Of Mice and Men

Question 1

Describe the key theme of dreams.

Answer 1

Steinbeck explores the concept of the American Dream, a belief that anyone can achieve success and improve their lives through hard work
* A right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” was ingrained in American culture following the Declaration of Independence in 1776
* Steinbeck deliberately contrasts or juxtaposes dreams with the novel’s harsh physical setting and the characters’ poverty and suffering
* Dreams also represent a form of escapism:
* George and Lennie dream of independence and freedom on their own farm
* Curley’s wife hopes for a future of fame and to escape her oppressive, loveless marriage
* Crooks dreams of a life of acceptance and dignity, free from prejudice
* Candy dreams of a refuge, a “little piece of land”
* Dreams are presented as having a physical dimension, for example, they dream of their own farm:
* This highlights the characters’ sense of displacement
* Dreams give the characters purpose and a feeling of agency, offering respite from the daily misery and repetitiveness of their lives:
* George and Lennie repeat, chant-like, their dream to own a farm
* The novel highlights the hope that comes from a shared dream:
* Candy is desperate to work with George to get their own farm
* With the final, tragic deaths of Curley’s wife and Lennie, the reader understands that even modest dreams are unattainable or impossible in this setting

Question 2

What is Steinbecks intention of the key theme of dreams ?

Answer 2

What is Steinbeck’s intention?

• Ultimately, Steinbeck’s message is of the failure of the American Dream: it is an illusion, little more than a fantasy
• The novella examines dreams that regard independence as the ultimate version of success
• Steinbeck examines the impact of the Great Depression on itinerant workers and highlights limitations for displaced individuals

Question 3

Describe the key theme of loneliness ?

Answer 3

Knowledge and evidence:
* The novella is set on a remote ranch called Soledad:
* This translates from Spanish as “solitude”
* The novella examines the isolation caused by displacement:
* Characters like Candy, Crooks and Curley’s wife are isolated on the ranch
* Each represent a minority group in society and are alone and ignored as a result of their differences
* George and Lennie, itinerant workers, are displaced, but are introduced as a pair:
* They arrive on the ranch together
* They have a history (they share stories from their past)
* They have a shared goal that separates them from the others
* This friendship is a source of comfort
* In order to examine societal values and attitudes of the time, Steinbeck portrays characters who work toward their own individual success:
* The rancher, Slim, explains that everyone is “scared of each other”
* Candy and Crooks want to work with George to achieve the dream farm
* The tragedy exemplifies the impact of other individuals on friendships:
* The companionship Candy finds with his dog is taken from him
* Curley’s wife attempts to find friendship with Lennie, but is killed
* George and Lennie’s friendship is ruined as a result of other characters

Question 4

What is Steinbecks intention of the key theme loneliness ?

Answer 4

What is Steinbeck’s intention?
* Steinbeck explores the circumstances of itinerant ormigrant workers as the Great Depression
forced individuals to travel in search for work
* Steinbeck examines the idea of the American Dream through characters who are desperate for companionship, yet focused on individual happiness

Question 5

Describe the key theme of discrimination ?

Answer 5

Of Mice and Men is set in 1930s America at a time of social inequality. Steinbeck raises questions about racism, sexism and ableism in order to portray the damaging effects of discrimination and marginalisation.
Knowledge and evidence:
* Steinbeck creates a microcosm of society on the ranch to highlight aspects of discrimination in
1930s America
* Each character represents a marginalised group:
* Curley’s wife is isolated on the ranch as the only female:
* Steinbeck highlights that she does not adapt to her environment
* She is viewed suspiciously, seen as a sexual object or threat
* Crooks is segregated from the other ranchers as a result of his race:
* Steinbeck exemplifies the casual and explicit racism of the time by including racial slurs in the characters’ dialogue
* Steinbeck shows the hierarchy of society:
* Crooks, the most intelligent character, is “reduced to nothing” by another minority character,
Curley’s wife
* Candy, an old man working on the ranch, represents the lack of social care at the time as Steinbeck depicts his limited autonomy and struggle to survive
* Lennie, a man with learning difficulties as a result of a head injury, is perceived as the main threat on the ranch, and is the source of the novella’s conflict
* Steinbeck’s unresolved ending suggests there is little hope for marginalised groups

Question 6

What is Steinbecks intention of the key theme discrimination ?

Answer 6

What is Steinbeck’s intention?
* Steinbeck examines the impact of discrimination and oppression
* By setting the novella at the time of the Great Depression, Steinbeck illustrates connections between the struggle for survival and marginalisation
* Steinbeck explores how prejudice stems from fear and distrust as a result of uncertainty

Question 7

Describe the key theme of power ?

Answer 7

Of Mice and Men explores the powerlessness of man against nature. The title relates to the futility of making plans and suggests that, ultimately, weaker individuals have little autonomy.
Knowledge and evidence:
* Steinbeck’s novel takes place in a remote and rural landscape:
* His cyclical structure, starting and ending at the “brush”, represents the limited impact individuals have on their environment, yet the disruption humans cause
* The setting highlights the struggle for survival in harsh conditions
* Steinbeck creates a hierarchy of power on the ranch to represent society
* The novella depicts individuals in a struggle to gain autonomy and control
* While Slim and Curley have economic freedom, there is still a power struggle between them:
* Steinbeck shows how real respect and power must ultimately be earned
* Other characters have little control over their lives:
* George is paranoid about losing the job on the ranch, leaving him constantly suspicious and reliant on Lennie’s behaviour
* Lennie is unable to control his own impulses, making him intellectually powerless against George
* Curley’s wife is not free to follow her pursuits, but Curley is equally unable to control her actions
* Candy is powerless to stop the other stronger men from taking his dog, and is also unable to find his own “piece of land”
* The other itinerant workers live fruitless, repetitive lives
* Steinbeck’s ending suggests that freedom and autonomy are impossible for those who have little power in society

Question 8

What is Steinbecks intention of the key theme power?

Answer 8

What is Steinbeck’s intention?
* Steinbeck examines the impact of the Great Depression on individual lives
* The novella illustrates the powerlessness of individuals made desperate by external forces and
circumstances beyond their control

Question 9

How is George Milton presented ?

Answer 9

George can be considered the protagonist of the story and is introduced in the beginning of the novella as he travels to a ranch for work
* He represents an itinerant worker during the Great Depression
* His friendship with Lennie and his plan to buy a piece of land sets him apart from the other itinerant workers:
* He and Lennie are the only characters with surnames
* The other characters are suspicious of their unusual friendship
* George repeatedly tells Lennie that they are different to other itinerant workers because they
have a “future”

Question 10

How is George presented sympathetically ?

Answer 10

He is intelligent, observant and cautious
* He is the sole care-giver to, and ally of, Lennie Small, his family friend
* Readers are told he has looked after Lennie since Lennie’s Aunt Clara died

Question 11

How does Georges character represents the idea of responsibility ?

Answer 11

George’s good intentions are juxtaposed with the many challenges he faces George’s sense of accountability and his determination to succeed weigh heavily
In this way, Steinbeck questions the American Dream

Question 12

How does George’s characterisation throughout the novella illustrates the challenges of individuals who work
hard to thrive while facing obstacles outside of their control?

Answer 12

He is described as “restless”, worried (he stares “ morosely” into the fire), and impatient with
Lennie
* By the end, George realises his plans cannot be realised alongside Lennie
* Despite earlier hopes, George realises he faces the future alone, like the others
* In this way, Steinbeck uses his characterisation of George to represent the impossible circumstances facing itinerant workers

Question 13

How is Lennie Small presented ?

Answer 13

Lennie Small is the novella’s other protagonist:
* However, his learning difficulties and child-like nature mean he is entirely reliant on George

Question 14

How does Lennies character represent the lack of social care in 1930s American?

Answer 14

Lennie was born with learning difficulties and was cared for by his Aunt Clara
* This reinforces Steinbeck’s messages about the importance of communal care

Question 15

As a itinerant worker , does Lennies impairment place him in a vulnerable position ?

Answer 15

Steinbeck presents him as George’s fierce “pet” when Curley starts a fight:
* Lennie reacts only when George instructs him to retaliate
The boss suspects George is exploiting him
* Lennie’s physical strength is his only advantage on the ranch, but Steinbeck presents this as the main cause of conflict in the novella

Question 16

Does the novella’s poignant depiction of Lennie’s reliance on George juxtaposed with the suspicion and conflict their friendship creates on the ranch?

Answer 16

Perhaps Steinbeck implies vulnerable individuals can become fearful and jealous.

Question 17

Does Steinbeck’s use of animal imagery suggests that Lennie is unpredictable, instinctive and physically strong?

Answer 17

His characterisation can be linked to the book’s title, which relates to a poem (by Robert Burns) that suggests small animals are subject to the invisible yet greater force of humans
* Lennie’s surname is ironic: he is compared to a bear and a horse
* When Lennie pets a small mouse too hard, and then kills a puppy the same way, Steinbeck shows Lennie’s power and foreshadows further tragedy

Question 18

Despite his violence, is Lennie is a sympathetic character, innocent and naive?

Answer 18

He likes caring for small animals and to touch soft things
* He is upset when George admonishes him and is easily excited
* Lennie’s tragic death at the end of the novella illustrates Steinbeck’s messages about the powerlessness of disadvantaged individuals in harsh conditions

Question 19

How is Curley presented in the novella?

Answer 19

Curley is the boss’s son and thus represents a powerful individual with status and land:
* Steinbeck may have used his character to depict the result of wealth inequalities during the Great Depression and to represent the land-owning class

Question 20

Do you think he can be seen as a foil character for Slim, the “jerkline skinner”:?

Answer 20

While Slim appears to bring a sense of calm to the ranch (which gains him respect and trust), the workers call Curley a coward behind his back
* Equally, Curley’s quick-temper makes the men fear him

Question 21

Does Steinbeck present Curley as the novellas antagonist ?

Answer 21

Steinbeck’s characterisation of Curley exemplifies a powerful individual whose insecurity brings conflict and tragedy

Question 22

Is Curley introduced as aggressive in his stance and actions?

Answer 22

He is “pugnacious” (quick to anger), which Steinbeck illustrates when Curley singles out Lennie for his physical strength and size
* His hands close “into fists” and he moves into a “slight crouch”
* When Candy explains that Curley is like a “lot of little guys” who hate “big guys”
, Steinbeck
foreshadows the conflict Curley’s insecurity will bring to the ranch

Question 23

Does Curly attempt to control others with fear and intimidation ?

Answer 23

He is characterised by his small size and his desperate desire to exert authority
* He appears to flaunt his position wearing “high-heeled boots”
* This, and his paranoia over his wife, isolates him from the rest of the ranchers
* When Curley tells the men he wears one glove to keep his hand smooth for his wife, Steinbeck shows how, instead of earning him respect, this serves as a threat

Curley’s characterisation can be seen as an illustration of sexism: he attempts to limit his wife’s
reedoms and restrict her dreams

Question 24

How is Curlys wife presented in the novella ?

Answer 24

Curley s wife, the only female on the ranch, represents a marginalised and displaced woman whose marriage isolates her and, ultimately, leads to her death
* She can be considered one of the least powerful individuals on the ranch:
* She is not given a name
* She is ignored by almost all the men on the ranch (except Lennie) as she is seen as a sexual threat
* Her husband perceives her as a possession and a sexual object

Question 25

While the men have the option to work towards their dream, why does Steinbeck portrays Curley's wife's dream as a fantasy?

Answer 25

Steinbeck emphasises how she dreamed she could "make something" of herself as a Hollywood filmstar * Yet, unlike the other men, Steinbeck presents her situation as hopeless as she is unable to earn money * Her limited agency is highlighted when she tells Lennie she married Curley as a way to progress her opportunities, but that Curley "ain't a nice fella"

Question 26

Does Steinbeck portrays gender attitudes in 1930s America through the men's reactions?

Answer 26

Candy calls her a "tart" and a "tramp" * Her sexuality is perceived as a threat to the mens' jobs * She is seen as a temptress and a femme fatale, much like the sex-workers in the town where the men spend their money: * This is highlighted, perhaps, with the motif of red clothing * Lennie has previously lost a job for touching a girl's red dress * Curley's wife is described as having red fingernails, lips and shoes

Question 27

Dpes Steinbeck portray Curley's wife as an annoyance to the men?

Answer 27

She is introduced as "heavily made-up", with a "nasal" voice * She is perceived as a bad wife, flirtatious and vain * Her isolation leads her to look for company with the other men, particularly the weaker characters such as Crooks and Lennie: * Her bitter threat to Crooks presents her as dangerous because of her marriage * Steinbeck uses natural imagery to depict how Curley's wife disrupts order on the ranch: * When she meets Lennie, the "rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off" * Steinbeck mirrors this when she is killed: "the sun went down, and the sun streaks climbed up the wall and fell"

Question 28

How is Crooks presented in the novella ?

Answer 28

* Crooks is the "stable-buck" , another character who is marginalised and disenfranchised * Crooks's name comes from his crooked back, the result of a horse kick * However, Crooks is included in the novella particularly to explore racism: * He is segregated from the other ranchers and lives in the stable with the animals * Some of the men on the ranch use racial slurs when they discuss him, especially Candy, the oldest rancher * Steinbeck highlights prejudice by portraying Crooks as intelligent and disciplined: * He is proud of his heritage and nostalgic about his childhood on his father's chicken ranch where the "white kids" came to play * His knowledge of legal rights, and how few he has, makes him angry and "aloof" * Steinbeck exemplifies how Crooks's race disempowers him: * He is "reduced" to "nothing" by another minority character, Curley's wife

Question 29

How is Candy presented in the novella ?

Answer 29

Candy, an old rancher who has lost a hand in an injury, is a "swamper" or cleaner * His character represents attitudes towards the elderly in 1930s America * Steinbeck's characterisation of Candy is sympathetic: * His place on the ranch is unstable and is mirrored in the depiction of his old dog * The dogis "so God damn old he can't hardly walk" and "damn near blind" * Steinbeck's portrayal of Candy's dog conveys the hopelessness Candy feels * Candy's brief hope that he and George can buy their own piece of land reflects Steinbeck's ideas about the futility of making plans in 1930s America

Question 30

How is Slim presented in the novella ?

Answer 30

Slim is the jerkline skinner on the ranch and tunctions, mainly, as support to George, who treats slim as a confidante * He is calm and liked by the men * He gives Lennie one of the new puppies and attempts to help Candy

Question 31

What was the context behind the key theme of dreams in the novella ?

Answer 31

In 1929 the New York Stock Exchange collapsed as America's financial centre, Wall Street, experienced a sudden drop in share value: this led to the Great Depression * Businesses went bankrupt and previously financially stable people became homeless as unemployment in the city increased dramatically * For many, the American Dream seemed out of reach as a result of this * Of Mice and Men can be considered a work of social protest about the futility of dreaming in such conditions: * In the novella, Steinbeck examines the dreams his characters have to own their own land and provide for their families * The dream is simplistic in nature (a farm, animals and the ability to make one's own decisions), and represents a desire for freedom * Steinbeck, a political activist and former journalist, raises questions about the exploitation of workers in Of Mice and Men, which leads to their hopelessness: * This may reflect Steinbeck's attitudes to landowners, who he believed used the crisis to increas their power and wealth * Steinbeck describes poor living conditions on the ranch: * The bunk-house is infested with bugs and offers limited privacy or comfort * The work on the ranch is hard and dangerous * Steinbeck has written many novels about this event, such as the Grapes of Wrath * Of Mice and Men is another of his works that examines individuals' lives at the time: * George and Lennie travel a long way to the ranch, where they are promised work * George's desperation for this job reflects the limited choices of itinerant workers * Many migrating families and workers travelled to California for better opportunities

Question 32

What is the context behind the key theme of loneliness in the novella ?

Answer 32

As a result or the Great Depression, tamilles were separated as men began to search for work across the country * As well as this, a drought which lasted for much of the 1930s severely affected midwestern regions of America: * The drought was accompanied by strong winds that created black blizzards * This led to the Dust Bowl migration, an exodus of families experiencing unemployment and food shortages who abandoned homes, farms and their destroyed crops: Many families travelled to California for work * The novella is set in California, on a ranch called Soledad, where itinerant workers come to find work: * Steinbeck may have used this name to highlight the ranch's remote location: * The name translates to "solitude" in Spanish * Perhaps this could be viewed as emphasising the men's isolation and its distance from their homes * Steinbeck highlights the way the men mostly travel alone

Question 33

What is the context behind the key theme discrimination in the novella?

Answer 33

Of Mice and Men has been described as didactic as it contains obvious lessons about discrimination and prejudice: * The ranch, as a microcosm of society where diverse individuals are forced together, portrays the inherently discriminatory attitudes of 1930s America * Steinbeck's disenfranchised characters are unable to escape their suffering * Steinbeck portrays the experiences of marginalised individuals through characters who represent minority groups: * Candy and Crooks are physically maimed: * Steinbeck draws attention to the many work-based injuries on the ranch * For example, Candy's hand, Curley's hand (that they say was "caught in a machine") and Crooks' injured back as a result of a horse kick * George says Lennie's mental impairment is a result of a horse kicking his head, but he tells Lennie that was a lie * Candy, old and weak, feels useless and has limited control over his life * Crooks, so named for his crooked back, is not only physically weakened but is segregated because of his race * Curley's wife, the only female on the ranch, is in an oppressive marriage and is killed by a physically stronger character * Steinbeck draws attention to the way his characters are isolated for their differences, and thus have limited status and autonomy: * Crooks does not live with the other men and, instead, lives in the stable: * In this way, Steinbeck draws attention to racism, showing how the boss equates Crooks with animals - His "pain tightened lips" imply his silent suffering * Curley's wife appears (and is ignored) in the stable and the bunk-house (places that are dominated by the men), and she is killed in the barn While most of the men go to town on Saturday night to celebrate, Candy, Lennie, Curley's wife and Crooks are left behind on the ranch Steinbeck's novella can be considered social realism in that it describes things "as they are": * Candy makes sexist and racist slurs when he refers to Curley's wife and Crooks: * However, while Candy sees Curley's wife as a "tramp", he describes Crooks as a "nice fella" implying his racist comments are normalised * The inclusion of racial slurs and the constancy with which Candy uses them led to the banning of the novella in certain states

Question 34

How is the key theme of power presented in the novella ?

Answer 34

In Ot Mice and Men steinbeck depicts the powerlessness of itinerant workers in 195Us America, ana suggests the American Dream is inaccessible in such harsh conditions * The novella depicts the characters' desperation to find happiness and success with a piece of land for which they have worked hard: * The plan is like a dream to George, shown by his dreamy, repeated narration * Here, Steinbeck reflects the American Dream: to find freedom and self-made prosperity gained by hard work, unrelated to one's individual circumstances * However, Steinbeck presents the dream as futile and the characters' plans doomed: * This raises questions about autonomy and powerful external forces * The book's title refers to a poem written by Scottish poet, Robert Burns, which describes a mouse who has prepared for winter and created a comfortable home: * However, a farmer's machinery destroys it and forces the mice to flee * This relates to events in 1930s America, particularly to itinerant workers who fled as a result of powerful and invisible forces beyond their control * Steinbeck's cyclical story and tragic ending suggest it is impossible for an individual to gain autonomy and achieve their dreams when facing powerful opposition: * Curley's wife feels trapped in a loveless marriage with an angry husband * George and Candy are unable to achieve their dream because of Lennie * Steinbeck further shows the damaging and destructive effects of weakened individuals in a society where a desire for individual success creates a competitive environment: * Curley's wife, in her position on the ranch, violently threatens Crooks: * Her dream for admiration and recognition as a filmstar is not realised * Crooks, with a far superior intellect, is unwittingly unkind to Lennie: * He remains "aloof" and is characterised as cynical and hopeless Lennie's physical strength gains him a job on the ranch: * However, his limited cognitive abilities lead to escalating violence * He kills a mouse, a puppy and then Curley's wife * Thus, George resorts to violence to resolve his impossible dilemma

Question 35

How does Steinbeck use ' foreshadowing ' throughout the novella ?

Answer 35

Steinbeck foreshadows future problems in the introduction and rising action of the novella to create suspense, as well as to show the inevitability of problems on the ranch: * The protagonists of the novella are introduced as desperate, in need of work and dependant on each other, to illustrate challenges facing itinerant workers * George refers to previous trouble, hinting at future problems * George repeats instructions to Lennie to return to the "brush" if things go wrong, suggesting he has doubts about their plan * Curley's character, the main antagonist, singles out Lennie when they meet: * This foreshadows the incident later in the novella when Lennie hurts Curley's hand Climax * The novella's climax could arguably be seen when Curley's wife is killed by Lennie: * This is a pivotal moment that leads to the tragic outcome * Steinbeck demonstrates Lennie's inability to control his behaviour to highlight the futility of George's plan * The death of Curley's wife further illustrates the vulnerability of individuals in such circumstances Resolution * The novel can be considered cyclical in structure: * Steinbeck begins and ends the novella in the "brush" , near the Salinas river * In this way, Steinbeck conveys ideas about survival of man against nature * That George kills Lennie in the same place where they earlier spoke of hopeful dreams suggests their powerlessness to survive in their environment * The novella suggests the lives of such individuals are repetitive and without resolution * Steinbeck illustrates the challenging circumstances and sense of hopelessness of itinerant workers during the Great Depression

Question 36

How does Steinbeck present ' Narrative Perspective '.

Answer 36

Of Mice and Men is told by an omniscient third -person narrator: * This allows Steinbeck to portray the inner lives of his characters objectively * The narrator describes the landscape and the ranch from an external perspective: * He is thus able to describe the animals hidden from the humans * Steinbeck builds characterisation by describing movements and appearance: * For example, Curley's "glance was at once calculating and pugnacious" * For example, George stares "morosely" and Lennie walks "the way a bear drags his paws" * The novella is driven by dialogue amongst characters who represent aspects of society: * Characters express discriminatory attitudes, feelings of isolation or powerlessness and their innermost desires and hopes * In this way, readers are able to see character motivations, such as when Curley's wife expresses her loneliness to Crooks, and then her anger at his rebuke * Steinbeck repeats the phrase "Candy continued to stare at the ceiling" when his dog is taken away to emphasise his silent grief and lack of agency As you read the novel, try to consider: "why this, now?" For instance, Steinbeck sets his novel on a remote ranch where his characters live in a bug-infested and uncomfortable bunk-house. Steinbeck may have chosen to do this to explore the lives of itinerant workers. This is contrasted by the dream setting of a simple, natural life on their own farm, which is weaved throughout the novella.

Question 37

How does Steinbeck use setting in the novella ?

Answer 37

The novel is set in a rural area of California in order to depict circumstances resulting from the Dust Bowl and Great Depression The ranch is called Soledad (meaning "solitude" in Spanish), which highlights its remoteness The ranch can be seen as a microcosm of society: * Here, people from all walks of life are forced together with little option for alternative company The characters are displaced: * Curley's wife, particularly, dreams of a big city where she is a famous star * She says "I tell you I ain't used to livin' like this" * Steinbeck shows how individuals like Crooks (who reads books and knows the law) do not fit in on the ranch Steinbeck describes the living conditions on the ranch to highlight the men's desperation: * The mattress is infested with bed-bugs * The men have little privacy in the shared space * Crooks is segregated and housed in the stable with the animals: * His area, though, is described as "swept and fairly neat" with books and reading spectacles on the shelf * Steinbeck highlights aspects of discrimination in this way In contrast to the oppressive atmosphere of the ranch, the characters dream of a place where they find prosperity and freedom: * George and Lennie's dream is described in detail and repeated throughout * Their dream home is not luxurious but comfortable and plentiful: "a big vegetable patch" and "a fire in the stove" with cream so "thick" "you can hardly cut it" * This illustrates the men's desires for independence as itinerant workers However, Steinbeck begins his novella in the "brush" ', where animals hide from trespassing humans: * His description of the area suggests that life is a struggle for survival * The "brush" shows the small impact individuals are able to make on their lives This conveys themes of powerlessness, especially in relation to the American Dream

Question 38

How does Steinbeck use imagery and symbolism throughout the novella ?

Answer 38

Steinbeck's characterisations are rich in imagery in order to highlight key aspects of their nature: * When Curley's wife meets George and Lennie, Steinbeck presents her as disruptive: "the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off" * At her death, the "light was growing soft in the barn" * Steinbeck evokes a poignant and melancholic mood with repeated patterns of sensory imagery * For example, in the scene when Candy's dog is taken away to be shot, "silence was in the room again" and Candy "lay silent" * Steinbeck creates vivid scenes with imagery that describes America's rural landscape as beautiful yet brutal: * While describing the gentle beauty of the area he juxtaposes this with darker imagery to suggest hidden danger: * At first the place George and Lennie arrive in is "warm" and the water has "slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight" * Steinbeck suggests power imbalances in the way animals and humans live together ("the limb is worn smooth by men who have sat on it") * The mood changes when humans arrive, which connotes to disruption: * For example, the "rabbits hurried noiselessly for cover" and a "stilted heron labored up into the air and pounded down river" Symbolism * Steinbeck uses symbols throughout his novella to convey deeper ideas and messages about oppression and isolation * A symbol that is used multiple times across the text is known as a motif * Lennie is described with animal imagery to highlight his unwitting and uncontrollable physical strength: * He is like a "bear" and a "horse" * Lennie's threatening nature is juxtaposed with his innocence, highlighted throughout the novella through his love for soft things and animals: * George motivates him with the thought of tending rabbits * In the introduction, Lennie accidentally kills a mouse he wanted to "pet" * Later, Lennie kills a puppy by mistake (and afterwards, Curley's wife) * Steinbeck uses parallel or mirror scenes to symbolise the growing problems on the ranch: * Lennie loses a job for touching a girl in a red dress, and later kills Curley's wife, who is characterised with the colour red * Candy's old dog is shot because it serves no purpose, and later Lennie is shot for the liability and burden he has become * The repeated chant for independence and freedom is symbolised by the dream: * George's desires for self-sufficiency are represented by his hope to "live off the fatta the lan'" * Furthermore, the dream describes abundance as George lists all the ways they will thrive * The farm has "a kitchen, orchard, cherries, apples, peaches, 'cots, nuts, got a few berries. They's a place for alfalfa and plenty water to flood it" * This refers to the American Dream, whereby each individual is entitled to freedom and the chance for success and prosperity

Question 39

Which key quotes present the key theme of dreams?

Answer 39

Of Mice and Men is a novella about the futility of the American Dream in the face of more powerful external forces. Paired quotations: "All kin's a vegetables in the garden, and if we want a little whisky we can sell a few eggs or something, or some milk. We'd jus' live there. We'd belong there." - George, Chapter 3 "I seen hundreds of men come by on the road an' on the ranches, I. ] every damn one of 'em's got a little piece of land in his head. An' never a God damn one of 'em ever gets it." - Crooks, Chapter 4 Meaning and context * Throughout the novella George recites the dream to Lennie to comfort and motivate him: * George seems similarly affected as he lists details as if to make it real * However, soon after, Crooks pessimistically explains that he has seen many itinerant workers wish for their own land but he has never seen anyone achieve it Analysis * Steinbeck reflects the itinerant workers' deep desires for freedom and self-sufficiency: * He highlights the simplicity of their dream ("little", "few" and "some") * George's hopeful tone is conveyed in short sentences like "We'd belong there." * Crooks, however, evidences the "hundreds" of workers who have dreamed of freedom: * Hyperbolic language ("every" and "never") and curses, create a cynical tone * This reflects Steinbeck's ideas about the futility of the American Dream: * Crooks believes it is hopeless "I coulda made somethin' of myself." - Curley's wife, Chapter 5 Meaning and context * Curley's wife tells Lennie of her dreams to become a film star, that she waited for a letter inviting her to be in a show, but it never arrived so she married Curley instead Analysis * Steinbeck suggests that external forces of all kinds create obstacles for the characters: o It reflects the broader social and economic content of the Great Depression, where dreams were often shattered by harsh realities and systemic injustices * Here, the past-tense modal verb "coulda" suggests Curley's wife's dreams were possible, but that she has resigned herself to the fact they will never happen

Question 40

Which key quotes represent the key theme of loneliness ?

Answer 40

Of Mice and Men explores the dangers of isolation and the significance of companionship and support, especially when desperate circumstances force individuals together. Paired quotations: "Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong no place." - George, Chapter 1 "Ain't many guys travel around together," he mused. "I don't know why. Maybe ever'body in the whole damn world is scared of each other." - Slim, Chapter 2 Meaning and context * Throughout the novella, George and Lennie repeatedly remind each other that they are not like the other lonely itinerant workers as they have each other: * In this scene, Lennie excitedly replies to George's line, "But notus!" * On the ranch, however, Slim draws attention to how unusual their relationship is: * He implies that everyone poses a threat and is therefore "scared of each other" Analysis * Steinbeck shows the significance of friendship to reflect the inherent loneliness of migratory 1930s America * The friendship is viewed suspiciously, suggestive of an individualistic environment: * Slim's hyperbolic phrasing ("everybody") conveys the isolation of survival o The word "scared" highlights the culture of fear "A guy needs somebody- to be near him." He whined, "A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody." - Crooks, Chapter 4 Meaning and context * Crooks, initially hesitant to let Lennie his "room" , asks him in because he is so lonely * Here, Crooks says that everyone needs friendship for healthy mental wellbeing Analysis * Steinbeck conveys Crooks' desperate loneliness through the juxtaposition of "somebody" and "nobody", implying Crooks just wants "anyone" * Steinbeck emphasises Crooks' isolation with the alliterative "near", "nuts" and "nobody" * Crooks' pessimism reflects ideas about the damaging impact of loneliness

Question 41

Which quotes represent the key theme of discrimination ?

Answer 41

Steinbeck's novella, Of Mice and Men, can be seen as a work of social protest, as it portrays the embedded discrimination of 1930s America. The novella illustrates the damaging effects of racism, sexism and ableism, which disenfranchises and, often, destroys its characters. Paired quotations: "Ranch with a bunch of guys on it ain't no place for a girl, specially like her." - Candy, Chapter 3 "As happens sometimes, a moment settled and hovered and remained for much more than a moment And sound stopped and movement stopped for much, much more than a moment." - Narrator, Chapter 5 Meaning and context * In this scene Candy says Curley's wife is a "tart" who will cause trouble for the men * Later, Candy is arguably proven correct as Curley's wife is killed by Lennie in the barn: * The barn is described as "very quiet" , all sound and movement has stopped Analysis * Steinbeck depicts the marginalisation of women like Curley's wife in 1930s America * Curley's wife is displaced and treated as a threat because of her sexuality * Sensory imagery symbolises tragedy, perhaps to connote to the silencing of characters "Crooks had reduced himself to nothing. There was no personality, no ego-nothing to arouse either like or dislike. He said, "Yes, ma'am," and his voice was toneless." - Narrator, Chapter 4 Meaning and context * Here, Curley's wife becomes bitter and threatens Crooks with her powerful husband * In response, Crooks cowers and calls Curley's wife "ma'am" to show his subservience Analysis * Steinbeck's marginalised characters try to gain power over other vulnerable characters * Here, Curley's wife uses her only power, her marriage, to threaten Crooks * Crooks' repetition of "no" and "nothing" imply the result of inherent, normalised prejudice: * Crooks appears to know he must relinquish his "ego" or power in order to survive * This conveys Steinbeck's ideas about the dehumanising effects of racism

Question 42

Which key quotes represent the theme of power ?

Answer 42

In his novella, Ut Mice and Men, steinbeck explores the struggle to survive in harsh conditions. Ine title relates to the futility of making plans when facing invisible and powerful external forces. Paired quotations: "That dog ain't no good to himself. I wisht somebody'd shoot me if I got old an' a cripple." - Slim, Chapter 3 "A silent head and beak lanced down and plucked it out by the head, and the beak swallowed the little snake while its tail waved frantically." - Narrator, Chapter 6 Meaning and context * In Chapter 3, when Candy is told that his dog needs to be shot because it is old and a "cripple" , Slim seems unaware he could be describing Candy * In Chapter 6, Steinbeck returns to the brush, describing the Salinas river again * Here, Steinbeck describes how an invisible heron pounces on a water snake: * This connotes to power: a "silent head" easily "plucked" the struggling "little" snake Analysis * Steinbeck mirrors Candy's dog with Candy, both old and physically impaired: * He highlights the lack of agency Candy has over his own life as Candy repeats to George later that he is useless * Steinbeck, however, illustrates Candy's purposefulness when he offers George money to buy land * By Chapter 6, Steinbeck has portrayed the limited autonomy of most of his characters: * He uses nature to symbolise the struggle to survive in a brutal environment * Here, Steinbeck conveys ideas about strong invisible forces * The title refers to a poem, 'To a Mouse' , which describes the fruitless plans of a mouse in the face of powerful farmers "It don't make no difference," George said, and he fell silent again. - George, Chapter 6 Meaning and context * By the end of the novella, George and Candy's dream to own land is over * In this scene, at the brush again, Lennie says, "I done another bad thing": * George replies that his actions do not have any consequences anymore Analysis * Steinbeck shows the resignation that comes to his vulnerable characters: * Steinbeck portrays George's nihilistic attitude and sense of hopelessness as he realises he is unable to manage Lennie and succeed in their partnership * Steinbeck presents George's cyclical journey to convey ideas about the limited power of itinerant workers