The 1930s Great Depression, Dust Bowl, migrant workers, racism and gender. AO4 is worth 20 of 40 marks — every paragraph must include context.
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Key analysis
⚡ 40-mark question structure: AO1 (20 marks) — knowledge, argument, personal response, critical style. AO4 (20 marks) — context (1930s Depression, migrant workers, racism, gender). Every paragraph needs BOTH: a point about the text AND a link to context. Closed book — you must know quotes.
The Great Depression & migrant workers
The story is set in Soledad, California, 1930s — during the Great Depression
The 1929 Wall Street Crash caused mass unemployment across America
The Dust Bowl (Oklahoma/Texas) drove farmers off their land — they became itinerant workers
Migrant workers lived insecure, nomadic lives — hired and fired with no stability
George and Lennie had been chased out of Weed — typical of itinerant men who moved constantly
The bunkhouse represents the bleak, impersonal world of migrant labour
Race and racism
Crooks is segregated from the other men — he lives alone in the harness room
He is referred to with racial slurs by most characters — this was normalised in 1930s California
Jim Crow laws enforced racial segregation across the American South and West
Crooks has internalised racism — he does not initially believe the dream is possible for him
Steinbeck presents racism as an institutionalised system, not just individual cruelty
Gender and women
Women had very limited opportunities in 1930s rural America
Curley's wife is never given a name — she is defined entirely by her relationship to her husband
She reveals her own unfulfilled dream — she believed a man could get her into the movies
The men dismiss her as "jail bait" — they fear and objectify her simultaneously
Steinbeck presents her as both a victim of patriarchy and a complex character in her own right
The American Dream
The American Dream promised that anyone could achieve success through hard work
The Depression shattered this for millions — Steinbeck is deeply cynical about the Dream
George and Lennie's farm dream is Steinbeck's symbol of hope — but also its futility
The title comes from Robert Burns: "The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft agley" — plans always go wrong
Every character's dream fails — Steinbeck shows the Dream is ultimately unattainable for the dispossessed
Exam questions — 3 questions · 10 marks
1 markGreat Depression
When is Of Mice and Men set and why is this significant?
A 1920s — the era of prohibition and jazz
B 1930s — the Great Depression, after the 1929 Wall Street Crash caused mass unemployment and Dust Bowl migration
C 1940s — during World War II when men were being sent overseas
D 1950s — the post-war economic boom
1 markCrooks context
Why is Crooks segregated from the other ranch hands?
A He prefers his own company and requested separate accommodation
B He is segregated because of racist laws and attitudes — Jim Crow laws enforced racial separation in 1930s America
C He has a contagious illness so must be kept away from others
D He is the boss's son and lives separately as a mark of status
Write one well-developed paragraph explaining how Steinbeck uses Curley's wife to explore the position of women in 1930s America. Include a quotation and contextual explanation. (Practice — aim for 8 marks worth of content)
Hint: Structure: Point (what Steinbeck shows) → Evidence (quote) → Explain (technique + effect) → Context (1930s women + AO4). Aim for 4-6 sentences.