Of Mice and Men Edexcel English Language Revision Guide

1
Edexcel
English
Language
GCSE
60% of your final grade
Exam: 3rd
June
Name:

2
Contents
3) The structure of the exam
4) The Assessment Objectives
6) What has come up on the exam so far?
7) What could come up?
8) Words to use when analysing
9 – 10) How to answer part a
12 – 14) Exemplar response to part a
15 – 16) Mark scheme for exemplar piece
17) How to answer part b
19 – 22) Exemplar response to part b
23 – 24) Mark scheme for exemplar piece
25 – 39) Section A past exam papers
40 – 39) Section A mark schemes
59 – 80) Information about plot, character and themes

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The structure of the exam:
The exam is made up of two sections:
Section A = Of Mice and Men (16 + 24)
Section B = Non-fiction Writing (24 marks)
Timings: 1 hour and 45 minutes in total
Section A:For Section A, you have 65 minutes. However, the
question is in two parts:
For part a, you need to spend 20 minutes on this question: 5 minutes
reading and annotating the extract and then 15 minutes writing your
response.
For part b, you need to spend 45 minutes on this question: 10 minutes
finding your extract and planning your answer and then 35 minutes
writing your response.
Section B: For Section B, you have 40 minutes.5 minutes to plan your
answer, 30 minutes to write your answer and then 5 minutes to check
it.YOU ONLY NEED TO ANSWER ONE QUESTION.
TIP: START WITH SECTION B (WRITING)

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The Assessment Objectives:
AO3 is tested on Section A.
AO4 is tested on Section B.

5
Section A
Of Mice and
Men
a) 16 Marks
b) 24 Marks
a) 5 minutes reading and annotating
15 minutes writing
b) 10 minutes selecting and planning
35 minutes writing

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What has come up on the exam so far?
Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5 Section 6
June 11 Jan 12
Nov 12
Jan 13
Jun 13
Nov 13 Jun 12
Section 3 is a particular favourite – this isn’t a surprise
considering that a lot of action happens in this section.
Note how Section 1 & 6 have yet to come up.
WHAT CHARACTERS HAVE COME UP SO FAR?
Section 2:
June 11 – Slim’s initial description (a) How another male is presented (b)
Section 3:
Jan 12 – Lennie, Candy & George discussing dream (a) Hopes and dreams in another part (b)
Nov 12 – Curley fight scene(a) Curley in one other section (b)
Jan 13 – Candy’s dog (a) Event and reactions to it (b)
Jun 13 – Slim & George coming into the bunkhouse together (a) George (b)
Section 4:
Nov 13 – Crooks initial description (a) Crooks in one other part of the novel (b)
Section 5:
Jun 12 – Death of Curley’s Wife (a) Important event (b)

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What could come up?
*This is not a definitive list – these are just some of the possibilities.
Section 1:
George and Lennie’s initial description.
George and Lennie dream.
Section 2:
Description of the bunkhouse and what it reveals about its
inhabitants.
George’s exchange with the boss.
Initial description of Curley and his exchange with George.
Initial description of Curley’s Wife.
Initial description of Carlson.
Section 3:
Whit talking to Slim about the letter in the magazine.
Whit talking to George about Susy’s place.
Section 4:
Lennie, Candy and Crooks talking about the dream.
Curley’s Wife intimidating Crooks.
Section 5:
Lennie killing his puppy.
Curley’s Wife’s dream.
Candy finding Curley’s Wife.
Section 6:
Description of the Salinas River.
George shooting Lennie.

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Words to use when analysing
Clear and varied:
This/tosuggests ...
This/toportrays...
This/todepicts...
This/toimplies...
This/tohighlights...
This/toconveys...
This/toechoes the way in which.../a sense in which...
This/toparallels the idea that
This/to signifies...
More complex:
This alludes to a sense of ...
This establishes the tone to be...
Thisillustrates the way in which.../a sense that...
This emphasises (brings attention to)
This presents the feeling that...
This validates (confirms/proves) any uncertainty we might have had concerning...
Academic:
The use of X exemplifies (is typical of)the way in which Y portrays this relationship/feeling etc...
Y’s use of X illuminates (highlights) the sense (feeling) of Z that pervades the text.
The use of X encapsulates (shows the essence of) this sense of Z that we see ..
Using X clarifies (makes clear) the notion that...
X uses a Y when they state that ‘ZZZZ’ and /or new sentence...
Top Tip: Don’t overuse short sentences that all begin with ‘This...’
Instead join sentences with connectives or semi-colons so that they don’t read like annotations just written out in full
sentences!
For example: Steinbeck uses the description of ‘red ostrich feathers’ to convey key information about Curley’s wife to the
reader.;Tthe feathers connote delicacy and suggest that Curley’s wife is fragile and perhaps easily hurt or damaged. It also
implies she is out of place on the ranch, just as feathers are out of place on a shoeand soSteinbeck might have chosen this
description to allude to Curley’s wife’s sadness. She is not understood by her husband nor by any of the other men on the ranch
and yet she herself does not understand the danger she may be in by continuing to seek their attention.
Words to use when evaluating
Effective engaging interestingcompelling convincing poignant (makes you feel sad)reminiscent of... (reminds you of)
moving impressive powerful evocative (making you feel strong emotions) this resonates on the reader (the reader feels the
emotion)
Abstract nouns (‘big’ ideas)
Intimacy (closeness) friendship loneliness isolation The American Dream dreams
Empowerment (gaining power) disempowerment (losing power) impotence/impotent (lack of power)
Fatalism hope trust prejudice racism
Nature
Synonyms for tone (mood) and for language... the tone is... the language is...
bittercallous (cold/unfeeling) caustic (cutting/biting) cold (emotionally cold)colloquial confiding (trusting) contemplative
(thoughtful) dispassionate (unemotional)detached despondent (hopeless) deferential (respectful) defiant (rebellious/stubborn)
embitteredfigurativehyperbolicimpassive (unemotional) indignant (offended) intimate (personal) melancholic (sad) mournful
ominouspensive (thoughtful)plaintive (mournful) poetic proud regretful reproachful (critical)resentfulrespectfulreverent
(respectful) reverential (linked to worship/spiritual) sombre (serious) sorrowful subdued (quiet) symbolic tender (gentle)
threatening understated unemotionalviolent wistful (dreamy/hopeful)

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How to answer Section A
The way that Question 5 part a is worded is not very helpful, so we need to break it down
into simpler terms. They ALWAYS use the phrase ‘influences your view’; this basically means
WHAT DOES IT SHOW THE READER? WHAT DOES IT MAKE US THINK/FEEL? (EFFECT).
So the question essentially is: Explore how Steinbeck uses language to present the
character of Crooks to the reader.
Steps to success:
1. Read the exam question very carefully at least twice. If you need to reword
it in order to help you focus then do so.
2. Highlight the key words in the question so you know what you are looking
for in the extract.
3. Read the extract through once.
4. Re-read the extract. This time highlight any quotations that will help you to
answer the question. Spend 5 minutes maximum on reading and annotating.
5. Always begin your response ‘In the extract…’ as well as using the key words
from the question (see exemplar response).
6. Make sure you include Steinbeck’s name and the effect on the reader.
7. Within your response you MUST use SINGLE WORD ANALYSIS (see
exemplar response).

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8. Ensure that you ALWAYS use the correct language terminology.
9. You need to aim for full coverage of the extract.
10.You don’t have to cover the language presented in the extract in a
chronological order.
11.You should aim to write around 1 ¾ sides of your examination book.
12.Watch your timings – this question is only worth 16 marks.

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Exemplar
response to
part a
(Nov 2013)

15
Mark scheme for Nov 2013
part a

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How to answer Section B
For part b, you have to demonstrate exactly the same skills as you did in part a. However,
this time you have to find your own extract.
Steps to success:
1. Read the exam question very carefully at least twice.
2. Highlight the key words in the question so you know what you are looking
for when locating your own extract. Make sure that it is the most appropriate
one.
3. Spend 10 minutes locating your extract and then planning what you are
going to pick out of your extract. Remember, the focus is still on language, but
the examiner is looking for a more detailed answer from you for this question
as you have twice the writing time.
4. Begin your response ‘In section ….., we see….. (Give a brief overview of your
section before you begin)’. See the exemplar piece as an example.
5. Make sure you include Steinbeck’s name and the effect on the reader.
6. Within your response you MUST use SINGLE WORD ANALYSIS (see
exemplar response).
7. Ensure that you ALWAYS use the correct language terminology.
8. You need to aim for full coverage of your extract.
9. You should aim to write around 3 - 3 ¼ sides of your examination book.

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Exemplar
response to
part b
(Nov 2013)

23
Mark scheme for Nov 2013
part b

59
Information
about plot,
character and
themes

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Plot
The story begins when George and Lennie prepare to arrive at a ranch to work - and
ends in tragedy just four days later.
During those four days, we learn not only about the friendship and dreams George
and Lennie share, but about a small community of lonely people on the ranch - all of
whom are affected by the events.
The story is told in the third person, so we are provided with a clear, unbiased view of
all the characters.
Section 1
George and Lennie camp in the brush, by a pool, the
night before starting new jobs as ranch hands.
George finds Lennie stroking a dead mouse in his
pocket. He complains that caring for Lennie prevents
him from living a freer life. We find out that Lennie's
innocent petting of a girl's dress led to them losing
their last jobs in Weed.
However, when they talk about their dream of getting a piece of land together, we know
they really depend on each other.
Section 2
When they arrive at the ranch in the morning,
George and Lennie are shown around by old
Candy.
They meet their boss and, later, his son, Curley -
George is suspicious of Curley's manner and warns
Lennie to stay away from him.
They see Curley's pretty and, apparently, flirtatious
wife and meet some of their fellow workers, Slim
and Carlson.

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Section 3
Later that evening, George tells Slim about
why he and Lennie travel together and
more about what happened in Weed.
The men talk about Candy's ancient dog,
which is tired and ill. Carlson shoots it, as
an act of kindness.
George tells Candy about their dream of
getting a piece of land and Candy eagerly
offers to join them - he has capital, so they
could make it happen almost immediately.
Curley provokes Lennie into a fight, which
ends up with Lennie severely injuring
Curley's hand.
Section 4
The following night, most
men on the ranch go into
town. Crooks is alone in his
room when Lennie joins
him.
They talk about land -
Crooks is sceptical, not
believing that George and
Lennie are going to do
what so many other men
he's known have failed to
do, and get land of their
own. Yet when Candy
happens to come in as well, Crooks is convinced and asks to be in on it too.
Curley's wife arrives. She threatens Crooks and an argument develops. Crooks realises he
can never really be part of George, Lennie and Candy's plan.

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Section 5
Next afternoon, Lennie accidentally kills
the puppy that Slim had given him by
petting it too much. He's sad.
Curley's wife finds him and starts
talking very openly about her feelings.
She invites Lennie to stroke her soft hair, but he does it so strongly she panics and he ends
up killing her too. He runs away to hide, as George had told him.
Candy finds the body and tells George. They tell the other men - Curley wants revenge.
Section 6
Lennie hides in the brush by the pool.
He dreams of his Aunt Clara and the
rabbits he will tend when he and
George get their land.
George finds Lennie and talks
reassuringly to him about the little
place they will have together - then
shoots him with Carlson's gun.
When the other men find George, they
assume he shot Lennie in self-defence.
Only Slim understands what George did
and why.

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Sequence of events
Section
Day &
Time
Location Characters Main events
1
Thursday
evening
Clearing George Lennie
George & Lennie make camp for night on way to
ranch. They discuss the past, their dreams, and plans
if things go wrong at the ranch.
2
Friday
lunch
time
Bunkhouse
Candy, George
Lennie, The Boss,
Curley, Curley’s
Candy shows them around, they meet the boss, who is
suspicious. Curley threatens Lennie. Curley’s wife flirts
with Lennie. Slim mentions his pups, Carlson discusses

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Characters
wife, Slim, Carlson killing Candy’s dog.
3
Friday
evening
Bunkhouse
George, Slim, Whit,
Carlson, Candy,
Lennie, Curley
Slim has given Lennie a pup. George and Slim discuss
Lennie over cards, George tells Slim about Weed.
Whit finds a letter in a magazine. Carlson shoots
Candy’s dog. Candy comes in on the plan. Lennie
break’s Curley’s hand.
4
Saturday
evening
Crooks’
room
Crooks, Lennie,
Candy, Curley’s
wife, George
Crooks talks to Lennie about himself and land, Candy
joins in, Curley’s wife argues with them, George comes
in and they leave.
5
Sunday
afternoon
Barn
Lennie, Curley’s
wife, Candy, Slim,
Curley, Carlson
Lennie has killed his puppy. Lennie & Curley’s wife
talk, he breaks her neck & runs away. Candy finds her,
Curley wants to kill Lennie.
6
late
Sunday
afternoon
Clearing
Lennie, George,
Slim, Carlson
Lennie is waiting in the clearing, sees visions. George
arrives & shoots Lennie while telling him about the
plan. The other men arrive.

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George: A travelling farm worker, friend and protector of Lennie.
He is small, but intelligent and quick-witted.
Like Lennie, George can be defined by a few distinct characteristics. He is short-
tempered but a loving and devoted friend, whose frequent protests against life with
Lennie never weaken his commitment to protecting his friend. George’s first words, a
stern warning to Lennie not to drink so much lest he get sick, set the tone of their
relationship. George may be terse and impatient at times, but he never strays from
his primary purpose of protecting Lennie.
Unlike Lennie, however, George does change as the story progresses. The reader
learns that he is capable of change and growth during his conversation with Slim,
during which he admits that he once abused Lennie for his own amusement. From
this incident George learned the moral lesson that it is wrong to take advantage of
the weak. Of Mice and Men follows him toward a difficult realization that the world is
designed to prey on the weak. At the start of the novella, George is something of an
idealist. Despite his hardened, sometimes gruff exterior, he believes in the story of
their future farm that he tells and retells to Lennie. He longs for the day when he can
enjoy the freedom to leave work and see a baseball game. More important than a
ball game, however, is the thought of living in safety and comfort with Lennie, free
from people like Curley and Curley’s wife, who seem to exist only to cause trouble for
them. Lennie is largely responsible for George’s belief in this safe haven, but
eventually the predatory nature of the world asserts itself and George can no longer
maintain that belief. By shooting Lennie, George spares his friend the merciless death
that would be delivered by Curley’s lynch mob, but he also puts to rest his own
dream of a perfect, fraternal world.
Section Page The quotation What it shows

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Lennie: A huge child-like man who travels with George. He is
incapable of looking after himself, is extremely strong and is
fascinated by small, soft things like mice and puppies.
Although Lennie is among the principal characters in Of Mice and Men, he is perhaps
the least dynamic. He undergoes no significant changes, development, or growth
throughout the story and remains exactly as the reader encounters him in the
opening pages. Simply put, he loves to pet soft things, is blindly devoted to George
and their vision of the farm, and possesses incredible physical strength. Nearly every
scene in which Lennie appears confirms these and only these characteristics.
Although Steinbeck’s insistent repetition of these characteristics makes Lennie a
rather flat character, Lennie’s simplicity is central to Steinbeck’s conception of the
novella. Of Mice and Men is a very short work that manages to build up an extremely
powerful impact. Since the tragedy depends upon the outcome seeming to be
inevitable, the reader must know from the start that Lennie is doomed, and must be
sympathetic to him. Steinbeck achieves these two feats by creating a protagonist
who earns the reader’s sympathy because of his utter helplessness in the face of the
events that unfold. Lennie is totally defenseless. He cannot avoid the dangers
presented by Curley, Curley’s wife, or the world at large. His innocence raises him to
1 p 19
‘The first man … sharp, strong
features.’
Describes. Sounds sharp/quick-
witted. Note language.
1 p 21 ‘So you forgot that … a crazy bastard!’
Impatient. Bullies Lennie.
Language style aggressive.
1 p 24
‘God, you’re a lot of trouble … maybe
have a girl.’
Regrets his promise sometimes.
Sees how life could be alone.
Emotive.
1 p 31–2
‘Guys like us … They don’t belong no
place.’
‘With us it ain’t like that … that gives a
damn about us.’
Compares their relationship to
other lonely souls. Makes them
different. Their dream. Lyrical,
song-like language.
2 p 44 ‘He’s my … cousin.’
Sticks up for Lennie. Lies for him,
even if mad.
2 p 45 ‘You waspokin’ … nosey.’ Defensive/protective.
2 p 52
‘Hide till I come for you … Say that
over.’
Protective. Clever. Senses
danger.
3 p 87–8
‘George said reverently … I bet we
could swing her.’
Starts to believe dream will come
true – Candy’s money. Hopeful
tone.
5 p 130
‘Oh Jesus Christ … and his eyes were
hard and tight as wood, and his eyes
were hard.’
His reaction. Dream over. Shuts
off feelings. Note use of imagery
(simile) to express.
6 p 147 ‘No … I want ya to know.’ Last kind words.
6 p 147–8
‘And George … and then he threw it
from him.’
Kills Lennie. Has to push himself.
Thinks it’s for best.

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a standard of pure goodness that is more poetic and literary than realistic. His
enthusiasm for the vision of their future farm proves contagious as he convinces
George, Candy, Crooks, and the reader that such a paradise might be possible. But
he is a character whom Steinbeck sets up for disaster, a character whose innocence
only seems to ensure his inevitable destruction.
1 p 19
‘Behind him walked … a bear drags its
paws.’
Describes. Stress on animal-like.
1 p 20–1
‘Lennie, who had been … imitated George
exactly.’
Copies George. Looks up to him.
Father figure.
1 p 24 ‘Lennie droned … I ain’tgonna say nothin’.’
Has to be told like a child. Can’t
remember. Style.
1 p 32 ‘Go on, George … rabbits.’ Lennie’s simple dream
2 p 43 ‘Lennie smiled … Strong as a bull.’
Forgetful/childlike. Language
matches.
3 p 91 ‘Curley’s fist … Lennie’s big hand.’
Fights back. Shows strength. Won’t
let go – hint for later (C’s wife).
4 p 101
‘It ain’tno lie. We’re gonna do it. Gonna
get a little place an’ live on the fatta the
lan’.’
Lennie’s dream. Key phrase.
4 p 104
‘Who hurt George? … Lennie growled back
to his seat …’
Basic reaction; animal imagery.
Reacts to Crooks’ teasing.
5 p 120
‘Lennie sat in the barn and looked at the
little dead puppy …’
Foreshadowing. Symbolic.
Uncontrolled power.
5 p 121 ‘Lennie began to cry … tend no rabbits.’
He panics. Doesn’t know own
strength.
6 p 140
‘Suddenly Lennie … as a creeping bear
moves.’
Animal imagery; naturalistic
surroundings. Mood matches.
6 p 141–3 Aunt Clara vision/giant rabbit
Symbolism – but what does it
represent? State of mind? His past?
Flashback narration?
6 p 141
‘George gonna give me hell … botherin’
him’
Aware that G. will be angry. Like a
child.
6 p 147 ‘No Lennie … Lennie obeyed him.’ Trusts him. Doesn’t know.
Crooks: Looks after the horses (the ‘stable buck’). A victim of
prejudice, Crooks is the only black worker on the ranch, a proud and
lonely man who seeks respect through his learning.
Crooks is a lively, sharp-witted, black stable-hand, who takes his name from his
crooked back. Like most of the characters in the story, he admits that he is extremely
lonely. When Lennie visits him in his room, his reaction reveals this fact. At first, he
turns Lennie away, hoping to prove a point that if he, as a black man, is not allowed
in white men’s houses, then whites are not allowed in his, but his desire for company
ultimately wins out and he invites Lennie to sit with him. Like Curley’s wife, Crooks is
a disempowered character who turns his vulnerability into a weapon to attack those
who are even weaker. He plays a cruel game with Lennie, suggesting to him that

68
George is gone for good. Only when Lennie threatens him with physical violence
does he relent. Crooks exhibits the corrosive effects that loneliness can have on a
person; his character evokes sympathy as the origins of his cruel behavior are made
evident. Perhaps what Crooks wants more than anything else is a sense of
belonging—to enjoy simple pleasures such as the right to enter the bunkhouse or to
play cards with the other men. This desire would explain why, even though he has
reason to doubt George and Lennie’s talk about the farm that they want to own,
Crooks cannot help but ask if there might be room for him to come along and hoe in
the garden.
2 p 41
‘The boss gives him hell when
he’s mad.’
Victim.
2 p 41 Fight at Xmas Seen as lower/entertainment.
3 p 77
‘The door opened quietly … a
lean negro head, lined with pain,
the eye patient.’
Description/action reveals
personality.
4 p 98
‘ … and being a stable buck and a
cripple … .more possessions than
he could carry on his back.’
Different outlook on life of
itinerant ranch hands; tied to
one place. Dependent?
Vulnerable?
4 p 98–99
‘Crooks possessed … above his
bed.’
Crooks’ things = his
beliefs/attitude. Symbolic.
4 p 99
‘He kept his distance and
demanded other people kept
theirs.’
Proud; aloof. Metaphor.
4
p 99–
100
‘Crooks said sharply … any right
in here but me.’
Proud and protective. Keeps
himself to himself.
4 p 100
‘ … I got a right to have a light’
‘I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse,
and you ain’t wanted in my
room.’
Sensitive to prejudice; feels
able to act superior to Lennie.
4 p 102
Story about his background: used
to be more prosperous. Link to
dream?
Wasn’t always in this position:
now sees himself as ‘just a
nigger talkin’, an a busted back
nigger. So it don’t mean
nothing, see?’
4 p 103
‘S’pose George don’t come back
no more.’
‘Crooks’ face lighted with
pleasure at the torture.’
Torments Lennie. Cf to his own
treatment? What does it say
about him?
4 p 105
‘A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got
nobody … a guy gets too lonely
an’ he gets sick.’
Isolation – emotions.

69
4 p 105
‘If some other guy was … it would
be alright.’
Crooks’ dream – a friend. (Like
G and L.)
4 p 105–6
‘The stable buck went on
dreamily …’ (paragraph)
Crooks’ idyllic dream ranch
cfCh 1/3 G and L. Use of
flashback narration to his
happier past.
4 p 106
‘Nobody gets to heaven, and
nobody never gets no land.’
Cynical. Note comparison of
heaven and land: American
dream.
4 p 107
‘Come on in … difficult for Crooks
to conceal his pleasure with
anger.’
Enjoys company. Tone of voice
changes.
4 p 109
‘If you … guys … work like a son-
of-a-bitch if I want to.’
Buys into their dream.
4 p 113
‘I could get you strung up on a
tree so easy it ain’t funny.’
Curley’s wife uses society’s
prejudice to put Crooks down.
4 p 113
‘Crooks had reduced himself to
nothing.’
Metaphor to express emotion:
harsh reality.
4 p 116
‘Member what I said … Jus’
foolin’
Wants their dream – but backs
off. Loner. Realist?
Curley’s wife:A pretty, lonely woman who dreams of being a film
star. We never learn her name.
She is newly married to Curley.
We never know her name - she is merely Curley's 'property' with no individual identity.
She is young, pretty, wears attractive clothes and curls her hair.
She seems flirtatious and is always hanging around the bunk-house.
She is lonely - there are no other women to talk to and Curley is not really interested in her.
"What kinda harm am I doin' to you? Seems like they ain'tnone of them cares how I gotta
live. I tell you I ain't used to livin' like this. I coulda made somethin' of myself."
She doesn't like Curley - she tells Lennie that she only married him when she didn't receive a
letter she'd been promised to get into Hollywood.
She is naive.
2 p 49–50 ‘Well, I … A tart.’ Candy has a low opinion of her flirting.
2 p 53
‘A girl was standing … nasal,
brittle quality.’
Full description. Clothes/voice match her
personality. Artificial.
2 p 54
‘Don’t you even … leave her
be.’
George sees her as a threat (jail bait).
3 p 78
‘Been any trouble … here.’
‘She’s gonna make a mess …
trigger.’
Foreshadowing by George. Opinion on
women as temptation/trouble.

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4 p 110
‘They left all the weak ones
here …’
Cruel portrayal. Is she included?
4
p 110
p 114
‘Sure I got a husban’. …
Swell guy, ain’t he?’
‘I’m glad you bust Curley up
… I’d like to bust him myself.’
Disillusioned with marriage; no one to
confide in; bitter. Uses sarcasm.
4 p 111
‘You bindle bums … he could
put me in pitchers.’
Her dream = film star. Name calls.
Childish behaviour.
4 p 111 ‘I tell you … Maybe I will yet.’
All = her dreams/hopes when younger.
Bitter now.
4 p 113
‘Well you keep your place …
it ain’t even funny.’
Threatens Crooks. Knows power. Fits
image. What’s Steinbeck doing?
5 p 122–3
‘I get so lonely … How’d you
like not to talk to nobody?’
Isolation.
5 p 124–5
‘I live right in Salinas … from
the rest.’
Flashback narration to provide an insight
into previous life cf Crooks Ch 4.
Provoking empathy by Steinbeck?
5 p 128–9 Description of death Powerful graphic language.
5 p 128
‘And she continued … her
body flopped like a fish.’
Ends as a victim. Describes her terror.
Powerless – like on ranch.
5 p 129
‘And the meanness … her lips
were parted.’
Cf description Ch 2. Natural description
sharp contrast. Why? Discuss language.

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Candy An elderly man who has lost one hand in an accident on
the ranch. He looks after the bunkhouse. A fount of knowledge
about people there.
One of the book’s major themes and several of its dominant symbols revolve around Candy.
The old handyman, aging and left with only one hand as the result of an accident, worries
that the boss will soon declare him useless and demand that he leave the ranch. Of course,
life on the ranch—especially Candy’s dog, once an impressive sheep herder but now
toothless, foul-smelling, and brittle with age—supports Candy’s fears. Past accomplishments
and current emotional ties matter little, as Carson makes clear when he insists that Candy let
him put the dog out of its misery. In such a world, Candy’s dog serves as a harsh reminder of
the fate that awaits anyone who outlives his usefulness.
For a brief time, however, the dream of living out his days with George and Lennie on their
dream farm distracts Candy from this harsh reality. He deems the few acres of land they
describe worthy of his hard-earned life’s savings, which testifies to his desperate need to
believe in a world kinder than the one in which he lives. Like George, Candy clings to the idea
of having the freedom to take up or set aside work as he chooses. So strong is his devotion
to this idea that, even after he discovers that Lennie has killed Curley’s wife, he pleads for
himself and George to go ahead and buy the farm as planned.
2 p 38 ‘The door opened … in his left hand.’ Describes him and job.
2 p 41–2
‘The old swamper … out of the
door.’
Scared of Boss. Likes a quiet life.
2 p 45
‘I didn’t hear nothing … nor he don’t
ast no questions.’
Uneasy. Willing to please. A
loner.
3 p 72
‘Candy looked for help from face to
face.’
Alone. Symbolic.
3 p 74 ‘At last … .and stared at the ceiling.’
Very upset about dog but no
power. Accepts. Symbolism of
death.

72
3
pp 87–89
–shared
dream
L/G/Ca
‘S’pose … How’d that be?’
‘Candy interrupted … right now.’
His dream – to join in. Prepared
to pay. Scared to end like his
dog/alone.
4 p 108–9
‘Candy cried, ‘Sure they all want it …
He stopped overwhelmed with his
picture.’
Outlines his dream to Crooks;
overcome with the dream.
4 p 111
‘But a change came over old Candy
… You ain’t wanted here.’
New sense of fraternity makes him
bold with Curley’s wife. Note
emotive language.
4 p 114 ‘No … listen to us.’ Passive/powerless
5 p 131 ‘What we gonna do now, George?’
Passive: looks for guidance – a
follower. Use of questions to
show.
5 p 131
‘Now Candy spoke his greatest fear
… He knew.’
End of his dream. Blames C’s wife
p 132 ‘You lousy tart/you god-
damn tramp.’
Curley The Boss’s son: a small, angry ex-boxer who is always
ready to pick a fight. He has been married a fortnight.
Curley is the boss's son, so he doesn't need to work like the ordinary ranch hands,
and he has time to kill.
He's little - so he hates big guys.
He is a prize-fighter and looks for opportunities for a fight.
"He glanced coldly at George and then at Lennie. His arms gradually bent at the
elbows and his hands closed into fists. He stiffened and went into a slight crouch. His
glance was at once calculating and pugnacious."
He is newly-married and is very possessive of his wife - but he still visits brothels.
There is a rumour that he wears a glove filled with Vaseline to keep his hand soft for
his wife.
2 p 46
‘He glanced coldly … calculating
and pugnacious.’
Aggressive on meeting people.
Keen to make impression.
2 p 47
‘Curley lashed … getting into it
for?’
Aggressive.

73
2 p 51
‘Curley’s like a lot of little guys …
he ain’t a big guy.’
Curley = a fighter. A threat to
Lennie. Builds tension.
3 p 80
‘Curley burst into the room …
seen my wife?’ he demanded.
Insecure about wife and status.
Challenging language.
3 p 81 ‘Where the hell’s Slim?’ Threatened by Slim.
3 p 90
‘Curley glared … show
yawho’syella.’
Attacks Lennie. Coward.
Scared of Slim/Carlson (p 87–
90).
3 p 92
‘Curley was white … his fist lost in
Lennie’s paw.’
Weak; Lennie described as an
animal (image).
3 p 93 ‘I won’t tell … Lennie.’ Humiliated.
5
p 133
p 134
‘Curley came suddenly to life …’
‘Shoot for his guts.’
Violent reaction matches
violent language.
Slim The antithesis of Curley, Slim is a tall, thoughtful man- a
natural leader. An expert worker who everyone looks up to.
Slim is described always in terms of dignity and majesty. When he first comes into the
bunkhouse, he moves "with a majesty achieved only by royalty and master craftsmen. He was
a jerk-line skinner, the prince of the ranch, capable of driving ten, sixteen, even twenty mules
with a single line to the leaders." Slim is tall, ageless, and an expert in his job. His voice is the
voice of rationalism. When Carlson suggests killing Candy's dog, Candy appeals to Slim as
the final authority.
Slim is so respected and admired on the ranch that even Curley listens to him. When Lennie
smashes Curley's hand, Slim is the one who intercedes and tells Curley he will not have
George and Lennie fired. Slim understands Curley's fear of ridicule, and he uses that fear to
help George and Lennie. Slim also inspires confidences because he is not judgmental. When
George first meets Slim, George tells him about Lennie's troubles in Weed. George senses in
Slim a person of intelligence and empathy who will not be mean to Lennie, make fun of him,
or take advantage of him.

74
Slim is the only one on the ranch who appreciates the difficulty of George's position. He
understands the constant oversight George must exercise in watching Lennie and keeping
him out of trouble. It is Slim, in the end, who suggests that George did the right thing in
killing Lennie mercifully. He explains the alternative: "An s'pose they lock him up an' strap
him down and put him in a cage. That ain'tno good, George."
Slim is present at every crucial juncture in the story: the death of Candy's dog, the smashing
of Curley's hand, finding the body of Curley's wife, at the pool after George has shot Lennie.
In each case, there is violence or the threat of it. Each time Slim helps make the assessment
to do what is merciful or what is right.
2
p 55–6 ‘A tall man … a temple dancer.’
Full description of personality.
‘Prince of the ranch’. Lyrical
description.
2 p 57
‘You guys … confidence without
demanding it.’
Good listener. Non-judgemental.
2 p 57
‘Ain’t many guys … scared of each
other.’
Comment on friendship. Accepts
G and L.
3 p 64 ‘Maybe he ain’t bright … worker.’ Judges people on actions.
3 p 65
‘Slim neither encouraged …
receptive.’
Trustworthy. People e.g. George
confide in him.
3 p 66
‘ … and saw the calm, Godlike eyes
… him.’
Status. Imagery.
3 p 74
‘Candy looked … Slim’s opinions
were law.’
Slim = important. Decides about
the dog. Men look up to him.
3 p 77 ‘Oh! Hello, Crooks … matter.’ Treats Crooks differently.
3 p 89–90
‘Well you been askin’ me … what do
you expect me to do about it?’
Will defend himself against Curley.
Strength.
3 p 92
‘If you don’t tell … an’ then will you
get the laugh.’
Sorts out situation. Authority over
Curley.
Ch 4 p 107
‘Guys don’t come into a colored
guy’s room very much. Nobody
been here but Slim.’
Slim behaves differently. Lack of
prejudice?
Ch 5 p 133
‘Then Slim went quietly over to her
… the spell was broken.’
Different reaction. Calm language.
Use of metaphor to suggest
influence on others.
Ch 5 p 134
‘Slim sighed. ‘Well I guess we got to
get to him.’
Sympathetic. Non-judgemental.
Tries to divert Curley.
Ch 6 p 148
‘Slim came directly … very close to
him.’
Understands. Protects George.
Respects him.

75
The Boss A small stocky man who owns the ranch. Suspicious and
short-tempered but considered a ‘good’ boss.
2 p 41
‘A little stocky man … not a
labouring man.’
Describes. Shows he’s
different.
2 p 43
‘I said what stake … his pay away
from him?’
Suspicious of people.
Aggressive. A bully.
2 p 43
‘I never seen one guy take so
much trouble … interest is.’
Can’t believe in relationship:
unusual.

76
Carlson A ranch worker, Carlson is powerfully built and a bully, with
little understanding of people’s feelings. He owns a Lugar pistol.
2 p 57 ‘A powerful … bunkhouse.’ Description
2 p 57 ‘He ain’t very small … joke.’ Makes fun of people.
2 p 58
‘Why’n’t you get Candy … raise
up.’
Lack of emotion. Pragmatic.
2 p 59 ‘Carlson stepped back … door.’ Respects Slim.
3
p 70–
1/74
‘Tell you what … back of the
head.’
Brutal reality.
3 p 90
‘You God damn punk … I’ll kick
your God damn head off.’
Brutal. Physically unafraid of
Curley. Follows Slim’s lead.
5 p 133 ‘Carlson said, ‘I’ll get my Luger.’
Simple reaction; simple
straightforward language.
Simple sentence.
6 p 149
‘Now what the hell ya suppose is
eatin’ them two guys?’
Final symbolic comment; lack
of empathy/incomprehension.
Use of metaphor. Why did
Steinbeck choose Carlson’s
voice to finish?
Structure notes
1 a The fact that each chapter has a single setting makes it easy to produce as a
play. In some novels the action flits from one setting to another quite quickly. A
character could be in bed, in the kitchen, in the street, on a train — all in the
space of a few minutes. This kind of action would be difficult to show on stage.
In Of Mice and Men, on the other hand, each section/scene is easy to stage. The
indoor scenes, in the bunk house, Crooks’s room and the barn, are easiest to
show, but even the first and last scenes, by the river, would not be hard to
suggest with appropriate lighting and sound effects.
b Each section begins with a description of the scene. This gives Steinbeck an
opportunity for the kind of detailed descriptive writing that he does so well.

77
More than this, however, it provides stage directions telling anyone producing
the novel as a play exactly how each scene should look.
c After the two main characters have been introduced in the first section, each
subsequent section focuses on at least one major piece of action. The narrowed
focus — on a single event — in the last three sections helps to speed up the
action.
d In plays, the action is often spread over a short period of time because this
makes it easier to build up and sustain dramatic momentum, and there is no
need to find a device to let the audience know that a long period of time has
passed.
e Apart from George, Lennie and Candy, we find out something about important
characters before they appear in person. Candy tells George and Lennie (and
therefore us) about the boss, Curley, Curley’s wife and Crooks. The boss gives a
brief description of Slim. This helps to fix them in our minds — which is helpful
in a play, where the audience needs to grasp quickly who everyone is.
2 The novel begins and ends at the pool by the Salinas River. It begins with peace
and innocence and with the two men’s dream of happiness. It ends with Lennie
still essentially innocent and George still poor and landless. But in a sense Lennie
has entered the ‘promised land’ of the dream, with the help of George’s
suggestion and his own faith and imagination.
3 The main source of tension is Curley’s wife and her unhappy relationship with
Curley. A different kind of tension exists between dreams and harsh reality. Both
kinds of tension contribute to the death of Curley’s wife.

78
Themes
Nature of Dreams
In essence, Of Mice and Men is as much a story about the nature of human dreams
and aspirations and the forces that work against them as it is the story of two men.
Humans give meaning to their lives — and to their futures — by creating dreams.
Without dreams and goals, life is an endless stream of days that have little
connection or meaning. George and Lennie's dream — to own a little farm of their
own — is so central to Of Mice and Men that it appears in some form in five of the six
sections. In fact, the telling of the story, which George has done so often, becomes a

79
ritual between the two men: George provides the narrative, and Lennie, who has
difficulty remembering even simple instructions, picks up the refrain by finishing
George's sentences.
To George, this dream of having their own place means independence, security,
being their own boss, and, most importantly, being "somebody." To Lennie, the
dream is like the soft animals he pets: It means security, the responsibility of tending
to the rabbits, and a sanctuary where he won't have to be afraid. To Candy, who sees
the farm as a place where he can assert a responsibility he didn't take when he let
Carlson kill his dog, it offers security for old age and a home where he will fit in. For
Crooks, the little farm will be a place where he can have self-respect, acceptance, and
security. For each man — George, Lennie, Candy, and Crooks — human dignity is an
integral part of the dream.
Having and sharing the dream, however, are not enough to bring it to fruition. Each
man must make a sacrifice or battle some other force that seeks, intentionally or not,
to steal the dream away. Initially, the obstacles are difficult but not insurmountable:
staying out of trouble, not spending money on liquor or in bordellos, and working at
the ranch long enough to save the money for a down payment. But greater obstacles
soon become apparent. Some of these obstacles are external (the threat from
Curley's wife and Curley's violence, for example, as well as the societal prejudices that
plague each man); others are internal (such as Lennie's strength and his need to
touch soft things). For George, the greatest threat to the dream is Lennie himself;
ironically, it is Lennie who also makes the dream worthwhile.
Loneliness
In addition to dreams, humans crave contact with others to give life meaning.
Loneliness is present throughout this novel. On the most obvious level, we see this
isolation when the ranch hands go into town on Saturday night to ease their
loneliness with alcohol and women. Similarly, Lennie goes into Crook's room to find
someone with whom to talk, and later Curley's wife comes for the same reason.
Crooks says, "A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who
the guy is, long's he's with you." Even Slim mentions, "I seen the guys that go around
on the ranches alone. That ain'tno good. They don't have no fun. After a long time
they get mean."
George's taking care of Lennie and the dream of the farm are attempts to break the
pattern of loneliness that is part of the human condition. Similarly, Lennie's desire to
pet soft things comes from his need to feel safe and secure, to touch something that
gives him that feeling of not being alone in the world. For Lennie, the dream of the
farm parallels that security.
George and Lennie, however, are not the only characters who struggle against
loneliness. Although present in all the characters to some degree, the theme of
loneliness is most notably present in Candy, Crooks, and Curley's wife. They all fight
against their isolation in whatever way they can. Until its death, Candy's dog stopped
Candy from being alone in the world. After its death, Candy struggles against

80
loneliness by sharing in George and Lennie's dream. Curley's wife is also lonely; she is
the only female on the ranch, and her husband has forbidden anyone to talk with
her. She combats her loneliness by flirting with the ranch hands. Crooks is isolated
because of his skin color. As the only black man on the ranch, he is not allowed into
the bunkhouse with the others, and he does not associate with them. He combats his
loneliness with books and his work, but even he realizes that these things are no
substitute for human companionship.
Steinbeck reinforces the theme of loneliness in subtle and not so subtle ways. In the
vicinity of the ranch, for example, is the town of Soledad. The town's name, not
accidentally, means "solitude" or "alone." Also, the others' reactions to George and
Lennie traveling together reinforces that, in Steinbeck's world, traveling with
someone else is unusual. When George and Lennie arrive at the ranch, four other
characters — the boss, Candy, Crooks, and Slim — all comment on the suspicious
nature of two guys traveling together. This companionship seems strange and,
according to at least the boss and Curley, the relationship is sexual or exploitative
financially.
Barriers
Unfortunately, despite a need for companionship, people set up barriers that
maintain loneliness, and they sustain those barriers by being inhumane to each
other. One barrier is based on gender: The bunkhouse is a male world, where women
are not to be trusted. While Curley's wife is always looking for attention, Curley's
jealousy causes all the hands to stay away from her. Although Curley's wife is often
portrayed as cruel and troublesome (and therefore, we can see why she is left alone),
the real thing that isolates her is that she is a female in an all-male world. Race is
another barrier. Crooks, for example, must occupy a room in the stable alone, and he
is not welcome in the bunkhouse. For Candy, the barriers are age and handicap. He is
afraid that, when he is too old to work, he will be thrown out on the ash heap, a
victim of a society that does not value age and discriminates against handicaps.
Powerlessness
Steinbeck's characters are often the underdogs, and he shows compassion toward
them throughout the body of his writings. Powerlessness takes many forms —
intellectual, financial, societal — and Steinbeck touches on them all.
Although Lennie is physically strong and would therefore seem to represent
someone of power, the only power Lennie possesses is physical. Because of his
mental handicap and his child-like way of perceiving the world, he is powerless
against his urges and the forces that assail him. For example, he knows what it is to
be good, and he doesn't want to be bad, but he lacks the mental acuity that would
help him understand and, therefore, avoid the dangers that unfold before him.
Hence, he must rely on George to protect him. George, in this regard, is also
powerless. Although he can instruct Lennie on what to do and not do, and although
he perceives the danger posed by Curley's wife, he cannot be with Lennie every hour

81
of every day and, therefore, cannot truly protect Lennie from himself. In the end, the
only thing that George can do is protect Lennie from the others.
Another type of powerlessness is economic. Because the ranch hands are victims of a
society where they cannot get ahead economically, they must struggle again and
again. George and Lennie face overwhelming odds in trying to get together a mere
$600 to buy their own land. But they are not the only ones who have shared the
dream of owning land, nor the only ones who have difficulty securing the mean by
which to do it. As Crooks explains, "I seen guys nearly crazy with loneliness for land,
but ever' time a whorehouse or a blackjack game took what it takes." In other words,
it is part of the human condition to always want instant gratification rather than save
for tomorrow. As long as the men spend their money on the weekends, they will
continue to be powerless. On the other hand, living lives of unremitting loneliness
and harshness makes companionship — even for a weekend — alluring enough to
overshadow a dream. Furthermore, the men are paid so little that it is difficult to save
enough to make a dream come true.
Crooks represents another type of powerlessness. As the sole black man on the
ranch, he is isolated from the others, and, in ways that the others are not, subject to
their whim. This is never more apparent than when Curley's wife threatens to have
him lynched. Despite his inherent dignity, Crooks shrinks into himself, essentially
becoming invisible under her assault. The fact that she, another powerless person,
wields such power over him demonstrates how defenceless he is in this society.
Fate
Life's unpredictable nature is another subject that defines the human condition. The
title of the novel is taken from the poem of Robert Burns, "To a Mouse On Turning
Her Up in Her Nest with a Plow," November, 1785. Burns wrote that "The best laid
schemes o' mice and men / Gang aft a-gley [often go astray], / Andlea'v us nought
but grief and pain, / For promised joy."
Just when it appears that George and Lennie will get their farm, fate steps in. Lennie
just happens to be in the barn burying his dead pup when Curley's wife comes in. In
this case, fate is given a hand by Lennie's inability to control his strength and
understand what to do. Nevertheless, often life seems unpredictable and full of
overwhelming difficulties.
Christian, Classical, and Natural Influences
Many critics have compared Of Mice and Men to influences from John Milton's
Paradise Lost and the Bible. And, indeed, many of the events of Steinbeck's novel
parallel the biblical stories of the loss of paradise and Cain and Abel. Of particular
relevance to Of Mice and Men is the question posed in the biblical story of Cain and
Abel: Am I my brother's keeper? Also relevant is the story of Adam and Eve and their
being cast out of Eden. Although a biblical story, this story is also the basis of John
Milton's epic poem, Paradise Lost, which describes Lucifer's (Satan's) fall from heaven
and the creation of hell, as well as Eve and Adam's fall from grace.

82
Throughout his novel Steinbeck uses nature to reflect the mood of the scenes and
provide locations that reinforce themes. Steinbeck was a lover of nature, particularly
the California countryside, and he uses nature in this story as both a place of
sanctuary and also a reflection of foreboding.
Loss of Paradise
There are parallels between the biblical tale of Adam and Eve and the events that
transpire in Of Mice and Men. Of particular interest are the nature of imperfect
humans, the presence of temptation, and the consequences of doing, as Lennie
would say, a "bad thing."
The story of Adam and Eve's fall from grace is a tale of how even our "best laid
plans" go astray because of the imperfection of our humanity. Though mankind was
created in God's image, man's reaction to temptation causes him to lose his way. Just
as man is imperfect, so Lennie represents the flawed human appetite that makes the
chance for Eden futile. His desire to touch soft things and his inability to foresee the
results of his actions put him in a collision course with other human beings. While he
sometimes realizes he has "done a bad thing," he often loses his way because of
temptation. The girl in Weed and Curley's wife are both temptations that encouraged
his curiosity and that he could not resist.
Curley's wife also has a part to play, as the serpent in the garden. She is temptation
— a liar and a manipulator of men in order to get her way. She could also be
compared to Eve. In the Garden of Eden, Eve is curious about the forbidden tree. She
tempts Adam and manipulates him in order to get her way. Like Eve, Curley's wife is
curious about Lennie. From the moment she realizes he is the "machine" that hurt
her husband, she is attracted to his strength. When they talk in the barn, she invites
him to touch her soft hair, not realizing the consequences. Her actions are innocent,
but the consequences are vast. Just as Eve's actions caused mankind to be sent out
of the perfect place, Curley's wife's actions tempt Lennie, whose subsequent actions
cause him and the others to lose their dream of a little farm.
Also, because Adam and Eve were thrown out of Eden for disobeying God, mankind
is forced to live a pattern of loneliness and wandering, having thrown away existence
in Eden. Steinbeck reinforces this idea when George asks about the worker who used
to inhabit his bunk and is told by Candy that he just left, saying, "'gimme my time'
one night like any guy would." George takes his spot, bringing Lennie along, an
action causing suspicion in the minds of others on the ranch. Guys don't travel
together. Even Slim comments on their unusual companionship. In the end, with
Lennie's death, George is once again sentenced to wander alone and to reflect on
the loss of Lennie in his life.

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