How would I answer the question 'How are women portrayed in 'Of Mice and Men'?'

What is most important when answering an essay question like this is an exam is planning. You need to make sure that you cover as many points as possible - but more importantly, that you cover them in detail. Quality is definitely more important than quality, and you will be marked better if you can make three or four good points that meet all the assessment objectives rather than seven or eight that don't meet any. Firstly, think about all the different female characters that we come across in 'Of Mice and Men'. We have Curley's wife and Lennie's Aunt Clara who are two of the main characters. However, also think about the women who the men discuss throughout the novel, like the girl in the dress who Lennie scared, as well as Old Susy and the women who work for her. Now think about the different ways that these women are portrayed. The description of Curley's wife as 'jailbait' is similar to the way that George talks about the girl in the dress. By looking at the different ways that the female characters are described and their actions, you can begin to build points. Remember - do not talk about each of the female characters individually, even though it is tempting to do so because they are obviously all portrayed slightly differently. Rather, look for broad similarities first and use textual references about the characters who fit the point as evidence. Using the example of the girl in the dress and Curley's wife, we can see how women can be portrayed as overly provocative and flirtatious towards men. We can then do a close reading of the text - the description of Curley's wife as 'jailbait' has connotations of her causing trouble for men - just as the girl in the dress did for Lennie earlier. It also represents foreshadowing when we consider how Lennie pays the ultimate price of death - worse than jail - for accidentally killing her. We can back this point up with evidence from the text and add context by considering the life of migrant workers at the time such as George and Lennie, and how having only the women at Old Susy's for entertainment influences how they view women. Then we can contrast this with Steinbeck's portrayal of Lennie's Aunt Clara. By building up points in this way, you can quickly create an essay that fulfils all the criteria that examiners will be looking for.