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GCSE: John Steinbeck

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1,407 GCSE John Steinbeck essays

  • Marked by Teachers essays 11
  • Peer Reviewed essays 19
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  1. Marked by a teacher

    Conflict is often shown throughout the novella of 'Of Mice and Men'. Usually, it is a result of the strain that the Great Depression placed on the people who lived through it.

    5 star(s)

    This is an extremely well-structured and sophisticated response which examines thoroughly the theme of conflict. The points made are relevant and supported by apt examples and quotations. The…

    • Essay length: 1265 words
    • Submitted: 13/07/2012
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Stephen Evans 20/12/1999
  2. Marked by a teacher

    The Slave's dream

    5 star(s)

    An extremely well-structured essay. Very good use of technical terminology and this is linked to the purpose for its use. The response contains an excellent structure and is…

    • Essay length: 2442 words
    • Submitted: 11/07/2002
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Stephen Evans 01/01/1970
  3. Marked by a teacher

    Explore the way in which Steinbeck presents the relationships between between Curleys Wife and other characters in Of Mice and Men

    4 star(s)

    A well-structured essay which explores the various facets of Curley's wife. The quotations and examples used in order to support the points made are appropriate. There is very…

    • Essay length: 1293 words
    • Submitted: 10/09/2012
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Stephen Evans 20/12/1999
  4. Marked by a teacher

    Relationship between George and Lennie in Of Mice of Men

    4 star(s)

    The student shows thorough knowledge and understanding of the novel and of the relationship between George and Lennie. In an exam, it is important to be clear and concise. One…

    • Essay length: 1307 words
    • Submitted: 16/11/2009
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Melissa Thompson 26/12/1999
  5. Marked by a teacher

    Of Mice and Men - Crooks Monologue

    4 star(s)

    A response which offers many interesting and valid insights into Crooks's feelings and thoughts. There is a very good balance of quotations from the book and the monologue writer's…

    • Essay length: 1076 words
    • Submitted: 15/12/2002
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Stephen Evans 17/03/2013
  6. Marked by a teacher

    Explore the Character Candy in "Of Mice and Men".

    3 star(s)

    This response makes many good points and firmly links Candy's character as a means of exploring the social and historical context to the novella and its themes. However, many…

    • Essay length: 844 words
    • Submitted: 10/05/2012
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Stephen Evans 20/12/1999
  7. Marked by a teacher

    Of Mice and Men is as much a commentary on the lives of migrant workers and the society of the time as it is about Lennie and George. Discuss!!

    3 star(s)

    Shows some understanding of characters and the theme of migrant workers but the essay lacks focus and is too general. Better planning is needed to ensure that the question is…

    • Essay length: 872 words
    • Submitted: 07/01/2012
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Lynne Jung 21/02/2012
  8. Marked by a teacher

    'Of Mice and Men' Broken Dreams Essay.

    3 star(s)

    A well-structured response which makes many valid and interesting points and includes a strong conclusion. The response evidences a sound understanding of three of the main characters' dreams and…

    • Essay length: 732 words
    • Submitted: 30/01/2008
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Stephen Evans 17/03/2013
  9. Marked by a teacher

    How does Steinbeck present Crooks in the extract? What is the importance of crooks in the novel as a whole? Of Mice and Men is a powerful and moving portrayal of two men striving

    3 star(s)

    The student clearly knows a lot about the novel and is able to describe in great detail the events of the novel and what the characters are like. …

    • Essay length: 2422 words
    • Submitted: 17/10/2006
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Melissa Thompson 26/12/1999
  10. Marked by a teacher

    Of Mice and Men. Explore the ways Steinbeck makes the ending of the novel so moving.

    The strength of this essay is that there is a strong structure to each paragraph. It begins with a point. There is a well-selected quote, and it is then linked…

    • Essay length: 621 words
    • Submitted: 30/12/2011
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Melissa Thompson 26/12/1999
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Who is John Steinbeck?

  1. 1 John Steinbeck (1902-1968) was one of greatest American writers of the 20th century.
  2. 2 He was born in Salinas, California. The majority of his novels are set in the area and have authentic sense of place.
  3. 3 He was very left wing and joined Communist writers league. He refused to testify against his friend and fellow writer Arthur Miller during the MacCarthy anti-Communist trials.
  4. 4 Of Mice and Men is about migrant workers in the Great Depression of 1930s, which is the same theme as many of his other novels. Some critics have said his novels are too sympathetic to workers and are too critical of capitalism.
  5. 5 Of Mice and Men is a contemporary tragedy and follows some of the criteria established by Socrates for dramatic tragedies.

Themes in 'Of Mice and Men'

  1. 1 Dreams –
    George wants be his own boss,
    Lennie dreams of being with George,
    Candy longs for security in his old age,
    Crooks dreams of self-respect and acceptance,
    Curley’s wife dreams of being an actress.
  2. 2 The American Dream – The right of everyone to be equal and to own their own home and live off the land. This is a critical issue as it is only a dream (rather than a plausible reality) for the majority of the characters.
  3. 3 Loneliness – It is the fear of loneliness which keeps Lennie and George together,
    Crooks suffers from loneliness as he is excluded or at best tolerated because of his skin colour,
    Curley’s wife’s loneliness forces her to flirt with the men because she is desperate for any attention. To stress this theme further, Steinbeck names the nearest town ‘Soledad’ which means 'loneliness' or 'solitude' in Spanish.
  4. 4 Powerlessness – All of the characters have a sense of their own lack of power, whether this is over their intellectual, economic or social circumstances.
    Lennie ,who could be considered to be the least empowered character, has a great deal of physical power which leads to tragedy.
  5. 5 Lennie and George’s relationship – This is pivotal to the novel and it is necessary to understand the complexities of their familiar relationship, which is almost like that of a father and son.

Top tips for preparing to write an essay on 'Of Mice and Men'

  1. 1 You must read the text several times at least to make sure you know the characters, their relationships and how they are linked.
  2. 2 Consider how the ranch is a microcosm of 1930s American society and portrays the life of migrant workers in California at the time of the Depression.
  3. 3 Consider the significance of Steinbeck’s style and structure. Think about how the novel starts and finishes with the same setting and description. Consider how each chapter opens with a specific setting of place and mood.
  4. 4 Consider how Steinbeck engages the reader through a variety of stylistic features - description, narrative style and characterisation - so the reader is able to have empathy with the characters.
  5. 5 When writing essays for the new GCSE controlled assessments in English literature you should aim to write a response of around 400 words which should be well planned before you start to write.

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