"These notes refer to the Cambridge GCE O Level Examination held in November in Singapore. However, they are of general interest to anyone preparing to answer essay questions on 'Of Mice and Men', in any exam."
" "
"There is a 20% mark allocation for the essay, so about 30 minutes should be allowed for answering this question."
" "
"*Notes on approved essay techniques follow."
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"You are advised to follow these steps in writing your answer."
"*1. "
"Quickly select the topic which seems best suited to the study and preparation you have done. Usually this will be obvious."
"If you have trouble choosing, jot down rough notes about each topic and see which one is easier to give information on."
"*2. "
"Check the question carefully, underlining key words. Be 100% sure that you know exactly what the examiner wants you to do. Many essays are failed because they are off the topic, although the candidate has shown wide knowledge of the book."
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"*3. "
"Now, plan your essay. It may seem that time is very short, but a well-planned essay will be written much more easily than one where you are struggling to think of ideas as you write."
"Any essay topic should fall naturally into some kind of logical form or order. Try to allot one paragraph for each major point you want to make."
"For instance, if you are asked to show how Lennie's urge to pet things builds up from small things to bigger ones, a possible arrangement would be:"
"*Previously he 'petted' a piece of velvet given to him by Aunt Clara"
"*At the start he has a dead mouse in his pocket"
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"*Pets puppy which Slim gives him, and kills it."
"*Dream of having rabbits to tend and pet."
"*'Pets' Curley's wife, and accidentally kills her."
" "
"*4. "
"As you plan, try to think of quotations that are relevant to your topic. Jot them down also. It doesn't matter if it is not a long or complete quote, but it should be fully relevant."
"You won't get marks for writng down all the quotations from the book that you have learnt - only those you use to back up some point that you are making."
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"Almost as good as a quotation is a precise example from the text. The body of your essay should fall into the pattern of:"
"*Point - Evidence - Point - Evidence etc."
"If you can help it, never make an unsupported statement."
" "
"Now let's try a sample essay topic."
" "
"*When all the other ranch hands go to town, Lennie, Candy and Crooks are left behind. Describe what each of these three does after the others leave, and explain what they have in common that causes them to be left out."
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"A plan of the proposed essay follows."
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"*Essay Plan"
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"Para. 1. Lennie - goes to pet his puppy in the barn, then enters Crooks' room"
"Para. 2. Candy - 'figuring' about the dream farm, joins Lennie in Crooks' room."
"Para. 3. Crooks - rubbing liniment on his back, hostile to Lennie at first, joins in 'dream' of farm"
"Para. 4. All three are upset by Curley's wife"
"Para. 5. In Common - all are handicapped/crippled - not just physically"
" "
"Turn to the next page for the beginning of the model answer."
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"*MODEL ANSWER"
"When the other hands leave to go to town, Lennie goes to the barn to pet the puppy which Slim has given him. The puppy is still only one or two days old, and Lennie has been told not to pat it too much, but he can't resist going to see it at this time."
"After seeing his puppy, Lennie notices the light on in Crooks' room, and goes in. At first Crooks is hostile and tells him he has no business being there, but is reassured that Lennie is harmless when he says he just wants to 'set'."
" "
"Meanwhile, Candy is still in the bunkhouse, thinking and 'figuring'. Shortly before, George and Lennie have shared with him their dream of buying a little farm."
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"Candy has offered to add in his savings, which may make the purchase possible. Excited by this prospect of a release from his boring existence, Candy is busy poring over some of the details of the new scheme."
"After some time, he comes into the barn looking for Lennie, and also ends up in Crooks' room, the first time he has ever been there."
" "
"Until Lennie and Candy arrived, Crooks had been having a very quiet time, rubbing liniment on his injured back."
"When Lennie arrives, Crooks speculates on why he and George travel around together. Then he taunts Lennie with the possibility that George may not return from town."
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"At first Crooks makes fun of Lennie's wild plans for buying a farm, but after Candy arrives and confirms the details, he too becomes excited by the scheme and offers to join in."
" "
"Later, Curley's wife comes into the room on the excuse of looking for her husband. The three men unite against her, but she insults them and threatens Crooks with accusing him of molesting her before she leaves."
" "
"Each of the three men who are left behind is handicapped in some way. Curley's wife comments that '... they left all the weak ones here.' Crooks, of course, is a physical cripple,"
"but he is also black. It would not have been possible for him to mix with the other hands, even if he was physically fit."
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"Candy is also physically handicapped, having lost his hand in an accident on the ranch. He is also an old man, and has already admitted to George and Lennie that he"
"*ain't got the poop no more."
" "
"Lennie is the only one of the three who is not physically handicapped (unless you consider his giant size and strength a handicap), but he is mentally backward. He has been left behind because he cannot be relied upon to behave appropriately in town."
" "
"So, each of the three has at least one disability."
