A presentation to help pupils prepare for an essay comparing Steinbeck's protagonists and the bond between them.

1. Explore the significance of
George and Lennie’s
relationship in Steinbeck’s ‘Of
Mice and Men’

2. Step 1
Interrogate the question

3. Explore the significance of
George and Lennie’s relationship
in Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’
The topic focus
Look closely at / examine Importance of – how
their friendship
reflects the novel’s
themes and big
ideas

4. Step 2
Ask questions of the question and work
your way back through the book to find
evidence to support your ideas

5. • When do we first meet George and Lennie?
• What descriptive details / events help shape
those impressions?
• What are the first impressions we get of their
relationship?

6. • How long have they held this friendship and what
has bonded them? (evidence?)
• What are the tensions in their relationship?
(evidence?)
• What are their shared values – why do they
remain in each other’s company? (evidence?)

7. • Compare the friendship between George and
Lennie with the other characters we meet as the
novel progresses – how is their bond similar or
different?
• How does the friendship between George and
Lennie help Steinbeck to explore some of the key
themes of the novel?

14. • How long have they held this friendship and what
has bonded them? (evidence?)
Example – evidence gathering
“He’s my… cousin. I told his old lady I’d take care of
him.” (ch2 George to the Boss)
“If I was a relative of yours, I’d shoot myself’ (ch2
George to Lennie)

15. Example
“Him and me was born in Auburn. I knowed his Aunt
Clara. She took him when he was a baby and raised
him up. When his Aunt Clara died, Lennie just come
along with me out workin’. Got kinda used to
eachother after a little while.’ (ch3 George to Slim)

16. Example – analysis from
evidence
It is unclear what George’s relationship was (if any)
with Aunt Clara – their bond seems to have been
formed organically and perhaps out of compassion.
George realized that Lennie had no-one to look after
him and took on that responsibility.
At the same time, he found companionship in their
connection – it was not merely charitable.

17. Step 3
Organise your ideas/evidence into
clusters that will form paragraphs

18. Step 4
Write the essay, remembering that each
paragraph should begin with a topic
sentence and make use of the evidence
you have found.

19. The topic – George and
Lennie’s friendship
The bunkhouse is full of isolated and lonely figures
who drift in and then out of the ranch.
George and Lennie’s bond is at odds with the
relationships which are typical of ranchlife.

20. It’s okay to use synonyms of
‘friendship’ to avoid repetition
Bond
Companionship
Platonic connection
Relationship
Affection for one another
Amity

21. Step 5
Proof read your essay out
loud and make necessary
corrections