1. ‘Of Mice and Men’
English Literature Exam
Exploring Modern Texts (Section B)
Lesson One:
To understand the term ‘context’ and
apply it to the novella (AO4)
To understand the exam criteria

2. Of Mice and Men
• Section B: Exploring Cultures.
• You will be reading for meaning as well as
exploring:
• Ideas, themes and issues
• Characterisation
• Settings
Exam = 20% of overall marks
45 mins
30 Marks
L.O To understand the term ‘context’ and
apply it to the novella

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. Starter
What we will be learning about the novel:
Context
Theme (s)
Characters
Language
Plot
Structure
Messages/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

8. 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

9. 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

10. Your exercise book:
Most
important
(Relevant)
Least
important
(irrelevant)
L.O To understand the term ‘context’ and
apply it to the novella

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. Task Two: Feedback
Let’s hear your answers
L.O To understand the term ‘context’ and
apply it to the novella

15. The context and setting of the novel

16. Higher Order
Thinking
California, America 1930s
a) Great Depression (WW1 and
1929 stock market crash)
b) Lack of jobs
c) Drifters (Dust bowl farmers
moved to California in the hope
of a better life).
d) Poor
e) Racism rife in society
f) Men provided for women
g) Many men worked as labourers
on the many ranches
h) American Dream – (crushed for
many).
America 2012
What do you know?
How does it compare?
L.O To explore the context and setting of
the novel

17. 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

18. L.O To explore the context and setting of
the novel

19. 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 cost
to achieve personal success.
Unfortunately for the ranchers the American Dream
will be hard to come by due to social constraints at the
time.
L.O To explore the context and setting of
the novel

20. ‘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

21. What does this mean?
Write your answer on a mini
whiteboard and share your
ideas with the class
L.O To explore the context and setting of
the novel

22. The Dust Bowl
• The Dust Bowl or the Dirty Thirties was a period of severe dust storms
causing major ecological and agricultural damage to American and Canadian
prairie lands from 1930 to 1936.
• The Dust Bowl was an ecological and human disaster caused by misuse of land and
years 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 from
farm to farm picking fruit and other crops at starvation wages.
John Steinbeck later wrote Of Mice and Men about such people.

23. The Great Depression
• The Great Depression was a worldwide economic
downturn starting in most places in 1929 and ending at
different times in the 1930s or early 1940s for different
countries.
• It was the largest and most severe economic depression
in 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.

24. The Great Depression – the effects
• In America, by 1933 unemployment had reached
25%.
• A drought persisted in the agricultural heartland.
• Businesses and families defaulted on record numbers
of loans, and more than 5,000 banks had failed.
• Hundreds of thousands of Americans found
themselves homeless.
• Farming and rural areas suffered
as crop prices fell by approximately
60 percent.
• International trade plunged by half
to two-thirds, as did personal
income, tax revenue, prices and profits.

25. 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?

26. Lesson Two
To 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?

27. 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

28. 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 explore the context and setting of
the novel

29. Section 1
Plot 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’
L.O To be able to analyse aspects of George
and Lennie’s character and relationship.

30. Write five points about each character
George Lennie
L.O To be able to analyse aspects of George and Lennie’s character and relationship

31. Lennie Small
Now find quotes:
L.O To be able to analyse aspects of George and Lennie’s character and relationship.

32. George Milton
• Now find quotes:
L.O To be able to analyse aspects of George and Lennie’s character and relationship.

33. George and Lennie
Choose 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?
L.O To be able to analyse aspects of George
and Lennie’s character and relationship.

34. 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 immediately
introduces an imbalanced nature to
their friendship. “Even in the open one
stayed behind the other” suggests
George to be the more dominant
of 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

35. Assessing Understanding
• Let’s hear some of your answers!
• Have your answers met the assessment
criteria?

36. 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

37. Lesson Three
To synthesise how characters are
developed in Section Two

38. ‘A Quick Quiz’ ...
L.O to understand how characters are
developed in Chapter Two

39. 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 Lennie
6. 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

40. Chapter 2
Plot 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

41. 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 finishedL.O to understand how characters are
developed in Chapter Two

42. 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

43. 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
L.O to understand how characters are
developed in Chapter Two

44. Curley
Discuss
• 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
L.O to understand how characters are
developed in Chapter Two

45. • We are going to analyse the first time
we 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

46. Curley’s Wife
Appearance ‘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 analyse the characters of Curley and
his wife

47. 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

48. Curley’s wife extension
1. 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?
L.O to understand how characters are
developed in Chapter Two

49. Lesson Four
To 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.

50. 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

51. 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

52. Extended Writing
The 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

53. Model Example – B Grade
Loneliness 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

54. 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’.
LO: To analyse the theme of loneliness in
Chapter Three

55. 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)

56. 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

57. 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

58. 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

59. 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
LO: To analyse the theme of loneliness in
Chapter Three

60. 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’

61. 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?
LO: To analyse the theme of loneliness in
Chapter Three

62. Lesson Five
To 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.

63. Your American Dream
One 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

64. 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

65. 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?
LO: To examine Lennie and George’s
American Dream

66. GRADE FOCUS
• How will you be assessed on theme-based questions?
Grades G-D
In 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.

67. George and Lennie’s Dream
Highlight all the different parts of George and
Lennie’s dream (P 84-86)
George and Lennie’s
American Dream
LO: To examine Lennie and George’s
American Dream

68. 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!

69. 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?
LO: To examine Lennie and George’s
American Dream

70. 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.

71. Lesson Six
To explore the character of Crooks
and analyse how he is isolated in the
novel.

72. How/Why might someone be/feel
alienated?
Starting a new
school
Looking
differentAlienation
Unloved
Isolated
Excluded
L.O to explore the character of Crooks and
how he is isolated in the novel

73. 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

74. 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

75. 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.
L.O to explore the character of Crooks and
how he is isolated in the novel

76. 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?

77. Crooks
Appearance?
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

78. Quotes about Crooks
Quotation 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

79. 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

80. 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

81. 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

82. Crooks’ Isolation
Crooks 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’
LO: To examine Crook’s loneliness in
Chapter 4

83. 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)

84. 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

85. 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
LO: To examine Crook’s loneliness in
Chapter 4

86. Lesson Seven
To examine the events of Section
Five referring to the alienation and
isolation of Lennie and Curley’s wife

87. • 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. Candy
3. Curley’s wife
4. 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

88. 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

89. 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 the events of Chapter Five
referring to the alienation and isolation of
Lennie and Curley’s wife

90. 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

91. 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?
LO: To examine and analyse Curley’s wife –
Isolation and Alienation

92. 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)

93. Finally…
Has your opinion of Curley’s wife changed over
the novel? Explain why or why not. What has
influenced your decision?
LO: To examine and analyse Curley’s wife –
Isolation and Alienation

94. Lesson Eight
To analyse Section Six:
The end of the dream

95. 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

96. Reading
PAGE 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

97. 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.
LO: To read and analyse Chapter Six: The
end of the dream

98. 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.

99. 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)

100. 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

101. 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

102. 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?
LO: To read and analyse Chapter Six: The
end of the dream

103. Lesson Nine
To explore and analyse
Steinbeck’s style
Aim: To plan for the exam with
reference to AO2

104. 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

105. 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?

106. 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…

107. 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, quickly
Lennie:
gently, softly, hopefully, patiently, craftily, timidly, breathl
essly, miserably, sorrowfully
Try and find adverbs that describe Curley’s wife, Crooks
and Slim

108. 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’)

109. Imagery relating to Nature
Notice 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

110. Imagery to Describe People
Steinbeck uses imagery to portray characters as
animals
Look 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)

111. 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!

112. 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?

113. Lesson Ten
To understand how to write an essay
for your Exam

114. A/A*
What do you have to show you can do in order
to gain the highest band?

115. 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

116. 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

117. 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.

118. 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

119. 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…

120. 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?
Aim: To plan and write the Controlled
Assessment

121. 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.

122. 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.

123. 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.

124. Lesson Eleven
To complete an exam
question
Aim: To plan and write the Controlled
Assessment

125. 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)?

126. 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

127. Lesson Twelve
To complete an exam question

128. 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

129. 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.

130. 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.

131. Crooks
CROOKS
• 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.

132. 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.

133. 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

134. 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