English Literature: Unit 1

1. English Literature: Unit 1 Understanding Prose 50% of Total Award

2. What is on the Paper? Section A: Literary Heritage (40 Marks) Section b: Different Cultures and Traditions (40 marks) • ANIMAL FARM: 4 Part Question Linked to short extract • There will be 4 parts to each question • The extract will come from a significant section of text and be of approx 300 words • Students will be expected to relate extract to the whole text • HIGHER TIER questions will focus on character, theme, language and significance of the extract • OF MICE AND MEN: Essay Question • Students will choose one of two essays • Students will select relevant material focussing on key words from the question, clearly expressing relevant points and providing evidence from the text • Students will be expected to demonstrate a knowledge of the whole text • The essay WILL be assessed for the quality of written communication

3. Literary Heritage Text: Animal Farm George Orwell

4. Animal Farm 4 Part Question • Question Frame Work • A) Character • B) Language • C) Theme in the extract • D) theme in another part of the novel • You Should Spend 1 HOUR on this section

5. Animal Farm This question is worth 8 Marks (You should spend 10 mins on this question) In class this is where pupils are picking up most marks. PEEE for approx 3 points This question is worth 10 marks (You should spend 12 mins on this question) Reminders are to focus specifically on the techniques the writer uses, naming them specifically and exploring their impact. (Direct speech / Hyperbole / Personal Pronouns / Irony / Simile /Metaphor / Repetition / Onomatopoeia / Rhetorical Question etc) This question is worth 10 marks (You should spend 12 mins on this question) Top Tips – be really specific about how ORWELL presents the theme (the methods he uses for impact and why.) Interweave the key term into your response to show a clear and full analytical appreciation REMEMBER – Band 5criteria states: ‘explanation of importance of theme in extract shows perceptive understanding’ This question is worth 12 marks (You should spend 15 mins on this question) As above! Remember to choose an appropriate part of the novel ONE is written in bold on the exam paper. You will only be rewarded for you in depth exploration of ONE other area. YOU MUST analyse STRUCTURE, FORM and LANGUAGE as part of this question. • Question Frame Work • A) Character (8) • B) Language (10) • C) Theme in the extract (10) • D) Theme in another part of the novel (12)

6. Crucial to Success… TIME… • Weekly our timed assignments are showing that this is a key area that we need to focus on! • Remember 1 HOUR ONLY ft this section then we need to move on!

7. The Allegory • Write in your own words the nature of the allegory of Animal farm • What is Orwell’s message? • Which characters are representative from history? • Which events are used to parallel history?

8. Key Characters • EQUINES • Boxer • Clover • Mollie • Benjamin PIGS • Old Major • Napoleon • Snowball • Squealer • Minimus • Pink eye • Piglets HUMANS • Mr Jones • Mr Frederick • Mr Pilkington • Mr Whymper • OTHER ANIMALS • Murial • Moses • Jessie and Bluebell • The puppies • Sheep • Hens • Crows • Rats • Cat

9. Key Themes • Power • Leadership • Corruption • Friendship • Trust • Unity • Lies • Rules and Order • Intelligence • Dreams • Violence • Pride

10. LANGUAGE!!! Techniques and examples

11. Exam Routine… It is as important to know this as it is the content! • 10 minutes read and annotate the extract. Use highlighters if you wish to colour code each question • 10 minutes answer question 1 – Character • 12 minutes answer question 2 – Language • 12 minutes answer question 3 – Theme in Extract • 15 minutes answer question 4 – theme outside of the extract (one other part of the novel) • Last Minute: Proofread and Check

12. Different Cultures Text: Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck

13. Of Mice and Men Essay Question • Students will choose one of two essays • Students will select relevant material focussed on the key words in the question, clearly expressing relevant points and providing evidence from the text • Students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of the whole text • Essay will be assessed for QWC

14. Of Mice and Men • Questions for different cultures texts are in essay format • You have 45 minutes to respond to this question

15. Of Mice and Men For example… Questions begin with words like ‘explain’ and ‘explore’ inviting a complex, critical and analytical response TIP: plan carefully to illustrate consideration Questions will focus on a Key theme, character, setting or issue etc within the text TOP TIP: remember to interweave the ‘key term’ from the question into your response. This shows the examiner that you are responding to the question set and not generically 13) Explain the importance of the friendship between George and Lennie. Remember to consider the impact of the Depression in 1930s America in your answer. (40) OR 14) Explore how dreams and dreaming affect individual characters in the novel. Remember to consider how the American Dream is represented in your answer. (40) Pupil will be given a CHOICE of two questions Spend 5 mins carefully choosing and planning your response picking the ‘best’ Q Remember – you must only respond to ONE of the two questions set Each question will have a contextual link Remember your demonstration of A04 in this section is worth a huge 15% of the total award. Ensure that each PEEE is related to the cultural, social and historical context within the text TOP TIP: remember, however, this this is an English essay rather than history. Essentially, it is how / why the novel presents these factors that is crucial Essay is marked out of 14 16 marks are available for A01, 24 for A04.

16. Crucial to Success… Plan first… This gives your essay a clear structure and shows the examiner both that you are organised and that you know the text PEEE… Use PEEE to optimise success and maximise A01 mark – showing a wide critical understanding of the text. Link points through careful A04 references Quotations as supporting evidence… Alternate small embedded and longer quotations to show both wider analysis and close textual reference Leave time to proofread… Checking that you care clear to the examiner is paramount. You might know what you mean but an examiner has to also

17. Key themes • Dreams • Loneliness • Isolation • Friendship • Death • Nature • violence

18. Of Mice and Men Characters Setting • George Milton • Lennie Small • Candy • Slim • Crooks • The Boss • Curley • Curley’s Wife • Candy’s Dog • Aunt Clara • Whit • Carlson • The Green Pool • The bunk house • The Harness Room • The barn

19. Contextual Events Literary Context Stock Market Crash 1929 1930’s depression Role of Women (flapper movement) Race Television and Media Race Disability Ranch life / migrant working Conditions of work

20. Example George talks to Slim page 43 Slim moved back slightly so the light was not on his face. ‘Funny how you an’ him string along together.’ It was Slim’s calm invitation to confidence. ‘What ‘s funny about it?’ George demanded defensively. ‘Oh, I dunno. Hardly none of the guys ever travel together. I hardly never seen two guys travel together. You know how the hands are, they just come in a nd get their bunk and work a month, and then quit and go out alone. Never seem to give a damn about nobody. It jus’ seems kinda funny a cuckoo like him and a smart guy like you travellin’ together.’ ‘He ain’t no cuckoo,’ said George. ‘He’s dumb as hell, but he ain’t crazy. An’ I ain’t so bright neither, or I wouldn’t be buckin’ barley for my fifty and found. If I was bright, if I was even a little bit smart, I’d have my own little place, an’ I’d be bringin’ in my own crops, ‘stead of doin’ all the work and not getting what comes up outta the ground.’ George fell silent. He wanted to talk. Slim neither encouraged nor discouraged him. He just sat back quiet and receptive.’

21. Explain the importance of Curley’s wife in the novel • In your answer, you must consider:• the relationship between Curley’s wife and Curley• how the men describe and treat Curley’s wife• the hopes and dreams of Curley’s wife

22. AO1 • Select and Evaluate Relevant Textual detail • BAND 5: • Convincing responses to text supported by sustained relevant textual reference • Selection and evaluation of textual detail show perceptive understanding of theme / ideas Curley’s wife is an important character in the novel and is a key catalyst for change, effectively ending the dream and the novel upon her death. Curley’s wife’s relationship with Curley is bad – Curley controls her. For example Curley’s wife is shown to say: “I don’t like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella.” This shows that Curley is oppressive and controlling of her suggesting a possibly violent nature to their relationship. This relates to ideas of women in the 1930’s, who were still not equal in rights to men and were treated in the way depicted here. The reader may consider more modern attitudes of women and their contrast to this. Steinbeck did this because of the influence of male-dominated ranch life around him. The other men treat Curley’s wife badly. For example, George refers to her in Chapter Two as “a rat trap” and “jail bait”. This shows George’s distrust for Curley’s wife as he believes that she may be taking advantage of Lennie’s lack of intelligence to get him into trouble – we later find out that it is more to do with loneliness when she speaks to Lennie in Chapter 5. 16

23. AO4 • Relate texts to their social, cultural and historical contexts • BAND 5: • Convincing reference to context supported by relevant textual reference. • Explanation of importance of theme / ideas shows perceptive understanding George may see Curley’s wife as a more reformist woman trying to take advantage of men, similar to the flapper movement of the time when women were beginning to disregard male authority. The reader may think that George is being harsh on her, but they may feel that he is right in that she is Lennie’s downfall – which she is in the end. Steinbeck did this to possibly foreshadow this future event of Lennie Killing. Through somehow negatively getting involved with her. Other characters also treat Curley’s wife with suspicion. For example in Chapter 4, Candy says: ‘Curley’s wife can move quiet. I guess she had a lot of practice though.’ this shows that Candy believes she has become adept at deceiving and getting men into trouble and that she can move around silently. This is somewhat of an exaggerated assumption as she is never mentioned to have decieved any men at all and Candy is likely to think that he is threatened by the appearance of a woman on the ranch. This relates to the male dominance on ranches at the time, especially considering the views of woman as weak. 22

24. Women never worked on ranches and were almost always in a similar position to Curley’s wife – a belonging of those higher up and someone to be left alone. The reader is likely to think that Candy’s ideas are exaggerated but will view them with respect to the context. Curley’s wife’s dreams reflect the American Dream. For example in Chapter 5 she says: ‘Coulda been in the movies” this shows that she genuinely believed that she had a lot of talent, but she says later that she was never contacted again by the person who offered her a role in the film – this suggests that she was being deceived and lied to. This relates to the American dream as she believed that she could achieve anything, which is what the American Dream is, if you work hard enough. • Curley’s wife’s dreams also relate to the depression. For example, because her dreams never come to work, this shows that they are probably too far-fetched for the financial state of the economy at the time – there is not enough money for a lot of people like her to live in luxury following the Wall Street Crash. The reader may feel sympathy for her, being prevented from reaching her goals. They may have been in the same situation too. Steinbeck did this to point out flaws in the American dream. In conclusion, Curley’s wife is depicted as a negative character to the men, but generates sympathy from her failings.