The Student Room Group

Gcse Of Mice and Men

Hi i have my english exams next week and am doing Of Mice and Men, does anyone have any notes that i could add to/compare with my notes? Any help i would appreciate :smile:

Scroll to see replies

I'm doing OMAM as well :smile: I haven't got any notes but I can tell you that there are literally hundreds of analyses of the novel on the Internet if you just search it up which are really useful and that's what I am using. Can I also ask you how are you revising for this exam because I really don't know what revision technique to use or where to start :frown:

Good luck in your exam!
Reply 2
Original post by Dandaman9999
I'm doing OMAM as well :smile: I haven't got any notes but I can tell you that there are literally hundreds of analyses of the novel on the Internet if you just search it up which are really useful and that's what I am using. Can I also ask you how are you revising for this exam because I really don't know what revision technique to use or where to start :frown:

Good luck in your exam!


Mine's on Tuesday, and i have done no revision- all going well :wink: I think i might look up analysis of the characters as the questions are mainly based on the characters and what they represent as well as context , thanks for the luck looks like im going to need it! Good luck to you to!
Reply 3
Original post by mia_hilton
mine's on tuesday, and i have done no revision- all going well :wink: i think i might look up analysis of the characters as the questions are mainly based on the characters and what they represent as well as context , thanks for the luck looks like im going to need it! Good luck to you to!


you guys really dont even need that much revision! Just before you go into the exam- make sure you have watched the film and make sure you've acctually read the book, then just check that you know the characters inside out!

If you know your characters and their motives, you should be fine- because they only ever give you a short extract from the novel to analyse..

Like for when i done it a year ago, we got the part about 'crooks' [i think that was his name]
and we were told to talk about how he was discriminated or something like that, i wrote about how coloured people were viewed at that time and how crooks suffered because of it, how he had to live in a seperate barn because he wasnt white!
Original post by Salvatore8
you guys really dont even need that much revision! Just before you go into the exam- make sure you have watched the film and make sure you've acctually read the book, then just check that you know the characters inside out!

If you know your characters and their motives, you should be fine- because they only ever give you a short extract from the novel to analyse..

Like for when i done it a year ago, we got the part about 'crooks' [i think that was his name]
and we were told to talk about how he was discriminated or something like that, i wrote about how coloured people were viewed at that time and how crooks suffered because of it, how he had to live in a seperate barn because he wasnt white!


Thanks for the advice! It helped me too :wink: can you tell me how to structure my essay so I can fit everything in and it is A* standard as well please :colondollar: (sorry for stealing the thread temporarily!)
Original post by mia_hilton
Mine's on Tuesday, and i have done no revision- all going well :wink: I think i might look up analysis of the characters as the questions are mainly based on the characters and what they represent as well as context , thanks for the luck looks like im going to need it! Good luck to you to!


My exam's on Tuesday as well! I started revision today seriously and ive been told that I need to ensure I have some quotations memorised so it gives you a couple of extra minutes in the exam which could be vital (as my time management is diabolical!- needs improving a lot). I'm gonna need some of that luck too :smile:
Reply 6
Original post by Dandaman9999
Thanks for the advice! It helped me too :wink: can you tell me how to structure my essay so I can fit everything in and it is A* standard as well please :colondollar: (sorry for stealing the thread temporarily!)


No worry's..
OK well to start; English Structuring is the Same all round..
When you make a point Make sure you Back it up with an example..
I dont know if youve Been taught any of these [PEEL] [PQE] [PEE]
Take PQE for example
-POINT
-QUOTE
-EXPLANATION

Always link what your talking about back to the original question
NEVER lose Focus on the question..
ATBQ- Answer the bloody Question [As my teacher Says]

As for Structuring your paragraphs, Start off with a strong Introduction [Most likely having to introduce the topic and maybe briefly introduce some characters]
[Then Dive staright iinto answering the question! dont Be Repetative]
Also Make a point and then stick by it.. the worst thing to do is Contradict yourself infront of the examiner [It will show you havent a clue as to what your talking about!]

Throughout the Paragraphs, you can briefly look into other areas, but dont completly drift.
I cant STRESS enough how important it is to stay focused on the question!

Make sure your Paragraphing is Clean and Neat [The examiners are more likely to give you marks if it is easy for them to follow your work]

Finally, Make sure you End on a weighty conclusion.
Review everthing you've said through all your paragraphs in brief points [NEVER bullet points] then try to expand on you ideas [Breifly]
then last but not least: end it in a way where yu are linking everything back to the original question...

Well, i Hope this has Helped! :smile:
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 7
Gonna give you a few things that I used

Microcosm, the examiner loves you to use that word when you can put it into context! The ranch is a microcosm for the real world due to Candy representing such and such. It is a really nice ender to an essay!

Crooks lives in the harness shack or whatever, it is shown to be holder black men and women down.

Curly's wife is always wearing red and never enters the rooms where she is talking except for the barn. The red shows a colour of violence, of blood, or aggressiveness. She never enters because she is not wanted, women cause to much trouble in a man's worl of ranching. The only person she can relate to is Lenny because he is useless unless told what to do, and he doesn't have the intelligence to run away from trouble

Just a few points I just thought of, I did it last year so have fun! The best thing I can tell you is that make sure you add context!!!! Once you quote from the book make sure you break it down into smaller quotes and analysis the smaller quotes.
Original post by Salvatore8
No worry's..
OK well to start; English Structuring is the Same all round..
When you make a point Make sure you Back it up with an example..
I dont know if youve Been taught any of these [PEEL] [PQE] [PEE]
Take PQE for example
-POINT
-QUOTE
-EXPLANATION

Always link what your talking about back to the original question
NEVER lose Focus on the question..
ATBQ- Answer the bloody Question [As my teacher Says]

As for Structuring your paragraphs, Start off with a strong Introduction [Most likely having to introduce the topic and maybe briefly introduce some characters]
[Then Dive staright iinto answering the question! dont Be Repetative]
Also Make a point and then stick by it.. the worst thing to do is Contradict yourself infront of the examiner [It will show you havent a clue as to what your talking about!]

Throughout the Paragraphs, you can briefly look into other areas, but dont completly drift.
I cant STRESS enough how important it is to stay focused on the question!

Make sure your Paragraphing is Clean and Neat [The examiners are more likely to give you marks if it is easy for them to follow your work]

Finally, Make sure you End on a weighty conclusion.
Review everthing you've said through all your paragraphs in brief points [NEVER bullet points] then try to expand on you ideas [Breifly]
then last but not least: end it in a way where yu are linking everything back to the original question...

Well, i Hope this has Helped! :smile:



Original post by Booyah
Gonna give you a few things that I used

Microcosm, the examiner loves you to use that word when you can put it into context! The ranch is a microcosm for the real world due to Candy representing such and such. It is a really nice ender to an essay!

Crooks lives in the harness shack or whatever, it is shown to be holder black men and women down.

Curly's wife is always wearing red and never enters the rooms where she is talking except for the barn. The red shows a colour of violence, of blood, or aggressiveness. She never enters because she is not wanted, women cause to much trouble in a man's worl of ranching. The only person she can relate to is Lenny because he is useless unless told what to do, and he doesn't have the intelligence to run away from trouble

Just a few points I just thought of, I did it last year so have fun! The best thing I can tell you is that make sure you add context!!!! Once you quote from the book make sure you break it down into smaller quotes and analysis the smaller quotes.


Thank you both, you have helped so much :smile:
Reply 9
BBC Bitesize - Of Mice and Men

Should provide a basic revision :smile:
Reply 10
Original post by Salvatore8
No worry's..
OK well to start; English Structuring is the Same all round..
When you make a point Make sure you Back it up with an example..
I dont know if youve Been taught any of these [PEEL] [PQE] [PEE]
Take PQE for example
-POINT
-QUOTE
-EXPLANATION

Always link what your talking about back to the original question
NEVER lose Focus on the question..
ATBQ- Answer the bloody Question [As my teacher Says]

As for Structuring your paragraphs, Start off with a strong Introduction [Most likely having to introduce the topic and maybe briefly introduce some characters]
[Then Dive staright iinto answering the question! dont Be Repetative]
Also Make a point and then stick by it.. the worst thing to do is Contradict yourself infront of the examiner [It will show you havent a clue as to what your talking about!]

Throughout the Paragraphs, you can briefly look into other areas, but dont completly drift.
I cant STRESS enough how important it is to stay focused on the question!

Make sure your Paragraphing is Clean and Neat [The examiners are more likely to give you marks if it is easy for them to follow your work]

Finally, Make sure you End on a weighty conclusion.
Review everthing you've said through all your paragraphs in brief points [NEVER bullet points] then try to expand on you ideas [Breifly]
then last but not least: end it in a way where yu are linking everything back to the original question...

Well, i Hope this has Helped! :smile:


Thanks this has helped! You don't by any chance do private tuition do you? :wink:
Did you do short stories also? Would simply just read them and look at key point/themes?
Reply 11
Original post by Booyah
Gonna give you a few things that I used

Microcosm, the examiner loves you to use that word when you can put it into context! The ranch is a microcosm for the real world due to Candy representing such and such. It is a really nice ender to an essay!

Crooks lives in the harness shack or whatever, it is shown to be holder black men and women down.

Curly's wife is always wearing red and never enters the rooms where she is talking except for the barn. The red shows a colour of violence, of blood, or aggressiveness. She never enters because she is not wanted, women cause to much trouble in a man's worl of ranching. The only person she can relate to is Lenny because he is useless unless told what to do, and he doesn't have the intelligence to run away from trouble

Just a few points I just thought of, I did it last year so have fun! The best thing I can tell you is that make sure you add context!!!! Once you quote from the book make sure you break it down into smaller quotes and analysis the smaller quotes.


Thank you ! :smile:
Reply 12
Original post by Dandaman9999
Thanks for the advice! It helped me too :wink: can you tell me how to structure my essay so I can fit everything in and it is A* standard as well please :colondollar: (sorry for stealing the thread temporarily!)


Just to add to the other comments:

Context is a MUST, every point you make should be linked to the historical background and what Steinbeck is trying to show about what life was like during that time period.
Original post by Aquar
Just to add to the other comments:

Context is a MUST, every point you make should be linked to the historical background and what Steinbeck is trying to show about what life was like during that time period.


Thanks! But what else apart from the Great Depression and unemployment is there in terms of context for this book?
Reply 14
Original post by mia_hilton
Mine's on Tuesday, and i have done no revision- all going well :wink: I think i might look up analysis of the characters as the questions are mainly based on the characters and what they represent as well as context , thanks for the luck looks like im going to need it! Good luck to you to!


Trust me, it is really easy. I didn't revise, and did perfectly fine... more so, actually.
Reply 15
Original post by Dandaman9999
Thanks! But what else apart from the Great Depression and unemployment is there in terms of context for this book?


Not just the depression, but attitudes towards women, and different races, are equally important. Not just the American Dream. Talk about how this combines with stereotypes.
My best quote was
'Curley's wife is an archetypal Scarlet woman - a woman with typically loose morals. Her being associated with the colour red only further exemplifies this idea.'
I'm doing of mice and men on Tuesday :smile:
I suggest you go on spark notes and grade saver to get some excellent notes. Also, (depending on how late you think it is), go onto eBay or amazon and buy the York notes of mice and men book, I got a lot out of it.

Literature is not something you can blag. I started my English literature revision like two or three months ago and so now I'm just going through the characters, themes and the style of writing to jog my memory. It will best help you if you get different notes of for example, George from different sources which is what I've done. You'll get a better chance of getting the grade you want :smile:
Reply 18
I have got this exam as well and thanks to whoever started this thread, some really helpful points on here... Also check out this website great for inspector calls and Mice & Men..
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/micemen/context.html
go on sparknotes . com they have tons of good notes for OMAM

Quick Reply

Latest