Of mice and men

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Of mice and men
Style
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Style

• This can be a challenge to write about but being
  able to focus on the language of the writer is
  the key way to achieve the highest possible
  grades in all your exams.

• Writing about style shows the ability to look
  beyond the text and the story and to be more
  critical and analytical about the writers work.
  Simply retelling the plot is dull and will not
  get marks.

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Steinbeck's Style

• What?
• Typical examples and why they are significant?

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Steinbeck's Style

• Tight and controlled he uses every word
  carefully.
• Lots of key details to help set the scene and
  atmosphere
• He often uses the five senses
• His style is simple and straightforward.

• Harsh and hard language that is typical of the
  ranch workers
• Use of images, simile, metaphor and
  personification
• Linking imagery
• Foreshadowing of events that create a dark mood
  and atmosphere

Look for examples of Steinbecks style as you read
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Getting a good grade

• A good essay in the exam will focus on the
  question
• You might plan quickly key ideas
• You should highlight key words that you want to
  focus on
• You will always use quotes
• You will always use PEE C or higher
• You should always focus on the language used
  higher grade skill

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Essay

• Why is the fight scene important in Of mice and
  men? How does Steinbeck build up atmosphere and
  tension?

What are the Key words and focus for an essay
plan?
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Essay

• Why is the fight scene important in Of mice and
  men?
• How does Steinbeck build up atmosphere and
  tension?

Key words and focus for an essay plan
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Why is the fight scene important in Of mice and
men? How does Steinbeck build up atmosphere and
tension?

• Set the scene- but beware of story telling
  loose marks
• Link to themes that are shown
• Who is involved and how do they react?
• Why is this scene so significant for the
  characters?
• How does Steinbeck build up tension and
  atmosphere? Language and style

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Find examples of the build up of tension and
atmosphere look for

• Violence in speech
• Images and used
• Choice of descriptions / language
• Fear built up
• Speed of events
• Tension in their relationships between the men
• Contrast between Lennies gentleness and Lennies
  power

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Find examples of the build up of tension and
atmosphere look for

• Violence in speech You god damm punk
• Images and used flopping like a fish,
  bleated with terror
• Choice of words smashed slashed
• Fear built up Lennie looked helplessly at
  George
• Speed of events everything goes out of control
  George ran across the room
• Tension in their relationships between the men
  Candy joined in the attack with joy.
• Contrast between Lennies gentleness and Lennies
  power Lennie covered his face blood ran down
  Lennies face

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Task

• Read through the following student examples
  looking for good writing and what they can do to
  improve and get the grade.

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Student responses

• This scene is important because it is the scene
  where Lennie crushes Curleys hand. He shows how
  strong he is and how he can easily loose control
  over himself.
• At first Lennie does not react, despite Curley
  attacking him however when George shouts Get him
  Lennie he does fight back. Lennies strength is
  uncontrolled and this is one of his main
  problems.

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Student responses

• Steinbeck uses the fight scene to show the easy
  violence and frustrations on the ranch and in the
  times that George and Lennie were living through.
  The scene builds up with a tense atmosphere of
  cruelty, relish and violence. It is an escape
  from the mundane lives the men live working hard
  on a ranch in poor conditions, with few rights.

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Student responses

• In this scene Lennie crushes Culeys hand. He is
  in the fight because Curley is bullying him and
  Curley was annoyed.
• Lennie is very strong and this is seen when he
  attacks Curley. Curleys hand is totally crushed.

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Student responses

• In this scene Lennie crushes Culeys hand. He is
  in the fight because Curley is bullying him and
  Curley was annoyed.
• Lennie is very strong and this is seen when he
  attacks Curley. Curleys hand is totally crushed.

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Planning

• Good writers plan it can be as simple as six
  key bullet points a mini mind map or six headings
  with some notes
• If you run out of time you can write see essay
  plan and you will get some credit for your
  ideas. If you haven't planned and run out of time
  then you wont get any more marks.
• Keep focused on answering the question and the
  ideas that you have been asked to write about.
  DONT RETELL THE STORY. DONT WRITE EVERYTHING
  YOU KNOW ABOUT STEINBECK.

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Task

• Write your own opening to the essay Why is the
  fight scene important in Of Mice and Men? How
  does Steinbeck build up atmosphere and tension?
• Write a six point plan for this essay with brief
  notes about that you would include.
• Write useful and brief revision notes on
  Steinbeck's style reminding yourself to focus on
  language and language and language to get the
  higher marks.