Equality

The principle that individuals have equal worth and should not be given inferior rights or treatment because of their identity or status.

Recognition that people have equal human worth and deserve respect, even when their wealth, social position or gender differs.

Independence means directing her own life; equality means having her human worth recognised; having a voice means being able to express her experience and challenge other people’s judgements. Jane possesses an independent spirit long before she has the money or position to act freely.

The principle that individuals have equal worth and should not receive superior rights merely because they belong to a particular group. In Animal Farm, this promise is undermined by the pigs’ privileges.

Build an argument about how equality changes across the novella, rather than listing examples of unfairness.

Evaluate alternative readings using evidence. The early harvest supports cooperation, but the pigs’ exclusive milk and apples already compromise equality.

Build an argument about equality rather than simply listing examples of unfairness. Show how control of decisions develops into control of food, education and ownership.

Equal worth and entitlement to fair treatment; this need not mean that everyone has identical abilities or performs identical tasks.

In Animal Farm, equality concerns who makes decisions, who receives the rewards of work and whose life is considered valuable. Class concerns the divisions between groups with different levels of wealth and power. The Rebellion removes the human owner, but Orwell asks whether changing the rulers actually changes these relationships.

In Animal Farm, equality concerns who makes decisions, who does the work and who enjoys its rewards. A ruling class is a group that controls a society’s power and resources. The Rebellion removes the human ruling class, but Orwell gradually shows the pigs becoming a new one.

Definition

How each exam board covers it

AQA GCSE English Literature · 8702

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Edexcel GCSE English Literature · 1ET0

OCR GCSE English Literature · J352