GCSE English Literature Unit 1 Exploring Modern Texts

GCSE English Literature Unit 1: Exploring Modern Texts Revision. Of Mice and Men

The OMAM section of the exam consists of two questions. Part a looks at a short passage and requires detailed language analysis. Part b refers to the text as a whole and will normally refer to a theme or character. You are advised to spend 45 minutes on this section. The question is marked out of 34.

How does Steinbeck use setting? QUOTATION ANALYSIS OF LANGUAGE THEME/CONTEXT EFFECT ON READER

A brief look at Context. The Wall Street Crash On October 29 1929, millions of dollars were wiped out in an event that became known as the Wall Street Crash. It led to the Depression in America which crippled the country from 1930 1936. People lost their life savings when firms and banks went bust, and 12 - 15 million men and women - one third of America's population - were unemployed. There was then no dole to fall back on, so food was short and the unemployed in cities couldn't pay their rent. Some ended up in settlements called 'Hoovervilles' (after the US president of the time, Herbert C Hoover), in shanties made from old packing cases and corrugated iron. Migrant farmers Added to the man-made financial problems were natural ones. A series of droughts in southern mid-western states like Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas led to failed harvests and dried-up land. Farmers were forced to move off their land: they couldn't repay the bank-loans which had helped buy the farms and had to sell what they owned to pay their debts. Many economic migrants headed west to 'Golden' California, thinking there would be land going spare, but the Californians turned many back, fearing they would be over-run. The refuges had nowhere to go back to, so they set up home in huge camps in the California valleys - living in shacks of cardboard and old metal - and sought work as casual farmhands. Ranch hands Against this background, ranch hands like George and Lennie were lucky to have work. Ranch hands were grateful for at least a bunk-house to live in and to have food provided, even though the pay was low. Think about how the men agree to hush-up the fight between Curley and Lennie and claim that Curley got his hand caught in a machine: they know that Lennie and George would be fired if the boss came to hear of it, and then Lennie and George could be left with nothing.

He led the dog out into the darkness. George followed to the door and shut the door and set the latch gently in its place. Candy lay rigidly on his bed staring at the ceiling. Slim said loudly, ‘One of my lead mules got a bad hoof. Got to get some tar on it. ’ His voice trailed off. It was silent outside. Carlson’s footsteps died away. The silence came into the room. And the silence lasted. George chuckled, ‘I bet Lennie’s right out there in the barn with his pup. He won’t want to come in here no more now he’s got a pup. ’ Slim said, ‘Candy you can have any one of them pups you want. ’ Candy did not answer. The silence fell on the room again. It came out of the night and invaded the room. George said, ‘Anybody like to play a little euchre? ’ ‘I’ll play out a few with you, ’ said Whit. They took places opposite each other at the table under the light, but George did not shuffle the cards. He rippled the edge of the deck nervously, and the little snapping noise drew the eyes of all the men in the room, so that he stopped doing it. The silence fell on the room again. Part A) In this passage, how does Steinbeck create tension? Refer closely to the passage in your answer.

Part B refers to the text as a whole. B) What does Steinbeck show the reader about friendships in Of Mice and Men and what does this tell you about the society in which the novel is set? How would you go about planning for answer to this question? First, let’s split the question up into two parts. The first part of the questions asks what Steinbeck shows the reader about friendships in OMAM Many of the characters suffer from profound sense of loneliness and isolation is a theme that permeates throughout the novel. Candy, Crooks and Candy’s wife all confess their deep loneliness at some stage throughout the novel For Candy, the closest relationship he has is with is dog but this comes to a tragic end in chapter 3 when Carlson shoots the dog on account of its age. Crooks is isolated as a result of his race and is shown to be a proud and aloof character but even he is enticed by the idea of companionship and is enticed by the idea of G&L’s farm, asking if he could have a small plot of land to hoe. The relationship between George and Lennie is the strongest relationship shown throughout the novella but George reveals to Slim that this was not always the case as he admits that he used to torment and bully Lennie as a means of entertainment. The relationship is crucial to both characters – it is a lifeline for Lennie and a means of companionship for George. On the whole, Steinbeck uses theme of friendship to highlight the overwhelming sense of loneliness that prevails within each character.

Part B refers to the text as a whole. B) What does Steinbeck show the reader about friendships in Of Mice and Men and what does this tell you about the society in which the novel is set? How would you go about planning for answer to this question? Now, let’s look at the second part of this question – what does this tell you about the society in which the novel is set? Society is seen to be very harsh – every friendship that exits comes to a very cruel end Steinbeck presents a lonely and desolate society and the characters can be seen to represent the Migrant workers of 1930 s America. These workers would travel for miles for the prospect of work and would have spent the majority of their time alone. Possible quotations to use: "Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest. guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong no place. . With us it ain't like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. " Chapter 1, pg. 13 -14. "An' why? Because. . . because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that's why. " Chapter 1, pg. 14. "'Ain't many guys travel around together, ' he mused. 'I don't know why. Maybe ever'body in the whole damn world is scared of each other. '" Chapter 2, pg. 35. "Carl's right, Candy. That dog ain't no good to himself. I wisht somebody'd shoot me if I got old an' a cripple. " Chapter 3, pg. 45. "'A guy needs somebody-to be near him. ' He whined, 'A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. '" Chapter 4, pg. 72.

Let’s look at another example question. Of Mice and Men

The bunk house was a long, rectangular building. Inside, the walls were whitewashed and the floor unpainted. In three walls there were small, square windows, and in the fourth, a solid door with a wooden latch. Against the walls were eight bunks, five of them made up with blankets and the other three showing their burlap ticking. Over each bunk there was nailed an apple box with the opening forward so that it made two shelves for the personal belongings of the occupant of the bunk. And these shelves were loaded with little articles, soap and talcum powder, razors and those Western magazines ranch men love to read and scoff at and secretly believe. And there were medicines on the shelves, and little vials, combs; and from nails on the box sides, a few neckties. Near one wall there was a black cast-iron stove, its stove-pipe going straight up through the ceiling. In the middle of the room stood a big square table littered with playing cards, and around it were grouped boxes for the players to sit on. At about ten o’clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows, and in and out of the beam flies shot like rushing stars. Part A) In this passage, how does Steinbeck show what the living conditions are like on the ranch? Refer closely to the passage in your answer.

Part B refers to the text as a whole. B) In the rest of the novel, how does Steinbeck show what life was like for people on a ranch at that time? How would you go about planning for answer to this question? There is no need to split this question into parts but we must make sure that we cover context in our answer. Life on the ranch is exemplified by hard work. George and Lennie appear useful to ‘the boss’ and Curley based on Lennie’s strength Numerous characters are seen as having a disability; Crooks is crippled and Candy has lost a hand, both sustained from working on the ranch There is no place for the weak on the ranch. Candy’s dog is put down because he is old – Candy fears his own fate given his age. Life on the ranch was minimal – G&L have travelled from afar at the prospect of work. Ranch work was also competitive, G&L are worried that their late arrival might jeopardise their employment Workers at the ranch are shown to have very few belongings, as seen in the description of the bunkhouse. They are likely to travel to wherever there is the prospect of work and so bring only what they can carry Steinbeck uses life of the ranch to show the racial tensions in 1930 s – Crooks is isolated from the rest of the ranch hands and is required to live separately Steinbeck uses the ranch to show society is dominated by wealthy, white, young, able-bodied men Steinbeck uses the ranch to highlight the loneliness and isolation workers at that time would have likely experienced. Most characters speak of experiencing loneliness at some point throughout the novella.

Part B refers to the text as a whole. B) In the rest of the novel, how does Steinbeck show what life was like for people on a ranch at that time? How would you go about planning for answer to this question? There is no need to split this question into parts but we must make sure that we cover context in our answer. Possible quotes that we could use: Steinbeck describes the bleak scenery of the bunkhouse. The wall of this “rectangular building…”, “the floor unpainted…. ”, and “there was a nailed apple - box”. Almost every part of the bunk is made of things that were already used. ‘Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. ’ ‘A guy sets alone out here at night, maybe readin’ books or thinkin’ or stuff like that. Sometimes he gets thinkin’, an’ he got nothing to tell him what’s so an’ what ain’t so. Maybe if he sees somethin’, he don’t know whether it’s right or not. ’

Let’s look at another example question. Of Mice and Men

Both men glanced up, for the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off. A girl was standing there looking in. She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages. She wore a cotton house dress and red mules, on the insteps of which were little bouquets of red ostrich feathers. ‘I’m lookin’ for Curley, ’ she said. Her voice had a nasal, brittle quality. George looked away from her and then back. ‘He was in here a minute ago, but he went. ’ ‘Oh!’ She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward. ‘You’re the new fellas that just come, ain’t ya? ’ ‘Yeah. ’ Lennie’s eyes moved down over her body, and though she did not seem to be looking at Lennie she bridled a little. She looked at her fingernails. ‘Sometimes Curley’s in here’, she explained. George said brusquely, ‘Well he ain’t now. ’ ‘If he ain’t, I guess I better look some place else, ’ she said playfully. Lennie watched her, fascinated. George said, ‘If I see him, I’ll pass the word you was looking for him. ’ She smiled archly and twitched her body. ‘Nobody can’t blame a person for lookin’, ’ she said. There were footsteps behind her, going by. She turned her head. ‘Hi, Slim, ’ she said. Part A) What do you learn about Curley’s wife from the details in the passage?

Part B refers to the text as a whole. B) How do other characters treat Curley’s wife in the novel? What does this tell you about attitudes towards women in the society in which she lives? How would you go about planning for answer to this question? We will need to split this section up. First, let’s look at how Curley’s wife is treated in the novel. Not given a name, she is only ever known as Curley’s wife. She is viewed warily by all other characters – she is seen to be a cause of trouble and George is keen to warn to Lennie away from her. Steinbeck uses her as a symbol of a isolation. She is the only female character within the novella and complains frequently of loneliness She is the “tramp, ” “tart”, and “bitch” that threatens to destroy male happiness and longevity. Curley’s wife seeks out even greater weaknesses in others, preying upon Lennie’s mental handicap, Candy’s debilitating age, and the colour of Crooks’s skin in order to steel herself against harm. When first introduced, she is presented to be incredibly provocative.

Part B refers to the text as a whole. B) How do other characters treat Curley’s wife in the novel? What does this tell you about attitudes towards women in the society in which she lives? How would you go about planning for answer to this question? Now, let’s look at what this tells us about attitudes towards women in the society in which she lives. Women seen as having two functions, caretakers of men (Aunt Clara) or Sex Objects (Curley’s Wife) Women were isolated and contributed little towards the Women dismissed from the novella’s vision of paradise – G&L only ever imagine themselves as being alone. As Eve prevented man from entering the Garden of Eden, the novella presents women as a temptation leading to man’s fall from perfection. Possible quotations to use: ‘full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages. She wore a cotton house dress and red mules, on the insteps of which were little bouquets of red ostrich feathers. 'I'm looking for Curley, ' she said. Her voice had a nasal, brittle quality. . . She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward. "I seen 'em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her. You leave her be. "

Main themes. Make sure that you feel confident answering a question on any of the following. Dreams Isolation and loneliness Companionship Violence Disability Discrimination Death