1) To know why PEELing is important in English Literature
2) To identify PEEL
3) To develop your own PEEL structures
English Literature Paper: What you need to
show. . .
Assessment Objectives:
(AOs)
1) Respond to texts in detail, using textual
evidence
2) Explore how language contributes to the
meaning of texts/deeper implications
3) Explore relationships, selecting and
evaluating relevant material
P. E. E. L
P
-
make your point
E
-
use textual evidence
E
-
explore/analyse it
L
-
link it to question and
other paragraphs
How does Steinbeck create sympathy
for Lennie in Of Mice and Men?
Steinbeck creates sympathy for Lennie by demonstrating how
childlike he can be. George has a dream to escape the harsh life of
an itinerant worker. He states that they are ‘the loneliest guys in
the world’ because they do not have a home or family. During this
speech, Lennie ‘broke in’ and said ‘But not us! Because... Because I
got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and
that’s why.’ Then ‘He laughed delightedly.’ The choice of verb
‘broke’, the exclamation ‘but not us!’ and repetition of ‘because’
show the reader that George is childlike in the way he responds to
another grown man. The adverb ‘delightedly’ is unusual in
describing the laughter of an adult and, again, demonstrates to the
reader that Lennie is childlike. This description of Lennie’s reaction
ensures that the reader is charmed by Lennie’s excitement and view
him as a vulnerable child rather than a hardened adult.
1) Where is P. E. E. L?
2) Does it achieve the A Os?
How does Steinbeck create sympathy
for Lennie in Of Mice and Men?
Steinbeck creates sympathy for Lennie by demonstrating how
childlike he can be. George has a dream to escape the harsh life of
an itinerant worker. He states that they are ‘the loneliest guys in
the world’ because they do not have a home or family. During this
speech, Lennie ‘broke in’ and said ‘But not us! Because... Because I
got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and
that’s why.’ Then ‘He laughed delightedly.’ The choice of verb
‘broke’, the exclamation ‘but not us!’ and repetition of ‘because’
show the reader that George is childlike in the way he responds to
another grown man. The adverb ‘delightedly’ is unusual in
describing the laughter of an adult and, again, demonstrates to the
reader that Lennie is childlike. This description of Lennie’s reaction
ensures that the reader is charmed by Lennie’s excitement and are
sympathetic because they view him as a vulnerable child rather
than a hardened adult.
How does Steinbeck create sympathy
for Lennie in Of Mice and Men?
1) Using the given extract, or textual evidence
of your own, create a PEEL paragraph in
response to the essay question.
2) Exchange the paragraph with a partner so
that they can identify PEEL
1) Where is P. E. E. L?
2) Does it answer the question?
Steinbeck creates sympathy for Lennie by demonstrating how childlike he can be. George has a
dream to escape the harsh life of an itinerant worker. He states that they are ‘the loneliest guys in
the world’ because they do not have a home or family. During this speech, Lennie ‘broke in’ and
said ‘But not us! Because... Because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you,
and that’s why.’ Then ‘He laughed delightedly.’ The choice of verb ‘broke’, the exclamation ‘but not
us!’ and repetition of ‘because’ show the reader that George is childlike in the way he responds to
another grown man. The adverb ‘delightedly’ is unusual in describing the laughter of an adult and,
again, demonstrates to the reader that Lennie is childlike. This description of Lennie’s reaction
ensures that the reader is charmed by Lennie’s excitement and view him as a vulnerable child
rather than a responsible adult.
Steinbeck also creates sympathy for Lennie by revealing how much George is the responsible adult
in their relationship. George becomes angry about how responsible he needs to be because he
states ‘if I was alone, I could live so easy’ and he explains that it is Lennie that does ‘bad things and I
got to get you out’. Lennie responds by taking on ‘the elaborate manner of litter girls when
mimicking one another. ‘Jus’ wanted to fell that little girl’s dress – jus’ wanted to pet it like a mouse’. George has to speak to Lennie like a child, using the phrase ‘bad things’ to describe the
inappropriate social actions that George makes, e.g. molesting a girl and killing animals. Lennie
does not apologise for his actions, but elaborately excuses himself. However, the absurdity of his
response, e.g. ‘mimicking’ a young girl, and the reference to ‘pet’ a girl like a ‘mouse’, reminds the
audience how unconsciously irresponsible Lennie is because he has no understanding of how to
respond to an adult and how an adult should treat a child. This lack of understanding, mixed with
his interest in that which is cute, ensures that the reader sympathises with Lennie and views him as
a good natured, simple man, who can be too much of a responsibility in a complicated and
demanding world of social etiquette.
Extension
Plenary
Why is using PEEL important?
What does each letter stand for?
How have you developed the structuring of your
own paragraphs?