Exam
What's it worth: 20% of English Literature GCSE
Timings: Spend 45 minutes on this section.
Structure: 2 Questions, 1 on an extract from the book and one on the bigger picture of the book.
What's it worth: 20% of English Literature GCSE
Timings: Spend 45 minutes on this section.
Structure: 2 Questions, 1 on an extract from the book and one on the bigger picture of the book.
Key Themes
Of Mice and Men was written about the time period of the 1930's - set in America.
The great depression: People in America didn't have a lot and they often had to travel far away from there families in their pursuit to find work as 1 in 4 people were unemployed.
The 'American Dream': This was the idea that if you work hard some day you would be successful and achieve your dreams. It was pretty ambitious though and not many people could achieve it.
Discrimination against others: This is mainly shown through the characters Crooks and Curley's wife as they are both discriminated against as of racism and sexism. Crooks is treated like an animal and has to sleep/live by himself and Curley's wife is not even given a name. This is as the men see her as an object and she does not have a use.
Harsh conditions: These are the conditions that the workers had to face at the time such as living in a small bunk house where they had very little space.
Loneliness:
The great depression: People in America didn't have a lot and they often had to travel far away from there families in their pursuit to find work as 1 in 4 people were unemployed.
The 'American Dream': This was the idea that if you work hard some day you would be successful and achieve your dreams. It was pretty ambitious though and not many people could achieve it.
Discrimination against others: This is mainly shown through the characters Crooks and Curley's wife as they are both discriminated against as of racism and sexism. Crooks is treated like an animal and has to sleep/live by himself and Curley's wife is not even given a name. This is as the men see her as an object and she does not have a use.
Harsh conditions: These are the conditions that the workers had to face at the time such as living in a small bunk house where they had very little space.
Loneliness:
Characters
Lennie: A physically strong character but can't really think for himself. Best friends with George.
George: Best friends with Lennie. He is clever and has to always look after Lennie due to his incompetance.
Curley: The boss' son. Small feisty character who likes to pick fights. Not respected. Married to a 'tart'
Candy: Old character. Has one arm and has to do jobs such as 'setting out the wash basins for the guys'
Crooks: The only black person on the ranch. Has to live in the harness room because nobody wants to be near him. Is constantly being racially abused.
Slim: A well respected character. He is clever and is more realistic than everyone else.
Carlson: A ranch worker. He takes the job of killing Candy's dog and also strangely gets the last line in the book.
Curley's Wife: A strange character. She is always referred to as 'Curley's wife' as she is basically an object. Flirts with other men and gives them "the eye"
The Boss: Doesn't play much of a role in the book but owns the ranch
Whit: Introduced to him once where he shows slim a magazine with an article from an old ranch worker.
George: Best friends with Lennie. He is clever and has to always look after Lennie due to his incompetance.
Curley: The boss' son. Small feisty character who likes to pick fights. Not respected. Married to a 'tart'
Candy: Old character. Has one arm and has to do jobs such as 'setting out the wash basins for the guys'
Crooks: The only black person on the ranch. Has to live in the harness room because nobody wants to be near him. Is constantly being racially abused.
Slim: A well respected character. He is clever and is more realistic than everyone else.
Carlson: A ranch worker. He takes the job of killing Candy's dog and also strangely gets the last line in the book.
Curley's Wife: A strange character. She is always referred to as 'Curley's wife' as she is basically an object. Flirts with other men and gives them "the eye"
The Boss: Doesn't play much of a role in the book but owns the ranch
Whit: Introduced to him once where he shows slim a magazine with an article from an old ranch worker.
Section 1
In section 1 we are introduced to the two main characters, George and Lennie. They are best friends and travel around together. We find out that Lennie isn't very clever because he has a bad memory. He forgets where they are going and that George had his work card. We also find out that Lennie is like a child because he passes the time by 'petting' mice. We find out about George and Lennie's dream about their own farm. George always has to tell Lennie the story because Lennie seems to like it that way - even though this is one of the few things Lennie actually remembers.
Key Quotes
'Hide in the brush till I come for you' - pg 34
'Tell me - like you done before' - pg 31
'George ... I ain't got mine' - pg 22
'Gi'me that mouse!' - pg 26
Key Quotes
'Hide in the brush till I come for you' - pg 34
'Tell me - like you done before' - pg 31
'George ... I ain't got mine' - pg 22
'Gi'me that mouse!' - pg 26
Section 2
In Section 2 George and Lennie arrive at the ranch and get to the bunk house. Here we are introduced to Candy who is an old swamper with one hand, Curley, the boss's son, the boss, Curleys wife who flirts with the other men, Slim who is the top ranch worker who is respected by all the other workers and Carlson who is an established worker on the ranch. We also learn about the racism in America in the 1930's due to us finding out about the way Crooks is treated on the ranch. When Curley meets Lennie, Curley spots that Lennie is 'weak' and is wondering why he didn't talk when the boss was asking him questions.
Key Quotes
'the stable buck's a n*gger' - pg 40
'you always forget an' i got to talk you out of it' - pg 44
'let the big guy talk.' - pg 47
'Well, that glove's fulla vaseline.' - pg 49
'sometimes Curley's in here' - pg 53
'You seen a girl around here?' - pg 59
Key Quotes
'the stable buck's a n*gger' - pg 40
'you always forget an' i got to talk you out of it' - pg 44
'let the big guy talk.' - pg 47
'Well, that glove's fulla vaseline.' - pg 49
'sometimes Curley's in here' - pg 53
'You seen a girl around here?' - pg 59
