REVISION:
RE OF MICE AND MEN: HIGHER
UNIT 1: English
Literature
Exam Advice and Information
Section B: Diverse Cultures
The whole exam is 1 hour 45minutes and you should spend around 45 minutes on this section.
For this section you will be given a choice of two questions, one will usually be on theme and one on
character.
There will be a clean copy of the book on your desk in the exam for you to use when answering the
question.
Question Breakdown
So one question will always be on a character
One way to answer this is to think of six events that involve the character, describe them and say
why the character was so important in them. However, this can often lead to simply retelling the
story – something you should avoid. The examiner knows the text really well!
The other way is to think of six themes that they are involved, and say how and why and what this
adds to the book. (ie Curley is prejudice towards people who are bigger than he is. This is because
Steinbeck uses him as a metaphor for the way people sought power in a powerless society.)
The other question will be on theme
This is easier, just think of the ways the theme is shown in the book and most often this can be done
by listing the character who most represent the theme. (ie Death: Lennie, Curley’s Wife, Candy’s
dog, George, Carlson) Try to think of six – this will make sure you write enough for the exam.
Don’t forget to mention life in 1930s America
You should aim to write 8 paragraphs
Introduction
Character/theme/event 4
Character/theme/event 1
Character/theme/event 5
Character/theme/event 2
Character/theme/event 6
Character/theme/event 3
Conclusion
Each of the paragraphs (except the introduction and conclusion) should follow the PEA format.
Point: Your statement about the character/theme/event
Evident: The quote you used to support the idea
Analysis: What Steinbeck shows us about the character/event/theme and how that affects, and
where possible, what that shows us about the time in which the book was written.
Steinbeck uses the friendship of George and Lennie in order to show how lonely life was at the
time. Their friendship contrasts everyone else who George believes are “the loneliest guys in the
world.” Steinbeck juxtaposes the words loneliest and world here to highlight how vast and empty
the lives of many of these men were as they travelled from ranch to ranch and in so doing evokes
our sympathy for them.
REVISION: OF MICE AND MEN: HIGHER
Practice questions for ‘Of Mice and Men’
1. Explore how Crooks is affected by the people around him in the novel
You must consider the context of the novel
Use evidence to support your answer
2. In what ways is the American Dream significant in the novel?
You must consider the context of the novel
Use evidence to support your answer
3. Explore the significance of Curley in the novel
You must consider the context of the novel
Use evidence to support your answer
4. Why is the shooting of Curley’s dog significant in the novel?
You must consider the context of the novel
Use evidence to support your answer
5. Explore the reasons why Slim is important in the novel
You must consider the context of the novel
Use evidence to support your answer
6. Why is this novel classed as a tragedy?
You must consider the context of the novel
Use evidence to support your answer
7. In what way is the theme of friendship significant in the novel?
You must consider the context of the novel
Use evidence to support your answer
8. In what ways is Curley’s wife significant in the novel?
You must consider the context of the novel
Use evidence to support your answer
9. Explore the significance of loneliness in the novel
You must consider the context of the novel
Use evidence to support your answer
10. Why is the setting of the novel significant?
You must consider the context of the novel
Use evidence to support your answer
UNIT 1: English
Literature
REVISION: OF MICE AND MEN: HIGHER
UNIT 1: English
Literature
Sample Essay: A* Grade
What is the significance of dreams in ‘Of Mice and Men’?
Steinbeck wrote this poignant novella with continual themes reoccurring throughout; in particular
he focused on dreams and the hidden messages that derived from them. He often went into detail
of these dreams and they are essential in giving his character an existence and also in making these
personas realistic and relatable for the reader. During the time that ‘Of Mice and Men’ was set in,
people lived lonely lives where only dreams were keeping them going. Subsequently Steinbeck
cleverly chose from a poem by Robert Burns – “The best laid schemes of mice and men, of often
awry.”
Personally, I believe that George and Lennie’s dream is the driving force of the book – it is frequently
mentioned and seems to evolve with each chapter to come. Autonomy is what appears to be all that
George desires; he longs to be his own boss and to gain a sense of belonging and freedom. Similar to
all the other workers during this time, they face isolation and the trapped sequence of working for
others. This is shown in the quotes “we’d have our own place where we belonged and not sleep in
no bunk house” – George expresses how he has grown weary of this common lifestyle and hopes for
a section of land that he could call his own.
Others may think that Lennie’s dreams are more realistic as he wants to just pet rabbits and stroke
soft things; however he is just as enthusiastic if not more when it comes to the dream. It is shown in,
“’An’ the rabbits,’ Lennie said eagerly”, also “Lennie watched him with wide eyes”, makes him
childlike and excitable. As Lennie is not quite all there and doesn’t grasp the concept of real life to its
full harsh reality, it would seem that as long as he has George, he is content. George and Lennie live
their lives for the day when their dram becomes a reality.
Alike others, Candy also desires a change from the usual tedious routine and for a little freedom, but
this characters’ dream is unique as it is born of fear. His biggest worry is to die a lonely man. Candy
has already had his best friend, his dog, taken away from him and is now left with just his job to keep
him going. However, he is frightened that if he’s fired he will go on welfare, which, in a time of great
economic depression, would have been less than useless. He gets to the point where he says, “When
they can me here I wish’t somebody’d shoot me,” this takes his desperation to a new level. As a
result, he almost begs to join George and Lennie’s dream simply to gain hope of a different possible
future. Their dream, which then was shared with Candy, offers him this.
I feel immensely sympathetic towards Candy as he puts all his trust in two men who has known for
less than twenty four hours, purely out of desperation. He places his guture in their hands because
they are his only hope. By joining George and Lennie’s dream, his qualms rapidly ebb away.
Crooks dreams of belonging, much like George and Lennie, but sadly his is unrealistic due to the
segrating attitude of 1930s America. He years for acceptance and wants to live in a racially
harmonious society. Even though he belittles Lennie’s dream and calls him ‘nuts’ for having
aspirations, Crooks too hints at wanting a bright future. Crooks is deeply aware that the colour of his
skin is the only thing keeping him from being accepted by the other ranch workers. As a
consequence he leads a lonely life and at one point he no longer holds back and admits to Lennie, “
REVISION: OF MICE AND MEN: HIGHER
UNIT 1: English
Literature
A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody”. Crooks gives the audience the most vivid picture of what life
was like for black people during this harsh and lonely time.
For me one of the most touching lines Steinbeck wrote in ‘Of Mice and Men’ was, “If I say
something, why it’s just a nigger sayin’ it,” this quote will stay with me long after reading it. It is the
turning point when Crooks confesses to a white person that he feels inferior and that his isolation
coupled with the treatment he receives leaves his dream remaining exactly that.
Curley’s wife is controversial character; some feel sorry for her whilst others blame her actions for
her loneliness and for her ending. She rightly feels unappreciated as she is the only female on the
ranch and is often referred to as a tart or property of her husband, Curley. The fact that speaks in
the past tense rather than the future shows that she has given up on her dreams – “I coulda made
somethin’ of myself”, however she then suggests that there’s a small bit of hope still within her as
she moves on to say, “Maybe I will yet.”
Curley’s wife is evidently lonely and has never been granted the opportunity to express her true
feelings. When talking to Lennie in the barn she admits, “Well, I ain’t told this to nobody before”,
showing that she may a little ashamed to reminisce and muse on past memories. Her dream was to
become famous and to be in movies. This is not an uncommon dream, even today, but in 1930s as
the rising trend of starlets gave woman a hope of something bigger and better. Repeatedly she
emphasises the point that these men back in her youth told her that she was a natural. I think that
by saying it out loud over and over it almost convinces herself that it once happened. However she
fails to identify that she may have been seduced with promises of fame by these men and instead
blames her mother for hiding their letters.
In contrast, the only one of Steinbeck’s characters to not possess a dream is Slim. From the
beginning he was portrayed as royal and respectable. He has no dreams or worries, yet he is the
happiest on the ranch and never appears to face loneliness to the extent of the others. Perhaps
Steinbeck wrote this character to prove a debatable point that people with dreams are those who
are happiest. Without dreams you cannot face disappointment and in some people’s eyes,
disappointment is the worst feeling and would go to great lengths to avoid it.