Question

Student 1: I think the main theme of Of Mice and Men is loneliness, especially for characters like Crooks and Curley's wife.
Student 2: Yeah, they were both isolated.
Student 3: I kind of agree. The book had sad parts.
If you were Student 4, which of the following responses would best propel the discussion forward?
(1 point)
• "I didn't really like the book, so I don't know."
O "Yeah, Crooks was sad. That's it."
•anoyou shink Steinbeck uses setting, like the barn or the bunkhouse, to show their
• "Loneliness is a theme in a lot of books."

Answer 1

The third option — the one suggesting Steinbeck uses setting (the barn, the bunkhouse) to show their isolation — is the best. It moves the discussion from summary to analysis and invites evidence and examples.