Contrast between Lennie and

1. Friendship
In Of Mice and Men
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2. Learning Objectives
We are learning to...
• Understand how Steinbeck
presents the relationship
between George and Lennie
• Explain how this contrast
creates meaning
S4L: Self control
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3. In every bit of honest writing in
the world there is a base
theme. Try to understand men,
if you understand each other
you will be kind to each other.
Steinbeck, Diary entry, 1938.
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4. Think Pair Share
30 seconds thinking time
1 minute talking
What words would you use to
describe George and Lennie’s
relationship?
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5. Friendship is a key
theme in OMAM
George and Lennie are different
from other characters.
How do we know this?
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6. Lennie was delighted. "That’s it—that’s it. Now tell
how it is with us.”
George went on. "With us it ain’t like that. We
got a future. We got somebody to talk to that
gives a damn about us. We don’t have to sit in
no bar room blowin’ in our jack jus’ because we
got no place else to go. If them other guys gets
in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn.
But not us.”
Lennie broke in. "But not us! An’ why?
Because… because I got you to look after me,
and you got me to look after you, and that’s
why." He laughed delightedly. "Go on now,
George!"
What does this extract tell us about George and Lennie?

7. Lennie was delighted. "That’s it—that’s it. Now tell
how it is with us.”
George went on. "With us it ain’t like that. We
got a future. We got somebody to talk to that
gives a damn about us. We don’t have to sit in
no bar room blowin’ in our jack jus’ because we
got no place else to go. If them other guys gets
in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn.
But not us.”
Lennie broke in. "But not us! An’ why?
Because… because I got you to look after me,
and you got me to look after you, and that’s
why." He laughed delightedly. "Go on now,
George!"

8. Lennie was delighted. "That’s it—that’s it. Now tell
how it is with us.”
George went on. "With us it ain’t like that. We
got a future. We got somebody to talk to that
gives a damn about us. We don’t have to sit in
no bar room blowin’ in our jack jus’ because we
got no place else to go. If them other guys gets
in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn.
But not us.”
Lennie broke in. "But not us! An’ why?
Because… because I got you to look after me,
and you got me to look after you, and that’s
why." He laughed delightedly. "Go on now,
George!"

9. Lennie was delighted. "That’s it—that’s it. Now tell
how it is with us.”
George went on. "With us it ain’t like that. We
got a future. We got somebody to talk to that
gives a damn about us. We don’t have to sit in
no bar room blowin’ in our jack jus’ because we
got no place else to go. If them other guys gets
in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn.
But not us.”
Lennie broke in. "But not us! An’ why?
Because… because I got you to look after me,
and you got me to look after you, and that’s
why." He laughed delightedly. "Go on now,
George!"

10. Lennie was delighted. "That’s it—that’s it. Now tell
how it is with us.”
George went on. "With us it ain’t like that. We
got a future. We got somebody to talk to that
gives a damn about us. We don’t have to sit in
no bar room blowin’ in our jack jus’ because we
got no place else to go. If them other guys gets
in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn.
But not us.”
Lennie broke in. "But not us! An’ why?
Because… because I got you to look after me,
and you got me to look after you, and that’s
why." He laughed delightedly. "Go on now,
George!"
What does this extract tell us about George and Lennie?

11. Success Criteria
Skilled Writing 1. Identify and language and structure with
will some explanation of layers of meaning.
2. Comment uses quotations
3. Commentary shows understanding of
wider themes
Excellent 1. Have a detailed explanation, with
Writing appropriate terminology, of how
language, structure, linguistic and
will
grammatical features are used
2. Comments begin to develop precise,
perceptive identification of layers of
meaning with link to themes
3. Commentary embeds appropriate
quotations to support point
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12. George and Lennie’s relationship contrasts with the
loneliness of other characters in the novel. What George
says to Lennie shows they are different from other
characters, ‘We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn
about us’ This shows that they have not only got someone
to talk to, to have conversations with, they have also got
someone that care about them as a person emphasised by
the use of the word ‘damn’. Because their relationship
contrasts so strongly with the lonely characters in the
novel, such as Curley’s wife and Crooks who both
complain about how they have no one to talk to, it amplifies
the strength of their relationship and shows what great
friends they are. The tragic outcome of the novel seems to
suggest an inevitability to loneliness if people are unable to
understand each other and adds to the desolate message
Steinbeck is trying to convey.

13. Look at the proportion of quotation to analysis…
 The tragic structure of the novel becomes clear when
Curley’s wife is murdered, as George suggests the
inevitability of Lennie’s fall: "—I think I knowed from the  Technique
very ... first. I think I knowed we’d never do her. He usta  Evidence
like to hear about it so much I got to thinking maybe we
would." (5.78) Steinbeck’s choice of language at this point  P Consideration of
Steinbeck’s craft -
is especially poignant. George’s hesitation as he speaks purpose
to Candy, shown by the ellipsis, is emphasised by the use  E - Analysis of
of the adverb ‘softly’, suggesting the way in which punctuation
George’s painful self-knowledge is something that he can  E - Analysis of part
of speech
barely admit to himself, let alone out loud. ‘softly’ also 
suggests George’s gentleness towards Lennie, and the  E -Suggestion of
alternative way of
ways in which he feels almost broken, far from the ‘sharp- reading
featured…quick’ character described in chapter 1. It  E - Links to earlier
quotation
prepares us for his silence and reluctance to blame  Links to later chapter
Lennie in chapter 6, as he finally admits that his dream is  DEVELOPS POINT
out of reach.

14. Now, draft your essay
We’ve not got much time so you
must work in the way that you
would in a normal lesson.
You should write in silence until
10 min before end of lesson
where you should peer assess
against success criteria.
www ebi
Use the model of the mapped
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target.

15. Peer assess
Skilled Writing 1. Identify and language and structure with
will some explanation of layers of meaning.
2. Comment uses quotations
3. Commentary shows understanding of
wider themes
Excellent 1. Have a detailed explanation, with
Writing appropriate terminology, of how
language, structure, linguistic and
will
grammatical features are used
2. Comments begin to develop precise,
perceptive identification of layers of
meaning with link to themes
3. Commentary embeds appropriate
quotations to support point
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