How to get a band 4 / 5!
Model paragraph
 This is a model of 2 paragraphs analysing Curley’s wife.
 Steinbeck portrays Curley’s wife, not as a villain, but rather as a victim.
She is desperately lonely and has broken dreams. She is the only female in
the novel and purposefully is not set with a name. She is only referred to
as ‘Curley’s wife’. This shows that she is objectified and not thought of as a
human, due to her gender. Adding to that, this reflects the sexism in 1930s
America: ‘that’s what Curley picks for a wife’. The active verb ‘picks’
proposes that she is thought of as an item, that belongs to Curley.
 ‘She had fully roughed lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her
fingernails were red.’ This connotes that Curley’s wife is desperate and
wears the colour red to represent the temptation for female sexuality in a
male-dominated world. This is because the colour red is a symbol for
passion and lust. On the other hand the colour red also indicates
spitefulness and cruelty. This could show that Curley’s wife doesn’t show
her true side and is “two-faced”. The phrase ‘heavily made up’ could also
show that she hides behind a façade.
Model paragraph
Analyse Curley's wife
• Steinbeck introduces Curley's wife for the first time as “girl”. This
immediately communicates to the reader that she is someone who is fairly
young, therefore someone who is susceptible to misuse and someone
who could be exploited and manipulated easily. He also overtly shows her
as somebody who is enticing and is willing to flirt with workers, as this is
highlighted in the quote "leaned against the door frame so that her body
was thrown forward”. This also tells us she is presenting herself to other
men which may be a sign of her unhappiness. She wants to stand out from
the crowd and attempts to be seductive as she was wearing “red mules
and red ostrich feathers.” Her wearing lavish clothes is a stark contrast
compared to the poverty on the ranch. The fact that Steinbeck continually
repeats “red” connotes the possibility that there may be some conflict or
violent interaction with other characters.
Model paragraph on Curley’s wife
“Both men glanced up, for the rectangle of sunshine was cut
off.”
The manner in which both male characters have to look “up” to her
indicates that Steinbeck is portraying her as a character who
considers herself superior. Steinbeck encourages her personality to
be perceived as dominant over all the other males on the ranch,
contrasting with what woman were thought of in the 1930s.
Furthermore, it immediately shows her status in the hierarchy of the
ranch, showing that she is more controlling and powerful then most
of the men.
The “rectangle” symbolically shows that she might have an ‘edgy’
personality, therefore might also be angered easily. It could similarly
show that, like a “rectangle”, she has 4 sides to herself…4 faces.
However, this could mean that she might not be who readers think
she is, and she might be hiding what she truly feels inside, which
could be a vulnerable woman who is actually feeling miserable, but
has to create this false persona so she doesn’t feel hurt.
A model paragraph example analysing
one character in detail
•
Steinbeck has encouraged readers to feel that Curley’s wife is a callous character. This is
shown through the following quote: ”her hair is hung up in little rolled clusters like
sausages”. The verb “hung” provides a sense of maliciousness towards Curley’s wife, as
it connotes death and someone ‘hanging by a thread’. This could relate to George and
Lennie as they are chasing the ‘American Dream’, and that plan could collapse or a
fatality may occur further on in the story. In addition the word “sausages” provides
various meanings such as Curley’s wife being objectified ; as a wife she has no power
and this is shown through that era in the 1930s and this is backed up by the quote
"little” to show that she is a minor character. Sausages come from the animal-pig so it is
portraying her character as she is not very likeable and as she is referred to an animal,
and this is shown through an anthropomorphic way and it is what many characters
think. In addition sausages symbolise hot dogs and this could foreshadow a dog dying
further on in the story. Furthermore the word “cur” part of Curley’s wife's name is
defined as to growl and as an inferior dog, again this is portrayed as her being a minor
character. In addition analysing the structure I can conclude that the word “hair” is
before the word “sausages” this shows Curley’s wife caring more about her appearance
rather than what is inside. This is constantly fed throughout the story as Curley’s wife
had “rouged red lips” this is shows she is covering up with her make up. In addition
rouged is a french word and this shows that she is trying to act like a more superior
person that she already is.
What you should include when analysing a
quote
 Clear analysis
 Discusses specific points
 Details are relevant, effective and clear
 Writer uses his/her own (effective) vocabulary
 There is a clear emphasis on the main point
 Sophisticated analysis of language and structure
 Something about which you can speculate
 How the setting and characters are portrayed (if in keeping with the
focus of the question!)
 The techniques used and maybe the effect it has on the audience or how
it makes the reader feel.
 Any connotations or hidden meaning?
 Structure of the text/quote
How to analyse structure, language and form
When looking at structure you could analyse:
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Paragraph length
The amount of paragraphs
Different type of sentences
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Sentences (simple, complex and compound) and the effect on the reader.
Sentence openers and endings
Connectives
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What the structure could symbolise
When looking at language you could analyse:
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The vocabulary
Punctuation
Nouns,verbs,adverbs,adjectives
Sibilance
Techniques like: Pathetic fallacy, foreshadowing, etc.
Meaning between the words.
First letters in words (eg. C, S, K)
Punctuation (… , , , ! ,?)
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What the writer wants to portray through the language
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The forms of the words (eg. “Nothin’ ”) e.g. character’s colloquial or formal pronunciation.
When looking at form you could analyse:
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Is it a narration or dialogue
What is significant about the form of the text
Is it 1st person or 3rd person
Model analysis for structure
How you should go about analysing a quote for structure:
The use of a comma
paces the sentence
when you read it
Starts of as quite
generic …
“A few miles south of Soledad,
the Salinas River drops in close to
the hillside bank and runs deep
and green”
But ends as
describing it vividly
The novella starts of
with a compound
sentence
You will be assessed on…
Summary of the criteria in our words
• The criteria for band 5 consists of your work being sophisticated
and impressive. This is achieved by having a complex and extended
analysis within your work. In addition you have understood the
writer’s and characters’ attitudes and imaginatively explained how
it links in with the text and you have scrutinised the language and
structure and you have looked at the purpose of it.
• The criteria for band 4 is that you are confident with you work and
you have clearly interpreted the texts. You have precisely selected
certain quotes with a purpose and you have supported it with a
complex analysis and you have done the same with the language
and structure and you have written about it in convincing detail
showing the assessor that you fully understand the storyline and
why certain words had been used.
Slim (favourite character)
Slim is portrayed as the best guy on the ranch, he is shown as
being able to do anything and is even called “The prince of the
ranch”, which immediately shows that he might have some
conflict with Curley because Curley thinks he owns that
position. It also shows that everyone looks up to him as their
guide and follow what he does and says.
My favourite character: Lennie
 Child-like: Doesn’t understand what is wrong and what is right.
 Dreams of a better future: To have a house, farm and some rabbits.
 Physical state opposes mental state: Has a huge body, is physically strong but
mentally weak and simple-minded.
 Attracted to soft things: Touches anything just to feel it e.g. rabbits, mice
 Physically strong but doesn’t realise his strength. Sometimes uses it for
negative reasons without realising.