This is a good question, but the answer largely depends on which methods of learning suits you best. Are you a visual learner (you learn best from watching), an auditory learner (you learn best by hearing), a tactile learners (you learn best by touch or sensation) or a kinaesthetic learner (you learn best through movement and doing)?

Some people read "Animal Farm" for enjoyment, or because it is part of their curriculum, others read it because they hope it will support or refute a particular political point of view. An interesting point is that most of us will interpret its meaning using our own cultural and political understandings of the world. This means that people are often reading meaning into the book that wasn't intended to be there. I find the best way to read any allegorical story is to focus purely on the characters and not the political background. This will enable you to filter out pre-conceived ideas and assumptions and get a purer sense of what the book is about.