OF MICE AND MEN - St Leonard's College

1 of mice and men BY JOHN STEINBECK YEAR 9 ENGLISH RESOURCE BOOKLET Name: _____ Homeroom: _____ 2 of mice and men Resource Guide Contents Unit Overview .. 3 INTRODUCTORY MATERIALS Us Two .. 7 To a Mouse .. 8 The World of 10 Background: The American Dream .. 11 Background: The Great Depression .. 12 Background: The Dust 13 Images of the Dust Bowl .. 15 Background: The Novel .. 19 CHAPTER QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES Chapter One Questions .. 23 Chapter Two Questions .. 24 Chapter Three Questions .. 25 Chapter Four Questions .. 26 Chapter Five Questions.

2 27 Chapter Six Questions .. 28 George and Lennie: Setting the Scene .. 29 Dreams .. 30 Livin off the fatta the lan ! .. 35 Character Facebook Profiles .. 37 Curley s Wife .. 43 The Marginalised .. 45 Foreshadowing .. 46 Courtroom Drama .. 51 Write Like Steinbeck .. 54 Figurative Language in of mice and men .. 55 GLOSSARIES Colloquialisms .. 59 Novel Vocabulary .. 60 Essay Vocabulary .. 62 Transition Words .. 63 ESSAY MATERIALS Text Response Essay overview .. 67 Sample Topic: The importance of dreams .. 69 Sample Topic: Isolation and loneliness .. 72 Sample Topic: Characters feeling trapped.

3 74 Sample Topic: The American Dream .. 75 Sample Essay Topics .. 76 SUMMARIES AND ANALYSIS Characters Mind Map .. 79 Timeline of Events .. 80 Chapter Summaries .. 81 Chapter Analysis .. 89 Theme Analysis .. 95 Key Quotes .. 99 LitChart .. 105 2 List of Sources Any materials that are not original works by St Leonard s staff were sourced from the following websites: - Curve Learn ( ) - Digital History ( ) - The Hypertexts ( ) - Library of Congress ( ) - Litcharts ( ) - Sparknotes ( ) - TES Connect ( ) - United States History ( ) - University of NSW ( ) 3 Year 9 English: of mice and men unit overview Overarching Question: Do we all need a dream and a friend to share it with?

4 Essential Questions: What is meant by the American Dream? Is the American dream a destructive or empowering force? What leads a person to become isolated in a community? Can social disadvantage be overcome? How much control does an individual have over their destiny? What is the value of loyalty in friendship? Can you be cruel to be kind? Assessment: Text Response Essay: 80 minute in-class test (Term 2 Week 2) Text Response Essay: Mid-Year Exam (Term 2 Week 8) 4 5 INTRODUCTORY MATERALS 6 7 Us Two Poem by Milne Wherever I am, there's always Pooh, There's always Pooh and Me.

5 Whatever I do, he wants to do, "Where are you going today?" says Pooh: "Well, that's very odd 'cos I was too. Let's go together," says Pooh, says he. "Let's go together," says Pooh. "What's twice eleven?" I said to Pooh. ("Twice what?" said Pooh to Me.) "I think it ought to be twenty-two." "Just what I think myself," said Pooh. "It wasn't an easy sum to do, But that's what it is," said Pooh, said he. "That's what it is," said Pooh. "Let's look for dragons," I said to Pooh. "Yes, let's," said Pooh to Me. We crossed the river and found a few- "Yes, those are dragons all right," said Pooh.

6 "As soon as I saw their beaks I knew. That's what they are," said Pooh, said he. "That's what they are," said Pooh. "Let's frighten the dragons," I said to Pooh. "That's right," said Pooh to Me. "I'm not afraid," I said to Pooh, And I held his paw and I shouted "Shoo! Silly old dragons!"- and off they flew. "I wasn't afraid," said Pooh, said he, "I'm never afraid with you." So wherever I am, there's always Pooh, There's always Pooh and Me. "What would I do?" I said to Pooh, "If it wasn't for you," and Pooh said: "True, It isn't much fun for One, but Two, Can stick together, says Pooh, says he.

7 "That's how it is," says Pooh. Using the poem Us Two as inspiration, answer the following questions. Use examples, from the poem if possible, in order to illustrate your responses: exactly is friendship ? will determine whether or not a person is a friend ? is friendship important? can a strong friendship allow us to do? 8 To a Mouse Original poem by Robert Burns Modern translation by Michael Burch ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TRANSLATION Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie, Sleek, tiny, timorous, cowering beast, O, what panic's in thy breastie!

8 Why's such panic in your breast? Thou need na start awa sae hasty, Why dash away, so quick, so rash, Wi' bickering brattle! in a frenzied flash I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee, when I would be loath to run after you Wi' murd'ring pattle! with a murderous plowstaff! I'm truly sorry Man's dominion I'm truly sorry Man's dominion Has broken Nature's social union, has broken Nature's social union, An' justifies that ill opinion, and justifies that bad opinion Which makes thee startle, which makes you startle, At me, thy poor, earth-born companion, when I'm your poor, earth-born companion An' fellow-mortal!

9 And fellow mortal! I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve; I have no doubt you sometimes thieve; What then? poor beastie, thou maun live! What of it, friend? You too must live! A daimen-icker in a thrave A random corn-ear in a shock's 'S a sma' request: a small behest; it- I'll get a blessin wi' the lave, 'll give me a blessing to know such a loss; An' never miss't! I'll never miss it! Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin!

10 Your tiny house lies in a ruin, It's silly wa's the win's are strewin! its fragile walls wind-rent and strewn! An' naething, now, to big a new ane, Now nothing's left to construct you a new one O' foggage green! of mosses green An' bleak December's winds ensuin, since bleak December's winds, ensuing, Baith snell an' keen! blow fast and keen! Thou saw the fields laid bare an' wast, You saw your fields laid bare and waste An' weary Winter comin fast, with weary winter closing fast, An' cozie here, beneath the blast, and cozy here, beneath the blast, Thou thought to dwell, you thought to dwell, Till crash!