OMM CONTEXT Flashcards

(8 cards)

1
Q
  1. The Great Depression (1929–1939)
A
  1. The Great Depression (1929–1939)
    After the 1929 Wall Street Crash, the U.S. economy collapsed.
    Unemployment soared (25%+), leaving many homeless and desperate.
    Ranch workers like George and Lennie took itinerant jobs, travelling from farm to farm.
    Job insecurity was high, so workers were easily replaceable and lived in fear of being “canned.”
    How to use it in essays:

“Steinbeck uses the economic instability of the Great Depression to highlight the workers’ constant fear of unemployment, shown through Candy’s anxiety about being useless.”

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2
Q

The Dust Bowl

A

Severe droughts in the Midwest turned farmland to dust.
Thousands of families lost their homes and migrated west to California for work.
Many became migrant laborers, just like George and Lennie.
In your essay:

“The barren setting reflects the wider environmental and economic collapse caused by the Dust Bowl, symbolising how dreams wither in a hostile world.”

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3
Q

Racism and Segregation

A

Despite the abolition of slavery, Jim Crow laws enforced segregation, especially in the South.
Black Americans like Crooks faced systemic racism, were often isolated, and lacked legal protection.
In your essay:

“Crooks’s isolation and lack of rights reflect the racial injustice of 1930s America, where even his intelligence is ignored due to the colour of his skin.”

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4
Q

Sexism and Gender Roles

A

Women were expected to be homemakers and had few legal rights.
Curley’s wife is nameless, reflecting how women were seen as possessions.
Ambitions beyond marriage (e.g., her dream of Hollywood) were often dismissed.
In your essay:

“Curley’s wife’s unfulfilled dreams reflect the limited roles available to women, and Steinbeck critiques a society that silences female voices.”

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5
Q

Attitudes to Disability and Age

A

There was little support for the elderly or disabled during the 1930s.
Candy fears being “canned” due to his age and missing hand.
Lennie, who likely has a learning disability, is treated as dangerous and inferior.
In your essay:

“Candy and Lennie’s treatment illustrates how society disregards those who cannot work, exposing the harsh utilitarianism of the time.”

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6
Q

Capitalism and the American Dream

A

The American Dream promised success through hard work—but for most in the 1930s, it was unattainable.
George, Lennie, and Candy dream of land, but the dream is destroyed by economic and social realities.
In your essay:

“The fragility of George and Lennie’s dream reflects Steinbeck’s criticism of capitalism—a system that offers hope but rarely delivers for the working class.”

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7
Q

John Steinbeck’s Beliefs and Background

A

Steinbeck was born in California and worked with migrant workers during the Depression.
He was a socialist sympathiser, deeply concerned with inequality and injustice.
Of Mice and Men was inspired by real people and events he witnessed.
In your essay:

“Steinbeck draws on his own experiences of working among itinerant labourers to present a truthful portrayal of exploitation and lost hope.”

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8
Q

Title Reference – “Of Mice and Men”

A

From Robert Burns’s poem: “The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft agley.”
Meaning: even well-made plans often go wrong.
Reflects how characters’ dreams are inevitably destroyed by forces beyond their control.
In your essay:

“The title sets the tone for Steinbeck’s fatalistic message—that no matter how carefully one plans, external forces will often crush dreams.”

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