April 8

Ap 8/16 A4 Essay topic choices for Of Mice and Men novel reading

When you know you have an Analytical Essay coming up, it’s sometimes helpful to skim through your essay topic choices before reading so you can watch for and collect text references that you feel will help support that essay when you get to writing it. On the other hand, some people dislike this, picking an essay topic in advance, because the prompts may somehow give things away in the plot and ruin your fictional reading.

The choice is yours! When you do want to pick which essay prompt to develop a response to, they’ll be here waiting for you.

Essay topics with a strikethrough the writing have been picked by someone else already. First come, first serve!
The ones already selected will be crossed out.

Prompt Options  Analytical Literary Essay OMM 

  1. Lennie’s fetish for petting soft things grows more serious as the novel progresses. Prove or disprove this. 
  2. The author uses the setting (both time and place) to enhance the mood of loneliness. Prove this.
  3. There are distinct social groups or categories among the men on the farm. Explain what it is that separates them.
  4. Curley’s wife appears only three times in the novel. Explain the purpose of her character in the novel, what she reveals about herself, and which appearance of hers is the most telling of her character.
  5. The author does a wonderful job of using parallel storylines in the novel. Explain.
  6. Several good characters in the novel are flawed – both good and bad. Prove this.
  7. The novel Of Mice and Men includes several strong examples of symbolism. Explain. Jess
  8. Isolation is a prominent theme in the novel. Prove this.
  9. There is a strong overriding theme of “death” in this novel. Prove this. Macey
  10. One of the major conflicts of the novel is “man vs. fate”. Explain and prove this.
  11. A major source of tension in the novel is between “man vs. self”. Explain.
  12. Contrast and compare the characters of George and Lennie. (similarities and differences)
  13. There are several strong examples of foreshadowing in the novel. Prove this and explain the significance.
  14. The author of this novel does an especially great job of developing several of the elements of literature for the piece. Prove this. (Characters, plot, setting, dialogue, climax and resolution, etc)
  15. Dynamic characters in literature are those who develop mentally, morally, or come to a new understanding about themselves and their surroundings. There are several dynamic characters in this novel. Prove this.
  16. One of the major themes of the novel is the struggle between the “weak and strong”. Explain how this is developed in the novel.
  17. The insecurities of certain characters of the novel draw them all together. Prove this.
  18. For such a short novel, there is a great amount of developed tension or climactic moments in the writing. Explain or analyze how the author does it so effectively. Sam
  19. One of the charms in developing characters is in creating ones who draw the reader’s empathy and sympathy. There are several of these characters in the novel Of Mice and Men, who readers become attached to. Explain which characters readers most relate to and for what reason.
  20. The central story within the novel focuses on the relationship between George and Lennie. Consider whether it was a healthy relationship or whether it, in the end, was quite pointless.
  21. Consider what it is that so strongly binds George and Lennie together.
  22. It is important for individuals to have “dreams”. Explain the importance of dreams for several of the characters in the novel.
  23. A central theme of the novel focuses on the distinction between “realism and idealism”- the difference between a sometimes brutal truth and a preferred peaceful fantasy. Explain some of the issues of the novel where people naturally preferred to ignore reality and focus on a fantasy. (homelessness, poverty, emotional corruption, fate, social status, etc)
  24. By the end of the novel, it seems as if several prior events specifically speak to George’s impending decision about what to do with Lennie. Explain these events and elaborate on how they ultimately lead to his decision.
Category: ELA B10 | LEAVE A COMMENT
April 6

April 6/16 Of Mice and Men – Before, During, After Resources

The question of what’s fair and what’s right has been the source of ongoing debate for ages and the events of the short novel we’ll read next tugs at the heartstrings through its events in trying to explore that same question.

Before Reading:

    • Check out the experiment done with monkeys – they understand “fair

    • Watch and take notes from this introduction video that gives background and context to the plot of the novel

You’ll be independently reading the novel Of Mice and Men.

For some, you may benefit and enjoy more having the book read to them and the following audio version of the book is perfect, because it’s read by the actor who plays George in the movie.

Embedded here is a playlist of the six chapters of the book. In total, it amounts to just over three hours worth of reading.

 

Note: If you use the audiobook to read this novel, follow along in your book while you listen to it. This has been studied and shows to improve reading ability and your comprehension of the text. If you listen to the novel and aren’t able to follow along, that’s up to you.

It’s here as an option.

 

 

Category: ELA B10 | LEAVE A COMMENT