Of Mice and Men
Character Analysis Essay
9th grade Language Arts
Name: ____________________________
Day & Period: ______________________
I. Tier A Venn Diagram
Compare & Contrast Brainstorming
Directions: For this essay you will need to identify two direct characterization/personality traits to compare
between two characters, one from each book. Fill in the Venn diagram below with similarities and differences
between the two characters you are planning to analyze in your essay. Be sure to include several specific
characteristics for each character.
Honors Novel: Animal Farm by George Orwell
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Character Name: ___________________________
Character Name: ___________________________
Differences:
Character Similarities:
Differences:
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II. Tier A Outline: Compare/Contrast
Tier A:
Example Outline:
Title: A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
Honors Novel:
 Direct Characterization #1
 Direct Characterization #2
Of Mice and Men:
 Direct Characterization #1
 Direct Characterization #2

Direct Characterization 1: In the beginning of the book, Ishmael
is a lonely boy who misses his family.
+
 Direct Characterization 2: At the end, Ishmael is a war survivor
who deals with the trauma of being a child soldier.
=
Main Idea – Topic Sentence: In A Long Way Gone, by Ishmael Beah,
Ishmael’s journey takes him from being a lonely boy who misses family at
the beginning of the war, to a survivor who struggles with the trauma of
being a child soldier by the end.
Directions: In the boxes below, plan the main points of your Tier A, subject-by subject, compare/contrast,
character analysis essay. Use the example above as a model. When you finish this outline, move on to the
Prewriting/Rough Draft worksheets for your body paragraphs; you will create “quote sandwiches” using
textual examples and inferences to support the main ideas/topic sentences below.
Tier A Outline: Subject-by-Subject Compare/Contrast
Honors Novel:
Of Mice and Men
Direct Characterization 1:
Direct Characterization 1:
+
Direct Characterization 2:
+
Direct Characterization 2:
=
Main Idea – Topic Sentence:
=
Main Idea – Topic Sentence:
III. Tier A Body Paragraph PreWriting/Rough Draft:
1. Main Idea – Topic Sentence: Honors Novel – 1 character, 2 direct characterization traits
Introduce the textual example:
Introduce the textual evidence
by providing some context,
background information from
the story, or a short summary
of the quote.
Textual example or evidence:
Write a textual example or textual evidence
that supports your main idea above.
2. Trait #1:
3.
4.
5. Trait #1:
6.
7.
8. Trait #2:
9.
10.
11. Trait #2:
12.
13.
(Textual evidence – a sentence copied from the
text, including quotation marks, author’s last
name, and page #).
Inference:
What does the textual evidence mean?
Explain how the textual example helps
support your main idea or topic
sentence. DO NOT summarize,
paraphrase or rewrite the textual example
in your own words.
14. Conclusion Sentence: How do the two personality traits of the Honors novel character help communicate a
theme? Be sure to actually state the theme.
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III. Tier A Body Paragraph Rough Draft:
1. Main Idea – Topic Sentence: Of Mice and Men – 1 character, 2 direct characterization traits
Introduce the textual example:
Introduce the textual evidence
by providing some context,
background information from
the story, or a short summary
of the quote.
Textual example or evidence:
Write a textual example or textual evidence
that supports your main idea above.
2. Trait #1:
3.
4.
5. Trait #1:
6.
7.
8. Trait #2:
9.
10.
11. Trait #2:
12.
13.
(Textual evidence – a sentence copied from the
text, including quotation marks, author’s last
name, and page #).
Inference:
What does the textual evidence mean?
Explain how the textual example helps
support your main idea or topic
sentence. DO NOT summarize,
paraphrase or rewrite the textual example
in your own words.
14. Conclusion Sentence – Theme: How do the two personality traits of the character from Of Mice and
Men help communicate a theme? Be sure to actually state the theme.
IV. Conclusion Paragraph:
Transition Sentence: ________________________________________________________
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Re-Thesis: _____________________________________________________________________
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Re-Hook: _____________________________________________________________________
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Relationship of body paragraphs – compare and contrast the two characters and their traits:
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Push the reader to a new understanding: compare and contrast how the authors use the two characters’
personalities to communicate specific themes. Be sure to actually state the themes and compare/contrast
them.
(point to broader ideas, concepts, or implications, offer a final impact or weight of your essay, answer “So what?” or
“Why does this matter?” about your topic, show the importance of your ideas, share complex ideas that connect your
essay to the real world, offer a “universal message” that relates your essay to the many/most people).
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V. Introduction Paragraph:
In addition to all of the usual requirements for an Introduction paragraph, be sure to include the following
information in your Introduction:
 Titles: Underline Book Titles OR Italicize Book Titles of both books (do NOT underline and italicize book
titles)
 Authors: State the first and last names of both authors at least once in the essay, usually only in the
Introduction. When referring to the authors in the rest of the essay just use their last names.
 Reason for comparison: Discuss what is relatable between the two books. What makes comparing
these two books interesting or compelling? What connects these two books and makes them good to
compare and contrast?
“Hook” – Capture reader interest: use one of
the following “attention grabbers”:
 surprising or important facts,
information or statistics
 a quotation from someone relevant
(Cesar Chavez, Ms. Wilson, etc.)
 a story or example situation (or
anecdote)
DO NOT USE A QUESTION: (rephrase as a
statement))
Hook: ________________________________________
“Bridge” – Connect/transition the reader
from the “Hook” to the Thesis:
 use or explore one idea
 ease the reader into the essay
 avoid going too in depth, or giving
too many details too early
Bridge: ________________________________________
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Thesis Statement + Essay Map:
 your topic + your ideas about the
topic = expository thesis statement
 essay map: it can be part of your
thesis or a separate sentence after
your thesis, but it must be included in
the Introduction.
Thesis + Essay Map: _______________________________
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