2. Literature exam Exploring Modern Texts (40%)
Section A: Modern prose or drama (20%)
‘Lord of the Flies’
Section B: Exploring cultures (20%)
‘Of Mice and Men’
by John Steinbeck
1 hour 30 minutes

3. Assessment Objectives Section B ‘Of Mice and Men’:
A01: respond to text critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate textual detail to support interpretations (5%) A02: explain how language, structure and form present ideas, themes and settings (5%) A04: relate text to social, cultural and historical contexts; explain how text is significant to self and other readers in different contexts at different times (10%)

4. OMAM Question break-down:
(extract focused)
(rest of the novel)- CONTEXT VITAL!!!
a) How does Steinbeck present George’s character in this extract?
b) How does Steinbeck present ideas of friendship throughout the novel at the time the novel is set?

5. Structuring a reading paragraph
Paragraph Section
What goes in it
Point
Your line of argument
Evidence
Quotation from the text
Analysis
Zoom in on particular word or small phrase
Interpretation
Zoom out to tell us interpretation of setting – multiple if possible
Connect
Link to another quotation/detail about the setting
Context
Link to social, historical context- what was happening in the 1930s world that was relevant to this moment?
Evaluate
To what extent does it get Golding’s message across/reader response?
Building difficulty and skill

6. Mark scheme bands... Band 6: 26-30 marks Band 5: 21-25 marks
1. Thoughtful/considered response to ideas/themes 2. Details linked to interpretation 3. Appreciation/consideration of writer’s use of lang, structure and form 4. Considered/qualified response to context 5. Thoughtful selection and consideration of details to support context comments
Sustained response to ideas/themes
Effective use of details to support interpretation
Explanation of effects of lang, structure and form
Sustained response to context.
Selection of effective details to support response to context

7. Language techniques to look out for...
Physical descriptions of characters
Animal imagery (similes, metaphors)
Symbolism (red; setting; names; )
Setting description- contrast between nature and life on the ranch
Authentic dialogue (1930s slang; racist and sexist language of the time)
Simple style- the characters are telling their own stories

8. Structure... 6 chapters/sections
Chapter 1 establishes the main characters
Chapter 2 introduces the others and the main conflict
Drama and tension in final chapters leading to climaxes in Chapter 5 and 6
Cyclical structure- comes back to where it all began- the setting is the same- balanced
Foreshadowing woven throughout the text to suggest fates of characters are inevitable: red dress; escape plan; violence escalates; dead mice; dead girl; setting
Setting description positioned at the beginning of each chapter

9. Form... Novella- a tragedy
A novel written like a play: important exits and entrances; one location for each chapter/section; setting descriptions are like stage directions
Dialogue
Physical descriptions
Third person omniscient narrator
Doomed tone

10. Read and annotate the extract...b)
Question focus for a)- George and his relationship with Lennie.
Look for telling moments when we can infer something deeper in their relationship.
Look for techniques used (lang, structure, form) to present their relationship.
Position of this in the text- anything obvious? Chapter 3 just before fight. Structure can also be within the passage.
Choose moments throughout the novel where the relationship is used to show ideas of:
*How individualistic the Great Depression/ American Dream has made society- how harsh life was AND important companionship was.
*Lennie’s disability in 1930’s America.
*Attitudes towards women in 1930’s America- shown by George in passage and others elsewhere.

11. What AQA looked for!
A01
A02
*Details of conversation in extract and elsewhere in the text eg George’s impatience and anxiety, Lennie’s obliviousness *Details of their dream in the passage and elsewhere in the text
*Use of colloquial expressions and dialect in conversation in passage and elsewhere Symbolism of ‘solitaire’ Humour and pathos (emotional appeal) in misunderstandings in passage and elsewhere *AO4 Support for each other in individualistic world Lennie’s disability in 1930’s America Attitudes to women in passage and elsewhere

12. a) example of analysis for the last part of the passage...
George’s already established fear and suspicion of Curley’s Wife is woven throughout the passage. His reaction to her seems to reflect the way he feels about women in general and this emerges in the second half of the passage, culminating in him mentioning an old school friend who ended up in prison because of trouble ‘on account of a tart’. The language he uses, ‘tart’ might show his own prejudiced attitudes towards women but perhaps also suggests it is how he copes with his fear for Lennie and his strategy of warning him is to make it clear to him that all women are the enemy. It could also show on a more subtle level how men like George coped with their own loneliness during these harsh times when having a family and home seemed so impossible by convincing themselves they are better off on their own. Steinbeck creates humour through his authentic dialogue when we realise Lennie has not listened to a word of this warning and returns to his usual demand of talking about their dream together, ‘Huh?’/’George...how long’s it gonna be...’However we cannot miss the ominous effect of positioning this warning alongside their dream as the unfolding novel weaves the danger as part of the narrative and makes us complicit in observing the inevitable tragedy.

13. Language analysis...
Steinbeck’s use of colloquial language brings true authenticity to George’s fears as he describes so vividly his suspicion of women, ‘These here jailbaits is just set on the trigger of the hoosegow.’ The powerful derogatory image of a woman as ‘jailbait’ already conjures up attitudes which suggest women can deliberately provoke men to violent acts. The added detail of ‘set on the trigger of the hoosegow’ magnifies this image and makes it even part of the prison itself. The association with ‘trigger’ also brings connotations of gun violence along with the trap metaphor which foreshadows the tragedy ahead.

14. What other moments would you use to answer the b) part of the question?

15. b) moments to explore in the rest of the text:
Opening of the novel and rest of Chapter 1- natural setting/ George the leader/ establishes his frustration and their dream.
Chapter 3- Slim and George discuss Lennie/ their relationship and the fight scene.
Chapter 4- the way Crooks plays with Lennie and provokes him.
Ending Chapter 6- George setting Lennie free/shooting scene.
Chapter 2- attitudes to Curley’s Wife (her introduction) and George’s reaction after she leaves plus Candy.