Revising Of Mice and Men

The relationship between George and Lennie

Learning Objective

To explore and evaluate how Steinbeck uses linguistic, grammatical, structural and presentational features to present the relationship between George and Lennie in Chapter One of Of Mice and Men.

Language for learning• Verbs• Adverbs• Imagery• Simile• Metaphor

Verbs and adverbs

P. 19 Walked heavily, dragging his feet… arms hung loosely… flung himself P.20 snorting… stepped nervously… said sharply… smiled happily… dropped it gently… dabbled his big paw… P.21 stared morosely… said angrily… looked timidly… said softly…jerked down the brim of his hat…P.22 said gently… looked sharply… P.23 slowly obeyed… looked startled… said resignedly… P.24 droned to himself softly… looked puzzled… exploded triumphantly… disgustedly… giggled happily P.26 lumbered… said brusquely…looked wildly… snapped his fingers sharply P.27 Hung his head dejectedly… looked sadly P.31 Looked quickly and searchingly…

How do the verbs and adverbs used by Steinbeck here help to create a clearer picture of what George and Lennie are like and how they act with each other?

Reading of chapter 1

• As we read, consider:• What do we learn about the relationship

between Lennie and George?• How do they feel towards one another?• How does Steinbeck contrast the two men?

George and Lennie• What do we know about the two men, and how are they described?

• Irony of Lennie’s surname - Small• George: protective, parental, anxious• Lennie: childlike, repetitious, biddable• Shared ‘Ranch’ dream• Lennie has a thing for ‘petting’ mice and rabbits• Contrasts: size, strength, worldliness, intelligence• Simple but compelling characters, just like Steinbeck’s writing.

Their relationship• How do they feel toward one another?• George: “God you’re a lot of trouble”, “Poor bastard”• Frustrations?• Differences?• Best mates – or? • Why doesn’t George abandon Lennie?• Is the nature of the relationship resolved, or a conundrum?

Anticipations

• Structurally: Why does Steinbeck place the ‘mouse’ episode before we find out about what happened in Weed?

• How realistic is their shared dream?• Why does George try to fix the location of the

pool in Lennie’s mind?• What do you imagine could happen later?

Main task: write three paragraphs to answer this question using PEE:

Explore the ways Steinbeck presents the relationship between George and Lennie in chapter 1 of Of Mice and Men.

You should write about:• George and Lennie• Their relationship• The Dream

An example PEE point

Our first impressions of the relationship between Lennie and George come in the opening chapter. Lennie imitates George’s actions: “he pulled his hat down a little more over his eyes the way George’s hat was.” Our immediate interpretation is that Lennie looks up to George as a role model; he acts just like him and mimics him how a son might their father.

Word-bankGeorge• Quick-witted• Sharp• Intuitive• Responsible• Mature• Frustrated• Irritable• Loyal• Protective• Father figure• Argumentative• Challenging• Optimistic• Good judgement• Intelligent• Cautious• realistic• Short-tempered

Lennie• Simple-minded• Kind• Cunning• Manipulative• Secretive• Gullible• Innocent• Childish• Strong• Huge-framed• Well-built• Gentle• Trusting• Immature• Carefree• Compassionate• Awkward• Tactile

AO2 (English) / AO3 (English Language)

• Read and understand texts, selecting material appropriate to purpose

• Develop and sustain interpretations of writers’ ideas and perspectives

• Explain and evaluate how writers’ use linguistic, grammatical, structural and presentational features to achieve effects and engage and influence.

• Understand texts in their social, cultural and historical contexts. (English only)

Band 4

‘Confident, assured’

• Sustained and developed interpretations of texts• Engagement with writers’ ideas and attitudes and

provide perceptive interpretations using precisely selected textual detail

• Analysis of aspects of language and structure in convincing detail

• convincing connections between the texts and their contexts.

Band 3

‘Clear, consistent’

• clear evidence of understanding of significant meanings of the text

• ability to explain writers’ ideas clearly offering relevant and appropriate supporting textual detail

• ability to display understanding of features of language and structure supported by relevant and appropriate quotation

• ability to explore the significance of aspects of the contexts matched to textual details.

Band 2

‘Some’

• some awareness shown of more obvious meanings in the text• some awareness of writers’ ideas supported by relevant textual

detail• some awareness of obvious features of language and structure

supported by some relevant textual detail• make some relevant comments about the significance of the

contexts.

How do I achieve a BAND 3+?

• Use P-E-E • Include quotations / textual detail to support

points• Consider different interpretations of characters• Write about your own opinion (you are the

reader)• Remember to integrate quotes • Don’t use long quotations – keep them short and

relevant• Try to develop explanations – aim for a couple of

sentences for this.

Examples: Which is better? Why?• George is in charge of Lennie. He takes his mouse away

from him. George gets angry with Lennie a lot because he has to look after him

• George dominates Lennie throughout the chapter. An example of this is when he confiscates Lennie’s mouse and throws it ‘as far as he could’ into the brush. We infer from this George’s frustration in constantly having to remind Lennie what to do, almost as if he is an elder brother forced to look after an irritating younger sibling.

• George dominates Lennie. For instance, in confiscating the mouse from Lennie the second time, he is described as ‘imperious’ and Lennie is characterised as a ‘terrier’ compelled through training to ‘lay’ the mouse in George’s hand. We see something of George’s frustration in the violence of his throw (‘as far as he could’) of the mouse into the brush, followed by the deliberate washing of his hands.

Main task: write three paragraphs to answer this question using PEE:

Explore the ways Steinbeck presents the relationship between George and Lennie in chapter 1 of Of Mice and Men.

You should write about:• George and Lennie (their description by Steinbeck;

their personalities; their differences)• Their relationship (how do they get along; what role do

they each play in the relationship; how do they feel about their relationship)

• The Dream (what is their dream; how realistic is it; what point is Steinbeck making about the American Dream)

Plenary: Peer AssessmentHow developed is your PEE?

• Swap with a partner.• Label up their PEE paragraphs:– P for point– Ev for evidence– Ex for exploration

• How much of the latter is there?• How could their work be improved?

Plenary

• What have we learned about the relationship between Lennie and George?

• How do they feel towards one another?• How does Steinbeck contrast the two men?• Are there signs to suggest there may be

trouble to come?