English Literature : Mice And Men Flashcards
(85 cards)
Vocab
suggests
implies
evokes
connotes
illustrates
exemplifies
highlights
demonstrates
signifies
accentuates
symbolises
portrays
conveys
creates
Context
-In 1930s, Great Depression hit.
-High levels of unemployment, poverty, homelessness.
-Many farm workers moved to different farms for work eg George and Lennie.
-In return for their hard work, they got bed, food, small wage.
-Dust bowl- drought and land wasn’t fertile enough to grow crops.
Hollywood was on rise in 1920s and 1930s.
-American society was racist in 1930s. They were segregated, lower quality services.
-Racist language was very common there.
American Dream
George and Lennie dream of owning a piece of land. This was their version of American Dream.
George and Lennie living “off the fatta the Ian”
Curleys wife “been in movies and had nice clothes”
Different perspectives
-Lennie and George have different dreams, Lennie wants to look after rabbits and have a farm, while George wants to be a normal man.
“The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features.”
The language used here such as“quick”,“restless”and“sharp”are a physical reflection of George’s intelligence and quick thinking. This provides a strong contrast with Lennie, who is large and slow. First meaning more important, taking the lead.
So you forgot that awready, did you? I gotta tell you again, do I?
George’s rhetorical questions, shows his frustration with his companion.
With us it ain’t like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us.
Plural pronouns“we”and“us”are repeated to show that George and Lennie are a unit and stay together, unlike many men like them. He builds up the impression of their closeness through giving three short, definite statements about their relationship.
they are not lonely.
I ain’t mad. I never been mad, an’ I ain’t now. That’s a thing I want ya to know.
George is reassuring to Lennie, even after he has done a terrible thing, by killing Curley’s wife. George is just about to kill Lennie here and he is kind to him first, making sure that he knows that George cares about him and forgives him, so that Lennie can die in peace, knowing that George isn’t angry with him. Doesn’t want to regret same like Candy and his dog.
Father son relationship
“Lennie imitated George exactly”
“Don’t drink too much.. your gonna be sick”
“gonna tangle with that bastard”
He’s good at reading people and situations. George realises that Curley’s a character to avoid, George hates Curley immediately, because he’s
aggressive towards them (especially to Lennie).
“I seen ‘em poison”
He doesn’t like Curley’s wife.
He senses that she’ll cause trouble for them
When he lies under the stars in Chapter One, he seems happy - “Tonight I’m gonna lay right here and look up.
I like it.”
He obviously enjoys the things most people would enjoy like being free from work and demanding bosses.
Steinbeck also persuades the reader to feel sympathy for George.
For example, he calls Lennie a “Poor bastard” even when he’s just about to tell him off
Steinbeck is making it clear to the
reader that George tells Lennie off for his own good.
George is the hero of Of Mice and Men, but he’s just an ordinary man in an ordinary situation. This makes it easier for the reader to identify with him and to understand why he does things.
Difference between them and other people
“With us it ain’t like that. We got a future.”
Lennie
“He’s a powerful man with huge hands”, this makes him a brilliant farm labourer even though he has mental disorder.
“Behind him walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide sloping shoulders”
Childlike
“He’s jes’ like a kid”.
He’s grown up physically, but mentally he’s still like a child.
He likes to stroke and “pet” soft things like mice and Curley’s wife’s hair.
He’s like a child with a favourite blanket or a stuffed toy.
Innocent
Lennie’s innocent — and asks lots of innocent questions eg, to Crooks
Slim immediately sees that Lennie “ain’t mean”.
Animal imagery
“with his huge paws and bleated with terror.”
“Strong as a bull.”
“the way a bear drags his paws”
Lennie’s condition is never explained.
“dum-dum” by Curley’s wife and Slim thinks he’s “cuckoo”
“I was jus’ playin’ with him … an’ he made like he’s gonna bite me … an’ I made like I was gonna smack him … an’ … an’ I done it. An’ then he was dead.”
The use ofellipsis here shows how upset Lennie is as he is not able to speak fluently, demonstrating that he did not mean to cause any harm to his puppy. The way he repeats“an’”(meaning ‘and’) is childlike, which reflects the way that Lennie thinks and cannot control his own behaviour. The way that he describes the puppy’s death does not show the link between his actions and the outcome as he uses the passive phrase“then he was dead.”
Follower
Lennie’s a bit like George’s pet. He follows George around and relies on him for food. He also obeys George — at the pool he brings George the mouse “like a terrier who doesn’t want to bring a ball to its master.”
George treats Lennie like a pet too - he orders him around and uses his strength to get them jobs. In the end, he treats Lennie in the same way that Candy treats his dog he shoots him in the head for his own good.
Aunt Clara
George has looked after Lennie since Lennie’s Aunt Clara died.
Lennie couldn’t survive on his own. He may be animal-like, but unlike an animal, he wouldn’t be able to survive alone in the wild.
But Lennie does have one practical skill — he’s a good worker. Slim says, “There ain’t obody can keep up with him.” This is very useful for George because it helps them get work. George and Lennie make a good partnership — George has the brains and Lennie has the strength.
Intelligent
Lennie knows that George would feel guilty about leaving him and he uses this to get his own way.
For example, when George is unkind to him in Chapter One, he threatens to go and “find a cave”.
When George persuades him not to, Lennie uses his
“advantage” to get George to tell him about their dream farm.
Sometimes he seems intelligent enough to realise how much George sacrifices to look after him. When he’s having the imaginary conversation with his Aunt Clara she says, “He been doin’ nice things for you alla time.”
Slim
He’s a “jerkline skinner” — a very skilful job.
He’s easy-going and his work team is the best one to be on.
He’s described as “the prince of the ranch” and he has “authority” — people listen to what he says.
Slim’s fit and healthy — which means he attracts the attention of Curley’s wife.
He’s the only person she addresses by name, and he calls her “Good-lookin’”, meaning he’s not scared of Curley, and gives her the attention she wants.
“he aint got to wear high heeled boots”
“he hears more than whats been said”
“His authority was so great”
Crooks
“a guy gets lonely sometimes”
reads alot, educated, cares alot about rights
teases lennie that george isnt coming back, only source of entertainment
“You aint got no rights”
“I aint wanted cause im black”
