4/6 AP English Literature Literary Argument Essay Example #3
This is a real, anonymized literary argument essay written by an AP student and scored 4/6 by our AI grader — one of many AP English Literature essay examples in our library.
The Prompt
Many works of literature explore a character’s sense of lacking something important in life. The character perceives an unfulfilled need which may be emotional, spiritual, financial, or something the character does not understand or cannot articulate. Either from your own reading or from the following list, choose a work of fiction in which such a feeling is explored. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze how the character’s sense of an unfulfilled need contributes to an interpretation of the work as a whole.
The Essay
In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, George’s desire and resulting struggle to pull himself and Lennie out of poverty shows the difficulties of working during the Great Depression, which ultimately emphasizes the trade-off between emotional wellbeing and material success. At the beginning of the book, we are introduced to George and Lennie. It is revealed that the two are farm workers who had to flee from a lynch mob after Lennie accidentally committed sexual harassment. This introduction sets up George as intelligent and small while Lennie is simple-minded and bulky. They had lost their jobs due to Lennie’s mistake and had no home or money for themselves. This poverty shows the difficulties of working during the Great Depression - many people were out of jobs and struggling to get by in life. In particular, George is worried that Lennie will keep ruining future opportunities but maintains his resolve to keep the pair together. While walking to the new farm, they repeat a dream they have: owning land and farm animals. This optimism shows George’s care for Lennie and their desire to succeed together, even though George knows he would likely be able to succeed more by himself due to Lennie’s recklessness. Later on, when they meet the boss’s truculent son, Lennie accidentally catches his eye and is beaten. George is frustrated but tells Lennie to not do anything. This altercation shows the further difficulties that exist for workers - they have to face corporal punishment and injustice because their jobs are more important than dignity. George doesn’t want his best friend Lennie to get assaulted but also wants to get the pair out of poverty so that they can achieve their dream of owning their own land. If Lennie fights back now, then the pair would not be allowed to join the farm. This action ultimately emphasizes that there is a trade-off between emotional wellbeing and material success. Later on in the book, George confides in Crooks, who manages the stable, about the plan to save money and buy land. Crooks, having been on the farm for a long time, is weary of this but buys into it after seeing George’s resolve. This small moment of the book shows how George is actively trying to fulfill his desire to succeed during the Great Depression. He knows that many farm workers fail due to poor health, gambling, alcoholism, and other issues, so he collaborates with other people instead of relying on just Lennie. His intelligence is a central aspect of the book. However, at the end of the book, Lennie is playing with Curley’s wife but ends up accidentally killing her, which causes the farm workers to go on a hunt for him. George finds Lennie, comforts him, and then shoots him. This is an extremely painful event for George, who had spent his entire life with Lennie just to be the one to end his life. Ultimately, George’s desire to work hard and make money was incompatible with Lennie, who hurt other people and could not be constantly controlled. George tried to collaborate with other people, like Crooks, to make money quickly and get around this obstacle before things went bad, but it didn’t work. Being just a farm worker, George could no longer afford the baggage of Lennie and was forced to choose himself over the prospect of continuing to eke it out with someone who was too simple-minded for his own good. Now, he will be able to work without fear of being run out of town, but he won’t have anybody by his side. This shows the difficulties of being a powerless farm worker due to facing the dilemma of having to pick between one’s emotional wellbeing versus material success.
Score Breakdown
Thesis (1/1)
Evidence & Commentary (3/4)
Sophistication (0/1)
Why This Essay Scored Well
The essay opens with a clear thesis that names the trade-off between emotional wellbeing and material success, and it holds that claim steady from the first paragraph to the last. The organization follows a logical path: the dream of owning land, the conflict with Curley, the conversation with Crooks, and the final decision to shoot Lennie. Each paragraph returns to the same argument, so the through line never gets lost. The writer also selects concrete moments from the novel, such as the repeated dream and the fight with Curley, to anchor the analysis. The explanation of how George's choice to prioritize material success over emotional connection shapes the reading of the work is thoughtful and stays connected to the thesis. The prose is generally clear and free of major grammatical errors, which keeps the argument easy to follow.
For the full point-by-point rubric behind this score, read our AP essay rubric breakdown.
What Could Be Improved
The evidence and commentary score stops at 3 out of 4 because the body paragraphs lean on plot summary instead of direct textual evidence. When the essay discusses the dream, it describes the farm but does not quote George and Lennie's exact words, so the language that reveals their desperation or hope never reaches the page. The same pattern appears in the Curley paragraph: the writer states that George faces a trade-off but does not show how Steinbeck's dialogue or imagery makes that trade-off visible. The sophistication point is not earned because the analysis stays on the surface of the plot. To push higher, the writer could bring in a broader theme, such as the novel's critique of the American Dream, or examine how the cyclical structure of the journey reinforces the impossibility of the dream. Minor errors, like using truculent without explanation, also need a proofread. The conclusion should tie back to the thesis more explicitly rather than trailing off.
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