1. Robert Burns
To a Mouse
Page 642

2. Background Scottish Farmer
Able to reach people with his poetry because he grew up in the culture of small isolated Scottish farms and villages.
Simple pleasures made more precious.
Burns could write in both literary English of his time as well as a range of Scottish (dialect – literary), despite the fact that he was not formally educated for a long period of time.

3. Based on the title, what do you think the poem is about?
To a Mouse
Based on the title, what do you think the poem is about?

4. Before you read …
What might you or someone else you know do if you uncovered a mouse while plowing?

5. First reading… Listen to the poem once. Now read the poem to yourself.
Finally, with a partner reread the poem. Make note of any imagery, symbols, or tone.
Who is the speaker? What is the speaker’s mood? List the word(s) that help create this mood.
What dialect is this poem written in?
What effect does the dialect have on the poem?

6. Re-reading… Line 1: “Cowran” means cowering Paraphrase line 1
Lines 7-8: How do these lines display a concern typical to the Romantic period?
Lines 19-23: What clues can you find that tell you about time?
Why can’t the mouse build another house?

7. Re-reading…
Lines 1, 19, and 31: Which words are repeated in these lines?
What is the effect of the repetition in these lines?
How would this poem be different if the Scottish dialect were replaced with Modern English?

8. John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men
Connection…
John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men
Lennie is innocent and retarded. His innocence lets him believe that one day him and George will live “on the fatta the lan’s” but the reality is that he is flushed from his hiding place in the brush and killed at the end of the novel.

9. S-T-Y-L-E (Write S-T-Y-L-E down left margin of page)
S-entence Structure
T-one (author’s attitude)
stYle-combo of diction, metaphors, motifs
L-anguage is precise & effective
E-motional overtones & connotations

10. Sentences What is the structure of the poem?
Is there a rhyme scheme? What effect does that have on the reader?
Look at punctuation. Is there any sort of pattern to the punctuation?
Do the sentences vary in length? Does it seem like there is a reason?

11. Tone Look over some of the tone vocabulary below. Bold / Foolhardy
Mocking / Sarcastic
Reflective / sympathetic
What do you think the tone of the poem is?
Why?

12. Language
Note some word choices that seem to create a particular effect.
Find the uses of alliteration.
Are any of these uses comical?

13. Emotional Overtones
What connotation does some of the choice of vocabulary have?
What effect does that have on the reader?