1. Crooks possessed several pairs of shoes, a pair of rubber boots, a big alarm clock
and a single-barreled shotgun. And he had books, too; a tattered dictionary and a
mauled copy of the California civil code for 1905. There were battered magazines
and a few dirty books on a special shelf over his bunk. A pair of large gold-rimmed
spectacles hung from a nail on the wall above his bed.
This room was swept and fairly neat, for Crooks was a proud, aloof man. He kept
his distance and demanded that other people kept theirs. His body was bent over to
the left by his crooked spine, and his eyes lay deep in his head, and because of their
depth seemed to glitter with intensity. His lean face was lined with deep black
wrinkles, and he had thin, pain-tightened lips which were lighter than his face.
It was Saturday night. Through the open door that led into the barn came the sound
of moving horses, of feet stirring, of teeth champing on hay, of the rattle of halter
chains. In the stable buck’s room a small electric globe threw a meagre yellow light.
Crooks sat on his bunk. His shirt was out of his jeans in back. In one hand he held
a bottle of liniment, and with the other he rubbed his spine. Now and then he poured
a few drops of the liniment into his pink-palmed hand and reached up under his shirt
to rub again. He flexed his muscles against his back and shivered.
Noiselessly Lennie appeared in the open doorway and stood there looking in, his big
shoulders nearly filling the opening. For a moment Crooks did not see him, but on
raising his eyes he stiffened and a scowl came on his face. His hand came out from
under his shirt.
Lennie smiled helplessly in an attempt to make friends.
Crooks said sharply, ‘You got no right to come in my room. This here’s my room.
Nobody got any right in here but me.

2. • Part (a)
• In this passage, how does Steinbeck present
Crooks? Refer closely to the passage in
• your answer.
• and then Part (b)
• In the rest of the novel how does Steinbeck use
Crooks to present attitudes to black
• people at the time the novel is set? (30 marks)
• SPaG: (4 marks)

3. Of Mice and Men: John Steinbeck
It was a pleasing series with this text. Previous issues relating to weaker context
sections appear to have diminished and many students produced some truly superb
responses to context.
The question - particularly part 'a' - was doable by all who attempted it. Most
students, even the weaker students seemed to be able to comment on the
description of the bunkhouse and support their answers with well-chosen examples;
this is interesting as it involved close analysis of the extract, as per other exam series,
yet the students seemed more able to pick out key words and ideas.
Many students were able to comment on Steinbeck's use of language in the
extract from the text and relate that to the lives of the men. Popular observations
were that these men travelled, didn't have much in the way of belongings - 'all their
things fitted on a little shelf' and the conditions were cramped and lacked comfort and
hygiene. However, the surprise was the variety of attitudes to the bunk house e.g.
some students referring to the bunkhouse as a horrible prison, but others seeing it as
a cosy place of safety.

4. There were a few misplaced comments on the interior decor
where students judged the bunkhouse by 21st century
standards e.g. they didn't have the money to put up some decent
shelving units or get some colour on the walls.
In part (b) the stronger students tended to pick up on Steinbeck's
method again, and were able to explain, in some detail and with strong
support from other parts of the text, how he used characters such as
Crooks and Curley's wife to show how black people / women were
treated at the time. They were also able to discuss how he used the
concept of „The American Dream‟ in relation to the question.
However, the weaker students tended to repeat comments on the
Living conditions rather than extending into other ideas, such as
racism, sexism etc

5. Band
AO4 AO2
1 perceptive exploration and critical
evaluation of a wide range of links
between texts and their contexts
and/or the significance of texts to
readers in different contexts
sensitive understanding of the
significance and effects of writers’
choices of language, structure and
form
•text is legible
•spelling, punctuation and grammar are
accurate and assured
•meaning is very clearly communicated
2 thoughtful exploration and
evaluation of a range of links
between texts and their contexts
and/or the significance of texts to
readers in different contexts
clear, critical understanding of the
effects of writers’ choices of
language, structure and form
•text is legible
•spelling, punctuation and grammar are
accurate
•meaning is very clearly communicated
3 some attempt to explore and
explain links between texts and
their contexts and/or the
significance of texts to their
readers
good overall understanding that
writers’ choices of language,
structure and form contribute to
meaning/effect
•text is legible
•spelling, punctuation and grammar are
mainly accurate
•meaning is clearly communicated
4 some understanding of links
between texts and their contexts
and/or the significance of texts to
their readers
understanding of some features
of language, structure and/or
form
•text is legible
•some errors in spelling, punctuation and
grammar
•meaning is clearly communicated for most
of the answer
Below
4
some straightforward comments
on links between texts and their
contexts and/or the significance of
texts to their readers
a little response to features of
language, structure and/or form
•text is mostly legible
•frequent errors in spelling, punctuation
and grammar
•communication of meaning is sometimes
hindered
Prose from Different Cultures
Of Mice and Men A663 (the exam)

6. Answering the Passage Based Question
Notes:
• Look at the key adjectives in the question and work with
quotations that will suggest this is a powerful and/or significant
moment in the novel.
• Look to comment upon at least 5 good quotations which will allow
you to answer the question.
• The examiner will be expecting you to comment on contexts (AO4).
These may include: working in America 1930, “rights” of migrant
workers (or lack of them), threat of being fired (canned) for no good
reason, the influence these types of texts have had on workers’
rights, Curley’s position on ranch and his ability to threaten workers
because of who he is, Lennie’s position within society, your
thoughts about how hard life was for these workers and how this
knowledge has impacted upon you and your ideas of what it was
like in 1930s, etc.

7. Highlight key words from the question
Passage-based question
IMPORTANT SIGNIFICANT REVEALING
POWERFUL HORRIFYING
MOVING VIVID DISTURBING
SHOCKING
You need to know:
• What the key adjectives mean
• How they can be interpreted
For Example: MOVING
• Arousing or touching the emotions. What emotions?
• Making a strong or vivid impression – impressive.
TASK: Choose 2 of the KEY ADJECTIVES from the
list.
• What do the key adjectives mean?
• How can they be interpreted?

8. Annotate the passage
Passage-based question
You are looking for examples of:
LANGUAGE:
• Movement
• How they relate to other characters/how other characters view them
• The setting in which the character is seen
• Physical appearance
STRUCTURE:
• How a particular atmosphere (tension) is built up across a scene
• Contrast
• Dramatic irony
• The importance of the scene in relation to the rest of the story e.g. The circular narrative
Remember you must link to the context of the novel at least 2-3 points in your answer
The last stage of your planning is to organise your annotations of the passage into
the paragraphs/sections of your response.

9. Writing your Response
Passage-based question
INTRODUCTION:
An overview which sets the passage in context and summarises the author’s
overall purpose.
WRITING A PARAGRAPH:
Mention a KEY WORD (particularly the KEY ADJECTIVE) from the question in
every paragraph.
Provide EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT for everything you say.
Focus on THE AUTHOR’S PURPOSE and the WAYS this is achieved.
Try to make a link with the an aspect(s) of the novel’s context.
Aim to write between 5-6 paragraphs:
•Introduction
•3/4 developed sections
•Conclusion

10. Both men glanced up, for the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off. A
girl was standing there looking in. She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes,
heavily made up. Her fi ngernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like
sausages. She wore a cotton house dress and red mules, on the insteps of which
were little bouquets of red ostrich feathers. ‘I’m lookin’ for Curley,’ she said. Her voice
had a nasal, brittle quality.
George looked away from her and then back. ‘He was in here a minute ago, but he
went.’
‘Oh!’ She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the door frame so that
her body was thrown forward. ‘You’re the new fellas that just come, ain’t ya?’
‘Yeah.’
Lennie’s eyes moved down over her body, and though she did not seem to be
looking at Lennie she bridled a little. She looked at her fi ngernails. ‘Sometimes
Curley’s in here,’ she explained.
George said brusquely, ‘Well he ain’t now.’
‘If he ain’t, I guess I better look some place else,’ she said playfully.
Lennie watched her, fascinated. George said, ‘If I see him, I’ll pass the word you
was looking for him.’
She smiled archly and twitched her body. ‘Nobody can’t blame a person for lookin’,’
she said. There were footsteps behind her, going by. She turned her head. ‘Hi, Slim,’
she said.
Slim’s voice came through the door, ‘Hi, good-lookin’.’
‘I’m tryin’ to fi nd Curley, Slim.’
‘Well, you ain’t tryin’ very hard. I seen him goin’ in your house.’
She was suddenly apprehensive. ‘Bye, boys,’ she called into the bunk house, and
she hurried away.
George looked around at Lennie. ‘Jesus, what a tramp,’ he said. ‘So that’s what
Curley picks for a wife.’

11. Part (a)
In this passage, what methods does Steinbeck use
to present Curley’s wife and the
attitudes of others to her? Refer closely to the
passage in your answer.
and then Part (b)
How does Steinbeck present attitudes to women in
the society in which the novel is set?
(30 marks)
June 2012