Ms. Gulitti
Name______________________
English I
Period______________________
Of Mice and Men
Poetry Identity Assignment—Friendship and Dreams
Directions: Steinbeck’s novel focuses most on the human need for friendship and dreams as a source of
hope. The following poetry assignment has been designed to help you discover such ideas more fully in this
novel. Pay careful attention to the details outlined in each poetry assignment. Be sure to remember that you
must spell all words correctly, and that all work must be typed. Each poem should be single-spaced, but
be sure to leave appropriate space in between each poem.
This assignment is due on ________________________ only.
Create a series of poems (six in total) as described below. Use the specific directions given to you and the
samples to help you in your constructions. Note there are opportunities for choice in some categories.
POEM # 1 For Plot:
CHOICE A: Who-What-Where-When-Why Poetry
1.
2.
3.
4.
EX:
Brainstorm answers to the five W’s for Of Mice and Men.
Work the answers into five phrases that seem balanced and pertinent to the work.
Line these up with the proper punctuation.
Give the work a title that indicates the source.
The Yearling
The boy Jody
Shot Flag, the Yearling,
At the edge of the sink-hole
On the last day of his boyhood.
A man must “take it for his share
And go on.
OR
CHOICE B: Acrostic Poem to Summarize Plot. In an acrostic poem, the title (topic) is printed vertically,
letter-by-letter. Each letter is used in the construction of phrases or sentences to describe the topic.
EX: Snow White
Snow White
Never should have touched that
Old apple! The
Wicked
Witch
Had her enchanted, but
In stepped
The prince and they lived happily
Ever after.
1.
2.
3.
The title to use is Of Mice and Men.
Brainstorm words that start with the appropriate letters.
If sustained phrases are too difficult, try this kind of poetry to analyze setting or character.
Each line of your poem should begin with these letters:
O
F
M
I
C
E
A
N
D
M
E
N
POEM # 2
For Setting: The Haiku
A Haiku is a poem that tries to capture through word imagery the mood or feeling that a scene or natural
setting has aroused in the writer. It is always written in three lines, counting syllables: five syllables in the
first line, seven in the second, and five again in the third. Look at the following example:
A deep mountain glen,
A place wild, lonely and shagged…
Bed for twenty years.
-- “Rip Van Winkle”
1.
2.
3.
4.
Select one of the opening scenes of the chapters that you felt was most important.
Reread the entire passage or chapter, and make a list of all the words or groups of
Words that help you visualize the setting.
Choose two or three images that are most important to visualize the setting you
have chosen
from the novel.
Arrange your choice of word images in the form of a haiku. Revise and shape your lines until you
are satisfied.
POEM #s 3, 4, and 5
For Characterization: The Cinquain (create 3 poems here)
Cinquain (sin-cane) is an unrhymed form of poetry consisting of five prescribed lines. It should follow the
example listed below:
Noun
Adjective-adjective
Verb-ing, verb-ing, verb-ing
Four-word free statement
Synonym or equivalent for the topic (noun)
(Example)
Anne
Introspective, philosophical
Writing, growing, dreaming
Memorialized in a diary
Victim
1.
2.
Choose two characters from Of Mice and Men.
Brainstorm a list of adjectives for each character. 
3.
4.
5.
6.
Brainstorm a list of present participles (verb words adding –ing)
to show action.
Brainstorm a list of synonyms for each character.
Create a poem for each character using steps 1-4.
***Create a poem for yourself using steps 1-4.
POEM # 6
For Theme—Definition Poetry OR new lyrics to “Eleanor Rigby”
Definition poetry is a form of free verse (unrhymed) that uses a selection of brief phrases to define an idea
or concept. It is important to create sensitive phrases that are brief and have a good balance of images and
expressions of feeling. Look at the two different examples:
CHOICE A:
What Have You Learned?
Work together
Build to the last
Do it right
Make it good
Lock the door
Distrust strangers
Listen for huffing
Beware of wolves
Suffer the consequences
That’s what we’ve learned.
– “The Three Little Pigs”
OR
CHOICE B:
What is Cold?
A subtle gloom
Absence of sun
All pure white
Spittle crackling in air
Seventy-five below
Fine powder of frost
Numbness of fingers
Hands like weights
Sentence of death
That is Cold!
--Jack London’s To Build a Fire
1.
2.
3.
4.
Create your own “What Have You Learned” OR “What are Dreams” poem for Of Mice and Men.
Brainstorm phrases that fit the topic that must include the ideas of dreams and friendship.
Arrange these in an effective manner, keeping tone and rhythm in mind.
Add the introductory and concluding lines at the margin. The other lines are all indented. Usually
no more than nine phrases are used.
OR
CHOICE C:“Eleanor Rigby” alternative: using the lyrics to this song by The Beatles, create a new
version, applying it to the characters from Of Mice and Men who were lonely. You may keep the opening,
“Ah, look at all the lonely people,” but change the verses to reflect at least two characters from the novel.
For example, choose one character from the novel to represent Eleanor Rigby, and another to represent
Father Mackenzie. Follow the structure of the song to develop at least five lines per character. Try to
reveal the cause OR effect of each character’s loneliness in the final line of each character’s stanza.