Of Mice and Men Chapter 1 Lesson | George & Lennie Character Analysis PowerPoint | GCSE English
£2.00
Teach the opening of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men with this detailed classroom PowerPoint focusing on pupils’ first impressions of George and Lennie and how Steinbeck uses language to establish their characters and relationship. 📖🔍
🎯 CLEAR LESSON OBJECTIVES
Students are supported to:
🔎 Identify key details about George and Lennie
✏️ Analyse Steinbeck’s language choices
🇺🇸 Make inferences about the social and historical context
📝 Write an analytical paragraph about the introduction of the two characters
📖 KEY VOCABULARY
Develop essential literary and contextual vocabulary, including:
🚶 Itinerant
🤝 Companionship
🛡️ Vulnerability
🔍 Symbolism
⚠️ Foreshadowing
Definitions are linked directly to the novel, helping students understand how each term applies to George, Lennie and their experiences.
🇺🇸 EXPLORE 1930s AMERICA
Students examine migrant workers from the 1930s and consider their clothing, posture and expressions, before linking their observations to George and Lennie and the realities of travelling for work during the Great Depression.
🔍 CLOSE LANGUAGE ANALYSIS
The lesson guides students through Steinbeck’s introduction of George and Lennie, exploring:
👀 George’s “restless eyes”
💪 Lennie as a “huge man”
🐻 The bear comparison
⚖️ The contrast between the characters
🚶 George leading while Lennie follows
🧠 What physical descriptions reveal about personality and relationships
✏️ STUDENT ANALYSIS TASK
Learners complete a structured table where they:
📖 Select quotations
🔍 Identify language techniques
💭 Explain their effects
👤 Link language to characterisation
A completed answer version is provided to support feedback and class discussion. ✅
📝 GCSE-STYLE WRITING TASK
Students answer:
How does Steinbeck use physical description to present George and Lennie in Chapter 1?
Clear success criteria encourage students to use quotations, identify techniques, analyse language and link their ideas to George and Lennie’s relationship.
⭐ MODEL ANSWER INCLUDED
A model analytical response demonstrates how students can discuss George’s “restless eyes”, Lennie’s bear-like movements and Steinbeck’s use of contrast. An extension encourages students to consider foreshadowing and 1930s society.
🎓 Perfect for:
📚 GCSE English Literature
🐭 Of Mice and Men
📖 Chapter 1 study
👥 George & Lennie character analysis
🔍 Language analysis
✏️ Analytical writing
🇺🇸 Social and historical context
📝 Revision and consolidation
🏠 Homework or cover work
📚🐭 READ • ANALYSE • INFER • WRITE! ✏️🔍
A structured and classroom-ready lesson for developing students’ understanding of George and Lennie from their very first appearance in the novel.