Steinbeck’s: Of Mice and Men, Essay Example

The proposal for the Independent Reading Class utilizes option B of the assignment: “pick a particular text and lead a book study with your grade level team and/or school”. The present task will be conducted within the framework of the reading and literacy degree, and the class in which the book study is planned for being held is the 11^th grade. Taking into account that reading classes in the 11^th grade are mostly focused on the enhancement of students’ abilities to analyze the text, characters, plot, the use of imagery, and the construction of proper argument and counter-argument regarding certain implications and message of the literary work, the piece of literature for the Independent Reading Class was selected among the classical, thought-provoking works. T

he novel “Of Mice and Men” was written in 1937 – it is a very complex story in understanding, but at the same time, it may evoke feelings of compassion and friendship in every reader. The critical appraisal of the work may not be confined to analyzing the mental retardation of Lennie, or the dreams and hopes he cherishes with his best friend George – it has a much deeper and more varied complex of items for analysis. However, at the same time, its relatively small size allows completing a data-rich analysis of the plot and characters within one class. Hence, “Of Mice and Men” has been selected as a work appropriate for holding a meaningful book study directed at the improvement of argument construction and analytical skills of students.

The objectives set for the planned book study class are as follows:

• To improve students’ abilities of constructing a logical and thoughtful argument on a certain literary point
• To involve students into in-depth analysis of the plot of the novel “Of Mice and Men”
• To conduct a detailed character analysis of the story “Of Mice and Men”

The proposed structure of the independent reading class planned for the present assignment is as follows:

Introduction of the plan’s structure and plan, general discussion of the novel, delineation of the key message and ideas of the novel

• Students are encouraged to communicate their vision of the key message of the novel with proper argumentation and support from the text
• Students’ ideas on various key messages are recorded on the blackboard for all class to see them, to contrast and compare them, and to generate a more synthetic vision of the novel
• The teacher explains the basics of proper argument and counter-argument construction to students, and asks them to make the outlines of argumentation on why they consider some ideas on the key message of the novel more appropriate than the others
• Several students share their outlines, the teacher helps improve them, and explains the major flaws to the whole class – the assignment for making a short essay on the main topic and message of the novel is given to students for home work

Plot analysis of the novel

• Students explain what components of the plot analysis they know
• Teacher puts down the key stages of plot analysis to the blackboard: initial situation, conflict, complication, climax, suspense, denouement, conclusion
• Students are encouraged to make outlines of plot analysis in several bullet points, and discussion on each component is conducted
• In case opinions differ among students, the argument/counterargument technique is used by students to prove or disprove certain opinions of classmates

Character analysis of the novel (students are encouraged to choose one or two characters, and make outlines of their analysis in several bullet points characterizing the personalities of characters under analysis; after they make outlines, they speak out on each character, and the teacher records the named characteristics of each character on the blackboard)

• George Milton
• Lennie Small
• Candy
• Curley
• Slim
• Crooks
• Curley’s wife

After the character analysis stage, the teacher asks students about whether they changed their opinion about the main idea/message of the novel, and a final discussion takes place. The teacher gives an assignment to write an argumentative essay on either the key message of the novel or one character of “Of Mice and Men”.