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CAN SOMEONE HELP ME WITH MY ENGLISH PLEASE-OF MICE AND MEN FOR GCSE????

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rufaro96 | 02:29 Sun 27th May 2012 | Arts & Literature
1 Answers
5 Answer all parts of the following question.
(a) Explore how the language in the extract influences the reader’s view of the
setting.
You must include examples of language features in your response.

MY ANSWER

The beginning of the novella sets the scene as a gloaming magical place. The ‘yellow sands in the sunlight’ and ‘the golden foothill slopes’ make it seem almost unbelievable. Steinbeck makes the reader envision a calm full place; the repetition of the greenery brings the scenery to life. It’s as if the reader is embarking on a journey to heaven where they will begin their new lives with the ‘rabbits’ from the ‘brush’. By the time the reader comes across these nouns, we are already hooked into this dream that we are forced to believe will carry on as long as we continue reading the book. Steinbeck uses adjectives like ‘twinkling’, ‘yellow’ and ‘golden’ to make this place seem even more unreal. It appears as if Steinbeck wants to prepare the reader by candy coating the beginning; as the impact of the story will be felt more if we knew what the men didn’t have. Furthermore we are able to perceive this place as one that everyone wants to belong to. The listing ‘with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches’ suggest that there is a lot more to this place than you can imagine. Steinbeck uses a serial comma to emphasise the quantity as well as the quality (with the adjectives) of this mystical place.
Moreover, the definite article ‘the’ used various times by Steinbeck makes it seem genuine; In contrast, it seems realistic. However the alliteration ‘water is warm’, ‘sculptured stones’ overpowers the definite article which is what draws the reader back into the enchantment. On the other hand, we are forced to see reality by the men’s identical ‘denim coats’ and their ‘black’ attire. The noun ‘black’, used by Steinbeck makes the reader feel though the darkness of their clothing is a metaphoric symbol for their unknown persona. We were once in ‘yellow sands’ with the ‘sunlight’ beaming however this sudden blackout is just the beginning of the elusive events. This drastic change from ‘fresh’ ‘willows’ to ‘pale faces, with wide, sloping shoulders’ represents the nature of the book. The preposition ‘with’ connotes the coldness the men brought as soon as they entered the scene. They destroyed the beauty by just simply appearing. Even though all we know about the men is that one of them has a ‘bony nose’ and the other who ‘drags his feet, like a bear drags his paws, the simile used by Steinbeck makes the reader quick to set the authentic scene.
SORRY FOR THE LENGTH
PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS
THANK YOU
BTW IT'S OUT OF 16
THANX AGAIN
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