Controlled Assessment Of Mice and Men

1. Controlled Assessment Of Mice and Men LO: to explore the importance of dreams and dreaming for in the novel. SA: Controlled Assessment How does Steinbeck show the power of dreams and dreaming in the novel? • 4 Hours (Approx. 6 lessons) • Approx. 1,600 words • 15% of English Language • Marked out of 30 • No access to dictionaries • Notes must only contain bullet points or spider diagrams • You can have an unlimited amount of notes on paper • You will begin this assessment in about two weeks time.

2. What is needed to get an A? Read through the assessment criteria. Write the Top Five Tips to attaining an A / A* in this CA in your own words. • A cogent and explicitly relevant response • Explores and evaluates a range of interpretations of language and structure as appropriate • Analyses in detail the writer’s perspective • Precise quotations/comparisons enhance analysis of writer’s intentions

3. The American Dream In pairs, write down your ideas in a spider diagram. What is the American Dream? Be successful. Freedom and independence. Ability to avoid dominance and oppression – not feel repressed by anyone or anything (Curley) Free from prejudice, discrimination, sexism etc. Second chance of happiness Liberation from the endless cycle of ranch life / impoverished life. Dream to have your own land. Freedom from loneliness. Wealth, land, housing, money. Feel belonging.

4. The American Dream • You can be successful if you work hard and live morally. • America is the land of opportunity. • Freedom to work hard and be happy is enshrined in the Constitution. • The Dream assumes equality of opportunity, no discrimination, freedom to follow goals and freedom from victimization.

5. The idea of an American Dream for many was broken when in 1929, the Wall Street crashed, marking the beginning of the Great Depression. • This era affected the whole world during the 1930s, but even in the midst of hardship, some people’s dreams survived. • Thousands of people made their way west towards California to escape from their farmlands in the Midwest that were failing due to drought. • The characters of George and Lennie dreamt of having a “little house and a couple of acres” which was their own dream.

6. Contextual Info • Great Depression – key event begins after 1929 Wall Street Crash. • This is an important theme in the novella (short novel) and epitomises the motivations of many of the novella’s character; George and Lennie. Lennie and George are typical of migrant/itinerant workers in America, in that they aspire to a dream. • The dream characterises a need for freedom and economic independence, usually characterised by a wish for a plot of land, which would represent a movement away from the control of men like a Curley.

7. Steinbeck depicts the American Dream as an intensely personal factor in the lives of many characters. This reflects the social and economic climate of the time, the American Dream is important in the novel for a number of reasons: • It gave the characters a sense of hope and a vision for the future as a contrast to the stark reality of their lives, just like the people in America at the time. • The life of a migrant worker was intensely lonely and a key theme in the novella is that of isolation. The idea of a dream broke the monotony and hopelessness of everyday life. Men travelled for great distances either walking, on cheap buses, hitch-hiking or travelling by train in the cheap boxcars that were later used to ship out the grain they farmed. They would receive $2.50 or £3.00 a day, plus board and a room. Yet this whole lifestyle was set to change, not long after the novella was written 350 men would be needed to complete a major harvest. By the time it was published half that available work was being done by machinery, which only required five men to work it. • It gave the men a sense of satisfaction and self worth, that their lives actually meant something and had value. Men like Lennie and George were able to feel a sense of fulfilment and self worth. • The men were isolated by their roles as itinerate workers; the ideals represented by the dream gave them a sense of self-esteem.

8. Dreams of the central characters George and Lennie Curley’s Wife What are their dreams? Summarise for each character. Crooks Candy

9. Why is this quote significant? Spider diagram ideas. P. 32 ‘An’ live off the fatta the lan’

10. How does Steinbeck present George and Lennie’s dream? An’ live off the fatta the lan’ "Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong no place....With us it ain't like that. Wegot a future. Wegot somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us." Chapter 1, pp. 31-32 "An' why? Because...because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that's why." Key words Harsh, cruel, violent, emotionally devoid environment where Social Darwinism is clearly visible. Free from oppression. Independence and autonomy free from retribution. Remember to refer to the assessment criteria.

11. Peer Marking • Knowledge and understanding communicated in a clear way. (C) • Key quotes effectively embedded. (B) • Language / key words are analysed. • Response is cogent and explicitly relevant response • Close analysis of the writer’s perspective/ author’s intention • Write WWW and EBI.

12. Task 2: How the dream is used throughout the novel? George and Lennie’s dream is to ‘live offa the fatta the lan’. This dream is established in Section 1 of the novel and fortified throughout the novel. Elaborate description / it is not an actual place. • How has the dream evolved in Section 3? Briefly compare 31-32 with 83-86. • Why is this development in the story necessary given their circumstance and how does George use the dream here? Hint: What has George drawn upon to fortify this fantasy? P. 85

13. The Death of the Dream Homework Complete Tasks 1,2, 3&4. You would have started this in class. Due tomorrow. Submit in class or receive a C2 and a phone call home. When does the dream die for these two characters? 127-128. • Was this predicted? 129-132 • Did George ever really believe in the dream? Choose a quote from Task Sheet 5 (the dream is personified as ‘her’). 129-132 • How does Steinbeck make the death of the dream so poignant? • Think about the sacrifice that George makes for Lennie, why does he feel the need to shoot him? Think about the manner in which George shoots Lennie; think about the paradox of being cruel to be kind. Steinbeck reveals the cruelty of the life they live and the necessity to carry the dream into death. The dream, symbolically, dies with Lennie. 144-149

14. The Power of Dreams For Candy. LO: to explore the power of dreams and dreaming for Candy. SA: In pairs, list adjectives to describe Candy’s characterisation throughout the novel in your exercise book. Challenge To be able to evaluate language and critically explore Steinbeck’s perspective.

15. Words to describe Candy. • Old, innocent (childlike), can be selfish(when dream is killed by Curley’s wife. • Experienced, isolated, lonely after the death of his dog, vulnerable, feeble (fears being ‘canned’) • Victim of Social Darwinism – preyed upon by CW • Knowledgeable • Disadvantaged physically. • Can easily become a victim of a utilitarian environment / he is in a precarious position. • Stiff / rigid when his dog dies. • Unable to take responsibility / lacks control and power on the ranch. • Crippled,

16. HomeworkRead and Annotate Looking for Quotes Task 2: Candy stands up to Curley’s wife and defends his friends. P. 110-112. Task 3: Candy’s dejection upon loosing the dream. Describe his tone and use the quotes below. P. 131-132Candy - The death of the dream (131-133)

17. Candy’s Dream Focus for Section How does Steinbeck present the power of dreams for Candy? Task 1: What is Candy’s dream and why does he need this dream? (Use embedded quotes and link to theme and context here). Include (read and annotate your key quotes before starting). • Candy’s reaction after death of dog – p. 74-75 (focus on adverbs / physical reaction) aim for about 3-4 short quotes. • Candy buys into dream p. 86-89. Challenge What is Steinbeck suggesting about the power of dreams for Candy?

18. Candy’s Dream How does Steinbeck present the power of dreams for Candy? Task 2: Explain what his dream empowers him to do. Task 3: Explain how his dream is destroyed. Include (read and annotate key quotes) Task 2: Candy stands up to Curley’s wife and defends his friends. P. 110-112 Task 3: Candy’s dejection upon loosing the dream. Describe his tone and use the quotes below. P. 131-132Candy - The death of the dream (131-133) • ‘Greatest fear’(spoken after the dream is destroyed. • ‘Can’t we George? Can’t we’ (Hint: describe tone) • ‘Then – it’s all off. Candy asked sulkily.’(explore the adverb) • ‘He looked helplessly back at Curley’s wife’ • ‘You God damn tramp…he said viciously.’ ‘you lousy tart’ • ‘his eyes were blinded with tears’ Challenge What is Steinbeck suggesting about the power of dreams for Candy?

19. Peer Marking • Clear knowledge and understanding. • Well selected quotes. • Quotes are embedded effectively. • Quotes are analysed carefully. • Steinbeck’s perspective is explored and evaluated. • Write WWW and EBI.

20. Step 1: Outline his initial cynicism towards the dream and the reason for this. Step 2: Explain why they need their dream (Use embedded quotes and link to theme and context here). Step 3: Explain what their dream empowers them to do (this is more applicable for Crooks and Candy). Step 4: Explain how their dream is destroyed. Remember to analyse language closely. It might be also important to note when their dream ends in the overall structure of the novel (Candy’s dream ends with Lennie killing Curley’s wife). How does Steinbeck present the power of dreams for Crooks?