How to structure a 40-mark essay, use quotes effectively, and integrate context. The difference between Level 3 and Level 4.
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Mrs Rumsey · Edexcel IGCSEHow to get a Grade 9 in Of Mice and Men
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 40-mark essay — marking structure
40 marks split equally: AO1 (20 marks) — knowledge, argument, personal response, critical style
AO4 (20 marks) — understanding relationships between text and context (1930s, Great Depression, racism, gender)
No AO2 for OMAM — you do NOT need to analyse language techniques like you would for poetry
You CANNOT take the book in — it is closed book. You must memorise quotes.
Time: roughly 45 minutes. Plan for 5 minutes.
Level 4 paragraph structure (target)
Point: Make a clear argument about the text
Evidence: Embed a short quote naturally into your sentence
Explain: What does this show? What is Steinbeck doing here?
Context: Link explicitly to 1930s Depression/racism/gender/the American Dream
Effect: What effect does this have on the reader?
Key context points to weave in
The Great Depression (1929 Wall Street Crash) caused mass unemployment
Itinerant workers had no security — hired and fired with no rights
Jim Crow laws enforced racial segregation in 1930s America
Women had very limited opportunities — defined by their relationships to men
Lynchings were common — Curley's threats reflect historical reality
The American Dream was widely believed in — and widely betrayed
Quotes to memorise — essential list
"Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world." — George
"A guy needs somebody — to be near him." — Crooks
"Like a lot of little guys, he hates big guys." — Candy on Curley
"I never get to talk to nobody." — Curley's wife
"An' whatta I got... I got you!" — George's frustration with Lennie
"Crooks's face lighted with pleasure in his torture." — Narrator
"I didn't mean it." — Crooks withdrawing hope
"Tell me about the rabbits, George." — Lennie before death
Exam questions — 2 questions · 22 marks
1 markAO split
OMAM essays are marked on AO1 and AO4. What does AO4 assess?
A Your ability to analyse language, form and structure
B Your understanding of the relationship between the text and the context in which it was written
C Your ability to compare two texts
D The accuracy of your spelling and grammar
10 marksContext paragraph practiceAO4 practice
Write one Level 4 paragraph about loneliness in OMAM, making sure to embed a quote and link explicitly to 1930s historical context.
Hint: Structure: Point → Quote (embedded) → Explain → Context (1930s Depression + itinerant workers) → Effect on reader. One well-developed paragraph, not a list.