Vocabulary and Literary Analysis of 'Of Mice and Men' by John Steinbeck | Study notes History

OF MICE AND MEN KO

Vocabulary Definition

Protective Looking after

another person’s

wellbeing

Marginalised Section of society

that has been

pushed to one

side

Shrewd Being clever and

showing good

judgment

Insecure Not feeling

confident about a

situation or

person

Loyalty Having a strong

feeling of support

or allegiance

Wisdom Quality of having

good judgement/

being wise

Abandoned People left alone

or forgotten

Pugnacious Always wanting to

fight verbally or

physically

Flirtatious Being playful,

usually with sexual

undertones

Malevolence Being deliberately

hostile to others

Naive Not knowing the

greater situation

around you

Regal Acting like a king

Proud Not wanting to

feel shame in

front of others

Lonely Being by oneself

without choices

Terminology Definition

Symbolism Use of places and

objects to represent

larger ideas

Metaphor Comparing a person,

thing or idea to

another unrelated

idea to create imagery

Simile Comparing a person,

thing or idea to

another unrelated

idea to create imagery

using ‘as’ or ‘like’

Protagonists The main character

who propels the

action forward

Imagery Visual descriptions

that allows the

audience to

understand an idea

Mood The emotions created

by the text due to

language use and

structure

Juxtaposition Placing contrasting

ideas close together in

a text

Foreshadowing a hint or suggestion of

what might happen

later in the story

Emotive

Language Language which

creates an emotion in

the reader

Connotations/

Zooming in Implied or suggested

meanings of a word or

phrases

Hyperbole use of extremely

exaggerated terms for

emphasis

SKILLS (AO1, AO2 & AO4)

Analysis using PEAZ:

Point: A clear analytical point which shows

insight and clearly answers the question

Evidence: Support with a short quote(s) or

example from the text.

Analysis: Make explicit where the quote is

from then explain the meaning and effect

of the quote(s) you use –both explicit and

implicit. Aim for two interpretations per

quote.

Zoom in on Language:Zoom in on a

specific language choice (use subject

terminology) and explore its connotations

and effect on the audience

Refer to the writer: Evaluate Steinbeck’s

motive and how it supports his intended

purpose for the novel

EXAM REQUIREMENTS - English

Literature - Component 2, Section B

EXTRACT ESSAY on OF MICE AND MEN –

20 mins - 15 marks

Intro –link to question. Provide an

overview of the chapter.

Throughout the essay –Choose relevant

quotes and analyse the language,

structure and effect of these quotes.

Refer to the question regularly.

WHOLE PLAY ESSAY on OF MICE AND

MEN

–40 mins - 25 marks (5 for SPaG)

Prioritise your ideas in chronological

order.

Intro –using words of the question give

an overview that shows insight.

PEAZ 1 - choose a moment from the novel

to explore with quotes & context

PEAZ 2- choose a 2nd moment from the

novel to explore with quotes & context

PEAZ 3 - choose a moment from the

novel to explore with quotes & context

PEAZ 4 –choose a moment to explore

with quotes and context

Conclude –Short summary of key insights

linked to the question and writer. 2-3

sentences max.

CH Key Moments

1It's a hot afternoon near Soledad, California, sometime during the 1930s.

George Milton and Lennie Small are introduced as two migrant workers looking

for their next job. These two are dressed nearly identically, but there the

similarities end. George is small and smart, Lennie is huge and mentally slow.

George reminds Lennie why they lost their last job: something about a girl with

a soft, red dress that Lennie liked to pet. Lennie and George have an argument

over a mouse that Lennie has petted a little too hard and long. Lennie wants to

keep the dead mouse in his pocket, but George throws it away. George makes

it up to Lennie by telling him his favourite story, the one where they have their

own ranch and Lennie gets to tend (and pet) rabbits. This is their plan and their

American Dream. George also reminds Lennie to come back to this spot by the

river if anything bad happens.

2George and Lennie arrive at the new ranch. In the bunkhouse, they meet an old

man named Candy who tells George about the ranch. The boss shows up and

questions George and Lennie about their work history. The boss' son, Curley

comes in. He's a small-but-cocky tough-guy type and immediately sizes up

George and Lennie as potential victims. He tries to engage Lennie in an

argument, but George interferes. George tells Lennie to avoid Curley. Curley’s

Wife then enters and flirts with the workers. George sees how she could be

trouble for him and Lennie and warns Lennie to stay away from her. Slim

comes in and Carlson who talks of new puppies which makes Lennie excited.

3 George confides in Slim about his friendship with Lennie. Carlson complains

about Candy’s dog and offers to kill the dog as it is too old and of no use.

Carlson kills the dog making Candy upset. Candy overhears George and Lennie’s

plan to own their own ranch and offers them money in return for a place on

the ranch. Curley then comes in accusing Slim of cheating on his wife, but Slim

denies this and stands up for himself. Curley then fights Lennie, but George

orders Lennie to fight back. Curley’s hand is crushed. Slim tells Curley to tell

others it was caught in a machine so that Lennie does not lose his job on the

ranch.

4Crooks’s room is shown to be a small and cramped space, reflecting his lack of

freedom. Lennie comes in uninvited but Crooks confides in Lennie. Candy

come in and discusses the plan to own their own land. Crooks wants to be a

part of it to experience friendship. Curley’s Wife comes in and Crooks stands up

for himself, but Curley’s Wife reminds Crooks of his low social standing in

America and threatens to get him killed.

5Lennie and Curley’s Wife are by themselves in the barn with the other workers

playing horseshoes. Curley’s Wife confides in Lennie, telling him about her life.

Curley’s Wife invites Lennie to touch her hair. He does but then panics when

she tells him to let go and breaks her neck, killing her. He runs away. Curley

wants revenge and decides to hunt him down and kill him.

6 Lennie is hiding in the mountains when George finds him. George tells him the

plan again one last time before shooting him in the back of the head, making

his death quick. Curley and his gang arrive to see Lennie dead. George’s plan is

no longer going to happen and he wonders what he will do now.

Themes

American

Dream

The American Dream was to own

your own land and have ultimate

freedom of when and where you

wanted to work. It also included

owning material possessions.

Steinbeck criticises the American

Dream, finding the flaws with this

aspiration.

Friendship George and Lennie are seen as

unusual in the book as they are

friends travelling together to find

work. Many workers travelled by

themselves and found forming

friendships very hard. Many of the

characters are envious of the

friendship George and Lennie have

formed.

Isolation Many of the characters feel isolated

and lonely in the novel. This includes

Candy, Crooks and Curley’s Wife who

are seen at times in the book to

crave companionship and for

someone to listen to them.

Innocence Steinbeck deals with the loss of

innocence in the book. The opening

chapter deals with a lost innocent

natural world that has given way to

human industrialisation and

interference. Lennie is an innocent

character who can’t cope in a cynical

and isolated world, Curley’s Wife is

also seen as innocent when she dies.

Prejudice Steinbeck deals with the theme of

prejudice through characters such as

Crooks, Candy, Lennie and Curley’s

Wife. Crooks is given very poor

conditions to live and work in due to

hiss skin colour, Candy is seen as

useless due to his age and disability,

Lennie is not invited out with the

ranch workers because of his lack of

intelligence.

Sexism Curley’s Wife is never given a name

but only seen as a possession of

Curley. She has a lack of freedom,

not being able to leave the ranch and

has no purpose as she is not

expected to do manual labour due to

her gender.

Partial preview of the text

Download Vocabulary and Literary Analysis of 'Of Mice and Men' by John Steinbeck and more Study notes History in PDF only on Docsity!

OF MICE AND MEN KO

Vocabulary Definition

Protective Looking after another person’s wellbeing Marginalised Section of society that has been pushed to one side Shrewd Being clever and showing good judgment Insecure Not feeling confident about a situation or person Loyalty Having a strong feeling of support or allegiance Wisdom Quality of having good judgement/ being wise Abandoned People left alone or forgotten Pugnacious Always wanting to fight verbally or physically Flirtatious Being playful, usually with sexual undertones Malevolence Being deliberately hostile to others Naive Not knowing the greater situation around you Regal Acting like a king Proud Not wanting to feel shame in front of others Lonely Being by oneself without choices Terminology Definition Symbolism Use of places and objects to represent larger ideas Metaphor Comparing a person, thing or idea to another unrelated idea to create imagery Simile Comparing a person, thing or idea to another unrelated idea to create imagery using ‘as’ or ‘like’ Protagonists The main character who propels the action forward Imagery Visual descriptions that allows the audience to understand an idea Mood The emotions created by the text due to language use and structure Juxtaposition Placing contrasting ideas close together in a text Foreshadowing a hint or suggestion of what might happen later in the story Emotive Language Language which creates an emotion in the reader Connotations/ Zooming in Implied or suggested meanings of a word or phrases Hyperbole use of extremely exaggerated terms for emphasis

SKILLS (AO1, AO2 & AO4)

Analysis using PEAZ: Point: A clear analytical point which shows insight and clearly answers the question Evidence: Support with a short quote(s) or example from the text. Analysis: Make explicit where the quote is from then explain the meaning and effect of the quote(s) you use – both explicit and implicit. Aim for two interpretations per quote. Zoom in on Language: Zoom in on a specific language choice (use subject terminology) and explore its connotations and effect on the audience Refer to the writer: Evaluate Steinbeck’s motive and how it supports his intended purpose for the novel EXAM REQUIREMENTS - English Literature - Component 2, Section B EXTRACT ESSAY on OF MICE AND MEN – 20 mins - 15 marks Intro – link to question. Provide an overview of the chapter. Throughout the essay – Choose relevant quotes and analyse the language, structure and effect of these quotes. Refer to the question regularly. WHOLE PLAY ESSAY on OF MICE AND MEN

- 40 mins - 25 marks (5 for SPaG ) Prioritise your ideas in chronological order. Intro – using words of the question give an overview that shows insight. PEAZ 1 - choose a moment from the novel to explore with quotes & context PEAZ 2- choose a 2nd^ moment from the novel to explore with quotes & context PEAZ 3 - choose a moment from the novel to explore with quotes & context PEAZ 4 – choose a moment to explore with quotes and context Conclude – Short summary of key insights linked to the question and writer. 2- 3 sentences max. CH Key Moments 1 It's a hot afternoon near Soledad, California, sometime during the 1930s. George Milton and Lennie Small are introduced as two migrant workers looking for their next job. These two are dressed nearly identically, but there the similarities end. George is small and smart, Lennie is huge and mentally slow. George reminds Lennie why they lost their last job: something about a girl with a soft, red dress that Lennie liked to pet. Lennie and George have an argument over a mouse that Lennie has petted a little too hard and long. Lennie wants to keep the dead mouse in his pocket, but George throws it away. George makes it up to Lennie by telling him his favourite story, the one where they have their own ranch and Lennie gets to tend (and pet) rabbits. This is their plan and their American Dream. George also reminds Lennie to come back to this spot by the river if anything bad happens. 2 George and Lennie arrive at the new ranch. In the bunkhouse, they meet an old man named Candy who tells George about the ranch. The boss shows up and questions George and Lennie about their work history. The boss' son, Curley comes in. He's a small-but-cocky tough-guy type and immediately sizes up George and Lennie as potential victims. He tries to engage Lennie in an argument, but George interferes. George tells Lennie to avoid Curley. Curley’s Wife then enters and flirts with the workers. George sees how she could be trouble for him and Lennie and warns Lennie to stay away from her. Slim comes in and Carlson who talks of new puppies which makes Lennie excited. 3 George confides in Slim about his friendship with Lennie. Carlson complains about Candy’s dog and offers to kill the dog as it is too old and of no use. Carlson kills the dog making Candy upset. Candy overhears George and Lennie’s plan to own their own ranch and offers them money in return for a place on the ranch. Curley then comes in accusing Slim of cheating on his wife, but Slim denies this and stands up for himself. Curley then fights Lennie, but George orders Lennie to fight back. Curley’s hand is crushed. Slim tells Curley to tell others it was caught in a machine so that Lennie does not lose his job on the ranch. 4 Crooks’s room is shown to be a small and cramped space, reflecting his lack of freedom. Lennie comes in uninvited but Crooks confides in Lennie. Candy come in and discusses the plan to own their own land. Crooks wants to be a part of it to experience friendship. Curley’s Wife comes in and Crooks stands up for himself, but Curley’s Wife reminds Crooks of his low social standing in America and threatens to get him killed. 5 Lennie and Curley’s Wife are by themselves in the barn with the other workers playing horseshoes. Curley’s Wife confides in Lennie, telling him about her life. Curley’s Wife invites Lennie to touch her hair. He does but then panics when she tells him to let go and breaks her neck, killing her. He runs away. Curley wants revenge and decides to hunt him down and kill him. 6 Lennie is hiding in the mountains when George finds him. George tells him the plan again one last time before shooting him in the back of the head, making his death quick. Curley and his gang arrive to see Lennie dead. George’s plan is no longer going to happen and he wonders what he will do now. Themes American Dream The American Dream was to own your own land and have ultimate freedom of when and where you wanted to work. It also included owning material possessions. Steinbeck criticises the American Dream, finding the flaws with this aspiration. Friendship George and Lennie are seen as unusual in the book as they are friends travelling together to find work. Many workers travelled by themselves and found forming friendships very hard. Many of the characters are envious of the friendship George and Lennie have formed. Isolation Many of the characters feel isolated and lonely in the novel. This includes Candy, Crooks and Curley’s Wife who are seen at times in the book to crave companionship and for someone to listen to them. Innocence Steinbeck deals with the loss of innocence in the book. The opening chapter deals with a lost innocent natural world that has given way to human industrialisation and interference. Lennie is an innocent character who can’t cope in a cynical and isolated world, Curley’s Wife is also seen as innocent when she dies. Prejudice Steinbeck deals with the theme of prejudice through characters such as Crooks, Candy, Lennie and Curley’s Wife. Crooks is given very poor conditions to live and work in due to hiss skin colour, Candy is seen as useless due to his age and disability, Lennie is not invited out with the ranch workers because of his lack of intelligence. Sexism Curley’s Wife is never given a name but only seen as a possession of Curley. She has a lack of freedom, not being able to leave the ranch and has no purpose as she is not expected to do manual labour due to her gender.

Characters Characteristics (^) Quotes George Small and shrewd, George is a migrant worker with a plan to own his own land and achieve the American Dream. He is friends with Lennie as well as a father figure to him. Shrewd, cunning, loyal, protective “God a’mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an’ work, an’ no trouble. - ” Chapter 1 – George understands that Lennie is a burden to him as he could work without worrying about him. “He looked across the fire at Lennie’s anguished face, and then he looked ashamedly at the flames. :” Chapter 1 - After telling off Lennie, George feels guilty for being mean to his friend. This reveals how important friendship is to George. “‘We travel together,’ said George coldly.” Chapter 2 – George is protecting Lennie from Curley, but this also reveals how important Lennie is to George. “George yelled again, ‘I said get him.’” Chapter 3 – George shows his control over Lennie as Lennie will not defend himself from Curley’s attack until George has told him. “The hand shook violently, but his face set and his hand steadied. He pulled the trigger.” Chapter 5 – George finds it difficult to kill Lennie, but then pulls himself together as he understands Lennie will be in more pain if Lennie catches up to him. Compare this quote to how Candy wishes how he shot his own dog. Lennie Big and strong with learning difficulties, Lennie loves soft things and animals.. Innocent, naïve, strong, loyal “Lennie watched him from over the fire. He said patiently, “I like ‘em with ketchup.” Chapter 1 – George is cooking beans for Lennie. Lennie watches and answers “patiently” like a small child, revealing the type of relationship between the two characters. “Lennie twisted with embarrassment. ” Chapter 2 – Lennie is too fearful to reply to an aggressive Curley, even though he is bigger and stronger than him thus revealing Lennie’s innocence. “He stood crying, his fist lost in Lennie’s paw.,” – Chapter 3 – Lennie is described as an animal here, showing how strong he is in the book. “I don’t want you to yell. You gonna get me in trouble jus’ like George says you will. Now don’t you do that.” – Chapter 5 – Lennie does not want to get into trouble for being with Curley’s Wife. This is just before he kills her by accident. “Lennie said, “I thought you was mad at me, George.” - Chapter 6 – Just before Lennie is killed, he is still seeking George’s approval, just like a child would do with a parent figure. Curley Short, prone to anger and proud, Curley is the boss’s son and is unafraid of showing his power on the ranch. Proud, pugnacious, insecure, angry “He wore a work glove on his left hand, and like the boss, he wore high-heeled boots.” – Chapter 2 – Curley is an authority figure on the ranch, the reason why he dresses much like his dad the boss. “His glance was at once calculating and pugnacious” – Chapter 2 – Curley is not interested in being warm and caring to the new workers but instead sizes up Lennie as someone to fight. “’I’ll show you who’s yella.” – Chapter 3 – Curley starts a fight with Lennie as he thinks Lennie is laughing at him. He is trying to keep his sense of pride and power over others. “The next minute Curley was flopping like a fish on a line” – Chapter 3 – Curley has had his hand crushed by Lennie. He know looks powerless. This simile is used again later to describe Curley’s Wife. “You can talk to people, but I can’t talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad.” – Chapter 5 – Curley’s Wife describes Curley as someone who you do not want to talk to. His anger makes his own wife feel trapped in their relationship. Curley’s Wife Married to Curley, she is seen as a flirt and dangerous. She is not allowed to work or leave the ranch and has no female company. Flirtatious, trapped, heavily made up, lonely, “Well – she got the eye. ” – Chapter 2 – The ranch workers notice that Curley’s Wife is flirtatious and judge her disapprovingly on her behaviour. “She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red.” – Chapter 2 – Curley’s Wife is presented as someone who is wearing a lot of make up to attract the attention of the ranch workers. This could display how lonely she feels, wanting to be noticed by the men on the ranch. “I could get you strung upon a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.” – Chapter 4 – Curley’s Wife knows her power over Crooks even with her being a woman. She threatens to get him hung if he continues to stand up to her. “Ain’t I got a right to talk to nobody? ” – Chapter 5 – Curley’s Wife is frustrated as she feels she cannot talk to anyone without the workers accusing her of sexual behaviour. “and her body flopped like a fish. And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck.” – Chapter 5 – Curley’s Wife is killed by Lennie and events start to spiral out of control. The simile ‘like a fish’ is used again just like Curley signifying helplessness. Slim More respected than the boss or Curley, Slim is a jerk line skinner. He listens to George and respects the friendship he has formed with Lennie. Respected, regal, loyal, wise “Like the others he wore blue jeans and a short denim jacket.” – Chapter 2 – Even though we get a sense of Slim being special, the symbolism of his ordinary clothes suggests he is in touch with the workers unlike Curley who takes to wearing the boss’s clothes. “and he moved with a majesty only achieved by royalty and master craftsmen?” – Chapter 2- Slim is respected by the other workers for not only his manner but also his skill as a worker. This links with the idea of him being the ‘prince of the ranch’. “His authority was so great that his word was taken on any subject” – Chapter 2 – Slim is respected for his wisdom and knowledge on the ranch. It almost like he should be the boss. “Slim sat down on a box across the table from George. He studied the solitaire hand that was upside down to him.” – Chapter 2 – The symbolism of the solitaire card game George is playing (symbolising loneliness) is carefully shown here with Slim being able to listen George carefully, especially with the verb ‘studied’. Slim is a great listener. “Hope you get on my team.” – Chapter 2 – Slim is being very friendly and welcoming, juxtaposing against Curley and his hostile introduction. Candy Old and disabled, Candy also wishes to be free and joins George’s plan. Abandoned, forgotten, experienced, cautious “He felt safe now, and he spoke more confidently” – Chapter 2 – Candy is apprehensive about George as he feels lonely and unwanted on the ranch, but he has now found a friend. “The old man moved toward the door, and his ancient dog lifted his head and peered about, and then got painfully to his feet to follow” – Chapter 2 – Candy’s dog reflects how Candy thinks he is viewed; a once respected worker who is now no good to anyone and in pain. “You won’t tell Curley nothing I said?’ - Chapter 2 – Candy is worried about losing his job as he is old and would find it difficult to find another at that time. ““We’d tell about you framin’ Crooks.” – Chapter 4 – Candy wishes to stick up for his new ally Crooks who also wants to be on the ranch. “Candy subsided. “No... .” he agreed. “Nobody’d listen to us.” – Chapter 4 – When Candy tries to stick up for Crooks, but he realises that Curley’s wife is right, no one listens to the marginalised in the US at that time. Context Economic boom – In the early 20 th^ Century, the United States was experiencing great wealth after being late to join the First World War. People bought lots of new items and enjoyed owning their own houses. Many used loaned money to buy houses or stocks and shares. Wall Street Crash – Tuesday 29th^ October 1929, as a result of too much borrowing of money, the economy crashed. This meant that the dollar was now worthless and banks started to close. Great Depression – As a result of the Wall Street Crash, the US experienced the Great Depression where millions of people lost their jobs, money and sometimes homes. Work was very hard to come by as businesses where losing money or closing down. Migrant workers – People (mostly men) resorted to migrant work, where they would travel the country to find work. They headed out west to the farms to work heavy labour jobs and farming work. Dust bowls – Because so many people were working on farms now, the land became very dry from too much farming and resulted in dry land being blown around creating dust bowls. As a result, workers had to keep moving to find different farms to work on. California Civil Code – as mentioned in chapter 4 with Crooks, the Californian Civil Code was a collection of laws about private land and rights that people had in California, a state in the US. This also symbolises both Crooks’s intelligence, as it is a hard document to read, but also how he is trapped as he has no power to change these laws.

Vocabulary and Literary Analysis of 'Of Mice and Men' by John Steinbeck, Study notes of History

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Download Vocabulary and Literary Analysis of 'Of Mice and Men' by John Steinbeck and more Study notes History in PDF only on Docsity!

OF MICE AND MEN KO

Vocabulary Definition

SKILLS (AO1, AO2 & AO4)