ISU ESSAY TEMPLATE
We’re going to write the three BODY PARAGRAPHS of an ESSAY whose
INTRODUCTION and CONCLUSION are these, AND we will be learning a GRADE 10
skill, COMPARISON BY ALTERNATION--
In two important books by twentieth-century authors—To Kill A
Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck—we meet a
series of characters whose relationships with one another and with the most
vulnerable of society’s members determine the worth we assign them as
people. Harper Lee assigns the term ‘mockingbird’ to describe these
vulnerable characters and she gives us two: Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. In
Steinbeck’s novel, where perhaps the small men could be thought of as ‘mice’,
there are also two: Crooks and Lennie. Each novel provides us with at least
one person who is caretaker to these ‘mockingbirds’: George takes care of
Lennie for most of the book and Scout learns to care for Boo Radley. Both
books have their share of villains who make life very hard for the victims of
society; Bob Ewell harasses the Robinson family until Tom is dead, and both
Curley and his wife are unkind to Lennie and Crooks. It is only at the end
of both books that we come to realize who we regard as worthy people—because
of how they take responsibility for the society’s ‘mockingbirds’—and whose
lives can be forfeited without much regard—because they do not.
PLAN FOR THE BODY PARAGRAPHS
BP #1, Topic Sentence —Since the centre of both novels is the weakest
of society’s members, they each give us two, one of whom suffers because of
his skin colour and the other, because of a perceived mental challenge.
Point #1 – Crooks and Tom --both ostracized but C. has become so bitter that
he doesn’t
expect anything (could be his age?); allows himself to hope to be like the
whites with their rabbit ranch only for a minute; Tom is much more open and
does behave like an ordinary man—by taking pity on Mayella (and that’s what
the Ewells can’t stand)
Point #2 –Lennie and Boo –both had relatives who wanted to take care of them
(Mr.
Radley and Nathan; Aunt Clara) and perhaps wanted them to be removed from
(protected from) society. But Lennie has to go out in the world when Aunt
Clara dies; then George is his reluctant protector. Boo makes only small
forays into the world (curtains, laughter, mended pants).
Point #3 – outcomes for Lennie and Boo: both kill someone—to some degree in
a rage— and both will be ‘protected’ for it –Heck Tate will protect Boo
from society by lying and sowill George—but Lennie must die for his murder
because, however mean she was (however much—like Bob Ewell—she threatened
others) she did not endanger anyone so directly as did Ewell.
BP #2 Topic Sentence –In both novels, at least one character becomes
the caretaker of the vulnerable man. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus
looks out for Tom and Scout learns to value Boo, while in Of Mice and Men,
George is, not always happily, Lennie’s caretaker.
Point #1 –Scout and George look after the well-being of Boo and Lennie at key
times
(YOU provide the details . . . )
Point #2 –At other times in both novels, Scout and George are mean to Boo and
Lennie(YOU provide the details . . .) But ultimately both do the ultimate
act of kindness for their charges –both ‘take them home’ (YOU explain what
that means . . .)
Point #3 –Though the law provides legal defence for Tom Robinson, Atticus
goes above and beyond the line of duty. (YOU provide the details . . . ) But
Crooks has no one defending him; he is alone and ignored, not even worth the
price of Lennie’s bullet to the head. George is actually the one who rejects
him from the ranch finally when he says, “ . .. ..” (YOU look up the
quotation. . . .)
BP #3 Topic Sentence --As we come to understand the worth of
the ‘mockingbirds’ or ‘mice’ in these novels, those who abuse them seem even
less deserving of our attention that we first thought.
Point #1 –Ewell and Curley are both louses, bottom of the trough: weak, vain,
afraid, though both try to cover it (YOU provide details and
quotations . . . .)
Point #2 –Ewell, Curley and Curley’s wife are all cruel and/or dangerous
(YOU provide details . . .)
Point #3 –the deaths of Ewell and Curley’s wife do not strike us as tragic
WHY NOT?
(YOU provide the details . . . )
So, in two major novels of the twentieth century, we the readers are
taught that, to be
a worthy member of society, we have to overcome our prejudices about those
who are different from us and seek to help them overcome whatever oppression
society’s villains afflict them with. We see that in the treatment of
the ‘mockingbirds’ from both Lee’s and Steinbeck’s novels: Lennie and Crooks
in Of Mice and Men, and Tom and Boo in To Kill a Mockingbird. Those who help
them we respect and admire and those who do not repel us. To some degree we
welcome their deaths. Only when we all realize that, but for providence and
grace, we too would be society’s vulnerable people will we understand that to
mistreat them is truly to kill a mockingbird.
TKAM Summative #1 --Use my introduction and conclusion and write out a
complete essay, using comparison by ALTERNATION. Also supply at least on
quotation per paragraph.
Remember the following:
FORMAT
--all essays must be double-spaced and typed on one side of the paper only;
all but the first page are numbered
--all essays come with a title and should probably have a title page
--titles of whole books, like Romeo and Juliet, are written in italics when
referred to
--essays are narrated in the present tense (called the historical present)
--all quotations must fit grammatically into the text.
--no “I”, contractions or abbreviations
Mark out 100
Due date ___________________________________
