Signing off but...

Right everyone,

that's been almost an hour and a half. There is LOADS of stuff for you to be getting on with, as well as LOADS of stuff from the last exam cycle if you simply check back to last year's blog posts.

I am signing off now, but I will check back in ONE HOUR (22:25) in case there are any major emergency questions/issues.

If I don't see any, I will sign of totally.

Remember, breakfast revision tomorrow morning in the canteen!

Good luck,

NW

I am going to answer a few paragraphs on this question to show you how it is done. I know we have done this a million times, but every little helps!

"There are many ways in which the language used by the author affects the way we view George and Lennie's dreams. Firstly, the author shows George speaking in anecdotes to Lennie. We see this where he says, "The cream is so God damn thick you gotta cut it with a knife" and "Ever' Sunday we'd kill a chicken or rabbit." This affects our view of their dream in a number of ways. Firstly, it makes it seem like they have discussed it so many times that it has become almost like a bed-time story to them. THis proves how much they value their dream. However, the fact that they talk about it in a tone which we would normally attribute to fairytales also suggest that this may a something which will never actually happen for them, and is merely in their heads.

As George speaks, the author ensure that he uses a repetition of the inclusive pronouns 'We' and 'We'd'. Similarly, this affects our view of their dream in a number of ways too. Firstly, it shows us how this is something which they had always planned to do TOGETHER. Perhaps this reflects how special their relationship is. None of the other men of the ranch, who live more solitary lives, have a dream such as this. So perhaps the author is hinting that dreams are only possible if people work together. However, it also reinforces the idea that their dream is not really achievable, as the word 'We'd' stands for 'we would'. The wording of this implies that they 'would' do these things if they were possible. George never says 'We will', only 'we would'.

Another way that language is used to affect of view of their dream is the lack of proper English when George and Lennie talk about it. They often drop words saying things like "Tell about how it will be" or "Got a wood stove". THis implies that they are so excited about their dream that they have to spit out their words, and don't take care to speak properly. A similar technique to this comes when George being to 'list' all of the things that are on the new ranch, '...cherries, apples, peaches, 'cots, nuts..." as if he is so excited that he has slipped into a child-like anticipation for his dream. The fact that they are so childlike hints to the reader that the characters may well end up disappointed."

Just a few paragraphs to show you before I sign off.

But see! This was a tough one for spotting features, but they are there if you look hard enough.

Just always make sure you explain THE EFFECT ON THE READER, and WHY IT HAS BEEN DONE.

NW

The Author's Motive...

I guess this is a pretty important point to reiterate.

Think about the book you are reading - whether it is 'Of Mice and Men' or 'Heroes'.

What sort of text is it?

In the case of 'Of Mice and Men', it is a pretty dark book. It is about oppressed social groups and lack of opportunities in a dark chapter of USA's history.

So - the author is basically trying to tell you this all along!

If the author describes a setting or character, there will be elements of this in there! So if the questions says,

"How does the author use language to affect your view of..."

REMEMBER THAT THE AUTHOR WANTS TO GET YOU THINKING THE WAY THEY DO!

So...if a setting, for example, seems weird/ abnormal/ unpredicatble...this is entirely deliberate and is supposed to reflect the overall theme of the novel they are writing.

Keep this in mind,

NW

SUGGESTED PREPARATION TASK

At the start of each section of the book, Steinbeck describes the scene.

So have a look at all these descriptions now! See if you can pick out language features like the ones we have discussed, just in case one of these comes up. Even if they don't it is good practice.

Then, try to write a couple of example paragraphs, or have a think how you could turn all your points into an essay!

READ THIS! Part 2

*So, as we have established, your priority is finding LANGAUGE FEATURES to comment on, and then linking them to the question.

*Once you have found all the 'fancy' things that you can (similes, onomatopoeia etc), you can just comment on individual language choices too. However, you must explain fully what they are and why they are significant. So, call them what they are: NOUNS, ADJECTIVES, VERBS. And explain fully WHY these words have been chosen.

*You must see this text as a WORK. Imagine that every word and phrase has been carefully selected to make you think in a certain way and it is your job to try and work out the author's motives. THAT IS YOUR JOB TOMORROW!

*When choosing your own extract, it is EXACTLY THE SAME. The basic rules of what you have to do remain identical. The only difference is that YOU PICK THE EXTRACT! So take your time in doing so. You should know the book very well by now, so take care in choosing an extract which is relevant to the question, but also ensure there are enough points to be made. Take a pencil and UNDERLINE KEY WORDS AND QUOTES if necessary. You need to give yourself every advantage you can!

*Always keep timings and weightings in your mind. Devote more time to questions which are worth more marks. It is dead simple!

*These questions may ask you about: CHARACTER, SETTING, THEMES etc. But if you are well practiced at finding language features and explaining their effects, you shouldn't have a problem no matter what comes up!

NW

READ THIS!

Ok you brain-boxes (I am really keeping this positive affirmation of your mental ability at the forefront of my exam prep for you guys),

I am going to try and write a VERY, VERY IMPORTANT post here which sums up the basics of everything that underpins Section A.

Each of these bullet points is VITALLY important, so read them very carefully.

*Revision is very good and very useful, but actually it is how capable you are of using the information you are  given ONCE IN THE EXAM which is important. If you have your techniques right, you should be able to answer well even on a text you haven't read before!

*You need to spend time SPOTTING LANGUAGE FEATURES, so make sure you have a HIGHLIGHTER! If not UNDERLINE words as you read the extract. These language features are your bread and butter. Once you have these, you can begin to turn them into awesome paragraphs.

*We all know you have to write in PEE, but you need to be taking it a step further. Ask yourself these questions in every paragraph.

1. Have I made a point/ found a language feature that I am proud of or sounds impressive?
2. Have I selected the best possible evidence (ie, try to LINK evidence, find multiple examples if you can.)
3. MOST IMPORTANTLY - Have I explained the EFFECT that this has on the reader, and linked it back to the question?

For example -

Have you explained how it makes the reader feel?
Have you explained how it changes your view of a character or setting?
Have you explained how your example links to another part of the book?
Have you explained that your example seems to hint about things which are going to happen in the future?
Have you explained how your example links to a theme/ or the context of the novel?

If you haven't, then you NEED TO EXPLAIN YOURSELF FURTHER!!!!

*Hopefully now you see what I mean. It is you ABILITY TO PICK OUT INFORMATION FROM THE TEXT which is most important. It is just slightly more complicated COMPREHENSION. You have done this all your lives, and you can still do it now!!!

*Context - Add context if you can, but don't force it in. If it feels appropriate to mention race/gender/money etc, then do it. But make sure your comment is useful. For example...

"The setting in the bunkhouse has been made to feel bare and uncomfortable. THis refelcts the way many people such as George and Lennie were living during the 1930s in USA. Many men were poor and out of work, and these sort of basic conditions would be seen as a welcome alternative to sleeping rough."

See? I mentioned it, but linked it to the question, and the point I was making!!!

Read the above carefully, and I will continue this post in part 2.

NW

Very Brief Chapter Summaries!

To help you find your way.

Chapter 1 - Describes the brush. George and Lennie talk/argue/dream and fall asleep by the fire.

Chapter 2 - The scene where we meet most of the characters. George and Lennie arrive at the ranch and meet Candy, then Curley, the Curley's Wife, then Slim. Carlsen suggests killing the dog just before the end of the chapter.

Chapter 3 - Lots of action. Slim and George chat at the start. Candy's dog gets shot. Candy, George and Lennie make the 'deal', and Lennie breaks Curley's hand.

Chapter 4 - The one in Crooks' room.

Chapter 5 - Lennie kills Curley's wife. The 'hunting party' go to look for him.

Chapter 6 - The one with Lennie's 'hallucinations' and the scene where George kills Lennie.

That's about as simple as I can make it Jack!

NW

Scene Summary Booklet!

You've all had this booklet, but he it is cut and pasted as requested by Jack!

Of Mice and Men

Everything You Need To Know

Key Words

Soledad – The place where the book is set. It means ‘loneliness’ in Spanish

Solitaire – A card game for One person which George always plays. It shows how lonely he is.

The American Dream – The belief that people used to have when they moved to America. It was a belief that if you had a dream, and worked hard, you could achieve whatever you wanted to.

Skinner – Someone who drives the mules on a ranch

Stable Buck – Someone who looks after the horses and animals (Crooks)

The first part of the ‘Of Mice and Men’ question is always based on a short EXTRACT. We do not know what this extract is going to be, but in some ways is does not matter.

You know this book really well, so you will recognise where about this extract is from.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO is read the extract and answer a few questions about it. It is just a basic COMPREHENSION like you have done since primary school. So don’t panic.

PART (A)

The first part of the question asks you what we learn about a particular CHARACTER/THEME etc. It can be any character from the book, or any theme.

TIP 1 – The question wants to know what we find out about this character/theme FROM THE EXTRACT. So, don’t talk about things which happen in other parts of the book yet. You will waste your time if you do.

TIP 2 – Don’t talk about how the person looks, they only want to know about their CHARACTER/PERSONALITY.

TIP 3 – Get a highlighter and highlight any parts of the extract that give you a clue about the PERSONALITY of the character you are talking about. For example, if someone says something ‘angrily’ then we know that they have got a bit of a short temper.

TIP 4 – ALWAYS write in PEE. That means you always have to use a quote from the text in every paragraph.

EXAMPLE PARAGRAPHS –

One thing we learn about Slim in this extract is that he is a good listener, and he understands people. We know this because it says ‘his ear heard more than was said’. This implies that he knows and cares about what people are feeling even if they don’t say it.

Another thing which we learn about Slim in this extract is that he is kind to people and isn’t forceful. We know this because it says, ‘His voice was very gentle’. This shows that he is kind because on a ranch you would expect people to be loud or angry, but Slim is nice to people and shows them respect.

The next thing which we learn about Slim from this extract is that he believes in praising people for doing well. We know this because when George says nice things to Lennie, Slim ‘looks at him approvingly’. This shows that Slim is kind, and likes it when other people are kind too.

Notice how easy it is? The paragraphs always follow the same structure.

Make a point,

back it up with some proof from the extract,

explain what you mean!

This section is worth 16 marks, and you should write about 6-8 PEE paragraphs.

You may be asked how LANGUAGE has been used. For this, you should simply write PEE paragraphs where you talk about some of the words that have been used in the extract.

The question here is, How has the author used language to present the relationship between George and Lennie is the extract?

If you don’t quite understand the question, just take the key parts of it and reword it slightly. For example, ‘What does the language in this extract teach us about George and Lennie’s relationship?’

All you have to do is highlight the parts where you learn things about George and Lennie’s relationship and turn this into paragraphs.

Here is what your paragrpahs should look like.

Example Paragraphs:

One way that the writer uses language to tell us about George and Lennie’s relationship is by using swear words. George calls Lennie a “big bastard”. This shows that their relationship is unequal and that George doesn’t always have a lot of respect for Lennie.

Another way that the writer uses language to tell us about their relationship is by talking about facial expressions. When George gives Lennie a compliment, Lennie “smiles complacently”. This shows that Lennie looks up to George.

Another way that the writer uses language is by talking about body language and movements. Towards the end of the extract, George ‘points to Lennie with his thumb’ and he talks about him like he isn’t there. This shows that sometimes George treats Lennie like a child, as if he does not really understand what is going on, or isn’t there.

See!

Just do all of the following things:

*Always write in PEE

*Always use evidence from the text

*Always explain what you mean as fully as you can

*Always write as much as you can!

Part (b)

Part b will always ask you to find another part of the book where a certain THEME/CHARACTER is important.

The theme can be anything, but will probably be something like:

POWER

FRIENDSHIP

OUTSIDERS

MONEY

DREAMS

ANIMALS

What you need to do is to know about 5 parts of the book so well that you can just talk about them very easily.

I am now going to list 5 parts of the book, and I am going to tell you why they are important.

1.            The Brush – Near the start of the book.

Why is this part important?

POWER – This part of the book shows us lots of different types of power. We see Lennie’s physical power which becomes very important later in the book because Lennie kills Curley’s Wife. We also see the power that George has over Lennie. This is important because we see later on how Lennie causes destruction when he is left alone. This is also strange because in 1930s America, people didn’t travel around together because they were looking for work. We also see the power that dreams have over Lennie and George. They work so that can get their dream farm. George can control Lennie by threatening to not let him ‘tend the rabbits’.

FRIENDSHIP – This part of the book is very important when it comes to friendship. Firstly, it is where we are introduced to George and Lennie’s friendship which is what the story is based on. We learn that this friendship is unusual. Most people at this time were ‘loners’. In a way George is too because he always plays ‘solitaire’. But he looks after Lennie when no one else will. This is important because it shows how outsiders like Lennie don’t really have friends.

MONEY – This part of the book is very important when it comes to money. Firstly, we see how people are struggling at this time. In 1930s America, there was massive unemployment due to a great depression. Workers like George and Lennie travelled around the country and slept rough just to look for work. The rich bosses owned most of the money. Because of this, George decides to spend one last night of ‘freedom’ underneath the stars before he has to go and work. We also learn that the pair have a dream to own their own farm. To do this, they will need money which they haven’t got.

ANIMALS – This is a very important part of the book when it comes to animals. Lennie has a dead mouse in his pocket which shows his mental condition. This also shows Lennie’s strength because he has accidentally killed the mouse. The mouse is also a metaphor for the people in the book because it is thrown away and George says he can ‘easily get him another one’. This is like the people in the book who are used by the bosses and then thrown away.

2. The Bunkhouse/Curley’s Dog

Why is it important?

POWER – This is a very important scene in terms of power. Firstly, we see how Candy has no power. His dog is killed without his permission. This is because he is old, so he is an ‘outsider’. No one listens to him. Carlson is bigger and younger and bullies Candy into the decision. Slim is the one who has the social power. Everyone listens to Slim and he is the one who makes the final decision about the dog being killed.

OUTSIDERS – Again, this scene is very important here. Candy is very much an outsider because he is old and disabled. Because of this no one will listen to him. He is scared that if he steps out of line, he will be ‘canned’ (fired). In 1930s America, nobody would look after Candy if he got fired. He would get put out on the streets. Candy is worried that if he becomes useless on the ranch, they will get rid of him like they did with his dog. (not kill him, just fire him)

ANIMALS – The dog is very important in this part of the book. Firstly, it shows how things that have no use are disposed of. Lots of the people on this ranch might end up the same way. Secondly, it makes us feel sorry for Candy, the outsider. His best friend is a dog. He has no real human friends on the ranch. This shows how lonely life could be back then. Also, the dog here is very important because it is killed in exactly the same way that Lennie is killed later in the book. This is very important because firstly, it shows how and why George takes responsibility for killing his friend Lennie. Secondly, it also shows us how there is not much difference between the way animals are treated and how outsiders (Lennie) are treated.

DREAMS/MONEY – Shortly after this, George and Lennie are talking about their dream. Candy overhears them and wants to be part of it. This is very important because it shows how unhappy most people were on the ranch back then. Secondly, it is important because up until Candy offers them the money, they had never really taken the dream seriously. Once they have the money, George decides they will do it ‘in on month’. This is also very important because until Candy offers them the money, George does not really want to talk to Candy. He says ‘we was always just gonna do it ourselves.’ This shows that people are sometimes only interested in what you can offer them rather than the person you are.

3.            The bunkhouse – Curley fights Lennie

Why is it important?

OUTSIDERS – This scene is very important when we think about ‘outsiders’. Firstly, Lennie is only beaten up because he is an outsider. Curley does not like him because he is much bigger than him, but he sees him as an easy target because of his mental disability. It also takes a long time for people to stick up for Lennie. This shows how people did not really understand mental illness in 1930s America. They watch him get punched for a bit before Slim says, ‘I’ll get the bastard myself’.

POWER – We see lots of different types of power in this part of the novel. Firstly, we see Curley’s power of status because he is the boss’s son. He is able to beat Lennie up and no one challenges him at first because they do not want to get into trouble. We also see Lennie’s physical power when he is able to crush one of Lennie’s hands. This is very important through the whole novel, especially when Lennie’s strength eventually leads to him killing Curley's wife by accident. We also see George’s power over Lennie. Lennie will not do anything to Curley because George told him not to get into any trouble. As soon as George says ‘get him Lennie’, Lennie starts to fight back. George has total control over Lennie. Maybe if George kept a closer eye on him, he wouldn’t get them into so much trouble. We also see how much social power Slim has on the ranch. He actually orders Curley not to get Lennie into trouble, and Curley does what he is told. This proves that Slim has got more power on the ranch than anybody.

DREAMS – This is important in this part of the book because this shows how easily dreams can be shattered. It is literally only a few minutes after George, Lennie and Candy have been planning their dream farm, when it all falls to pieces because Curley gets into a fight with Lennie. This shows that even when we have dreams, and think that things will turn out OK, they usually don’t because we don’t have full control over them. George and Lennie have ‘the American Dream’. They believe that if they work hard, they will eventually be rewarded and own their own plot of land. In reality, this is unlikely to happen, and they will probably always work for someone else until the day they die.

4.            – Crooks’ Room

Why is it important?

OUTSIDERS – This part of the book shows us a lot about how outsiders are treated. Firstly, we know that outsiders are left out of the normal activities of everyone else. All of the men have gone out to town, and all of the outsiders (Candy, Crooks, Lennie, Curley’s Wife) have been left behind. This shows what attitudes towards women/disabled/black were like in 1930s America. It also shows us a little bit what it was like to be a black outsider back then. Crooks lives on his own in the saddle room of the stable. This shows us what people thought of black people back then. When Lennie comes into his room, Crooks says Lennie ‘has no right’ coming into his room. This shows us that Crooks wants to cling on to the right which he does have, even though he hardly has any. We also see how lonely Crooks is as an outsider. He says that he can understand why George hangs around with Lennie – just to have someone to talk to. He tells Lennie that when you are on your won for too long, ‘you get sick’. We also see how the outsiders find that they are much happier when they become friends. They even let Crooks get involved with the idea of the dream. However, when Curley’s Wife comes in, we find out that they will not let her be part of their circle. Curley’s Wife is ignored even by the other outsiders, meaning that she will be lonely and on her own forever. This causes Curley’s Wife to get very angry with Crooks and threaten him. She says that she will get him ‘lynched’, which means being hung from a tree (presumably by the Ku Klux Klan).

POWER – This scene shows us a lot about different types of power.  Firstly, we see how little power Crooks has. He lives an awful life and nobody cares about him. He tries to show people that he has power by telling them not to come into his room, but they come in anyway. We also see that power of Lennie. When Crooks says to Lennie, ‘Say George doesn’t come back tonight’. Lennie gets very angry and aggressive, and we see another glimpse of the power which has caused many of the problems in this book. We also see the power that Curley’s Wife has as a woman. In one way she has no power whatsoever, because nobody will talk to her. However, in the end, we see that she has the power to get Crooks killed if she wants to. All she has to do is say the word. We also see the power that THE DREAM has over everybody. As soon as any of the characters hear about the possibility of owning their own farm, they become completely caught up with the idea and can’t think about anything else. Here, Crooks is the latest person to get caught up in the dream. He offers to come to the new ranch and work for nothing, just to get a roof over his head and some food. This shows how little power he has.

5.            The Ending. Curley’s Wife is killed, and George Kills Lennie

Why is it important?

POWER – Lots of different types of power shown in the end of the book. Firstly, we see Lennie’s physical power. This has caused problems all the way through the novel, and now it causes a human death. We see also how George failed to control Lennie when he was his responsibility. Curley’s Wife also displays sexual power, because she is able to attract Lennie to spend time alone with her, even when none of the other men would. We then see many different types of power after Curley’s Wife has been killed. George insists on being the one responsible to kill Lennie which shows the power that he has over him as a friend and guardian. The dream still has lots of power over Lennie. He doesn’t see how bad it is that he has killed a person. All he cares about is that he won’t get to tend the rabbits anymore. We also see Curley’s power finally rise to the top. Nobody tries to stop him when he says he is going to kill Lennie. We also see how little power outsiders such as Lennie have. Nobody has any proof at all that it is him who killed Curley’s Wife, yet they all just assume that it was him anyway.

FRIENDSHIP – George and Lennie’s friendship, and George’s motive for killing Lennie are very important here. Many people say that George is being a very good friend to Lennie by killing him. This is because if Lennie was caught by Curley, he would probably be killed in a much more horrible way. Also, people see this as George taking responsibility for Lennie. Candy did not shoot his own dog, but George thinks it is his responsibility to kill Lennie, who he looks after. However, some people do question why George had to kill Lennie. They have run away before, so why couldn’t they do it again? Some people think that maybe this was the ‘final straw’ for George, and he has finally realised that if he wants a normal life, he has to get rid of Lennie. Other people question why George couldn’t just let Lennie run away and give him a chance. Whatever the reason, George obviously finds it very hard to kill Lennie because ‘his hand shakes’ when he raises the gun. Also, he makes Lennie think of the dream when he dies, so that he dies happy.

DREAMS – This part of the novel is very important when we think about dreams. Firstly, we learn about Curley’s Wife’s dream. She tells Lennie that she wanted to be ‘in the pitchers’ (movies). She tells Lennie that a guy in a bar told her he could get her a part in a movie. By the look of it, this was no more than a chat up line. Her dream of being in the movies is just as unlikely as George and Lennie ever getting their own farm. Dreams are also important here because it shows us how dreams never really work out. At the end of the novel, it looks like George has given up on the idea of getting that farm with Lennie, and he shoots him. They end up back in the same place that they started the novel to show that nothing ever really changes, and that things always go round in circles.

With you for the next hour...

Right, let's start posting some meaningful stuff!

In response to Chris' question, 'Do not get hung up on how to start.'

In the READING section, it is not really important at all. A significant intro is not really required. It is far more essential that you GET YOUR WORK DOWN ON PAPER.

Therefore, just go straight into it. "One language feature which the author uses to affect our view is..." "Similarly, another language feature that the author uses is..."

Its really that simple!

In WRITING section it is a little more complex as your intro HAS to grab the attention of the marker. Think of a really killer first sentence that will really grab their attention. You can sort of plan that now really...

"If there is one subject that tends to test the patience of your every day man-about-town, it is [subject]."

"Bring up the subject of [subject], and you are pretty much guaranteed to divide opinion in a split-second."

That kind of thing.

Read the PPT which I linked you to yesterday "How to achieve an A/A* in the writing section. This has lots of help in this matter...in fact, there is a whole section on it!

NW

Breakfast revision

If you can't make it back on here tonight then remember it is breakfast revision tomorrow morning from 8am.

Check back later everyone!

Hi everyone

Massive apologies for not being in todays lesson, I was called out unexpectedly. I am not yet home but will hopefully do a blog session from 8-9 today to help you guys out.

Stay tuned and post any questions !

Above all else...

Well, that is me done for the evening. If you read/do everything I have posted, you will be doing yourself a MASSIVE favour.

Remember, there is very little which will prepare you better for this exam than knowing the text very, very well.

So...if you're feeling confident, or even if you're not, have a bit of a read of it!

Here it is - online, free.

http://www.shipk12.org/web/filemgmt_data/files/Steinbeck_-_Of_Mice_and_Men.pdf

Good luck everyone, and thanks for your awesome rendition of 'Happy Birthday' earlier.

NW

And then find your own extract....

Ok...

Remember I said earlier that I thought this was quite a difficult question? Well, the reason I said that is because setting is a little bit of an awkward topic. The setting at the START and END of the novel is almost a mirror image. They are the same place, so will have a lot in common. So I am going to use the ENDING as my EXTRACT. Remember...set your own extract!! Part b is just an extract question that you set yourself!!

Ok, so here is my extract...

But I might actually use some from a bit further on if I run out of things to say here. You can do that too! In this section everyone, you are just going to show off exactly what you are capable of! You know this book VERY WELL. You understand lots of the hidden layers and meanings TRY AND SHOW OFF ABOUT THEM!!

Here we go - I will time it so that you have an idea how long it took.

The setting at the end of the book is very important. The book ends in exactly the same setting as at the start. This is done for a lot of reasons. Steinbeck seems to be trying to show us that nothing ever really changes for the characters in this book, and that they will always end up back where they started. The American dream simply does not happen for them. Lots of the things which happen in this description of the setting add to the pointlessness of their attempt to reach their American Dream.

The author, firstly, seems to apply a human quality to the sun by personifying it. The extract describes how the sun 'had left' the valley. This is firstly important because it shows how dark the setting can get at night, building a sense of isolation for Lennie at this time. It is also a metaphor for Lennie being left on his own, and the fact that George, his friend, will no longer be standing by him (This only just occurred to me. We are READING INTO THINGS. Remember, no right or wrong answers. If you think it sounds sensible put it in! Try to see everything as a metaphor for what is going on).

This sense of the valley being 'abandoned' by everything that is light or good carries on later in the extract. We read that 'the light climbed out of the valley'. This implies that the light needs to make a lot of effort in order to get out of the valley. Not only does this imply how deep and sheer the valley must be, but it also emphasises the point that Lennie is being left in darkness at this point in the novel.

The author describes on more than one occasion how the hilltops are 'lit by the sun'. This use of a literal image shows that the only remaining light is way up above Lennie, and that it is now far out of reach. Here, the author paints an atmospheric view of the scene. He also seems to be implying that, like the light, George and Lennie's dreams are now unreachable and far out of their grasp.

Steinbeck uses the imagery of nature in order to show his views about the world of the time. The author describes, in quite a lot of detail, a story which involves a 'watersnake' gliding 'up the pool'. The fact that the watersnake is swimming up stream implies that it is struggling, and this could be a metaphor for the struggles that George, Lennie, and everyone else on the ranch has in order to make a living. At the end of the river, the author describes a 'motionless heron'. Eventually the heron eats the watersnake; a metaphor for how the world at the time 'eats up' common people, and will not allow them to reach their goals. The fact that the author describes the heron as 'motionless' makes the bird sound cruel and cunning, just like the rich people of the time.  (See how I am focussing on individual words and images? You must do this!)

The way the author describes the action of the heron is also very effective. Steinbeck describes how the heron's beak 'lances' down, and 'plucks' the snake out of the water by the head. These verbs sound very cruel and unforgiving; another metaphor for the world of the time. This passage also shows how even though nature can be beautiful, it is also very cruel and only the strongest survive. This seems to apply to the people as well as the animals.

The author again adds a sense of mystery and otherwordliness to the setting by personifying yet another tree. Steinbedk says, 'the sycamore leaves turned up their silver sides'. This makes the reader feel almost as if Lennie is being watched. It is like the scenery around him is conscious and is responding to his presence. This description makes it sound like the leaves are turning away because they do not want to see what is about to happen to Lennie.

Steinbeck goes on to use repetition to show how unchanging this setting is. He describes 'row on row' of small wind waves. This could be a metaphor for the lives of the people on the ranch, or just the lives of working people in general. The wind waves remind us of the many people who have passed this way before in search of something more. There are many who have gone before them, and there will probably be many to come after them.

Later in the extract, when George has joined Lennie, the author reinforces the hopelessness of their situation by using yet another metaphor of darkness to represent the dark time they are now both facing. The author says, 'the shadow in the valley was blue and soft'. The fact that the shadow is described almost as a concrete object makes it sound suffocating and inescapable. All the way through this novel, the author has focussed on desribing the light coming in through the windows. Imagining George and Lennie now in darkness makes us worry for them and what is about to happen.

After this, the author describes how shouts and barks of dogs can be heard in the distance. The author writes, 'from the distance came the sound of men shouting to one another.' Literally, this shows us that the are they are in is big and vast. This presents the reader with a dilemma. They know that the brush is big and vast, and will wonder why George and Lennie don't simply run when they hear people coming. The fact that they hear men 'in the distance' also reflects their current lives. We know that everyone on this ranch is lonely. This is one of the main themes of the book. The fact that the nearest people to them are 'in the distance' reminds us of the constant loneliness they will probably find themselves in and partly expains why George takes the tough decision to kill his friend, to give himself a better chance of living anormal life.

There we go people. TEN paragraphs, 25 minutes. Although I didn't allow myself any time to read or plan, so that is pretty good going.

Just remember:

*Keep it simple
*Look for metaphors and alternative viewpoints
*Try to use more than one piece of evidenc ro back yourself up if you can
*Always answer the question directly
*Always EXPLAIN YOURSELF - Remember, PEE is your friend.

Hopefully your question will be a lot kinder than this one, which was a little bit awkward (but still OK).

Yours may be on:

*A character
*A relationship
*A theme

Just don't panic. Remember, everyone in the country is seeing the question for the first time. EVERYONE will find it a challenge. Just use your FANTASTIC Englih skills. Read it, and form some opinions. You are a very bright class, and your opinions/explanations will be better than most peoples'!

The best thing you can do now...

READ THE BOOKLET I GAVE YOU ABOUT THE 5 IMPORTANT SCENES! MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THEM INSIDE OUT!!!

http://www.shipk12.org/web/filemgmt_data/files/Steinbeck_-_Of_Mice_and_Men.pdf

That is a link to the text if you need it!

Example Answer for Section A!

Another repost, but it is exactly the extract we have been looking at the last couple of lessons!


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)!

How to achieve A/A* in the READING section...

Same deal as before people...

A/A* in the reading section...

NW

The READING section

In a similar way to the writing section, some of you wanted me to come up with a list of features you should be looking out for when ANALYSING THE EXTRACT.

Adjectives

Adverbs - To add detail to action and hint at character etc

Repetition

Onomatopoeia

Similes

Metaphors

Personifications - To make things seem unpredictable/threatening/unusual

Hyperbole - extended metaphors help authors to write more poetically, make a certain part of the novel seem more dream-like/unusual/significant

Lexical Choices - unusual words to carry greater resonance

Rule of three to group together lists or to make certain characteritics stand out or seem more significant

Senses to help you better imagine the scene/place

Emotive Language to help you connect emotionally with the subject

Long Sentences to build tension, heighten mood

Short sentences to break tension and causes agitation


You can have a go at turning this into a 'saying' to help you remember it if you want. It's a bit long though. The best I could come up with was HARMLESS POLARS. Like this one..

A song...

It's a classic this one. Try not to cry at the sheer emotion.

Say It Ain't So

How to achieve an A/A* in the Writing Section!

Hopefully this works!

Click/cut and paste the link...should take you to my PPT

A/A* Writing

You may need a Google/Gmail log-in to see the PPT. It's hard to tell, people.

Anecdotes! For writing task.

This is a re-blog (as is some of the other stuff I will post tonight), but this really is the kinda of thing which sorts out the good responses from the EXCELLENT ones...


ANECDOTES -

If you are writing a letter, article etc (especially if you are trying to use emotive language), then use an ANECDOTE. This is a made up story which helps you to make your point. Imagine you have been asked to improve road safety on days lane..

"Take Tommy Frost, for example. Tommy is just a normal boy who went to a local school. One day he was on his way home from a hard day studying when a car sped around the corner and knocked him off his bicycle. Tommy was badly injured and required weeks worth of hospital treatment to cure him from his terrible injuries. Tommy is now scared to go out on his bike, and suffers flashbacks about his ordeal. Don't you think it is important to help children like Tommy?"

You know what to do!

Mr W

The Writing Section

One of the things you asked me to do earlier was to provide you with a couple of lists. One of the lists you wanted was a list of language features which you should be trying to include in your writing section. Remember, you will be asked to create a piece of writing which is functional, and the question may sound a little bit dull at first. However, your writing certinaly does not have to be dull. Try to include as many as possible of the following, and stand out from the crowd! (Couldn't think how to say that is a less cheesy way).

Personal Pronouns
Emotive Language
Rhetorical Questions
Rule of Three
Imagery (Similes/Metaphors etc)
Eye-witnesses (Surveys, quotations etc)
Repetition

You will notice this spells out PERRIER (Like the fizzy water). I kinda borrowed this from Mr Clarke, but I am sure he won't mind.

USE THESE. Don't just see them as an optional extra.

You are all fantastic writers, and I thoroughly believe you will smash it if you have the bottle to really try and show off.

NW

Blogging for the next hour...

Hi everyone,

I will be blogging revision resources for the next hour. Post any specific questions you might have,

NW