Of Mice and Men - Essay Tips

Essay Tips- OMM Essay Advice based on observations from student written examples

•assignment (write a multi paragraph essay explaining how an author uses literary devices to convey theme)

•use symbolism as your main technique for the whole paragraph. Discussing how the symbol ties to the other literary devices is fine (see the ringing triangle. (focus on proving how the symbol proves your message. Don’t go off topic in your commentary)

CD's- You must use the ones you worked on in class. Do not use the quotes that were already analyzed

•cards

•Heron and the snake

•Light and dark

•Even if you need a cd from all three of these, you will meet the requirement of unexpected quotes on the rubric

•However, finding one unique quote on your own would be an added sophistication

(NEVER ANALYZE THE CHARACTER OF LENNIE ALONE. EVERYTHING THAT HE PLANS OR IS PLANNING GOES THROUGH GEORGE, ALWAYS. HE NEVER PLANS ANYTHING ALONE)

CHARACTER ANALYSIS

Candy's dream- ownership, friendship, belonging. His fate- old age, injury/disability

Curley's wife's dream- fame, friendship, lonely, affection. Her fate- her image, her gender. She belongs to her husband, she is a possession of Curley. That is why she does not have a name. She is owned by somebody

Crook's dream- friendship, socialization. His fate- his race

Advice on Commentary

•Copy(and slightly change) the example chunk on the ringing triangle

•Interpret every word in the quote

•Try a chart to have a thematic purpose for each word/action. 3 Levels of CM.doc

Put CD's into chronological order in your body paragraphs. Quotes from different parts throughout the novel. Use the technique word as a verb so that you say more than that it exists. Definition of symbolism? An object that represents an abstract noun (this does not have to be the same theme word as your MT every time). (for example, if your MT focuses on fate, the symbol doesn’t have to represent fate every time, someone's fate may be "loneliness" or "friendship").