Of Mice and Men Essay 2012: Style Rooted in Theme Carefully read Steinbeck s belief and purpose statement. In every bit of honest writing in the world, there is a base theme. Try to understand men, if you understand each other you will be kind to each other. Knowing a man well never leads to hate and nearly always leads to love. There are shorter means, many of them. There is writing promoting social change, writing punishing injustice, writing in celebration of heroism, but always that base theme. Try to understand each other. John Steinbeck 1938 Steinbeck explores several universal themes: the power and risk of hope and dreams, the necessity of companionship and dignity, the pain of sacrifice and mercy, and the challenge of sympathy and understanding, and through his carefully crafted style reveals his specific beliefs about each theme. Choose the theme you feel is the most powerful or relevant to society and then, in a well-organized essay, explain how the Steinbeck s style supports and reveals that more specific theme. Specifically how do Steinbeck s use of characterization, plot, and symbolism play a role in understanding the theme? Finally explain how this specific theme relates or supports his complete life and works theme of understanding each other. Thinking through the Prompt 1. Based on the prompt, how many paragraphs do you think you will need to answer the question? Why? a. 4 minimum: the prompt asks two very common things: How the style helps the reader see the theme? How does this specific theme relate to what else you know about Steinbeck? 2. Based on the prompt, what do you think each paragraph will need to cover? a. Intro i. Here is an unrelated example on a similar question: The first paragraph of Alberto Alvaro Rios s short story The Secret Lion presents a twelve-year-old boy s view of growing up -- everything changes. As the narrator tells the reader, when the magician pulls a tablecloth out from under a pile of dishes, children are amazed at the stay-the-same part, while adults focus only on the tablecloth itself (42). Adults have the benefit of experience and know the trick will work as long as the technique is correct. When people grow up they gain this experience and knowledge, but they lose their innocence and sense of wonder. In other words, the price paid for growing up is a permanent sense of loss. This tradeoff is central to The Secret Lion. The key symbols in the story reinforce its main theme: change is inevitable and always accompanied by a sense of loss. b. support: choose a device or two and relate to the theme (include overall understanding theme as well) c. support: choose a device or two and relate to the theme (include overall understanding theme as well) d. support: overall them of understanding if not woven into the earlier paragraphs e. concluding if you want but honestly, focus on the substantive paragraphs first Comment [MsR1]: See outline below. Comment [MsR2]: (i.e. character and plot development, choice of literary and rhetorical devices) Comment [MsR3]: Specific Themes Include Dreams of a better life can make a difficult life more bearable. Companionship is necessary for happiness. Under extreme circumstances, taking a life may be an act of mercy. Humans are all vulnerable in some way; nevertheless, humans tend to be predatory and hurt those more vulnerable than themselves.
Introduction Hook: ask a question, share a thought, make an observation, make a connection to the theme you are going to write about... Rhetorical Precis or similar focused summary of the novel (this should be no more than three-four sentences). Answer the question: What theme is most powerful? What elements of Steinbeck's style specifically help me see that them? Then write..."steinbeck's use of,, and to reveal (state your theme) or (state the "formal" theme." This is your THESIS which will control the rest of your essay. Support Paragraph: Style/Theme Focus Starting with a Topic Sentence or a sentence that reminds the reader that Steinbeck uses certain elements of style to help reveal and emphasize the theme helps keep you focused. So, Steinbeck uses characterization: summarize a character, choose a quote (short) to back yourself up. Now, here is the really, really, REALLY imporant part: how does that character help us see the theme? You are not done yet: repeat that process, again linking a character to the theme by memntioning something else they do...or... This concept can be used with any of the devices Steinbeck employs
Here is a rough example of what NOT to do: Steinbeck's theme of that "in extreme cases, sometimes taking a life may be considered an act of mercy" is supported by his use of foreshadowing. In the third chapter, Steinbeck uses foreshadowing. He uses foreshadowing when he states that Carlson shot Candy's dog because "he ain't no good to himself." (44) there is more foreshadowing when the little water snake is eaten by the heron at the pool in the sixth chapter. Another device Steinbeck uses is repetition... The writer knows what Steinbeck does, but not only does the piece lack flow and finesse, and it does not tie the information to the theme or to the rest of the novel. The writer needed to not only use the conventional theme, but work in their own version of the theme. This would reduce repetitious vocabulary and create greater depth. Additionally it lacks commentary on the quotation and the quotation is incorrectly integrated and should run: because " 'he ain't no good to himself' " (44). Here is a rough example of what TO DO: Mercy comes in part from knowing that other people, even when they make mistakes, are valuable and deserve a certain amount of respect and grace. In the third chapter, Steinbeck revisits the issue of dignity and value through a new angle: how the end of a being's life occurs. Through Carlson's callous insistence that Candy's old sheep herding dog be shot that night since he, according to Carlson's view, " 'ain't no good to himself,' " " 'ain't no good to you, Candy' " and is suffering, Steinbeck begins the layers of foreshadowing that culminate in George's taking of Lennie's life with the very same gun to avoid torture at Curley's hand (44). Carlson's inability to see the dog's value to Candy highlights his lack of understanding of the dog's worth as companion and how taking care of the animal gives Candy a greater sense of self-worth. Candy's nervous gesture of rubbing his whiskers with is knuckles changes that night to rubbing with his stump. The repetition of this gesture transforms it into a symbol: Candy is focused on his loss and inability rather than his worth and what he can contribute to his society. Contrastingly, Slim's comment that the "dog ain't no good to himself. [Slim] wisht somebody'd shoot [him] if [he] got old an' a cripple'" (45) implies that he understands the dog has value to Candy, but would rather die in a more dignified, humane way warns of the decision George later faces. Since he values Lennie, he "'ain't gonna let 'em hurt Lennie'" and chooses to grant him peace and speed in death as an act of mercy (95). Furthermore, the repetition of Candy's hand/stump gesture also helps draw attention to the symbolic use of hands in general: Curley's wife rubbing her painted nail out of longing to be appreciated for her beauty, Slim's deliberate movements whether with a whip or "subdu[ing] one hand with the other, and [holding] it down" out of remembrance of some past pain (49), Curley's fists used for fighting his own deep-seeded embarrassment, or George in the final moments staring at his hand after being forced by the situation to kill Lennie. Hands have the ability to communicate... Notice the length first off: the author is allowing themselves to linger on significant details and follows both quotations, paraphrases, and summaries with commentary or linkage to the larger question: the theme. To avoid being overly repetitious, they use definitions of the theme's key word ("mercy") to expand the scope of what they can discuss as well as introduce synonyms and related words to help build their case. Additionally, they avoid simplistic phrasing ("supported by his use of foreshadowing") and opt to use the literary terms (foreshadowing, symbolic, repetition) naturally and using synonyms as well (foreshadowing = "warns of"). In some cases, they do not use the term (characterization) but it is clear that they understand how a character is portrayed (Carlson vs. Slim). This is also true of linking to the overarching theme of understanding each other. They also quote correctly by using the triple quotation ("-to denote the beginning of the quoted section, '-to show dialogue, '-to show the end of the dialogue, and "-to show the end of the quoted section) and place the citation at the end of the sentence or close to the quotation where appropriate. Finally, they elevate diction and use signal phrases like "contrastingly," "culminate," and "furthermore."
Essay Outline/Expectations 1. Correct heading and MLA formatting expectations including quotation integration and use of citations 2. An original, unique title (Your Essay will not be read if titled anything like the following: essay, Essay, Of Mice and Men Essay Of Mice and Men Essay, Of Mice and Men Essay, Essay on Of Mice and Men, My Essay, Lennie and George, IDK, etc.) 3. Your rough drafts (paper and then one electronic) will be turned in. 4. Your Self Evaluation 5. Peer Evaluation Paragraph I 6. Does the writer make an interesting observation or an attempt to hook the reader? 7. Does the first paragraph give the story background thoroughly and fluidly and correctly denote the title and other significant information? 8. Does the first paragraph follow the direction of the prompt and identify the author s choice of literary and rhetorical devices so that the writer is set up to discuss how they support the theme and the reader has a sense of what the essay will address? Paragraph: Theme as Seen through the Style 9. Do the supporting/development of argument/body paragraphs balance summary, paraphrasing, and direct quotation with analysis or description of why the devices are important to the theme? 10. Do the supporting/development of argument/body paragraphs use quotations correctly? 11. Do the supporting/development of argument/body paragraphs develop all the ideas outlined in the first paragraph s thesis? 12. Are there logical transitions between paragraphs? 13. Is there a concluding idea, statement, or paragraph? (This is optional and functions as icing on the cake. ) Paragraph: Overall Life s Work Theme 14. How does the theme statement you wrote help readers better understand their fellow human beings? How does the theme either warn us against treating others a certain way or encourage use to treat others a certain way. Overall 15. Does the grammar and diction add to the readers understanding of the writer s message or does it detract (i.e. have many mistakes)? 16. Are there areas of confusion or words that seem oddly or awkwardly used? Are there words used for form that would be better left simple? Are there words and phrases used that could be elevated? 17. Does the writer maintain a consistent 3 rd person expository tone (avoiding all forms of 1 st person (I, me, my, we) and 2 nd person (you, your))? 18. Does the writer choose vigorous language and avoid lazy writing (starting sentences with well, using words like a lot or overusing very and really )? Does the writer avoid using passive voice and excessive to be verb forms? 1. Does the essay have a correct heading and meet other MLA formatting expectations? 2. Does the essay have an original, unique title? Paragraph I 3. Does the writer make an interesting observation or an attempt to hook the reader? 4. Does the first paragraph give the story background thoroughly and fluidly and correctly denote the title and other significant information? 5. Does the first paragraph follow the direction of the prompt and identify the author s choice of literary and rhetorical devices so that the writer is set up to discuss how they support the theme that is reveal in the final sentences and the reader has a sense of what the essay will address? Paragraph 2-?
6. Do the supporting/development of argument/body paragraphs balance summary, paraphrasing, and direct quotation with analysis or description of why the devices are important to the theme? 7. Do the supporting/development of argument/body paragraphs use quotations correctly? 8. Do the supporting/development of argument/body paragraphs develop all the ideas outlined in the first paragraph s thesis? 9. Are there logical transitions between paragraphs? 10. Is there a concluding idea, statement, or paragraph? (This is optional and functions as icing on the cake. ) Overall 11. Does the grammar and diction add to the readers understanding of the writer s message or does it detract (i.e. have many mistakes)? 12. Are there areas of confusion or words that seem oddly or awkwardly used? Are there words used for form that would be better left simple? Are there words and phrases used that could be elevated? 13. Does the writer maintain a consistent 3 rd person expository tone (avoiding all forms of 1 st person (I, me, my, we) and 2 nd person (you, your))? 14. Does the writer choose vigorous language and avoid lazy writing (starting sentences with well, using words like a lot or overusing very and really )? Does the writer avoid using passive voice and excessive to be verb forms?