Essay help!

So I have an essay on Wednesday and I've done all my revision for it but I just don't really know how to write the actual piece. My question for the essay is: Explore the ways a major theme you have studied is presented and developed. So for the theme I've chosen to do dreams because it's the strongest in the book but I am really struggling on how I'm going to set it out. Has anyone got any tips on this or just any tips on essays in general. I could really do with this ASAP. Thanks.

Reply 1

chrisiscool

What book is the essay based on

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Of Mice and Men

Ok the dreams started as a pipe dream really because in reality it was never going to happen but then the dream develops when candy (I think) adds his money so he can contribute and live with them then talk about how everything is going right for lennie and George until lennie kills curlews wife and etc
I take it the dreams are of getting the farm and "livin of the fatta the lan"
F***ing hell I hated that line

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Thanks

"Explore the ways a major theme you have studied is presented and developed. So for the theme I've chosen to do dreams because it's the strongest in the book but I am really struggling on how I'm going to set it out."

OK so we've got Of Mice and Men and dreams. Good choice, it is a big theme in the book. Anyway..

1. Talk about the importance of dreams in the novella - every character has a dream : Lennie to tend the rabbits, George to settle down with Lennie, Curley's wife to be a film star, Curley to be a famous boxer, Candy to settle down with George and Lennie, etc. Talk about how these dreams are going so far and how they end up - badly. Lennie dies, George is lonely, Candy is lonely, Curley's wife dies, Curley probably won't achieve his.
2. How do these dreams affect the characters?
3. Do the characters know their dreams will never be more than dreams? Candy and George probably do.
4. Use quotes. How is the theme presented? Read the book for this.
5. Check other sites for more detail, there is bound to be a lot of information. TIP: gather many bits and pieces of information from various sites and write in your own words during the exam

Hope I helped

Reply 6

Maria-Katie

Thanks, that's really helped :smile:

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Reply 7

Tom Murphy

Hi there! I'm not doing 'Of Mice and Men' but I can tell you how I structure my essays for English Lit. In the introduction I present the issue at hand, questioning its importance on the plot and its characters. Throughout the body I examine the effect of the theme or motif. Perhaps each paragraph could detail a different event or character and how the theme effects them. Be sure to use close reference to the text constantly in the form of quotations and rewording of the author. The conclusion brings together my formulated argument displaying my final opinion on the theme and its effect based on all the topics which have been studied in the main body of the essay.

Best of luck with your final piece! I'm sure you've got a great understanding of the text and will do really well in translating this to a coherent and interesting essay :smile:

Reply 8

Maria-Katie

Thank you

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