3rd Year English students were asked to complete the following extended writing task.This is an exemplary piece of creative modelling. Kharisma Messam echoes Steinbeck's writing voice effortlessly during this extended writing task.
Task: Extend the novel (George's character):
Please extend the ending of this novel. What might happen to George after this event? (Think about how you judge George - Slim, the moral arbiter of their world, endorsed George's action, 'You hadda, George. I swear you hadda.' He attempted to comfort George by offering him absolution. Do you think George will be haunted by his mercy killing or will he be able to forgive himself?)
Ms. Reynolds
The Tavern was dark and as George entered he was filled with a overwhelming sense of grief. Awhile ago, going to the tavern would seem like a prize, It used to be a moment that he could get away from Lennie and the responsibilities that weighed on his shoulders. Being drunk was supposed to be exonerating, but now even looking at drink made George want to retch.
Maybe I’m not in the mood, George told himself. Sure, that made sense. He wasn’t in the mood, after all, his only companion had just died. Wait… shouldn’t that have made him want to drink?
Sitting on the bar stool he completely ignored the conversation Slim had begun to have with the bartender and let his eyes wander aimlessly across the room.
Minutes ago he had been talking to Lennie as if everything was normal, and now he would never see him again. Sure, he was annoying and infuriating but he was all George had… used to have.
George knew very well that it wasn’t that he had no appetite for alcohol, he was well able to drink. No, he had finally notice the fragility of life and no matter how perceptive he was it was something he had never known before Lennie’s death. Sure, he had noticed its hardships and austerity but Life being fragile wasn’t something that George had noticed.
The bartender slammed the mug of beer down on the counter and George watched the liquid splatter onto the counter. The strong smell of alcohol rose in his nose and he glanced down at the foaming tan liquid with a feeling he had never felt before towards drink. Disgust.
Now that Lennie was gone the highlights in his life had no point. Going to the cathouse? That had been to get away from Lennie and paint the picture of a normal life for himself. Drink? Had that been to get away from Lennie or to get away from the impending future? Was it the latter? He lifted the mug to his lips and took a large gulp. Each swallow took him away from the pain of Lennie's absence, away from the dream he had once had and closer to nothingness.
"Guys like us got no fambly. They make a little stake an' then they blow it in. They ain't got nobody in the worl' that gives a hoot in hell about 'em-"
His words burned holes in in his heart as he began to realise the reality of his situation. His gulps became quicker and one drink led to the next and the next... and the closer he got to nothingness, the truer the words became. The truer the words became, the further the dream and Lennie drifted. The further Lennie drifted… the further George drifted.
Kharisma Messam (3rd Year)
