1. Of Mice and Men
Themes and Crooks
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2. TITLE: Themes
Learning Objectives
We are learning to...
• Select quotes that can link
character to theme
Skills for Life: Questioning – how and why?
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3. High 5!
Select your top 5 quotes for
Crooks as a lonely character.
Put them in order.
You need to be able to say why
they are in this order.
Why is the top quote better than
the others?
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4. The author’s use of language / words / tone of voice is significant.
T Imagery is significant in this section.
The imagery of .... is especially significant in this section.
The author uses setting to convey ...
The characterisation of ... is developed in this section.
Structurally, this section is significant.
We can see this in the quotation ...
E We hear the character described as ...
The word ... demonstrates this.
Arguably, the most significant words are ... and ...
The image of the ... is crucial to our understanding.
The author seems to be suggesting ...
P The author is, perhaps, exploring the idea of ...
The author is explaining, illustrating, uncovering, hiding, illuminating, developing,
The words suggest / imply / convey ...
E This word / phrase / image / character makes me think of ... because...
This conveys feelings of ... because....
The word / image contains several ideas. For example...
The author seems to be exploring the them / idea of ...
E From one perspective we could say ... From another we might consider...
Developing the interpretation further, we could argue that...
This links with.....
This idea is repeated when......

5. The author’s use of language / words / tone of voice is significant.
T Imagery is significant in this section.
The imagery of .... is especially significant in this section.
The author uses setting to convey ...
The characterisation of ... is developed in this section.
Structurally, this section is significant.
We can see this in the quotation ...
E We hear the character described as ...
The word ... demonstrates this.
Arguably, the most significant words are ... and ...
The image of the ... is crucial to our understanding.
The author seems to be suggesting ...
P The author is, perhaps, exploring the idea of ...
The author is explaining, illustrating, uncovering, hiding, illuminating, developing,
The words suggest / imply / convey ...
E This word / phrase / image / character makes me think of ... because...
This conveys feelings of ... because....
The word / image contains several ideas. For example...
The author seems to be exploring the them / idea of ...
E From one perspective we could say ... From another we might consider...
Developing the interpretation further, we could argue that...
This links with.....
This idea is repeated when......

6. The characterisation of Crooks as a lonely character is
developed in Chapter four. Steinbeck describes the
character as ‘a proud, aloof man. He kept his distance
and demanded that other people keep theirs.’ The
author seems to be suggesting that Crooks’ isolation
is self-imposed. The word ‘proud’ suggests Crooks’
intelligence and dignity and conveys the idea that he
is acutely aware of his prejudicial treatment. ‘Aloof’
also suggests that his disinterest is conspicuous. The
author seems to be exploring the idea that loneliness
can be a way of protection and this real danger is
made more obvious later in the chapter when
Curley’s wife threatens him.

7. How does Steinbeck present Crooks
as lonely character?
Skilled work will 6• sectionsfeatures of Steinbeck’s use of
Identify – perfect!
language with some explanation of layers of
meaning.
• Have some links between Crooks and loneliness
Excellent work • Have a detailed explanation, with appropriate
will terminology, of how language and linguistic
features are used with a develop perceptive
identification of layers of meaning
• Show sophisticated links to language used
about and by Crooks that show him to be a
lonely character

8. Crooks’ bleak view...
I seen hundreds of men come by on
the road an’ on the ranches, with
their bindles on their back an’ that
same damn thing in their heads . . .
every damn one of ’em’s got a little
piece of land in his head. An’ never
a God damn one of ’em ever gets it.
Just like heaven. Ever’body wants a
little piece of lan’. I read plenty of
books out here. Nobody never gets
to heaven, and nobody gets no
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9. Homework
Finish Tepee on: how is Crook
presented as a lonely
character?
Find Top 5 quotes for Curley’s
wife as a lonely character.
Again, put them in order and
write a paragraph explaining
this order.
Due next lesson.
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