1. OF MICE AND MEN STRUCTURING AN ESSAY

2. ESSAY QUESTION Read the essay question carefully. Identify the key words. Example: “Crooks was a proud, aloof man. He kept his distance and demanded other people kept theirs.” This is how Crooks is described at the start of chapter 4. What does the reader learn about him by the end of the chapter?

3. Planning an answer Before you start writing your essay, brainstorm 4-5 ideas in response to the question: Your ideas should be topics that you can discuss in some detail, using quotes and P.E.E. The topics you choose will become the main paragraphs in your essay.

4. Example plan Here is a different essay question with some of the main ideas this candidate wants to discuss How does the author make Lennie a sympathetic character? How Lennie is described – animalistic imagery; child like; frightening physical strength; derogatory comments by other characters. How Lennie speaks – slow; repetitive; child like; lacks intelligence. In contrast to George he does not make threats and does not get angry – there is a kind and gentle tone to his voice. How Lennie acts / behaves – trusts George implicitly; does not judge anyone; works hard; always wanting to please; eternal optimism; unaware of strength and devastating effects.

5. Planning an answer – your turn! Choose 4 – 5 ideas in relation to the question: “Crooks was a proud, aloof man. He kept his distance and demanded other people kept theirs.” This is how Crooks is described at the start of chapter 4. What does the reader learn about him by the end of the chapter? Write your ideas in the space provided on the handout. Each idea you choose can be used to form the main body of the essay.

6. Checking ideas Below are some of the key ideas that will probably form the basis of your essay: 1.How Crooks is forced to live differently to the other workers on the ranch 2.Why he was hostile to Lennie to begin with and how this changes 3.What he has in life to keep him going 4.The way he is treated by Curley’s wife and how he reacts to her 5.Why he engages with the idea of the dream. Try to make a note of these ideas if they don’t correspond with your own.

7. Personal Response One of the criteria an examiner is going to be looking for in your essay is known as the PERSONAL RESPONSE This means that the examiner wants to know how you respond to the novel and what happens. It allows you to show sympathy / empathy and understanding with the characters and what happens to them.

8. Personal responses A good candidate will incorporate their personal response throughout the essay, as they engage with the text. They will show sensitivity towards the subject matter they are writing about. Try to avoid writing your personal response as one large paragraph near the end of your essay. Try to incorporate your personal responses into the ‘explanation’ section of your P.E.E

9. An example Here is the other candidate’s personal response to the essay question they were answering: Personal / reader response to Lennie – Lennie has a naïve and innocent quality which evokes sympathy from the reader – we feel the same affection towards him as George. His dream is the most simple – to tend rabbits. His obsession with petting pretty things reveals a deep-rooted emotional need, which unfortunately leads to his downfall.

10. What is your personal response? Take a few moments to use the space provided on the handout to record your personal response to the development of Crooks’ character in this chapter

11. Essay Structure Introduction: Address question and include knowledge of the novel’s social and historical context. Main Body of Essay (4-5 further paragraphs): Each paragraph should have a topic sentence, a quote / close reference to the text and an analysis of character / theme/ language. Conclusion: Summarise main points of essay and give a personal response to question.

12. Introduction Here is the other candidate’s introduction to their essay: John Steinbeck’s novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ is set in the 1930’s during the Great Depression. Through his novel, Steinbeck explores the tragic plight of the migrant farmer, in particular, the exploitation of these men; their working conditions and their solitary lifestyle form some of the major themes of Steinbeck’s novel. ‘Of Mice and Men’ depicts a world in which every character is desperately searching for a sense of happiness and a better life. The situation that many of Steinbeck’s characters are in evoke a certain amount of sympathy from the reader. Most noticeably is one of the protagonists: Lennie. His portrayal throughout the novel, by the author is particularly sympathetic.

13. Your Turn! Write your own introduction in response to the essay title: What does the reader learn about Crooks by the end of Chapter 4? Don’t forget to include details of the novel’s social and historical context. You should also make some direct reference to the essay title.

14. Structuring Each Paragraph Lennie’s child-like mental state is contrasted with his frightening physical strength. His main weakness is ironically his strength; he has no understanding of his own power. “Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water and wiggled his fingers so the water arose in little splashes…” He is frequently described in animal terms, which emphasises not only his bear- like stature and tendency to cling onto things, but also an animal innocence. It is this naivety which leads to Lennie’s inability to understand that it is his strength to blame for petting creatures and killing them, not the creatures’ fragility..

15. Your Turn! Write a paragraph in response to the essay title: What does the reader learn about Crooks by the end of Chapter 4? Each paragraph should include: A topic sentence A Quote An analysis / explanation.