OMAM Quotes Flashcards
‘Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world.’ - George
Shows the key theme of loneliness in the on the ranch. This quote uses superlatives to emphasize the degree of loneliest that the ranch workers will have to live through. People live and work close with each other, but they are still lonely. Loneliness is presented by Steinbeck as a starting point, and friendship is a way to escape from it.
‘A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody.’ - Crooks
Due to the racial prejudice that Crooks is facing due to being ‘a southern negro’. He isn’t allowed to stay in the bunkhouse with the other ranch workers. This is what makes him very lonely. Crooks also has a proud and sometimes cruel person. Because of his personality, he acted very envious towards Lennie and his relationship with George.
‘I don’t like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella’ - Curley’s Wife
The loneliness that Curley’s wife is suffering is different from that of Candy and Crooks. She is viewed as an object or a possession of Curley. Curley is a very jealous and insecure person. If Curley’s Wife is shown talking to any other man on the ranch, will make Curley regard her as an unfaithful wife.
‘Maybe ever’ body in the whole damn world is scared of each other.’ - Slim
This quote highlights the uncertainty and self doubt that all of the ranch workers have in that period of time. Each worker was unwilling to make friends because they choose not to.
‘I could get along so easy and so nice if I didn’t have you on my tail.’ - George
George may say this, yet he knows that deep down, he needs Lennie’s friendship. Being alone is something that George doesn’t want to go through.
Friendship
The novel’s two main characters are close friends. They have a very special relationship. They travel with each other from place to place and job to job. Lennie has a dog-like devotion towards George, and George is also devoted towards Lennie.
‘We kinda look after each other’ - George
George speaks proudly of Lennie’s strength and capacity for hard work,and he feels a responsibility towards him that gives George a purpose in the world. He explains to Slim that he used to enjoy making jokes at Lennie’s expense, until Lennie nearly drowned. The friendship may seem to be unequal as George is much more intelligent than Lennie.
‘We got somebody to talk to that gives a dam about us’ - George
This shows the unity that George and Lennie has. This line basically spells out the theme of friendship.
Relationship of George and Lennie
The relationship of George and Lennie is shown to be very strange and unusual relationship in the eyes of other key characters. The boss is suspicious and asks if George is taking Lennie’s pay away from him. He also assumes that George is exploiting Lennie. ‘I never seen one guy take so much trouble for another guy.’
Curley is also surprised. He finds something strange when George does all the talking and responds with ‘Oh, so it’s that way’ as if there is something wrong with them traveling together.
Crooks is also envious of their relationship.
Slim is the only one that understands and comments on Lennie being ‘a nice fella.’
Shattered Dreams
May be arguably the most important theme in the novel. The title is based upon this theme. It comes from a line in a by the Scottish poet Robert Burns.
The ‘American Dream’
America is the ‘land of opportunity’
Migrants went to America hoping for a better life and this tradition of hope has survived. They believe that if you work hard, and that America is the land of equality. Steinbeck showed the contrast between the ideals of the American Dream and the harsh reality.
A Little Piece Of Land
‘live off the fatta the lan’
This is George and Lennie’s dream to buy and farm their own smallholding and to be independent. If they achieve this dream, they will no longer have to live in bunkhouses and listen to bosses. Lennie can have the rabbits that he wants so badly, and they can do whatever they want to do, when they want to do it.
The sad reality is that they didn’t achieve this dream.
‘Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land.’ - Crooks
This is just a dream, no reality.
