Quotes and organisation

TOK Arts

TOK Religious Knowledge

Conclusions

Essay of the week 12a

discuss one of the following three prompts in a three page essay

Steinbeck's use of dialogue in chapter two and three

The use of imagery in chapter two and three

The relationship between George and Lennie in chapter two and three

• start by generating 30 (juicy) quotes, minimum
• 
  
• then outline your essay on paper or digitally using your refined and reorganised quotes, grouped into ideas

submit a 3 page (minimum) paper, printed, helvetica or times new roman, with a space between each paragraph.

plus your list of quotes and your outline on accompanying pages

Essay of the week 12b

discuss one of the following three prompts in a three page essay

The exploration of the theme, “Guys like us, that work on
ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world." in chapter two and three

The use of foreshadowing in chapter two and three

Sympathy and empathy in chapter two and three

• start by generating 30 (juicy) quotes, minimum
• 
  
• then outline your essay on paper or digitally using your refined and reorganised quotes, grouped into ideas

submit a 3 page (minimum) paper, printed, helvetica or times new roman, with a space between each paragraph.

plus your list of quotes and your outline on accompanying pages

Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men was published in 1937, after John Steinbeck had achieved literary acclaim with his novel Tortilla Flat but before he wrote his better known works The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden. The story epitomizes the themes and ideas that Steinbeck propounded throughout his novels: the plight of the labourers, the perils of isolation, and the hope for a better future. Set in California during the Great Depression, Of Mice and Men is an excellent vehicle to learn about the life and times of migrant works in the 1930s. With its beautiful descriptive passages, easily accessible dialogue, and fast-paced timeline, it is very easy to follow along. Readers are drawn in by the memorable characters that, ironically, represent a segment of society that was largely ignored in its day. Analysing the balance of power, the importance of friendship, and the role of dreams in our lives allows readers to gain a deeper understanding of the text while applying valuable lessons to their own lives. 

Of Mice and Men is set in the Salinas Valley of Southern California in the late 1930’s, the era of the Great Depression. Like many writers of the Modern Period (1915-1945), John Steinbeck attempts to make sense of the early decades of the 20th century; he sees the humanity in a class of people who are often ignored by writers and by society at large. These issues are further developed in Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. 

Born in Salinas Califonia in 1902 to a middle class family, when Steinbeck was a young adult, he spent his summer vacations working as a hired hand on local ranches. His interactions with the people he met during those summers greatly influenced the characters he created throughout his career. In an interview following the publication of Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck revealed that all the characters in the novel are composites based on real people. 

http://shepardfreshman.weebly.com/of-mice-and-men-by-john-steinbeck.html

Themes to date:

The American Dream

Empathy and Sympathy

“Guys like us, that work on
ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world."


Motifs:

Soft things

The story



Ideas to consider

Steinbeck writes about the common man

the symbiotic relationship between the characters

the extensive use of simple but powerful imagery

Sibilance, Plosives, Liquids, Fricatives and Nasals

Sounds in Poetry

http://englishtutorhome2.blogspot.com.es/2013/04/sounds-in-poetry-sibilant-plosive.html

Sounds in Poetry: Sibilant, Plosive, Liquids, Fricatives, Nasals

ATeacherWrites.com

How are sounds used to create mood?
The main sounds that I teach to students are
1. sibilant /s/ /sh/ /ch/ /x/
2. plosive /b/ /p/ /t/ /d/
3. liquid /l/
4. (sometimes) fricative, voiced /th/ 'the' /v/ and unvoiced /th/ 'theatre' /f/
5. (rarely) nasal /m/ /n/

Should we always comment on sounds in writing?
No. Sounds are everywhere. Some are deliberate, but most are accidental. Only a few will help prove your point about the theme or meaning. Choose examples with care. Two per poem would be enough. Use your own judgement.

Sibilant /s/ sounds. This can be written <s> <ss> or <c> as in 'ice'. <sh> <dg> <x> <ks> or <ch>
WARNING: This is actually one of the most common sounds in English, so be careful to make sure the writer is deliberately using it for effect.


Why is it so common? In English, plurals end in -s or -es, a lot of verbs end in -s for the present tense, and it appears in very common words like 'is'.

What is the effect of the sibilant /s/ sound?
The effect depends on context, and also the meanings of the words around it.
It can be: 
- soft
- hissing or insidious
- sinister

You can also call this 'onomatopoeia'.
How to write about it: 'the sibilant 's' creates an onomatopoeic, sinister effect' OR 'the onomatopoeic sibilant sounds create a sinister effect'.

More examples:
How to write about it: e.g. The sibilant sounds in ‘softly, sweetly, sickly’ creates a soft, gentle mood, which turns sinister on ‘sickly’ as the sounds flow across the line. The unusual shift in mood within the same, sibilant sound, creates a disturbing effect.

Plosive /b/ /p/ /t/ /d/ sounds create an abrupt, sharp, sometimes shocking effect. Look for plosives blended with sibilants or liquids - as a short, sharp shock after the softer mood OR, where both are interlaced (sib/plo/sib/plo/sib/plo) think about which feels stronger - is it a juddering effect, stuttering (be creative with your interpretation: what does it make you think of?)
How to write about it:
At the end of the stanza the places are listed as if an incantation, repeating the monosyllabic plosives : ‘Belfast. Beirut. Phom Penh.’ 

Liquid  /l/ this can flow, creating a sense of quick, light movement - or of water - ‘light slipped down the lee of the hill’, or sound thick, heavy when combined with dull sounds - as in 'ladle', 'paddle' and 'paddle'.

Fricatives /f/ /v/ /th/ /th/
These are divided into voiced (hard) and voiceless (soft). It's fun to notice the connection: the <f> in 'knife', is soft, and becomes hard in the plural 'knives'. The same thing happens in 'loaf' and 'loaves'.
Voiceless fricatives can create an airy effect.
e.g. In the poem 'Flag' by John Agard, he repeats voiceless fricatives at the start of the first two stanzas: 'flag', 'fluttering' 'unfurled', to create a free, flowing  and airy effect - of freedom.

When commenting on sounds: remember - it's not just noise! It's words. Words have meanings. So you need to figure out how the sounds add to (or contrast with) the meaning.
You can't just take a one size fits all approach.
Sibilants aren't always gentle. Sometimes they're sinister.
Sometimes flowing sounds are positive. Other times they may flow too fast as if they're out of control.
Plosives are sometimes harsh in a bad way, sometimes energetic and bouncy. When combined with liquids, they can sound sensual.

LOOK OUT FOR

Plosives and Liquids together:

At first, though we’re introduced to the main characters in an empty, Eden-like place of natural beauty of ‘warm’ ‘golden’ beauty, with sensory language like ‘pool’ ‘slopes’ and ‘Gabilan’ that run sensually over liquids (l) and plosives (p,b). Steinbeck’s love of his home landscape is tangible. His use of the present tense ‘the Salinas river drops... and runs deep and green’ give it a timeless, eternal feel, which adds to the Edenic quality.


Sibilants, Voiceless Fricatives and Liquids together: 

The mood is made even more awkward through the rich and sensual sounds, of sibilants, liquids/voiceless fricatives and long syllables in 'spools' and 'suffering'.

Practice Essay

Questions for practice

1. “The quality of knowledge is best measured by how many people accept it.” Discuss this claim with reference to two areas of knowledge.

2. “The production of knowledge is always a collaborative task and never solely a product of the individual.” Discuss this statement with reference to two areas of knowledge.

3. Do good explanations have to be true?

4. “Disinterestedness is essential in the pursuit of knowledge.” Discuss this claim with reference to two areas of knowledge.

5. “The production of knowledge requires accepting conclusions that go beyond the evidence for them.” Discuss this claim.

6. “One way to assure the health of a discipline is to nurture contrasting perspectives.” Discuss this claim.

• Define Your Terms
• Organise Your Examples (how it could be true/beneficial, how it could be false/problematic)
• Outline
• Build Your Paragraphs Carefully with precise Examples and extensive explanations (be sure to say a lot about a little) that show implications of shared and personal knowledge

How to TOK Essay

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