21 September 2010

The Trial of George

Culminating Writing Assignment- a Persuasive Paper Of Mice and Men

Now that you have completed the novella, you should have a clear understanding about the events leading up to the death of Lennie. If Lennie had gone to trial for what he did, perhaps he would have been found innocent, on the grounds of a lack of mental competence Do you believe that George made the right decision? Was this a mercy killing? Was George justified? Or is George a murderer?


In this writing assignment we are putting George on trial for murdering Lennie. You are to take the position of either the prosecuting attorney or the attorney for George´s defense. This writing assignment represents your “closing arguments” to the jury as this is the time when a lawyer gives a final summary of his case and has his best efforts at persuading the jury to his side. Watch this example of an attorney's closing arguments to give you some ideas of how to convince the jury that YOUR side represents the truth.....




Your first step is to decide what side you will represent. Next begin to construct your case based on the description of persuasive writing below.

Persuasive writing, also known as the argument essay, utilizes logic and reason to show that one idea is more legitimate than another idea. It attempts to persuade a reader to adopt a certain point of view or to take a particular action. The argument must always use sound reasoning and solid evidence by stating facts, giving logical reasons, using examples, and quoting experts (as appropriate).
Note: Make sure that you cite all references, experts, or facts that you include.


Your essay should be be NO LESS than 2 pages and NO MORE than 3.

Your introductory paragraph will present your side and your concluding paragraph will make one final statement that really solidifies your case. The body paragraph(s) will be where you present the persuasive arguments and evidence that support your stance.


Mercy Killing or Murder?

Chapter 5-6 Of Mice and Men

Was the death of Lennie a mercy killing or cold-blooded murder? Why?
What kind of man is George? Did your opinion of him change when you read Chapter 6?


A tragic hero is the main character in a tragedy. The modern use of the term usually involves the notion that such a hero make an error in his actions that leads to his downfall.

Some common traits which are characteristic of a tragic protagonist:
  • The flaw is most frequently Hubris.
  • The hero discovers that he is a result of his own actions, not by things happening to him.
  • The hero sees and understands his doom, and that his fate was revealed by his own actions.
  • The hero learns something from his/her mistake.
  • The hero is faced with a serious decision.
  • The suffering of the hero is meaningful because although the suffering is a result of the hero's own volition, it is not wholly deserved and may be cruelly disproportionate.

    Is George an example of THE TRAGIC HERO? If so, what is his TRAGIC FLAW?


17 September 2010

OMAM Project






Want Ads for Lonely People

One of the sub-themes in Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is LONELINESS.

Think about the following characters: GEORGE, CROOKS, CURLEY, and CURLEY'S WIFE.
What makes them lonely? What do they want out of life that they do not currently have?
Is each person's "loneliness" the same? Or is it different from person to person?

The following are examples of Personal Ads, both written by someone looking for something in his/life, something to replace his/her loneliness.

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Your group's task is to write a Personal Ad for each of the following characters from OMAM.
GEORGE, CROOKS, CURLEY, CURLEY'S WIFE
Your ad must reflect your group's understanding of each character and what makes him/her lonely as well as what kinds of things you think this person is looking for to replace the loneliness in his/her life.

16 September 2010

Conflict in OMAM

Conflict is all around us.... we see it every day in a variety of forms.

There are TWO different types of conflict-
INTERNAL & EXTERNAL.

INTERNAL CONFLICT is a battle that MAN has with HIMSELF.

EXTERNAL CONFLICT can occur in 3 different ways:
MAN against MAN
MAN against SOCIETY
MAN against NATURE



Your group's task:
Create a chart listing the 4 types of conflict and find examples in OMAM Chapters 1 through 4 of the various types.

American Dream for all?? Even Crooks?

Think about all we have learned about Crooks, the "stable buck", in OMAM. Now think about what you know about "the American Dream". Is it truly for everyone? Or is there a separation between who can and who cannot achieve the American Dream?



10 September 2010

IRONY OMAM

Irony is defined as a difference or contrast between appearance and reality - that is a discrepancy between what appears to be true and what really is true. After reading Chapters 1-3, what irony can you find in Of Mice and Men?

3 Types of Irony-
1. Verbal irony occurs when people say the opposite of what they mean (and in its most bitter form becomes sarcasm.)
2. Situational irony is when the situation is different from what common sense indicates it is, will be, or ought to be.
3. Dramatic irony occurs when a character states something that they believe to be true but that the reader knows is not true.

07 September 2010

OMAM Chapter 2

The Picture of Friendship

Using the picture of friendship that you brought to class today,DESCRIBE what friendship LOOKS LIKE. What are its "physical" traits? How do you know if a relationship is a FRIENDSHIP? What separates it from other relationships?