Themes Flashcards
(59 cards)
Q: How does Of Mice and Men explore the theme of dreams?
A: The characters cling to dreams for hope—George and Lennie’s dream of a farm, Candy’s desire for security, and Curley’s wife’s longing for fame. However, these dreams are ultimately unattainable, reflecting the harshness of reality.
Q: How does Steinbeck present loneliness in the novel?
A: Many characters experience isolation—Crooks as a black man, Candy as an old worker, Curley’s wife as the only woman, and even George, despite Lennie’s companionship. Loneliness is portrayed as an inevitable aspect of life for itinerant workers.
Q: How does the novel depict power and weakness?
A: The strong dominate the weak: Curley abuses his power, Lennie unknowingly harms those weaker than himself, and society discards the vulnerable (Candy’s dog, Crooks, and eventually Lennie).
Q: What role does fate play in the novel?
A: The novel’s cyclical structure and foreshadowing suggest that the characters’ fates are sealed from the start. Lennie’s downfall is inevitable due to his strength and lack of control.
Q: How does Steinbeck portray friendship and companionship?
A: George and Lennie’s bond is rare in a world of loneliness. Their friendship provides a contrast to the isolation of others, but even it is ultimately doomed.
Q: How does Of Mice and Men critique the American Dream?
A: The novel suggests that the American Dream is an illusion, as economic hardship and societal limitations prevent the characters from achieving their aspirations.
Q: How does Steinbeck use animal imagery to highlight key themes?
A: Lennie is often compared to animals (“a bear drags his paws”), emphasizing his strength but also his lack of control. The death of Candy’s dog foreshadows Lennie’s fate, reinforcing the theme of mercy killing.
Q: How does Steinbeck present women in the novel?
A: Curley’s wife is depicted as lonely and misunderstood, but also as a temptress. Her lack of a name highlights her objectification in a male-dominated world.
Q: What is the significance of setting in the novel?
A: The ranch represents the harshness of working life during the Great Depression, while the opening and closing natural settings symbolize a fleeting escape from reality.
Q: What quotes illustrate the theme of Dreams and the American Dream?
A:
1- “An’ live off the fatta the lan’.” – Lennie (Repeated)
-Symbolizes hope and the dream of independence, yet ultimately proves unattainable.
2-“We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us.” – George
-Highlights the power of dreams in maintaining hope.
3:”I coulda made somethin’ of myself.” – Curley’s Wife
-Reflects broken dreams and the limited opportunities for women.
Q: What quotes illustrate the theme of Loneliness and Isolation?
A:
1:”A guy needs somebody—to be near him.” – Crooks
Highlights the deep loneliness of marginalized characters.
2:”Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world.” – George
Describes the isolated lives of itinerant workers.
3:”Ain’t I got a right to talk to nobody?” – Curley’s Wife
Emphasizes her isolation as a woman in a male-dominated world.
Q: What quotes illustrate the theme of Power and Weakness?
1:”Curley’s like a lot of little guys. He hates big guys.” – Candy
Shows how Curley compensates for his physical weakness with aggression.
2:”They’ll can me purty soon. Jus’ as soon as I can’t swamp out no bunkhouses they’ll put me on the county.” – Candy
Highlights Candy’s fear of becoming useless due to his old age, showing how society discards those who can no longer work.
3:”If I say something, why it’s just a nigger sayin’ it.” – Crooks
Reflects racial oppression and social hierarchy.
Q: What quotes illustrate the theme of Fate and Inevitability?
A:
1:”If you jus’ happen to get in trouble like you always done before, I want you to come right here and hide in the brush.” – George
Foreshadows Lennie’s inevitable downfall.
2:”I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to have let no stranger shoot my dog.” – Candy
Mirrors George’s ultimate decision about Lennie.
3:”Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin’ them two guys?” – Carlson
Highlights society’s lack of understanding of personal loss and inevitability of fate.:
Q: What quotes illustrate the theme of The Failure of the American Dream?
A:
1:”Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land.” – Crooks
Suggests that dreams are unattainable for most people.
2:”I think I knowed from the very first. I think I knowed we’d never do her.” – George
Reflects George’s growing realization that their dream was doomed.
3:”Ever’body wants a little piece of lan’—I read plenty of books out here. Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land.” – Crooks
Reinforces the idea that the American Dream is an illusion for most.
George and Lennie’s Powerful Relationship quote
1: A: “I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you.” – Lennie
Highlights their rare companionship in a lonely world of itinerant workers.
2: A: “No, Lennie. I never been mad, an’ I ain’t now. That’s a thing I want ya to know.” – George
Demonstrates George’s deep affection for Lennie, making the ending even more tragic as he takes on the painful responsibility of mercy killing.
Curley and Curley’s Wife’s Toxic Love quote
1: A: “I don’t like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella.” – Curley’s Wife
Shows that she feels unloved and mistreated in their marriage.
2: A: “Curley’s wife lay with a half-covering of yellow hay. And the meanness and the plannings and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face.” – Narrator
Suggests that she was never truly loved but rather used as a possession, reinforcing the toxic nature of their relationship.
Candy and His Dog relashionship quotes
1:”I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to have let no stranger shoot my dog.” – Candy
Parallels George’s later decision to kill Lennie himself rather than let someone else do it.
2: “That dog ain’t no good to himself. I wisht somebody’d shoot me if I got old an’ a cripple.” – Carlson
Shows how society discards the weak, making Candy fear his own future.
Slim and George’s Mutual Respect relashionship quotes
Slim and George’s Mutual Respect
1: “Slim came directly to George and sat down beside him, sat very close to him.” – Narrator
Illustrates Slim’s role as a compassionate and understanding figure.
2: “A guy got to sometimes.” – Slim
Slim validates George’s decision, showing empathy and understanding of difficult moral choices.
Q: What is the central theme of dreams in Of Mice and Men?
A: The novel explores the futility of human dreams and aspirations in the face of powerful external forces, particularly during the Great Depression.
Q: How does Steinbeck relate dreams to the American Dream?
A: The novel critiques the American Dream—the belief that anyone can achieve success through hard work—by showing how poverty, discrimination, and social barriers make it unattainable for most characters.
Q: What historical concept is linked to the idea of dreams in the novel?
A: The right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” was ingrained in American culture after the Declaration of Independence in 1776, but Steinbeck questions its validity for the poor and marginalized.
Q: How does Steinbeck contrast dreams with reality?
A: He juxtaposes the characters’ hopeful dreams with their harsh physical setting, economic hardship, and suffering to emphasize their unattainability.
Q: How do dreams serve as escapism in Of Mice and Men?
A: Dreams offer characters hope and a sense of purpose, providing temporary relief from the loneliness and struggles of their daily lives.
Q: What is George and Lennie’s dream?
A: They dream of owning a small farm, living independently, and Lennie tending rabbits, symbolizing freedom and security.
