“Of Mice and Men” Essay Prompts and Preparations

General Instructions

Choose one of the below essay prompts and write a thesis guided 5-paragraph essay typed in MLA format. You must support your position with evidence. You can draw support/evidence from our class discussions, the interview you did with a family member, personal experience, and any or all of the following: the novel “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck, the theme annotations, and the three articles we have read. You MUST use at least two of the written texts listed here.

Social Responsibility

1.  What is social responsibility? What responsibility should people have to one another? Why? Using evidence from the novel and the articles we read, choose two characters from the novel and analyze if they acted with social responsibility or not and how that affected them and others.

The American Dream

2.  What is the American Dream? According to Steinbeck, was it attainable in the 1930s? Why or why not? Is it attainable today? Support your thesis by using evidence from the novella, the articles, and your interviews.

3.  Here is a quote from two well-known editors of the text book Creating America.

“…the American Dream is so well established—both as an expression and as an idea—that no one feels the need to define it; however, no one seems to agree on exactly what it means. Perhaps the closest we can come is to say that the American dream represents both what Americans believe themselves entitled to and what they believe themselves capable of. In other words, it is the promise inherent in the idea of America itself” (Moser and Watters 171).

Write an essay that provides an expository answer to the following questions:

While we all can’t agree on the same definition for it, we do agree the American dream is alive and well among most, even if we acknowledge that it’s difficult for ALL people to attain. If people who desire the “American dream” are left out of it, what about the dream is still worthwhile to them? Why do they still want it?

The rough draft of this essay is due on:______

This essay is due on:______

The American Dream

What is the American Dream (your definition)?

______

“Of Mice and Men”:

What does John Steinbeck seem to suggest about the American Dream in the 1930s? Use at least three examples from the novel to support your point.

______

Article #1:”The American Dream: A Biography”

1.) Summarize the article:

______

2.) What does the author suggest about the American Dream?

______

Article #2:”Can Life still be a dream in America?”

1.) Summarize the article:

______

2.) What does the author suggest about the American Dream?

______

Article #3:”Is the American Dream Dead?”

1.) Summarize the article:

______

2.) What does the author suggest about the American Dream?

______

Which essay question did you choose?

______What is your thesis statement?

______

What examples from the novel, the articles, and your interview can you use in your essay?

Pre-write:

What you have learned about the American Dream?

Novella / What have I learned about the American Dream? What have I learned about the importance of the American dream? What have I learned about the accessibility of the American Dream? / Textual evidence from the story
“Of Mice and Men”

What you have learned about the American Dream?

Article / What have I learned about the American Dream? What have I learned about the importance of the American dream? What have I learned about the accessibility of the American Dream? / Textual evidence from the article
The American Dream: A Biography
Can Life still be a dream in America?
Is the American Dream Dead?
Poem / What have I learned about the importance of dreams?
Dreams by Langston Hughes

Dreams by Langston Hughes –

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.