Revision for the A663 Of Mice and Men exam

1. Of Mice and Men
A663 Different Cultures text exam(25% of Lit)
• This unit is a study of a literary text from a
different culture. This unit is worth 25% of the
GCSE Literature and will be examined in a 45
minute open book exam (so no annotation of
texts please). You will have to answer ONE
question on the novel, from a choice of two. The
first question will be passage-based. The second
question will be more general and will require
comment, criticism and analysis. Your quality of
written communication is also assessed in this
paper.

2. Prose from Different Cultures
Of Mice and Men A663 (the exam)
Band Mark
AO4 AO2 QWC
1 40- perceptive exploration and critical sensitive understanding of the •text is legible
35 •spelling, punctuation and grammar are
evaluation of a wide range of links significance and effects of writers’ accurate and assured
between texts and their contexts choices of language, structure and •meaning is very clearly communicated
and/or the significance of texts to form
readers in different contexts
2 32- thoughtful exploration and clear, critical understanding of the •text is legible
28 •spelling, punctuation and grammar are
evaluation of a range of links effects of writers’ choices of accurate
between texts and their contexts language, structure and form •meaning is very clearly communicated
and/or the significance of texts to
readers in different contexts
3 27- some attempt to explore and good overall understanding that •text is legible
21 •spelling, punctuation and grammar are
explain links between texts and writers’ choices of language, mainly accurate
their contexts and/or the structure and form contribute to •meaning is clearly communicated
significance of texts to their meaning/effect
readers
4 20- some understanding of links understanding of some features •text is legible
14 •some errors in spelling, punctuation and
between texts and their contexts of language, structure and/or grammar
and/or the significance of texts to form •meaning is clearly communicated for most
their readers of the answer
Below 13-0 some straightforward comments a little response to features of •text is mostly legible
4 •frequent errors in spelling, punctuation
on links between texts and their language, structure and/or form and grammar
contexts and/or the significance of •communication of meaning is sometimes
texts to their readers hindered

3. A663 Different Cultures
• You will have 45 minutes in the exam to plan and write
your response so don’t waste any of this valuable time.
You are being examined on:
• 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

4. 1a How does Steinbeck’s writing make this a powerful and significant moment in the novel?
Remember to support your ideas with details from the novel (that’s quotes to you and me!).
JOHN STEINBECK: Of Mice and Men
Curley stepped over to Lennie like a terrier.
"What the hell you laughin' at?"
Lennie looked blankly at him. "Huh?"
Then Curley's rage exploded. 'Come on, ya big bastard, Get up on your feet. No big son-of-a-bitch is gonna
laugh at me, I'll show ya who's yella."
Lennie looked helplessly at George, and then he got up and tried to retreat. Curley was balanced and poised,
He slashed at Lennie with his left, and then smashed down his nose with a right. Lennie gave a cry of terror.
Blood welled from his nose. "George," he cried, "Make 'um let me alone, George." He backed until he was
against the wall, and Curley followed, slugging him in the face; Lennie's hands remained at his sides; he was too
frightened to defend himself.
George was on his feet yelling, "Get him, Lennie. Don't let him do it."
Lennie covered his face with his huge paws and bleated with terror. He cried, "Make 'um stop, George," Then
Curley attacked his stomach and cut off his wind.
Slim jumped up. "The dirty little rat," he cried, I'll get 'um myself."
George put out his hand and grabbed Slim. "Wait a minute," he shouted. He cupped his hands around his
mouth and yelled, "Get 'im, Lennie!"
Lennie took his hands away from his face and looked about for George, and Curley slashed at his eyes. The big
face was covered with blood. George yelled again, "I said get him."
Curley's fist was swinging when Lennie reached for it. The next minute Curley was flopping like a fish on a line,
and his closed fist was lost in Lennie's big hand, George ran down the room. "Leggo of him, Lennie. Let go."
But Lennie watched in terror the flopping little man whom he held. Blood ran down Lennie's face, one of his
eyes was cut and closed. George slapped him in the face again and again, and still Lennie held on to the closed
fist, Curley was white and shrunken by now, and his struggling had become weak. He stood crying, his fist lost
in Lennie's paw.
George shouted over and over, "Leggo his hand, Lennie. Leggo. Slim, come help me, while the guy got any hand
left."
Suddenly Lennie let go his hold. He crouched cowering against the wall. "You tol' me to, George," he said
miserably.

5. Answering the Passage Based Question
Notes:
• Look at the key adjectives in the question and work with
quotations that will suggest this is a powerful and/or significant
moment in the novel.
• Look to comment upon at least 5 good quotations which will allow
you to answer the question.
• The examiner will be expecting you to comment on contexts (AO4).
These may include: working in America 1930, “rights” of migrant
workers (or lack of them), threat of being fired (canned) for no good
reason, the influence these types of texts have had on workers’
rights, Curley’s position on ranch and his ability to threaten workers
because of who he is, Lennie’s position within society, your
thoughts about how hard life was for these workers and how this
knowledge has impacted upon you and your ideas of what it was
like in 1930s, etc.

6. Highlight key words from the question
Passage-based question
IMPORTANT SIGNIFICANT REVEALING
POWERFUL HORRIFYING
MOVING VIVID DISTURBING
SHOCKING
You need to know:
• What the key adjectives mean
• How they can be interpreted
For Example: MOVING
• Arousing or touching the emotions. What emotions?
• Making a strong or vivid impression – impressive.
TASK: Choose 2 of the KEY ADJECTIVES from the
list.
• What do the key adjectives mean?
• How can they be interpreted?

7. Annotate the passage
Passage-based question
You are looking for examples of:
LANGUAGE:
• Movement
• How they relate to other characters/how other characters view them
• The setting in which the character is seen
• Physical appearance
STRUCTURE:
• How a particular atmosphere (tension) is built up across a scene
• Contrast
• Dramatic irony
• The importance of the scene in relation to the rest of the story e.g. The circular narrative
Remember you must link to the context of the novel at least 2-3 points in your answer
The last stage of your planning is to organise your annotations of the passage into
the paragraphs/sections of your response.

8. Writing your Response
Passage-based question
Aim to write between 5-6 paragraphs:
•Introduction
•3/4 developed sections
•Conclusion
INTRODUCTION:
An overview which sets the passage in context and summarises the author’s
overall purpose.
WRITING A PARAGRAPH:
Mention a KEY WORD (particularly the KEY ADJECTIVE) from the question in
every paragraph.
Provide EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT for everything you say.
Focus on THE AUTHOR’S PURPOSE and the WAYS this is achieved.
Try to make a link with the an aspect(s) of the novel’s context.

9. Prose from Different Cultures
Of Mice and Men A663 (the exam)
Mark
Band AO4 AO2
40-35
perceptive exploration and critical sensitive understanding of the
1 evaluation of a wide range of links significance and effects of writers’
between texts and their contexts choices of language, structure and
and/or the significance of texts to form
readers in different contexts
32-28
thoughtful exploration and clear, critical understanding of the
2 evaluation of a range of links effects of writers’ choices of
between texts and their contexts language, structure and form
and/or the significance of texts to
readers in different contexts
27-21
some attempt to explore and good overall understanding that
3 explain links between texts and writers’ choices of language,
their contexts and/or the structure and form contribute to
significance of texts to their readers meaning/effect

10. What is context?
Context is information that is relevant to a reader’s understanding of a text.
Factors such as
Where it is set
When it is set
Who wrote it
These circumstances will all influence the story and how the reader
understands it.

11. What do we need to consider when we write about OMAM?

12. CONTEXTUAL What we know about it How it links to the story of ‘Of Mice
INFORMATION and Men’
The author,
John Steinbeck
The Great
Depression
The American
Dream
The Dustbowl

13. CONTEXTUAL What we know about it How it links to the story of ‘Of Mice
INFORMATION and Men’
Migrant
Workers
Racial
Segregation
Social
Inequality
Soledad, Califo
rnia

14. Of Mice and Men
• Written in 1936, the book is set around
Soledad in California

15. John Steinbeck
Context of the Writer
Steinbeck was born in 1902 in the Salinas Valley. The places
in the book really exist – in California in the west of the
United States. He wasn’t making them up.
• He often worked on ranches whilst on school holidays – so he
knew the life.
• He loved animals, had daily contact with them when he was
growing up, and kept a dog.
• His parents had some land – he was a rural kid.
Much of ‘Of Mice and Men’ is based upon John Steinbeck’s
life and experiences and his interest in contemporary social
issues – that’s why he describes things in so much detail.

16. What issues did the novel deal with?
• The American Dream was dead. Poverty and
starvation stalked California and other stricken
states. The migrants were worse off. There had
been no union to protect the workers. The rich
stayed rich and the poor stayed poor. There was no
more unclaimed land for the poor masses to claim as
their own. Wages were low so no one could save.
Many didn’t even find jobs – there was a 30%
unemployment rate.
Everyone was suffering, and everyone just wanted to
have a better quality of life.

17. Context of the Novel
The story of George and Lennie, whilst
fictional, is rooted in historical fact.
The high unemployment caused by the
Great Depression resulted in people
travelling to find work, and being hired and
fired at will by powerful farm owners (like
the boss in the novel).
George’s fear that the boss will refuse them
work is realistic. This should also help you
to understand why the dream farm is so
important to the characters. The migrant
lifestyle led to a large section of the
population being fragmented, unable to put
down roots, and to social instability.

18. The American Dream
For hundreds of years the USA has been associated with
the promise of a new and better life.
• The American Dream is the idea that each person has
the opportunity to own land and control their own
destiny*
* – what does this mean?

19. The American Dream
Early settlers went to America to escape religious persecution.
Others went in search of land and independence. Until the
18th century, land was virtually the only way to gain wealth
or power.
Because America was a new land with no aristocracy, it
gained the reputation as a country where anyone, no
matter what their background, could succeed. All you
needed was talent and hard work.
This ideal became known as ‘The American Dream’.

20. What is meant by the term ‘The
American Dream’?
Race for Land
Freedom
Opportunity
Prosperity
Success

21. The Great Depression

22. The book is set during the depression of the
1930s
• The 29th October 1929 was known as ‘Black Tuesday’ in America.
The Wall Street Stock Market Crashed. Lots of money was lost and
this led to a huge rise in unemployment across America
• By 1931 banks and factories closed all over the country and the
farming industry collapsed
• This meant countless men had to travel the country to find work.
They were hired and fired at will.
• Many of the poorest members of US society suffered badly, and at
one point it was estimated that 34 million men, women and
children had no income at all.
• Many people were evicted from their homes and ended up living in
shanty towns. This crisis in the US economy forms the background
to many of Steinbeck’s novels.

23. What happened on 29th October 1929?
What effect did this have
on
‘The American Dream’?
•Banks closed
•Industry collapsed
•34 million unemployed
•Poverty & Starvation
•Migrant workers
The American Dream was over!
The Great Depression

24. The loss of the American Dream meant …
• No land
• No money
• A fragmented society: migrant workers travelling from farm to
farm looking for work

25. Great Depression & Dustbowl
Dustbowl

26. CONTEXTUAL What we know about it How it links to the story of ‘Of Mice and Men’
INFORMATION
Grew up in the Salinas Valley. The story of ‘Of Mice and Men’ is set in a real place and some of
The author, Spent some time working on a ranch Steinbecks’ own experiences inform the story.
John Steinbeck Loved animals and had a pet dog.
Was heavily interested in politics, particularly the rights of
Because he was writing about a place and a topic he knew well,
this allows for more detailed descriptions to add realism to the
workers. novel. This could make it even more emotional. The focus of the
novel is on the plight of two disadvantaged migrant workers, a
topic that was dear to his heart .
1930’s – Black Tuesday: Wall Street Crash Follows the story of migrant workers and focusses on their
The Great Banks closed – people lost their savings experiences especially the themes of social inequality, loneliness
Depression Industries closed – people lost their jobs
34 million unemployed = poverty, starvation, desperation
and belonging.
Steinbeck subverts the expectations that the reader would have
A generation of migrant workers forced to travel to find work – about migrant workers by telling the story of ‘friends’ who
mainly on farms as they were least affected by the Depression to travelled together.
begin with (farming later suffered hugely). Families were split up
= a very unhappy time.
To the world, America was the land of opportunity. People None of the main characters achieve their dreams: Curley’s wife
The American moved there to escape religious persecution and a new start. As dreamt of movie stardom but is accidently killed by Lennie;
Dream America had no monarchy it was considered a ‘fairer playing
field’. There was the hope that no matter what your background,
George and Lennie never buy their ranch; Candy doesn’t get his
happy retirement and Crooks realises the American Dream is out
you could improve your situation in life. of his reach because of his skin colour.
The American Dream was the belief that if you worked hard you The workers are treated poorly – hired and fired at will. Migrant
could achieve freedom, success and independence with a workers lived in fear of losing a job. No stability or sense of
particular emphasis on owning your own land. The American belonging.
dream represents hope and was a part of the American But the American Dream does give the characters (especially
subconscious. George and Lennie) hope, so it is tragically ironic at the end that
there is no hope for them and the cyclical structure of the novel
leads us to believe that all this will happen again to the next
bunch of workers to pass through. All the main characters are
socially disadvantaged. The American Dream is a recurring motif.
For a while during the Great Depression, farming was an industry Though the novel is not set in the area known as The Dustbowl
The Dustbowl that kept going. Millions of workers flooded into agricultural (Oklahoma) it is likely that the area attracted migrant workers
areas. However, The Dustbowl threw a massive spanner in the forced to move away because of it. This would have put even
works. The Dustbowl occurred as a result of the over farming of more pressure on George and Lennie not to lose their jobs
precious land due mechanisation (machines got the job done because someone else would instantly fill their place.
quickly but didn’t give the soil time to rejuvenate). The fertile
topsoil was stripped of it’s nutrients and unable to grow very It is important to remember that The Dustbowl added to the
much food. Also, because of drought, this top layer blew away as traumatic and dismal state of affairs for the whole of America and
giant dust clouds. individuals. It was like yet another kick in the teeth.

27. CONTEXTUAL What we know about it How it links to the story of ‘Of Mice
INFORMATION and Men’
The combined result of the Great Depression (no money, no jobs) and George and Lennie travel together – this sense of friendship is
Migrant The Dustbowl (no land) was a fragmented society. Men were forced what makes what happens to them all the more upsetting. Their
Workers to leave their hometowns and travel for thousands of miles with the
hope of finding work. Work was sporadic and migrant workers had no
relationship symbolises hope and humanity in the midst of the
darkest times.
employment rights. Steinbeck was heavily involved in politics and his
novel may have sparked the beginning of a social reform – eventually A lot of the people who live on the ranch are given nicknames
the Workers Rights Act was drawn up, giving fairer terms and pay to (Slim, Candy, Crooks, Curley’s Wife) – we don’t learn their real
all workers. names and this lack of identity can link back to the idea of
migrant workers having no real sense of belonging – it is almost
Being a migrant worker was very lonely. It was unheard of for men to like they are stripped of their humanity. They live in the bleak,
travel around together. Most travelled solo, carrying a few possession harsh, bare environment of the bunk house and do what they can
in bindles on their backs. Jobs were few and they were given little to make it seem more homely, for example by pushing boxes
warning of being dismissed. Most lived day to day. together to play cards around – there is the sense that they are all
craving the feeling of community that they are denied because of
Because of their way of life, migrant workers were unable to put down their circumstances.
roots. It was a lonely existence with no sense of belonging and few
opportunities to marry, buy a house and start a family.
In 1930s America, black people did not have the same rights as they do •Crooks is the only black character on the ranch and he is
Racial today. The were treated as second class citizens, often segregated away segregated from the others because of the colour of his skin. He
Segregation from the white people. The were denied basic rights like the vote,
equal education, places on public transport, they even had separate
has the lowest social status out of any of the characters simply
because he is black (less than Curley’s wife and Lennie : a woman
shops and swimming pools. and a ‘dum dum’.) Crooks is a symbol of the racial tension and
The racial stereotype of black people at the time was that they were stereotypes of the time because: he is treated as a second class
rude, dishonest (even criminal), thick and not to be trusted. Black citizen; he lives in fear of racist attack and suffers prejudice; he is
people, especially in rural areas, lived in fear of lynch mobs – gangs of isolated from the other men on the ranch; his living conditions are
white people who would hang them for the smallest crime or even much poorer than the others; he is crippled so cannot move/work
sometimes simply for being accused of a crime. They were very violent, quickly or easily; he can only do menial jobs (manual labour); black
prejudiced and tense times. people found it much harder to get work; he has no way of
bettering his position in life through the American Dream.
•What is ironic about this? Crooks room is full of personal
belongings and is the most ‘homely’ of all the settings. This is ironic
because Crooks is treated as an outcast. Crooks does not ‘belong’
with the others on the ranch; his room is separated from the other
men. Yet strangely, Crooks is the one character who has made the
ranch his ‘home’. And appears to be the only ‘permanent’
character. He also symbolises the futility of the American Dream.
He is a proud character and a hard worker but he can never
achieve it because of his colour. This makes him disadvantaged.

28. Curley’s Wife symbolises how poorly women were treated. The
Social Social inequality was a massive problem for America. The country was fact that she isn’t given a name highlights how women were
Inequality run in such a way that the rich stayed rich and the poor got poorer.
This was made even worse when the Great Depression hit.
considered to be more a possession of their husband than a
citizen in their own right. Her use of slang reveals a poor
education and her dreams can never be achieved.
The poor, black, female, disabled and uneducated were not given the
same opportunities as the rest of society and there were few means by Unlike the workers, Curley’s Wife is trapped on the farm. Which
which they could break out of the cycle and improve themselves. This makes her story and untimely death more tragic. Though she is
is perhaps why they clung to the hope of achieving the American not presented as an angel, the reader is encouraged to feel
Dream so desperately. sympathy for her.
California, the ‘Golden State’, so called because of the discovery of gold The story is set in a real place, so we can imagine that the places
Soledad, there in 1848. This is an area associated with wealth and happiness. Steinbeck describes actually exist. The descriptions of the Salinas
California Because of this fact, it was also a state that attracted many migrant
workers who were searching for the chance to make a living.
Valley in the first and last chapters of the story are incredibly
detailed and descriptive, probably because Steinbeck was so
Steinbeck himself grew up here so would have witnessed this for familiar with the area.
himself.
It is ironic that a story focussing on the poverty and dismay of the
Great Depression should take place in the State most renowned for
being a place of wealth and opportunity.
Don’t forget, in this exam you have 45 minutes to answer ONE question: either the extract
based question or the discursive question. Whichever you choose, you must comment in
detail on how specific examples of language, structure and form create an effect on the
reader. This means you must closely analyse quotes from the text for all the points you
make. You must also develop your interpretation of each point by discussing the context
of the novel – these 8 features we have just explored. Each paragraph should include a
detailed reference to how your understanding of the context in which the text was written
informs and illuminates your understanding of the text, it’s characters and themes.