Of Mice and MenEnglish Language

Writing about an extract

First Question

• The first question is worth 16 marks of the 40 marks available for this section of the exam.

• It will be one question about one extract from the novel.

• You only discuss the extract itself.

You are marked on your understanding of HOW the writer presents the character/theme/ideas

For example:

If the question asks you to explore how the writer’s language influences your view of Candy, then it should be clear in your answer that Candy is a character created by the writer – not a real person.

Can you see the difference?...

Candy is very angry in this extract and his face “had grown redder and redder” but he also manages to calm down quite quickly because “before she was done speaking, he had control of himself.” He seems to have power in this extract because he was “master of the situation”, which shows that he felt in charge; perhaps because he has the moral high ground.

Steinbeck tells us that “Candy’s face had grown redder and redder”, showing that Curley’s wife has angered him. However, the reader is also made aware of how controlled Candy is as a character, as he quickly “had control of himself” and was “the master of the situation”. Steinbeck uses the word “master” to emphasise the moral high ground that Candy has over Curley’s wife.

Candy's face had grown redder and redder, but before she was donespeaking, he had control of himself. He was the master of the situation. "I might of knew," he said gently. "Maybe you just better go along an' roll your hoop. We ain't got nothing to say to you at all. We know what we got, and we don't care whether you know it or not. So maybe you better jus' scatter along now, 'cause Curley maybe ain't gonna like his wife out in the barn with us 'bindle stiffs.'"

Explore how the writer’s language influences your view of Curley’s wife.

Curley’s wife is described as being very conscious about what she looks like. She wears a lot of make-up, “She had full, rouged lips” and her “fingernails were red”. She dresses up even though she is on a ranch. The extract shows us how she is always looking for Curley “I’m looking for Curley” but she is really just lonely. She is also quite flirty as she “leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward.”This answer talks about Curley’s wife as if she is a real person and makes no effort to discuss the writer’s techniques. Now you re-write it.

Both men glanced up, for the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off. A girl was standing there looking in. She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages. She wore a cotton house dress and red mules, on the insteps of which were little bouquets of red ostrich feathers. "I'm lookin' for Curley," she said. Her voice had a nasal, brittle quality. George looked away from her and then back. "He was in here a minute ago, but he went.""Oh!" She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward. "You're the new fellas that just come, ain't ya?"

Explore how the writer’s language influences your view of Curley’s wife.

Both men glanced up, for the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off. A girl was standing there looking in. She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages. She wore a cotton house dress and red mules, on the insteps of which were little bouquets of red ostrich feathers. "I'm lookin' for Curley," she said. Her voice had a nasal, brittle quality. George looked away from her and then back. "He was in here a minute ago, but he went.""Oh!" She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward. "You're the new fellas that just come, ain't ya?"

In this, the reader’s first introduction to Curley’s wife, Steinbeck immediately hints to the reader that she could be dangerous. He describes how “the rectangle of sunshine in the door was cut off” as she enters the room, which is an example of how Steinbeck often uses light and darkness symbolically in the novel. The repetition of “red” in his physical description of her, also adds to the association of danger but can also suggest that she is a very passionate or sexual woman. The writer emphasises the flirty nature of Curley’s wife here, as he describes her voice to have “a nasal, brittle quality” as if she is changing it to appeal to the men. Also, he tells us that she leans against the doorway, “so that her body was thrown forward”. This is not only a flirty stance but the word “forward” could also imply that she is overly friendly with the men.

What could the first question be on?It obviously depends on the extract, however, it will always begin:Explore how the language in the extract influences your view of…..This could be followed by:• George• Lennie• Candy• Slim• Curley’s wife• Crooks• Curley• Carlson

• X’s dream• X’s Loneliness• How X is treated• The relationship between X and X• The power of X

Revision of Themes

You have 10 minutes to discuss these questions:

1. Which characters have dreams and what is the significance of these within the novel?

2. Which characters are lonely and how is this shown?3. Which characters experience prejudice and how is

this shown?4. In what ways is the idea of companionship explored

in the novel?5. How is the theme of power explored in the novel?

Test QuestionJune Exam 2012

Explore how the language in the extract influences your view of George’s and Lennie’s hopes and dreams for the future.

• You must include examples of language features in your answer.