Teacher Summaries & Best of Batch: Of Mice and Men

Exposing ourselves to quality models is one one of the best way to learn a new skill. Here are a few models for good summary writing. I'll lead with two of my own summaries, one a 44 and the other a 91 word long version. Notice what kinds of details are added on as the summary gets longer. I'll then have you vote online for the best short summary on our previous blog post and post the winning summary here.

George and his mentally handicapped companion Lenny, two migrant ranch-hands, hope to earn enough money to buy a small ranch of their own, but when Lenny inadvertently kills a young woman, George must save him from a lynch mob by executing his friend himself. (44 words)

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George and Lenny are two migrant ranch hands who travel together looking for work in California in the 1920’s or 30’s. Lenny is physically powerful but mentally handicapped and emotionally child-like. George is his devoted caretaker. The two men hope to save up enough money to buy a small farmstead of their own, but Lenny inadvertently kills a young woman, and George, to save him from a painful death at the hands of a lynch mob, executes Lenny himself while distracting him with a vision of their much yearned-for farm. (91 words)

UPDATE: The winner of our vote for best short summary... make that winnerS ... it's a tie! Four votes each for Hannah Morris and Rachel Tsuna, whose summaries now appear below mine. Honor to the winners!

Hannah Morris: Lennie, a mentally handicapped Okie, and George, Lennie’s companion and caretaker, have the ultimate American dream of owning a ranch to themselves where they can be their own bosses, but when Lennie’s disability causes complications, George must execute Lennie humanely, reprieving him the painful death awaiting him by an infuriated lynch mob.

Rachel Tsuna: George and Lennie are companions with a dream of owning a ranch where they could be free men, but their dream is shattered when Lennie, who has a disability, kills someone, leaving George with no choice but to mercifully kill him before an angry mob gets to him first.