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Animal Farm Ch. 9: Write Boxer's Eulogy (Creative Writing + Rubric)

After reading Chapter 9 of Animal Farm, students write a eulogy for Boxer as a short narrative paragraph or a poem, speaking from a farm animal's point of view or, for a greater challenge, one of the pigs. The assignment requires a personal story establishing the writer's relationship to Boxer, his noteworthy traits and values, at least two annotated literary devices, and one integrated quotation from the text. Two model eulogies built on other well-known texts — Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery' and Poe's 'The Cask of Amontillado' — demonstrate the narrative and poetic formats before students draft their own. A five-criteria rubric scores voice/point of view, personal story and traits, opening and closing statements, literary-device use, and quotation integration.
Grades
Grades 7–12
Pages
3
File type
Google Docs™
Use
Digital activity

Updated Feb 21, 2024

Subject
Creative Writing, Writing, ELA
Topic
Eulogy, Writing
Resource types
Teacher Tools
Use
Digital activity

From the author

About this resource

Animal Farm Eulogy Writing Assignment\nThis creative writing resource challenges students to eulogize Boxer's death from Animal Farm. Students will write a eulogy from the perspective of one of the animal characters that highlights Boxer's admirable traits and contributions to the farm. The Google Doc file includes clear guidelines on structuring the eulogy, suggestions for details to incorporate, and examples of effective eulogies. A rubric outlines expectations for content, organization, voice, word choice, and grammar. This standards-aligned writing assignment can be posted on Google Classroom and pairs well with a reading of Animal Farm. It provides an engaging way for students to synthesize their analysis of Boxer as a character while improving their informative writing abilities. With clear instructions and a rubric for assessment, this eulogy writing prompt facilitates rich creative writing skills.

In the classroom

Teaching tips & learning objectives

Learning objectives

  • Write a eulogy from a chosen character's point of view that captures Boxer's traits and values.

  • Incorporate at least two annotated literary devices, such as simile or personification, into original creative writing.

  • Integrate at least one properly cited quotation from the text into a piece of creative writing.

  • Craft an effective opening and closing for a eulogy.

Teaching tips

  • Offer the optional pig narrator (Napoleon, Snowball, or Squealer) only to students ready for the added challenge of writing insincere praise with backhanded compliments and sarcasm.

  • Share both model eulogies before drafting begins, since one demonstrates the narrative-paragraph format and the other the poem format.

  • Hand out the rubric before writing starts, since all five criteria and their four performance levels are spelled out on one page.

Skills covered

  • Point-of-view narrative writing — students adopt a chosen farm animal's voice to write a eulogy that reflects that character's perspective on Boxer.

  • Literary device application — students incorporate and annotate at least two devices such as simile, personification, or alliteration in their own writing.

  • Textual citation — students integrate at least one properly cited quotation from Animal Farm into their eulogy.

  • Characterization synthesis — students distill Boxer's traits and values into a brief personal story establishing their relationship to him.

Good to know

Questions teachers ask about this resource

Can students choose to write as one of the pigs instead of another farm animal?

Yes, as an optional challenge — writing as Napoleon, Snowball, or Squealer requires including backhanded compliments and sarcasm rather than sincere praise.

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Resource details

Concepts & topics

Core concepts

  • Eulogy writing

  • Point of view

  • Literary devices

  • Characterization

  • Textual citation

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