Lit. Of Mice And Men Key Points and Essay Plans

A wide range of points that should cover almost any topic that comes up in the exam. Points below:

Of Mice and Men -- Ideas Stimulus

Way it's written --

Lots of dialogue - more about characters -- Real -- puts us there

Cyclical opening -- nothing changes -- comment on themes

Short space of time -- really reflects poem -

Vivid descriptions -- settings - almost haunting? -- SOT: 'realism' Like camera, sets us and zooms in to action, cinematic -- Symbolism -- contrasts: Silence /sound

Sign posted ending -- should it be -- deaths ' increasing violence (Lennie) tragedy?

Symbols -- light / animals / deaths / colours

Themes

Loneliness -- characters -- setting -- outcome -- friendships always challenged

Standing up for oneself -- crooks -- Curley's wife -- Lenny - Slim

American dream / dreams -- G&L , Curley's wife, candy, Curley? All different levels

Knowing your place? Crooks, Candy, Lennie

Life as is -- difficult, those who pretend and those who don't

People not helping themselves: Crooks, Curley's wife,

Characters

George -- caring -- dream - annoyed -- smart -- cautious -- needy -- can do the right thing -- loses a friend/ burden? Finds a soul mate?

Lennie -- weak mind -- dream - strong body -- can't understand -- attracted easily -- needs George -- has some sense of pride, loves simple things, killer.

Curley- angry, violent, not yet a man (in shadows) gets comeuppance, prays on the weak (Often)

Curley's wife: lonely, pretty, dangerous, spoken about, misunderstood? Simple, foolish, silently regretful, innocent/ deserved death? Ill remembered.

Crooks: black, disabled, in pain, smart, outcast, guaranteed job though, bad experiences, slim hope dashed, threatened. 'Visited character'

Candy: likeable, helpful, similarities to dog, lonely, bereaved, offered hope, feels included, finds body, hopes dashed,

Slim: 'god like', in control, knowledgeable, reassures, asserts (gives go ahead), guaranteed job, finds friend?


You Must:

Plan, mention a point, quote, explain meaning, analyse some language, link to another character / idea / point in the book somehow, as much as you can. 4/5 times

Category:

Education

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[GAMERSELITE100]

Does this work with the OCR extract based questions? Thanks.

[WCSEnglish]

@GAMERSELITE100 It'll be of use - but what you are really looking at in those questions is language analysis and link to the rest of the novel - some of this stuff will be relevant, but it's more your analysis being tested. Good luck

[zmthoufique]

i used to D in eng lit...i retook my eng lit....after watching this video i got a B...i m so happy....thank u very much

[WCSEnglish]

@zmthoufique Pleasure - glad you did well.

[minijackwrighty450]

Could you do a A* exemplar question for of mice and men?

[DaniisBeautyTips]

Can you do important quotes for Of Mice And Men we could use in our essays please?

[1InsignificantPerson]

Thank you :)

[jamesy786]

thanks mate real helpful :)

[HippieGuineaPiggy]

I actually noticed something when reading the book in studies.

They have the re-occuring theme of companionship and how it's lost, with Candy and his dog, and George and Lennie. As the description says at the beginnning of the book, Lennie is like a 'terrier' and in a way, George has to look after him, as if he really was like his pet dog. In the end, he had to relieve Lennie out of being off any worse, like Candy dutifully did with his dog. Was this foreshadowing for the end of the book?

[xiiFelix]

0 dislikes he deserves it :)

[160410mbca]

Exam tomorrow, this helped, thank you...

[Vladthedruid]

i always thought Curley kept his hand soft for his wife yknow for whoope

[paperxknight]

I've got my exam tomorrow, and this video has popped a few more ideas into my head, thanks!:)

[jonnymassey96]

Got my exam friday :/ anyone else think that Youll just forget about everything the moment you open the exam? :L