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‘Of Mice and Men’
English Literature ExamExploring Modern Texts (Section B)
Lesson One:To understand the term ‘context’ and apply it to the novella (AO4)To understand the exam criteria
L.O To understand the term ‘context’ and apply it to the novella
Of Mice and Men
• Section B: Exploring Cultures.• You will be reading for meaning as well as
exploring:• Ideas, themes and issues• Characterisation• SettingsExam = 20% of overall marks 45 mins 30 Marks
L.O To understand the term ‘context’ and apply it to the novella
Assessment Objectives
• AO1: respond to texts critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate relevant textual detail to illustrate and support interpretations
• Breaking this down:– Say what you think of the novel and why– Talk about the possible reasons for Steinbeck’s choice
of detail– Provide short quotations to support your views
L.O To understand the term ‘context’ and apply it to the novella
Assessment Objectives
• AO2: explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas, themes and settings
• Breaking this down:– Talk about why Steinbeck chooses specific words and the effect this
has on the reader– Structure refers to the overall shape of the novel – remember the
novel starts and ends in the same place– Form refers to how Steinbeck has written the novel. Here you can
talk about how he uses so much dialogue and how it reads like a ‘playable novel’
– Link all these to your knowledge and understanding of themes, ideas and setting
L.O To understand the term ‘context’ and apply it to the novella
Assessment Objectives
• AO3 is not listed here as it relates to comparing texts.
• YOU DO NOT HAVE TO COMPARE OF MICE AND MEN TO ANY OTHER TEXT IN THE EXAM!
L.O To understand the term ‘context’ and apply it to the novella
Assessment Objectives
• AO4: relate texts to their social, cultural and historical contexts; explain how texts have been influential and significant to self and other readers in different contexts and at different times.
• Breaking this down:– Show your understanding of what was happening when Steinbeck
wrote the novel, and how this influenced him.– Demonstrate your understanding of why a text has lasting appeal and
how it can be interpreted in different ways at different times. For example, how does Curley’s wife compare to women these days? Or, what does modern society have in common with George striving for his American Dream?
L.O To understand the term ‘context’ and apply it to the novella
Starter
What we will be learning about the novel:ContextTheme (s)CharactersLanguagePlotStructureMessages/morals
In pairs:What do I mean by context and theme(s)?
L.O To understand the term ‘context’ and apply it to the novella
How much can you remember about Of Mice and Men?
1. In pairs, write five sentences that summarise the plot of the story.
2. Then, create five freeze frames that portray what you have come up with.
(10 mins)
Teach the Teacher
L.O To understand the term ‘context’ and apply it to the novella
John Steinbeck
• Around the room, in various places are numerous factual and fictional statements about John Steinbeck. (The author of ‘Of Mice and Men’).
• Your job is to distinguish which statements are the most important in terms of the influence it has over Steinbeck’s life and writing (AO4).
• In your books draw a line (similar to a time line) across a double page
• Like this:
L.O To understand the term ‘context’ and apply it to the novella
Your exercise book:
Most important(Relevant)
Least important (irrelevant)
L.O To understand the term ‘context’ and apply it to the novella
Go!
• Only write the statements that you think are important about the life and times of Steinbeck (roughly about 8 statements)
• Plot them on your relevance line.
(15 mins)
L.O To understand the term ‘context’ and apply it to the novella
1) Of Mice and Men is based on much of Steinbeck’s life.2) He had size 8 feet.3) He could do ‘the worm’.4) He left university without a degree and pursued writing.
5) He worked for a newspaper and on a ranch.6) He was the most popular pupil in his class at Salinas High.7) Of Mice and Men was originally called, ‘Something that happened.’8) He won a Pulitzer prize for his book, ‘The Grapes of Wrath’.
9) He died in 1968 in New York from heart disease.10) He wrote realistic fiction that people could relate to.11) Of Mice and Men was adapted into a stage play and film three times.12) Steinbeck used pencil to write his novels.
13) His parents were John and Olive Steinbeck.14) He had three wives.15) He had a dog called Coco.16) Of Mice and Men encompasses themes of racism, loneliness, prejudice against the
mentally ill, and the struggle for personal independence.
L.O To understand the term ‘context’ and apply it to the novella
17) He perfected the art of standing on his head to aid his thinking in 1919.18) He wrote most of his books about poor labourers in California.19) Of Mice and Men was written in 1937.20) Steinbeck has German and Irish ancestors.
21) He was born in 1902 in Salinas, California.22) He loved the outdoors and nature; his family owned land in Salinas.23) He went to study Marine Biology at Stanford University in 1919.24) He had first hand experience of what it was like to work as labourer in California.
25) He left to become a freelance writer in New York in 1925 after he left Stanford.26) During the war Steinbeck wrote for the New York Herald Tribune.27) Seventeen of his works have been made into films.28) He liked to listen to classical music.29) He received the Noble Prize for literature in 1962.
30) He had two children with his 2nd wife, Thomas and John.31) Steinbeck’s best friend was Ed Ricketts who provided the basis for a character in one of his books.32) Steinbeck didn’t go to any performances of the play of, ‘Of Mice and Men,’ because it would ruin his perception of the novella.33) Steinbeck’s mother was a school teacher and helped with Steinbeck’s interest in writing.
L.O To understand the term ‘context’ and apply it to the novella
Task Two: Feedback
Let’s hear your answers
The context and setting of the novel
L.O To explore the context and setting of the novel
Higher Order Thinking
California, America 1930sa) Great Depression (WW1 and 1929
stock market crash)b) Lack of jobsc) Drifters (Dust bowl farmers moved
to California in the hope of a better life).
d) Poore) Racism rife in societyf) Men provided for womeng) Many men worked as labourers on
the many ranchesh) American Dream – (crushed for
many).
America 2012What do you know?How does it compare?
L.O To explore the context and setting of the novel
Originally called ‘Something That Happened...’
Steinbeck decided on the title, ‘Of Mice and Men’ which is a phrase from a poem called ‘To a mouse’ by Robert Burns.
The full line is ‘...the best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men, Gang aft agley’
This roughly translates to ‘no matter how well we may plan the future, things often go wrong.’
The link to the novel will become apparent. Steinbeck quite simply demonstrates that through no fault of a single person; others’ lives are affected by particular events they have no control over.
L.O To explore the context and setting of the novel
L.O To explore the context and setting of the novel
George and Lennie’s dream/fantasy
• George’s dream is frequently repeated throughout the novel.• It could be perceived that this ‘dream’ he has is linked to the overall fabled ‘American Dream’.
• What is the American Dream?
The notion you can work hard for something at a costto achieve personal success.Unfortunately for the ranchers the American Dreamwill be hard to come by due to social constraints at thetime.
L.O To explore the context and setting of the novel
‘You can have anything you want, if you want it badly enough.’ Abraham
Lincoln (1800)
‘Nothing can stop the man with the right mental
attitude from achieving his goal.’ Thomas Jefferson
(1700)
‘To make America a beacon of opportunity
in the 21st century.’ George W. Bush
‘Every citizen has access to the American dream; an America that is educated, so every child has the keys
to realise that dream; and an America that is united in our
diversity and our shared American values that are larger than race or
party.’ Bush
L.O To explore the context and setting of the novel
What does this mean?
Write your answer on a mini whiteboard and share your ideas with the class
The Dust Bowl• The Dust Bowl or the Dirty Thirties was a period of severe dust stormscausing major ecological and agricultural damage to American and Canadianprairie lands from 1930 to 1936. • The Dust Bowl was an ecological and human disaster caused by misuse of land andyears of sustained drought.• Millions of acres of farmland became useless, and hundreds of thousands of people were forced to leave their homes; many of these families travelled to California and other states, where they found economic conditions little better than those they had left. Owning no land, many travelled fromfarm to farm picking fruit and other crops at starvation wages.
John Steinbeck later wrote Of Mice and Men about such people.
The Great Depression• The Great Depression was a worldwide economicdownturn starting in most places in 1929 and ending atdifferent times in the 1930s or early 1940s for differentcountries. • It was the largest and most severe economic depressionin the 20th century, and is used in the 21st
century as an example of how far the world's economy can decline. • The Great Depression originated in the United States; historians most often use a starting date of when the stock market crashed of October 29, 1929, known as Black Tuesday.
The Great Depression – the effects• In America, by 1933 unemployment had reached25%.• A drought persisted in the agricultural heartland.• Businesses and families defaulted on record numbersof loans, and more than 5,000 banks had failed.• Hundreds of thousands of Americans foundthemselves homeless.• Farming and rural areas suffered as crop prices fell by approximately 60 percent.• International trade plunged by halfto two-thirds, as did personal income, tax revenue, prices and profits.
Review Your Leaning
• What is ‘context’?• How did Steinbeck’s life influence his work?• How did the Depression, bad farming and the
weather help to create the poverty that is the background to the novel?
• Curley’s wife states on P. 124, “I coulda made somethin’ of myself… Maybe I will yet”. What does this relate to?
• From what you know so far, does the novel seem relevant socially to modern Britain?
Lesson TwoTo explore the how Steinbeck creates setting To analyse aspects of George and Lennie’s character and relationship.
Tell your partner three things about the context of the novel.
What are the assessment objectives?
L.O To explore the context and setting of the novel
Re-read the opening Setting
Vocab: • Soledad means (solitude/loneliness)• Mottled: spotted/dappled• Recumbent- still (without movement)• ‘coons – racoons• Brush- dense area of bushes• Jungle-up – sleep for the night
L.O To explore the context and setting of the novel
What does the opening tell you about the setting?
• Consider how Steinbeck’s use of metaphor, simile, and description contribute to the effect of the opening section.
• Write a short paragraph in your books
• After you have finished, read your neighbour’s work and see if you have met AO2.
L.O To be able to analyse aspects of George and Lennie’s character and relationship.
Section 1Plot and Structure – What Happens
• George and Lennie are on their way to new jobs• George makes Lennie give up a dead mouse• George tells Lennie how to behave at the new ranch• George complains about Lennie, and then regrets it• They eat a supper of tinned beans… without any
ketchup• Lennie persuades George to tell him again about their
dream of owning their own land• George tells Lennie to come back to this place (the
brush) if he gets into trouble – ‘like you done in Weed’
Write five points about each character
George Lennie
L.O To be able to analyse aspects of George and Lennie’s character and relationship
Lennie Small
Now find quotes:
L.O To be able to analyse aspects of George and Lennie’s character and relationship.
George Milton• Now find quotes:
L.O To be able to analyse aspects of George and Lennie’s character and relationship.
L.O To be able to analyse aspects of George and Lennie’s character and relationship.
George and LennieChoose two questions only and write a short SQEEL paragraph for each:1. What do Steinbeck’s first descriptions of George and Lennie tell us about
their characters? Is there anything which he writes about Lennie which leads us to believe that he has the mind of a child?
2. What hints are there in the opening dialogue between George and Lennie to tell us about the nature of their relationship?
3. What is the significance of the dead mouse in terms of what it might tell us about Lennie? What is the literary term for this?
4. George appears to get easily annoyed with Lennie. Do you think George is being honest when he states that he would be better off without Lennie?
5. Why do you think George asks Lennie to familiarise himself with the location of the clearing where they spend the night?
Model answer for how we analyse characters
1. Introduce a point and provide evidence with a quotation from the text for the following headings:
Introduction of character Character’s use of language
The introduction of the two protagonists immediatelyintroduces an imbalanced nature totheir friendship. “Even in the open one stayed behind the other” suggests George to be the more dominantof the duo, comparable to that of a big brother.
Physical description of character Relationship to other characters
Character
LO: To analyse the characters of George and Lennie in greater depth
Assessing Understanding
• Let’s hear some of your answers!
• Have your answers met the assessment criteria?
HOMEWORK
• Study question:
Discuss the relationship between George and Lennie at the beginning of the novel.
Three SQEEL paragraphs. Enjoy.
LO: To analyse the characters of George and Lennie in greater depth
Lesson ThreeTo synthesise how characters are developed in Section Two
L.O to understand how characters are developed in Chapter Two
‘A Quick Quiz’ ...
L.O to understand how characters are developed in Chapter Two
1. Name the time of day when the story begins.2. List the 3 animals Lennie is compared to.3. What is the one animal Lennie always remembers?4. Name 3 things Lennie forgets in Chapter One.5. List 3 pastimes George could enjoy without Lennie6. What is Lennie’s aunt’s name?7. What does George tell Lennie to do if he gets into trouble?8. What is the thing that Lennie will not be allowed to do if he
gets into trouble in the future?9. What are the main themes of the novel?
L.O to understand how characters are developed in Chapter Two
Chapter 2Plot and Structure
Focus on:• The bunk house is described• Candy shows George and Lennie where they will sleep• George and Lennie meet the boss• George wants Lennie to avoid Curley• Curley’s wife is introduced and George warns Lennie
against her• George and Lennie meet Slim and Carlson• Candy has an old dog, and Slim’s dog has puppies
L.O to understand how characters are developed in Chapter Two
Ranch Life
Task:• Like the first section, this one begins with a
setting – the bunk house.• List three items found in the bunk house. • What does the description of the bunk
house reflect? What type of people live there? How does it relate to the context?
• Peer assess after you have finished
L.O to understand how characters are developed in Chapter Two
Quick Question• What type of man is the Boss according to the
Swamper? (p22)
• Write your answer on a mini-whiteboard and get ready to show me your answers.
• Extension: how are we learning about the Boss? Think of all the different ways we learn about characters (eg. From other character’s perspective)
L.O to understand how characters are developed in Chapter Two
Can you prove the following statements:
• Lennie follows George’s lead• Lennie is very strong• The boss is surprised that two men care about
each other
PROVE IT!!!
L.O to understand how characters are developed in Chapter Two
CurleyDiscuss• What does ‘He’s done quite a bit in the
ring. He’s a lightweight, and he’s a handy man’ (p48) mean?
• What do we learn about Curley and what hints are there in the text that he might cause trouble in the future (foreshadowing)? Find quotes to prove your points.
• Jot your answers down on a post-it
• We are going to analyse the first timewe meet Curley’s wife
• Each group will be given a different aspect of how she is presented.
• Make sure you find quotes and explain the effect of the language
• Link it to the context!
Curley’s Wife
L.O: To analyse the characters of Curley and his wife
Curley’s WifeAppearance ‘She had full, rouged lips’
Personality Candy tells George that he has seen her ‘give Slim the eye’
Attitude of the men towards her
Language
Actions
L.O to understand how characters are developed in Chapter Two
Pause for Thought
Let’s examine our A3 sheet and think of the following questions:
1. Is Curley’s wife really looking for her husband? If not, what is she doing in the bunk house?
2. Why does George tell Lennie to stay away from Curley’s wife?
3. Curley’s wife is never given a name of her own. Why do you think this is? (consider chauvinism)
L.O to understand how characters are developed in Chapter Two
Curley’s wife extension1. Think about the contextual information we
learnt about the view of women at the time. What word beginning with ‘S’ might the men be?
2. Because of Steinbeck’s description on p30. before we meet her, are we also prejudiced? Do we judge her before we meet her and jump to conclusions?
Lesson FourTo analyse the theme of
loneliness in Section Three
• AO2 Explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas, themes and settings.
• AO4 Relate texts to their social, cultural and historical contexts; explain how texts have been influential and significant to self and other readers in different contexts and at different times.
LO: To analyse the theme of loneliness in Chapter Three
The First and Last Line(6 mins)
Creative Writing Task:Imagine you are George writing a diary entry.
Write a short paragraph where the first line is: ‘I ain’t got no people …
The last line of the paragraph must be:… after a long time they get mean.’
LO: To analyse the theme of loneliness in Chapter Three
Reading
PAGE 64• Beginning of Chapter 3• If you can’t find it, locate page 63… and turn the
page over!Guided reading:• What does Slim say about Lennie (page 64)• Why does Slim find it strange George and Lennie
are travelling together?• How did George used to treat Lennie? (66)
LO: To analyse the theme of loneliness in Chapter Three
Extended WritingThe theme of loneliness is discussed in great depth at the beginning of Chapter Three.
• Write at least two paragraphs on how the relationship between George and Lennie reflects the theme of loneliness.– You should use at least three quotes in each
paragraph.
(15 mins)
LO: To analyse the theme of loneliness in Chapter Three
Model Example – B GradeLoneliness is a major theme in Of Mice and Men,
and George and Lennie stave it off by the closeness of their relationship. However, Steinbeck views loneliness as a part of the human condition, something that all Americans experience, as Slim summarises ‘I hardly never see two guys travel together’. This statement, as with many others in the novel, makes us realise how extraordinary the friendship between George and Lennie is. The relationship gives George a role in life, one of a protector; yet also explains the importance of loneliness when George states, ‘I ain’t got no people … now we kinda look after each other’.
LO: To analyse the theme of loneliness in Chapter Three
Model Example – C Grade
Steinbeck writes about three lonely characters: Candy, Crooks and Curley’s wife. We find out early in the novel that loneliness is important when Lennie persuades George to him again about their ‘dream farm’: ‘Guys like us, that work on the ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place’. George then says he and Lennie have escaped this fate. They have each other: ‘We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us’.
Assessment Criteria
• Has the student made a strong opening point about how George and Lennie are lonely? Underline it.
• Has the student made reference to some of the ways in which they are lonely through accurate and supportive quotations? Tick the key words
• Has the student explained what makes that quote effective? How does it make the reader feel? Draw a wibbly line underneath.
• www and ebi (naturally)
LO: To analyse the theme of loneliness in Chapter Three
Slim ‘The Prince of the Ranch’
• Highlight quotations about Slim to back up the title Steinbeck gives to him.
• What does Slim say about Lennie and George’s relationship? Why does he say other men don’t travel together like them?
LO: To analyse the theme of loneliness in Chapter Three
The Theme of Old Age
• What attitude do the characters seem to have towards old age?
• What do you think they should do about the dog? Was it fair to shoot it?
Discuss with your neighbour for 3 mins
LO: To analyse the theme of loneliness in Chapter Three
The Theme of Old Age
GRADE BOOSTER:
Make connections. The fact that Candy’s dog is old and useless is significant. Steinbeck uses this paring to make a point. In this case, the dog is like Candy himself – not much use to anyone now he is old. This is a social world in which people are judged by their usefulness.
LO: To analyse the theme of loneliness in Chapter Three
Theme: The Underdog• What does the term ‘underdog’ mean?• A more sophisticated way of saying this is by using the phrase
‘marginalised by society’.
• Thus suggesting people that don’t conform to the accepted norm are different and therefore marginalised by the people around them.
• Candy’s dog symbolises the underdog.• Can you think of any other characters who are/could be
perceived as underdogs? Why?
Denied power Discriminated against
Post-it Plenary
• Write down one character that is lonely in Of Mice and Men
• Explain how they are lonely– Curley’s wife is lonely as she is the only woman on
the ranch. Furthermore, she has recently married a man who regards her more as a trophy than a human being and partner
• Put your post-it notes on an A3 sheet titled ‘THEMES: LONELINESS’
LO: To analyse the theme of loneliness in Chapter Three
Plenary
You are the casting director of the new film adaptation of Of Mice and Men
With your knowledge of the characters, which modern actors would you cast in the roles of
Slim, George, Candy, Candy’s dog, Lennie, Curley’s wife and Curley – AND WHY?
Lesson FiveTo examine Lennie and George’s
American Dream
• AO2 Explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas, themes and settings.
• AO4 Relate texts to their social, cultural and historical contexts; explain how texts have been influential and significant to self and other readers in different contexts and at different times.
LO: To examine Lennie and George’s American Dream
Your American DreamOne of Steinbeck’s themes in Of Mice and Men is the dreams people have. George and Lennie’s dream is of a very small farm, a patch of land which they own themselves. It is a dream of working for themselves, of being independent.
Mind-map your American Dream
American Dream
LO: To examine Lennie and George’s American Dream
What is the American Dream?
The term was first used by James Truslow Adams in his book The Epic of America which was written in 1931. He states:
"The American Dream is "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to achieve the fullest stature of which they are capable of, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the circumstances of birth or position."
LO: To examine Lennie and George’s American Dream
Reading • PAGE 84 Guided Reading:• Why does Lennie always bring up his dream?• Try and notice all the different parts to the dream.• How is George and Lennie’s American Dream
becoming more real?• Why does the dream appeal to Candy?• What is George afraid will happen to them if
others find out they are going to buy a ranch?
GRADE FOCUS• How will you be assessed on theme-based questions?Grades G-DIn this range of grades, your answers are likely to deal with themes purely in terms of how they relate to characters and the plot, and to see themes individually rather than interrelated.Grades C-A*In this range of grades, examiners will expect to see that you know how the characters embody themes, and you know that they do so in a variety of different ways. They will also expect you to place the theme in cultural context. For example, loneliness could be seen as a theme that relates to Crooks, who is embittered because of the racial prejudice that he encounters. However, it also relates to Curley’s wife, because her own version of the American Dream has failed, thus she has to remain in a loveless and brutal marriage, whilst also being prejudiced against for being a woman.
LO: To examine Lennie and George’s American Dream
George and Lennie’s DreamHighlight all the different parts of George and Lennie’s dream (P 84-86)
George and Lennie’s American Dream
Apply your Understanding
• Give the pair next to you one specific quotes that you have chosen
• In your pairs, analyse this quote in your books
• Let’s hear some good answers!
LO: To examine Lennie and George’s American Dream
Pessimism or Optimism?Much of Of Mice and Men is optimistic, with reference to bettering oneself and dreams coming true.
Discuss with the person next to you why Steinbeck shatters the dreams of all the major
characters?
Homework
• Study question:
How does Steinbeck convey the theme of the American Dream in Of Mice and Men. Think about the different dreams of each of the following characters: George, Lennie, Candy, Curley’s wife and Crooks.
Three SQEEL paragrpahs. Enjoy.
Lesson SixTo explore the character of Crooks and analyse how he is isolated in the novel.
L.O to explore the character of Crooks and how he is isolated in the novel
How/Why might someone be/feel alienated?
Starting a new school
Looking differentAlienation
UnlovedIsolatedExcluded
L.O to explore the character of Crooks and how he is isolated in the novel
Marginalization: race
Crooks is marginalized because he is black. In the USA at that period, black people were treated as second-class citizens.
Segregation laws (known as Jim Crow laws from a derogatory term for a black person) dominated every area of life and frequently affected Native Americans and people of Asian origin as well as African Americans.
L.O to explore the character of Crooks and how he is isolated in the novel
Segregation
Essentially segregation meant that black people were confined to separate and usually inferior areas and facilities. They lived in different neighbourhoods, attended separate schools, and were barred from entering certain professions.
Some states refused to allow black people to enter theatres and restaurants.
Even public transport was segregated into ‘white’ seats and ‘black’ seats.
L.O to explore the character of Crooks and how he is isolated in the novel
Segregation
Segregation laws differed from state to state and altered over time.
In California in the 1930s some of them had been repealed.
But many white people still regarded black people as inferior.
Setting
• How is Crooks’ room described at the beginning of section 4?
• What do we learn about his character from the possessions in his room?
LO: To examine Crook’s loneliness in Chapter 4
CrooksAppearance?
Attitude?
What does he think of the Dream?
How is he treated by the other ranch workers?
Any other points?
Crooks introduces what theme into Of Mice and Men?
LO: To examine Crook’s loneliness in Chapter 4
Quotes about CrooksQuotation Meaning / Comment
‘Nice fella too. Got a crooked back where a horse kicked him. The boss gives him hell when he’s mad. But the stable buck don’t give a damn about that. He reads a lot. Got books in his room.’
Despite being the ‘stable buck’, Crooks is proud, independent and intelligent. But none of the admirable features stop the boss from giving him ‘hell’.
‘Crooks was a proud, aloof man … his eyes … seemed to glitter with intensity … he had thin, pain tightened lips’‘I ain’t wanted in the bunk house … cause I’m black.Find two more quotes to show Crooks’ isolation or segregation.
LO: To examine Crook’s loneliness in Chapter 4
Role Play• In your pairs, decide who is going to be Crooks
and who is going to be Lennie.
• Act out the discussion between the two when Crooks is taunting Lennie about George leaving him.– How would Lennie react to this?– Think about what that would mean to Lennie if George never returned – NO
RABBITS!!– Why do you think Crooks is taunting him in the first place?
LO: To examine Crook’s loneliness in Chapter 4
Reading
• PAGE 107-116
Guided Reading:– What does Crooks think of Lennie’s American Dream?– How does Crooks react to Candy entering his room?– How does Curley’s wife treat Crooks?– What is your impression of Curley’s wife in this section –
have your views changed?– Can you see any similarities between the way Curley’s wife
is treated by the men and how Crooks is treated?
LO: To examine Crook’s loneliness in Chapter 4
Crooks’ Isolation
Write a paragraph on whether you think Crooks is lonely, using accurate quotations to justify your answer.
Do you think the way he acts towards people is his true character or due to the way he is discriminated against?
These paragraphs will be assessed by your peers
LO: To examine Crook’s loneliness in Chapter 4
Crooks’ IsolationCrooks is a black man living in a period in American history when extreme racial prejudice was widespread and a black man could not expect equality. Steinbeck rarely comments directly on his characters, but he does so with Crooks through the presentation of Crooks’ room as a reflection of its owner: ‘This room was swept and fairly neat, for Crooks was a proud, aloof man’. It is this pride that intensifies his loneliness. Shunned because of his colour, he is proudly determined not to seek company that is not freely granted. When Lennie tries to befriend him, he resists it at first, insisting on his right to be alone: ‘You got no right to come into my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got any right in here but me’
Assessment Criteria
• Has the student made a strong opening point about how Crooks is lonely? Underline it.
• Has the student made reference to some of the ways in which Crooks is lonely through accurate and supportive quotations? Tick the key words (eg; ‘aloof’, ‘ain’t wanted’)
• Has the student explained what makes that quote effective? How does it make the reader feel? Draw a wibbly line underneath.
• www and ebi (naturally)
LO: To examine Crook’s loneliness in Chapter 4
Revision Activity• Which of the characters appear to you as victims,
and which appear to have control of their own lives?
• How many of these characters can be said to be lonely?
LO: To examine Crook’s loneliness in Chapter 4
O.M.A.M Word Association
• In pairs, play the word association game, by referring to the text.
• For example:– Pupil A = Lennie– Pupil B = Animal– Pupil A = Rabbits– Pupil B = American Dream
Lesson Seven
To examine the events of Section Five referring to the alienation and
isolation of Lennie and Curley’s wife
LO: To examine the events of Chapter Five referring to the alienation and isolation of Lennie and Curley’s wife
• For each of the following characters, write two or three sentences explaining
• Why they are marginalized • What effect this has on their lives.1. Crooks 2. Candy3. Curley’s wife4. Lennie
• Decide who has the least power and write a SQEEL paragraph explaining why you think this.
Isolation and loneliness
LO: To examine the events of Chapter Five referring to the alienation and isolation of Lennie and Curley’s wife
Summary of Section Five 1. Lennie has killed the puppy Slim gave him – ‘Why do you got
to get killed? You ain’t so little as mice’.2. He tries to bury it secretly in the barn; however, he once
again shows his aggressive side by throwing it across the barn.
3. Curley’s wife enters and talks to Lennie about her dislikes of Curley and her American Dream to become a movie star.
4. She invites Lennie to stroke her hair, but panics when she feels his strength.
5. Lennie panics, tries to quieten her and then gets angry and shakes her to death, breaking her neck.
LO: To examine the events of Chapter Five referring to the alienation and isolation of Lennie and Curley’s wife
Dreams and Reality
Discuss with the person next to you the theme of dreams and reality throughout the novel.
What is the point of dreams?Are they ever achievable?
How do dreams differ to the real world?
LO: To examine and analyse Curley’s wife – Isolation and Alienation
Curley’s Wife
• Write a SQEEL paragraph answering the following question:
How does Steinbeck describe Curley’s wife when she is alive and in death? How does this difference change the reader’s opinion of her? (AO2)
– Focus on how Steinbeck uses colour and imagery to describe her.
– Also, focus on how he uses light to symbolise her importance in the novel
LO: To examine and analyse Curley’s wife – Isolation and Alienation
Curley’s Wife – do we empathise her?
Her Identity: • She is never called anything else – why? What is Steinbeck making a point
about?‘A tart’?• Think about how Steinbeck wants us to perceive her. To what extent should we
believe what the other characters say about her? For example, before we meet her, Candy tells George that he has seen her ‘give Slim the eye’ and that she’s ‘ tart’ (p. 49-50)
• Her physical appearance reinforces the negative imagery created by Candy. Furthermore, her first appearance in the bunk house blocks out the light: ‘the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off. A girl was standing there looking in’ (p. 53). She is dressed all in red and is ‘heavily made up’.
What cultural references is Steinbeck making by describing her in such negative way?
The Worst and Best of Curley’s wife
• Find quotes to show the contrast in Curley’s wife:
The worst of Curley’s wife The best of Curley’s wife
We see the worst of her when she is bored and lonely on a Saturday night and visits Crooks’ room.
Steinbeck’s portrayal of Curley’s wife is at its most sympathetic just before she dies.
‘I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny’ (p. 113)
I coulda made somethin’ of myself … Maybe I will yet’ (p. 124)
‘They left all the weak ones here’ ‘But you’re a kinda nice fella. Jus’ like a big baby’ (p. 125)
LO: To examine and analyse Curley’s wife – Isolation and Alienation
Finally…
Has your opinion of Curley’s wife changed over the novel? Explain why or why not. What has
influenced your decision?
Lesson EightTo analyse Section Six: The end of the dream
LO: To read and analyse Chapter Six: The end of the dream
Steinbeck’s Warnings
• There are many warnings throughout the novel about what will happen at the end.
• How is Lennie described as both dangerous, yet innocent.
• Write down all the everything Lennie has done to represent both these character traits.
LO: To read and analyse Chapter Six: The end of the dream
ReadingPAGE 140-149
Guided Reading:• How does Steinbeck describe the brush?• What do the visions represent?• How does Steinbeck create dramatic tension?• How is the ending ironic?• Who do we feel most sympathy for?
LO: To read and analyse Chapter Six: The end of the dream
How Steinbeck Describes Setting
Compare the opening of the first chapter to the opening of the sixth.
Describe the main images in both sections and analyse how they are similar or different.
Imaginative Response A* Interpretation
One may have seen the opening of the novel, before the arrival of George and Lennie, as mere scene-setting. But this opening does more than set a scene: it paints a picture of paradise. It shows a peaceful and harmonious natural world, the paradise where human beings could live if they were not selfish and afraid. Section 6 returns to the same setting, but now it has lost its innocence, as shown in the heron spearing the water snake. Even Lennie’s Aunt Clara and the rabbits have taken on a sinister aspect in his imagination. When George finally recounts their dream of ‘livin off the fatta the lan’ for the final time, we know that it is now impossible. So the structure is therefore used to reinforce the theme.
Assessment Criteria• Has the student made a strong opening point about how setting
creates atmosphere? Underline it.
• Has the student made reference to some of the ways in which Steinbeck achieves this through accurate and supportive quotations? Tick the key words
• Has the student explained what makes that quote effective? How does it make the reader feel? Draw a wibbly line underneath.
• www and ebi (naturally)
LO: To read and analyse Chapter Six: The end of the dream
The Visions
The visions of Aunt Clara and the giant rabbit are poetic, and are very different from Steinbeck’s style in the rest of the novel.
Both visions provide a clear insight into Lennie’s feelings at the close of the novel. They show both his guilt and his genuine inability to control himself – a giant man with the mind of a child.
LO: To read and analyse Chapter Six: The end of the dream
The Novel as a Paradox
A paradox occurs when something is outwardly contradictory but actually true.
How are Lennie’s actions displayed as paradoxes?
LO: To read and analyse Chapter Six: The end of the dream
Homework Essay
The five main themes of the novel are:• Loneliness• Friendship• Shattered Dreams• Injustice and the mistreatment of others• The working man
Write a page answering:How do these themes relate to each other?How do these themes relate to the characters?
Lesson NineTo explore and analyse
Steinbeck’s style
Aim: To plan for the exam with reference to AO2
Starter
• What features does the term ‘style’ refer to?• How the settings add to the narrative• How dialogue is used and how realistic is it• What description is included• The viewpoint from which the story is told• Imagery – the way Steinbeck uses word pictures• Symbolism – to represent a theme of part of a
character
Settings and Dialogue
• Steinbeck stated that this is ‘a playable novel’.– How does this influence the way he uses setting and
atmosphere?– Can you think of any examples of events happening
in the novel but would be too impractical to act of stage? Name as many as you can
• What can be said about the vast amount of dialogue in the novel? What is Steinbeck trying to achieve here?
Description - Adjectives
• Complete the grid spotting all the adjectives used in the description:
Description Adjectives
George: ‘The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features. Every part of him was defined: small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose.’ (p. 19)
Small, quick, dark…
Lennie: ‘a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. His arms did not swing by his sides, but hung loosely.’ (p. 19)
Huge, large, wide…
Description - Adverbs
Steinbeck uses adverbs throughout the novel to indicate the way in which a character speaks or behaves. The following adverbs are used at different points to describe George and Lennie:George: angrily, gently, softly, coldly, loudly, ominously, insultingly, casually, thoughtfully, wonderingly, quicklyLennie: gently, softly, hopefully, patiently, craftily, timidly, breathlessly, miserably, sorrowfully
Try and find adverbs that describe Curley’s wife, Crooks and Slim
Imagery
The term ‘imagery’ refers to the kind of word pictures an author creates to help us imagine what is being described:Simile – one thing compared to another using ‘like’ or ‘as’ (Curley ‘flopping like a fish on the end of the line’)Metaphor – when something is described as if it actually is something else (Lennie’s hand is a ‘paw’)
Imagery relating to NatureNotice the way Steinbeck uses imagery in the opening section of the novel• ‘the rabbits sat as quietly as little gray, sculptured stones’ (p.
19)• ‘A water snake slipped along on the pool, its head held up like
a periscope’ (p. 25)Compare this with the beginning of section six• ‘A silent head a beak lanced down’ (p. 140)• ‘a gust drove through the tops of the trees like a wave’ (p. 140)
Describe the effect this contrast has on the reader
Imagery
Imagery to Describe PeopleSteinbeck uses imagery to portray characters as animalsLook at the following description and write an ‘L’ for each character
Imagery
Lennie Curley Curley’s wife
‘he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws’ (p. 19)
‘Curley stepped over to Lennie like a terrier’ (p. 90)
‘her body flopped like a fish’ (p. 91)
Symbolism
Steinbeck’s use of light
We have already looked at how Steinbeck uses light in a symbolic way to show the contrast in Curley’s wife.
If a questions in the exam comes up about her, make sure you reference this!
Review Your Learning
On mini-whiteboards, answer the following:• What does the term ‘style’ refer to?• How is the novel theatrical?• How does Steinbeck use setting?• How does Steinbeck use adverbs?• How does Steinbeck use imagery and
sybolism?
Lesson TenTo understand how to write an
essay for your Exam
A/A*
What do you have to show you can do in orderto gain the highest band?
The Exam
• You have 45 minutes for the ‘Exploring Cultures’ section. • There is one two-part question. • Part (a) is a quoted passage; part (b) develops the ideas
in (a), asking you to comment on the novel as a whole.• For example, part (a) might ask you to focus on how a
particular character is portrayed in the passage, with part (b) asking you to write about how that character is used to develop a particular theme.
• There is no choice of question.• You will have a clean text in the exam
GRADE BOOSTER
• Many two-part questions ask you to comment on (a) how a character is presented in the passage, and then (b) how that character reflects a particular theme.
• Prepare for these questions by making sure you know which themes especially relate to each character
Exam Question
Read the passage in Section 2 which introduces Curley’s wife, from ‘Both men glanced up’ to ‘and she hurried away’. Then answer the questions which follow:
(a) How does Steinbeck use detail in this passage to show what Curley’s wife is like?(b) Discuss the way in which Steinbeck presents women in the novel as a whole
Discuss language, form and structure
Ensure you read and fully understand the passage before planning your response
Show awareness of how the representation of women are portrayed in the novel through analysis.
Analysing character: consider what they say, think and do as well as how they are treated by others.
Writing an Exam Response• Your essay must have:• Beginning (introduction)
– 100 words– Refer to the question and give an initial response to it– Show you have understood it– Show how you intend to answer it– Explain your interpretation
• Middle (development)– Follow your plan, point by point– Present your argument with supporting quotations– Make your writing flow smoothly (use linking phrases like: however, yet, despite this,
nevertheless, nonetheless, on the other hand, therefore, by contrast, in addition to, similarly, etc)
• End (conclusion)– Refer back to the question– Summarise your argument, don’t just repeat your introduction– State your personal opinion if you have explored more that one interpretation
Plan Your Response
• How would you plan for this exam question?(a) write down all the important quotations that
refer to the question and write a brief comment about them
(b) Link how these quotes are contrasted to the rest of the novel (for example how the men talk about the women in the brothel)
See next slide for the task…
Aim: To plan and write the Controlled Assessment
Plan Your Response
• In pairs on A3 paper, make notes on Curley’s wife’s character.
• Find evidence from the book to support the following elements:– Everything about Curley’s wife in the extract– How does she compare to the other female
characters in the text?
Curley’s wife
Inner feelings
demonstrate unfairness and make us sympathise with her.
Negative image
of her is reinforced by Steinbeck’s description. B/F?
George’s view …
a tramp and a jailbait.
Isolated from ranch workers.She can’t make friends.
No name
She’s defined by her relationship with Curley, not seen as an individual.
Attractiveness
is her weapon although not much use to her on the ranch.
Powerlessness
She tries to threaten Crooks and Candy with what little power she has.
Criticised
before we meet her.
Dreams
of Hollywood! Believes it might have come true.
Grade the Responses
• Look at the following extract for section (a) and analyse its strengths and weaknesses:
Curley’s wife is described as having ‘full, rouged lips’ and her eyes are ‘heavily made up’. This suggests that she wants to appear sexy. Her red fingernails especially show that she has made an effort with her appearance. Her shoes (mules) seem more suitable for going to a party than walking around a ranch. The fact that her voice has a ‘nasal, brittle quality’ does not mean that she is a bad person, but the description is unattractive, as if she is common, not elegant like she would like to be.
Grade the Responses
• Look at the following extract for section (a) and analyse its strengths and weaknesses:
Steinbeck introduces Curley’s wife in a way which reflects the fact that he originally conceived of this novel being written for the stage. He describes how she cuts off the light by standing in the doorway, casting a shadow literally and metaphorically, as if she is denying George and Lennie life and escape from their situation. He presents her in a complex way. She is ‘a girl’ rather than a woman, which could suggest that she is young, or merely that Steinbeck, like many men of the time, sees women in this way.
Aim: To plan and write the Controlled Assessment
Lesson ElevenTo complete an exam
question
Starter
• Share your A3 sheets with another pair• Did you come up with the same
interpretations of the extract?• How did they compare her to the other female
characters (b)?
Answer the Question (45 mins)
Read the passage in Section 2 which introduces Curley’s wife, from ‘Both men glanced up’ to ‘and she hurried away’. Then answer the questions which follow:
(a) How does Steinbeck use detail in this passage to show what Curley’s wife is like?(b) Discuss the way in which Steinbeck presents women in the novel as a whole
Lesson Twelve
To complete an exam question
Starter
• Take your post-it note from last lesson.• Talk to your neighbour about how you can
improve for today’s essay question• Write this target down on the top of today’s
answer
Question
• Look at the extract provided on the exam sheet.• Answer the following question:
(a) How does Steinbeck use language to present the character of Crooks?(b) How is Crooks treated by the other characters in the whole novel and what does this show you about the society he lived in?
Write about:• What Crooks does and what happens when he talks to Lennie.• The attitudes of other people on the ranch towards Crooks.
Crooks
Treatment by others
Curley’s wife p88
Physically vulnerable
What might this symbolise?
Isolated from ranch workers.No choice but to endure the prejudice. Bitter and resentful. No card games/chat
Nickname -Crooks
A reference to his crooked back after being kicked by a horse.
Educated
Compared to the other workers. Reads for company. Powerlessness
He is segregated in the barn..
Discriminated
before we meet him (p 22)
Dreams
Cynical yet hopes.
CrooksCROOKS• He is segregated in the barn, demonstrating racial discrimination of the 1930s. • Candy tells a story from Christmas when “they let the nigger come in that night.”• Excluded from the companionship that exists in the bunkhouse – no cards or chat.
When he comes to speak to Slim about a mule’s foot, he does not enter – “the stable buck put in his head.”
• At the beginning of Section 4, we see where and how he lives, his possessions including books as he reads instead of having company.
• ”Crooks was a proud, aloof man” because he has no choice but to endure this prejudice and isolation. Consequently, he bitterly guards his enforced privacy, saying to Lennie, ”This here’s my room…I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain’t wanted in my room.”
• He is regretting the way that he taunted Lennie, “A guy needs somebody – to be near him” and “a guy gets too lonely “ and “A guy sets alone out here at night.”
• Crooks isolates himself because he wants to exercise his only rights. He is also isolated because of racial discrimination. Therefore, both these things serve to reinforce his loneliness and consequently, alienation.
Model
Crooks is a proud man, ‘he kept his distance and demanded that others kept theirs’ this is because he is so used to being segregated from society that he doesn’t like anyone getting close. Steinbeck described how he ‘scowled’ when anyone tried to come in is room. He is also described as being ‘scornful’ which implies he is resentful and bitter. Years of alienation have left him cold and reluctant to open himself up to anyone.
Language
Discuss the effects of vocabulary….• ‘tattered dictionary’ ‘battered magazines’ • ‘proud, aloof man’• ‘thin pain-tightened lips’• ‘Crooks scowled’• ‘The stable buck went on dreamily’ • Crooks was ‘scornful’• Crooks ‘stared hopelessly’ at her
Final Review
• What are the assessment objectives?• What are the main themes of the novel?• How do the themes relate to the characters?• How does the context relate to the themes
and characterisation?• Describe Steinbeck's style
