Question

read the short passage (3 minutes)
excerpt from \of mice and men\ by john steinbeck (public domain)

• \a few miles south of soledad, the salinas river drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green. the water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool. on the sandy bank under the trees, the leaves lie deep and so crisp that a lizard makes a great skittering if he runs among them.\
• answer the questions (7 minutes)

students respond in their journals or on a worksheet.

• comprehension & analysis
• what mood does steinbeck create in this passage? use one piece of textual evidence to support your answer.

Explanation:

To determine the mood, we analyze the descriptive language. Words like "deep and green," "warm," "twinkling," and the peaceful scene of the river, sandy bank, and lizard's skittering create a calm and serene mood. The evidence "The water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool" shows a tranquil, almost idyllic setting with gentle, pleasant imagery (warm water, twinkling over sands) that evokes serenity.

Answer:

The mood Steinbeck creates is calm and serene. Textual evidence: "The water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool." This description of the warm, twinkling water moving over the sands paints a peaceful, idyllic scene, contributing to a serene mood.