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5-A-Day Answers1. What is 2nd person narrative? 2. What is this a definition of? Making

an object or thing perform an action usually associated with humans (e.g. The sun smiled down on them.)

3. Use the word ‘idiosyncratic’ in a sentence.

4. What is the spelling rule for pluralising ‘veto’?

5. What poetic technique is this? A big break in the middle of a line.

1. What is 3rd person narrative? 2. What is this a definition of? The

occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words e.g. ‘The funky phantom fell to the floor.’

3. Use the word ‘denotation’ in a sentence.

4. What is the spelling rule for pluralising ‘hero’?

5. What technique is the repeated first few words at the start of lines?

1. What part of the story is this: The most intense, exciting, or important point of a text (normally towards the end).

2. What is this a definition of? Using a word, phrase or idea more than once to draw attention to it.

3. Use the word ‘epitome’ in a sentence.

4. What is the spelling rule for pluralising ‘zero’?

5. What is the correct term of a paragraph in a poem?

1. What part of the story is this: Background information about the main character, setting or plot.

2. What is this a definition of? Two words with opposite meanings placed together.

3. What word means ‘old and in poor condition’: fidelity or dilapidated?

4. What is the spelling rule for pluralising ‘half’?

5. What is the term for the turning point in a poem?

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Learning Episode 3 - Big Questions

1. How is the life of a migrant worker presented through the description of the bunkhouse in Section 2? How does this contrast with the opening of Section 1?

2. How are the characters on the ranch presented?

3. What is symbolism?

4. What do each character symbolise?

TASK: You have 1 minute to write down as many details from the bunk house as possible.

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Migrant Workers in 1930’s America

Source 1: BBC Bitesize – Migrant WorkersMigrant Farmers Added to the man-made financial problems were natural ones. A series of droughts in southern mid-western states like Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas led to failed harvests and dried-up land. Farmers were forced to move off their land: they couldn't repay the bank-loans which had helped buy the farms and had to sell what they owned to pay their debts. Many economic migrants headed west to 'Golden' California, thinking there would be land going spare, but the Californians turned many back, fearing they would be over-run. The refugees had nowhere to go back to, so they set up home in huge camps in the California valleys - living in shacks of cardboard and old metal - and sought work as casual farmhands.

Source 2: Sparknotes – Migrant WorkersAfter World War I, economic and ecological forces brought many rural poor and migrant agricultural workers from the Great Plains states, such as Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas, to California. Following World War I, a recession led to a drop in the market price of farm crops, which meant that farmers were forced to produce more goods in order to earn the same amount of money. To meet this demand for increased productivity, many farmers bought more land and invested in expensive agricultural equipment, which plunged them into debt. The stock market crash of 1929 only made matters worse. Banks were forced to foreclose on mortgages and collect debts. Unable to pay their creditors, many farmers lost their property and were forced to find other work. But doing so proved very difficult, since the nation’s unemployment rate had skyrocketed, peaking at nearly twenty-five percent in 1933.The increase in farming activity across the Great Plains states caused the precious soil to erode. This erosion, coupled with a seven-year drought that began in 1931, turned once fertile grasslands into a desert-like region known as the Dust Bowl. Hundreds of thousands of farmers packed up their families and few belongings, and headed for California, which, for numerous reasons, seemed like a promised land. Migrant workers came to be known as Okies, for although they came from many states across the Great Plains, twenty percent of the farmers were originally from Oklahoma. Okies were often met with scorn by California farmers and natives, which only made their dislocation and poverty even more unpleasant.In several of his fiction works, including Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck illustrates how gruelling, challenging, and often unrewarding the life of migrant farmers could be. Just as George and Lennie dream of a better life on their own farm, the Great Plains farmers dreamed of finding a better life in California. The state’s mild climate promised a longer growing season and, with soil favourable to a wider range of crops, it offered more

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opportunities to harvest. Despite these promises, though, very few found it to be the land of opportunity and plenty of which they dreamed.

Migrant Workers in 1930’s America – Focused Questions1. In your own words, explain why farmers headed for California.2. Why were migrant farmers referred to as ‘Okies’?3. Why do you think Californian farmers and natives did not like Okies?4. How can you tell that Source 2 is meant for older audiences?5. Why might the ranch hands in Of Mice and Men be happy, even if the pay is low?6. If you wanted a quick reminder of the life of migrant farmers, which source would be more helpful and why? Give at least two reasons.7. If you were writing an informative article about migrant farmers, which source would be more helpful and why? Give at least two reasons.8. Why is it important to use more than once source when you are doing research?9. “In several of his fiction works, including Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck illustrates how gruelling, challenging, and often unrewarding the life of migrant farmers could be.”Use the sentence above to make an inference about what Steinbeck thought about the life of migrant farm workers in the 1930s.

How is the life of a migrant worker presented through the description of the bunkhouse in Section 2? At the start of Section 2, George and Lennie arrive at the ranch they are going to work on. A description of the bunkhouse, where the ranch hands sleep, is provided:  

1 The bunk house was a long, rectangular building. Inside

11 and talcum powder, razors and those Western

2 the walls were whitewashed and the floor unpainted. In

12 magazines ranch men love to read and scoff at and

3 three walls there were small, square windows and in 13 secretly believe. And there were medicines on the

4 the fourth, a solid door with a wooden latch. Against 14 shelves, and little vials, combs; and from nails on the

5 the walls were eight bunks, five of them made up with

15 box sides, a few neckties. Near one wall there was a

6 blankets and the other three showing their burlap 16 black cast-iron stove, its stove pipe going straight up

7 ticking. Over each bunk there was nailed an apple box

17 through the ceiling. In the middle of the room stood a

8 with the opening forward so that it made two shelves for

18 big square table littered with playing cards, and around

9 the personal belongings of the occupant of the bunk. 19 it were grouped boxes for the players to sit on.

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10 And these shelves were loaded with little articles, soap

Inference 1:

Inference 2:

Inference 3:

TASK: What inferences* can you make about the bunkhouse environment and the men who live within it? Identify a minimum of 3 inferences about the bunkhouse with supporting evidence and a brief explanation.*Inference - a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning.

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Model Answer:

What?We get the impression that the life of a migrant worker is difficult and that their living conditions are cramped and uncomfortable. How?Steinbeck uses strong adjectives to create this impression. In line 3 it says that “there were small, square windows.” The adjective ‘small’ gives the impression of a dark room which is poorly illumined. Steinbeck describes there being only ‘two’ shelves for personal belongings, suggesting that space was limited and there was little room for personalisation. Why?Steinbeck creates this impression to juxtapose with the opening description of the Salinas Valley which is a vast, green outdoor space. This strong contrast emphasises just how unpleasant the living conditions were. Steinbeck wants the reader to feel empathy towards George and Lennie, as well as the plight of the American migrant workers as a whole.

TASK: What do we learn about the life of a migrant worker through the description of the bunkhouse?

Possible techniques to focus on:Adjectives, verbs, nouns, lists, contrasts, complex sentences, compound sentences, punctuation.

WHAT? What do we learn about the life of a migrant worker through the description of the bunk-house?

Strong topic sentence expressing one idea about the life of a migrant worker

Use of an adjective to convey an impression

Use of an evaluative adverbHOW? How does Steinbeck help us to arrive at this impression?

What evidence can you find to support your impression?

What methods has Steinbeck employed to help him present the lives of migrant workers in this way?

How do these methods help to create an impression?

Use short quotations

Use subject terminologyWHY? Why does Steinbeck want to present the bunkhouse in this way?

What is our overall impression of the life of a migrant worker as a result of the description? (Bring it back to the topic sentence)

Why did Steinbeck portray the bunkhouse in this way?

How does this help the reader to establish why the bunkhouse is so significant?

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How are the characters on the ranch presented?

Caption: A ‘Jerkline Skinner’ controlling a 20 mule pack.

What do we learn about the character’s appearance?

What do we learn about the character’s personality or characteristics?

What does the character’s dialogue reveal about them?

What do other people say about the character?

TASK: Knowledge Recall - Write down a bullet point list of all the Characters that we have been introduced to so far.

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What do you think might be the purpose of this character? Why might John Steinbeck have crafted this character?

What do we learn about the character’s appearance?

Lennie is a “huge man” and has big eyes and undefined facial features. He wears denim jeans, a denim jacket and flat cap. His shoes have a low heel.

What do we learn about the character’s personality or characteristics?

Lennie is extremely strong and doesn’t know his own strength. He has learning difficulties and has the mental age of a child despite his large appearance. He is childish, imperceptive and has a poor understanding of social situations. He is subservient to George’s demands.

What does the character’s dialogue reveal about them?

He often talks about childish fantasies and is very selective in what he hears and understands. The part of George’s dream he cares about most is tending to rabbits. He tends to mimic what George says in order to seem like he understands. He tends to only communicate with George.

What do other people say about the character? George says that he’s a good worker but he’s not particular bright. Slim comments that he seems like a nice fella and agrees with George’s assessment. Curley takes an instant dislike to him because of his size.

TASK: Pick a character from the novella and answer the questions on the table. Write in full, detailed sentences.

Character: Lennie Small

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What do you think might be the purpose of this character? Why might John Steinbeck have crafted this character?

Lennie is used represent the frustration and hopelessness felt by dispossessed men during the Great Depression. He represents the weak, downtrodden man and the prejudice that was writhe during 1930’s America.

Divide your page up as follows:

Key words: Any new vocab that you come across or any techniques that the author has used. Key Questions: What questions do you have about what’s written? What information is missing?

What does the author leave unexplained?

Teacher notes: Make notes on anything that your teacher says which might help to explain what’s happening in the story.

My notes: These are your main notes which you will take throughout the lesson.

Summary: What have we learnt in this section of the story? What are the main plot points? Who are the key characters?

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QUIZ – Section 3

1. Who kills Candy's dog?2. Who starts the fight?3. Why does Curley fight Lennie?4. What card game does George play more than all the others?5. Which character best understands the relationship between George and Lennie?6. Which character gives Lennie a puppy?7. Who wants to join George and Lennie on their future ranch?8. How much is Candy willing to contribute to the farm?9. Several years ago, this character lost his hand in an accident on the ranch.10. Curley's wife most likely comes in and talks to the ranch hands because of what reason?11. In Of Mice and Men, why isn't Curley's wife given a proper name?12. On the future ranch, who is going to tend the rabbits?13. On the future ranch, who is going to do all the cooking and gardening?14. Lennie doesn't fight back until which character tells him to?15. Lennie breaks Curley's __________.16. When asked about his hand, what is Curley supposed to say?