Ok everyone,
As requested, I am now going to provide you with a sample answer for the section A extract we looked at today. I will then provide you with a mark scheme for it.
There is the paper. Here is how you should be aiming to answer it. Remember to PEE all the way through it. And REMEMBER - It is easier than it looks, so don't over think it!
One way in which language has been used to influence our view of the setting is the author's use of repetition. We see this when the author keeps reminding us that there are "rabbits" eveywhere. Apart from the fact that this links to later on in the novel when Lennie wants to tend the rabbits, it also shows us that this setting is a wilderness, because there are animals everywhere! This shows the effort and length that people will go to in this book to find work. It is also ironic that Lennie spends his whole life wanting to tend rabbits, yet he is surrounded by them right at the start of the book.
Another way in which language has been used to influence our view of the setting is through the way certain details are described. The author describes "an ash pilemade by many fires" and a "tree limb worn smooth" by the amount of people that have sat on it. The adjective "many" shows us that many people have been through this setting before, probably chasing the same dream a George and Lennie. The verb "worn" also shows this, but also has connotations that this setting can cause people trouble and 'zap' their enthusiasm.
There are many other things which we learn about the setting from this extract (notice how I am always answering the question directly so I don't go off-task). For example, the choice of lexis informs us about the heat of the setting. The author writes that the "water is warm too". From our own experience, we know that water in rivers and lakes is usually cold. The fact that the water is warm suggests that the setting is unbearably hot, and will be uncomfortable and difficult for our main characters to work in.
The author uses other literary devices such an onomatopoeia to tell us about the setting. The narrative describes how a lizard "makes a skittering sound" when it runs away. The word 'skittering' creates an image in our minds of dryness and crisp leaves. The fact that the leaves are so dry implies, again, that the setting is uncomfortable and desert-like. A very inhospitable place to be doing hard physical work in.
The author also uses language to add to the atmosphere of the setting. Firstly, the author uses personifications to make the setting sound creepy. The author describes the shade "climbing" and the "limbs" of the tree. (notice the use of more than one piece of evidence?" This makes is sound like the scenery is alive which puts the reader on edge, suggesting something bad may happen.
The setting is also made to seem quite unpredictable through the way it is described. The writer describes how the branches of the trees are littered with "debris from the winter's floods". This makes the setting seem unpredictable as it can go from flood to desert in only a few months. This makes us feel unsure for the safety of the characters, because we feel like anything can happen to them.
The author uses a listing technique to add a sense of mystery to the setting. When it goes dark, the author lists the various animals such as 'rabbits', 'coons', 'dogs' and 'deer', which come out. This firstly makes us realise how hot and uncomfortable the setting must be, but it also makes us feel like this part of the brush is quite magical, changebale, and alive with nature.
Lastly, and perhaps most simply, it could be argues that the author uses some beautiful language to make the setting seem very important and breathtaking. The author describes how the foothills are "golden" and describes the Gabilan mountains as "strong". These adjectives both paint a vivid picture in our minds of a majestic and picturesque scene thatis a very apt setting for an epic story. The fact that the book starts and ends here shows firstly how insignificant George and Lennie are (just like you and me) and also the fact that although they are surrounded by majesty, they never actually achieve what they are aiming for.
There we go. EIGHT paragraphs of PEE goodness! It took around 16 minutes to write that. I only want you to write SIX paragraphs (but obviously more if you have time).
The trick, everyone, is this:
*Read the extract
*Quickly answer the question in your head (ie, what is your opinion of the setting after you have finished reading)
*Find evidence to back up how you feel
*Turn this into PEE paragraphs.
You can do it people. I have faith in you all!
Now onto part (b)!
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