Read through George Orwell's book, "Animal Farm," taking time to jot down any ideas or quotes that you wish to include in your essay.
Decide on a thesis for your essay. You can choose to focus on the story as a whole, or you can write your essay from the viewpoint of one of the characters in the book. Research what others are saying about the book. While you might find some information online, the best and most reliable sources will be academic articles in books or scholarly journals in your school's library.
Organize your ideas. This can be done with a formal outline or in a simple list fashion. The purpose of this activity is to get your thoughts in order so you will know what you want to say and when you want to say it.
Follow the outline you created to write your essay. Skip the beginning for now, or write a simple introduction, knowing that you will be reworking it later.
Decide on a method for your lead paragraph. Will you begin with a quote from the book, an amazing fact, an unbelievable statement, or will you delve right into a summary of the story? Avoid overused introductions such as "George Orwell's book 'Animal Farm" is an allegorical tale of the Russian Revolution of 1917." While that information is important, it is a boring way to begin your essay. Instead, construct your first paragraph in a way that will hook your readers by appealing to their emotions. Strive to create a passage that will leave your reader eager to continue. Evoke their curiosity. Pertinent information can be filled in later in the essay. For examples of introductions (both good and bad), refer to your research. Do not plagiarize the work of others, but use it, instead, as a means of gaining insight, stimulating ideas and supporting your own arguments.
Write your thesis statement after your creative introductory sentence. Depending on your assignment, your thesis should include an argument you are making about the book, your opinion of the book or facts about Orwell and "Animal Farm." The thesis should tell the reader exactly what your essay is about.
Edit and revise your first paragraph as many times as necessary. Many writers spend as much time on the first paragraph as they do on the rest of the essay. The introduction is that important!
Check for flow and consistency throughout your work. Now that you've written your introduction, you will want to go back and read through your essay in its entirety. Your goal is to ensure that your thoughts and words flow smoothly and that there are no contradictions present in your work. You also need to ensure that the transition from your introduction to the remainder of your essay is fluent.