bright boy, but I also know that things can get unintentionally twisted between school and home.
I agree it's worth a quick word with Teach though. Animal Farm is usually an aide to describing allegory. Is A Pilgrim's Progress just a nice story? |
03-01-2012, 01:40 AM | #6 |
The future is unwritten
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I worry about a person, especially a teacher, who doesn't understand why it's allegorical, he/she obviously didn't understand what the book is about.
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03-01-2012, 04:05 AM | #8 |
Doctor Wtf
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I officially say ... WTF?
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03-01-2012, 04:42 AM | #9 |
trying hard to be a better person
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Yeah, this is pretty much what I expected. I knew he was right, but was just so dumbfounded by what his teacher said to him.
I've suggested that he continue on his current course, and we'll see how he goes for marks in the end. It is only first draft stuff, but as I said, I thought it was really good and that he'd obviously put a lot of thought into what he wanted to say. We'll see what the teacher has to say when he hands in the whole first draft for revision in a couple of weeks.
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Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber |
03-01-2012, 08:19 AM | #10 |
Adapt and Survive
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A quick search of online dictionaries inicates to me that Animal Farm is pretty much the definition of allegory and satire.
I don't really see how something can be satire and not an allegory, by some defintions satire is more 'modern' and concerns ' the folly of man' whereas allegory is more 'spiritual'. Could be where the teacher is coming from but IMHO they are wrong to be splitting hairs when a child has found a subject to be enthusiatic about. Somtimes once a grade has been given it is hard to get it altered, things are then recorded in a system which would take effort to change, it might be better and easier to get the teacher on board earlier, a stitch in time.... |
03-01-2012, 08:24 AM | #11 |
To shreds, you say?
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*cough*yet more reasons to homeschool*cough*
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03-01-2012, 09:07 AM | #12 |
Makes some feel uncomfortable
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The teacher is obviously a pig. Allegorically speaking, of course.
*cough* For every teacher like this there are ten parents less equipped to prepare their children for a productive adulthood *cough*
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03-01-2012, 10:04 AM | #13 | |
To shreds, you say?
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Quote:
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The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs |
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03-01-2012, 10:06 AM | #14 | ||
barely disguised asshole, keeper of all that is holy.
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Talk to the teacher... that's always a good thing. I also think glatt is on to something with this. Quote:
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03-01-2012, 10:45 AM | #15 |
Makes some feel uncomfortable
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FTFY
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