Of Mice and Men

 John Steinbeck wrote 27___ books and earned the Nobel Prize in 1962. 

2.  He grew up in the small town of Salinas, ____California____________, and he spent summers working alongside _________migrant workers___________________ in fields.

3.  He attended ______Sandford_____________________ but did not graduate.

4.  This is the time period of which Steinbeck most often wrote:  _______Great Depression__________________.

5.  In 1941, Steinbeck and Carol Henning got a _____Divorce____________.

6.  Soon after, he married Gwyn Conger, a _____Hollywood__________ actress.  They had ___two______ children.

7.  Their divorce was brought about by Steinbeck’s frequent _________extended absences_______________.

8.  His third wife was named ___________Elene Scoot________________________.

9.  What was the most likely source of Steinbeck’s heart failure? 

He was a life long smoker.

10.  List the three themes in Steinbeck’s work that you, personally, find the most interesting:

1. Power of friendship

2. Plight of the intellectually disabled

3. The American Dream

11.  What 1940 Steinbeck novel won the Pulitzer Prize? 

The Grapes of Wrath

12.  What event marked the beginning of the Great Depression and perhaps the end of the American Dream? 

The wall street crash in 1929.

13.  Why did thousands of people travel west at this time?

To escape from their farmlands who were failing from drought.

14.  Explain the process of hobo rail-riding.

Many people referred to as hobos would illegally hop on trains to catch a ride to California.

15.  What was Murray and Ready’s?  Explain.

A farmwork agency which was set up to send famers where they were needed.

1.  Write the definition of an idiom in the space below.

 Idioms are figures of speech or expressions that aren't meant to be taken literally.

2.  Write one example of either a modern or a 1930s idiom.  Write its true meaning as well.

"Take it on the heel and toe"--> Go walk away

"A Chip on your shoulder"--> Angry about something

"I'll be a monkeys uncle!"--> Get out that’s crazy

3.  Write the definition of slang. 

 Nonstandard vocabulary used informally, esecially by a particular group of people or during the certain time period.

4.  Write one example of 1930s slang and its meaning.

 "Dog soup"--> water

"Aces"--> Cool

"Canary"--> Good singer or a snitch

"Hoosegow"--> Jail

5.  Write the definition of dialect in the space below.

 Language spoken in a particular area that uses some of its own words, grammar, and pronunciation.

6.  After viewing the previous slides, can you tell the difference between dialect and slang?  What is it?

    Slang is to the certain time period and young groups of people can use it, and it doesn't pertain to where you are.

Dialect pertains to the geography of where you are located and all ages use it though time.

7.  Copy the line you wish to interpret from OMAM.  Then write its translation in American Standard English.

Original line: We could live offa the fatta the lan'.

American Standard English: We could live off of the fat of the land.

8.  After completing the interactive dialect quiz, what did you discover?  Did the region the quiz assigned to you match the one in which you were raised?  If not, what do you think the reason might be?

Of Mice and Men Vocabulary Chart: Chapter One

Chapter 1

1. Identify and give a physical description of Lennie and George.

 Lennie- tall, strong, shapeless facial features, bear-like hands/paws

George- shorter, wiry, sinewy, muscular, skinny, sharp facial features,

2. What is George's first complaint to Lennie?

 George complains that Lennie is drinking the same type of stagnate water that made him ill earlier.

3.  What trouble did George and Lennie have in Weed?

 Lennie tried to "pet" a girl's soft dress, and the two men were run out of town.

4. When they get where they are going, how is Lennie supposed to behave, and why?

 He is not supposed to speak to the boss because it might jeopardize their jobs.

5. What did Aunt Clara used to give to Lennie, and why did she stop?

 She gave him live mice, but he accidentally killed them.

6. Lennie offers to leave George and live in a cave.  What is George's response?

 George says Lennie would not survive on his own.

7. What dream do George and Lennie share?  Why does it make them different from other "guys like us that work on ranches"?

 Other migrant workers live solitary lives, fending foe themselves without long-term goals.  George and Lennie share a dream to tend their own land on a little farm, and that gives them hope for the future.

8.   Why do the two men camp overnight, instead of going to the ranch that evening?

George is trying to minimize Lennie's social contract with others before they see him work in the fields.

1. According to the old man (Candy), why was the boss mad at George and Lennie?

 They were supposed to arrive the night before, so they missed their chance to get to work right away in the morning.

2. The swamper said, “Seems like Curley ain’t giving nobody a chance” (Steinbeck 26-27).  Explain.

 Curley likes to pick fights with big guys, knowing that if he loses, the big guy will look like a jerk for fighting someone so much smaller. Curley will win even if he loses. The men who engage in fights with Curley are also in jeopardy losing their jobs.

3. Describe what we learn from Candy about the “stable buck” (Crooks).

Crooks look after the horses on the ranch. Because his back is crooked, he is unable to work in the fields. Crooks is the only Black man on the ranch, and he is also the only one who seems literate. He is mistreated by the boss and often verbally abused. He is kind.

4. What does the boss suspect George of doing to Lennie?  What makes him think this?

 He thinks George is taking advantage of Lennie, stealing his money. It is unusual for the boss to see two men travelling together and looking out for one another.

5. What reason does George give for taking care of Lennie?

 He says that they're cousins. Familial obligation is something that makes sense to the boss, who can't quite seem to comprehend why one person would care for another without profiting from it. Clearly the boss has never been a part of a caring, reciprocal relationship.

6. Describe Curley. 

 Curley is aggressive and intense. He is cocky, yet probably insecure at heart about his size and marriage. He wears cowboy boots to flaunt his lack of hard, physical labor and his status. He wears a glove over one hand smeared in Vaseline because he's keeping it "soft for his wife." This glove is yet another way Curly can prove his superiority; he has a wife and the other men don’t.

7. Describe Curley’s wife.  Why does she come into the bunkhouse?

 She is flirtatious, but only Slim flirts back with her, as everyone else is afraid she will cost them their job. She is pretty, and she seems a bit dressy and made-up for life on a ranch. This enhances her status as an object to be admired, rather than a human with dignity. The men treat her like poison in avoidance. She appears to be "looking for Curley" often, but it seems like she just wants someone to talk to.

8. Describe Slim.  What is his job on the ranch?  What are some of his character traits?

 Slim is unafraid of Curley. He is the only one who appreciates the connection George and Lennie share. He is the jerkline skinner, which means he leads the team of horses/mules, in addition to the teams in the fields. He is described as "the prince of the ranch." for the men respect and admire him.

9. What did Slim do to four of his pups and why?

 He kills them, so some of the pups can live, as the mother is unable to feed them all, and resources are scarce during the Great depression.

10. What does Lennie want George to ask Slim?

He wants a puppy for a pet.

1. What is the story behind why Lennie and George travel together?

 They enjoy each other's company and support one another. Before  Lennie's Aunt Clara died, she entrusted George to look out for Lennie.

2. Who raised Lennie?  What can you assume about his childhood and early life?

 Aunt Clara raised Lennie. Lennie's parents might have died. They also might have abandoned him due to his struggles, or perhaps they weren't able to care for him in the way he needed.

3. What does George tell Slim happened in Weed?

 The girl in the red dress began screaming when Lennie tried to "pet" her dress. Lennie was so afraid that his animal instincts made him hold on more tightly- so tightly that George had to hit him with a plank of wood to make him let go. She was undoubtedly scared  and went to the police to report that she had been raped. Perhaps she was worried that the police wouldn’t act upon the crime if she didn’t make Lennie's offense seem more serious. The sympathy she gained probably erased any rumors that might have circulated about her that she had not reported that she was the victim of a crime.

4. What reason does Carlson give for wanting Candy’s dog to be shot?

 The dog is old and smelly. He doesn't walk well, see well, or eating well.

5. What does Slim tell Carlson to take with him when he goes to shoot Candy’s dog, and why?

 Slim tells Carlson to take a shovel to bury the dog; in this way Candy is spared the sight of the dog's death and its burial.

6. Whit says that George and Lennie must have come to work.  What reasons does he give?

 They arrived on a Friday, so they had to work two straight days before resting on that Sunday.

7. What does Curley think Slim is doing in the barn?  And what is he really doing?

 Curley thinks Slim is with his wife, but Slim is really just putting tar on a mule's hoof.

8. What is George afraid will happen to them if others find out they are going to buy a ranch?

George is afraid others will want to join, or word will spread until they lose their jobs or someone takes advantage of the opportunity.  

9. Why was Lennie smiling?  And why does Curley think Lennie was smiling?

 Lennie is smiling while thinking about the farm and his dreams of the rabbits. Curly believes Lennie is laughing at his jealous rage

10. What happens between Curley and Lennie?

Curly jumps Lennie. Lennie holds back until George tells him its ok to fight back. Even then, Lennie's reasons is to grab Curley's hand, accidentally crushing almost every bone in his hand.  Now, one of Curley's main trophies is destroyed.  Slim suggests that Curley tells everyone his hand was mauled in a machine. If the boss learns that his son attacked someone for no good reason, except that Curley was in a jealous rage, he will be furious with Curley and Curley will be further embarrassed.

1. How does Crooks react to Lennie when he comes to visit?

 Crooks is angry that his space has been violated. He gaslights him that George might not be coming back. Once he realizes Lennie's limitations, he warms up to Lennie and feels Lennie is someone he can confide in.

2. Why did Lennie go to the barn?

 He wanted to pet his puppy.

3. What do we learn about Crooks’ family?

 His father was a chicken farmer and landowner. His family was one of the only Black familied in the community, and he grew up playing with the white children. He told Crooks not to play with them anymore, as he was worried what  would happen if crooks left this little bubble of racial harmony for a more cruel world beyond it.

4. What is Crooks’ opinion of George and Lennie’s desire to get a farm?

 He is at first dismissive, as he has seen many ranch hands with the same dream that never cam true. When he realizes their funding is almost secure, he changes his mind. He then offers to work for free to be a part of the dream.

5. What did Candy want to talk to Lennie about?

 Candy has devised a plan to profit from raising rabbits.

6. According to Crooks, where is George’s money going?

 Crooks thinks George is spending his money in town on liquor, cards and women.

7. What do we learn about Curley’s wife?

 She doesn't like Curly. She simply wants someone to talk to, but she is upset that the men are mean to her when they are together.

8. Before Curley’s wife leaves, what does she notice about Lennie?

 She realize that Lennie's bruised on his face are related to Curley's hand injury.

9. What does Curley’s wife say she would have done to Crooks?

 She says that she could have him "strung up on a tree." Her threat is the result of her anger because the ranch hands ganged up on her, calling the names. She wanted to reassert her authority.

10. What is the last thing Crooks says to Candy?

He admits what "she said was true, " and that he no longer wants to work on the farm.

1.  What is Lennie doing in the barn by himself?

 He went to visit his puppy, but he accidentally killed it. George was playing horseshoes at the time.

2.  What does Lennie say to Curley’s wife when she first arrives in the barn? 

 He tells her he is forbidden to talk to her.

3.  Why does Curley’s wife want to talk to Lennie?

 She desperately needed companionship.

4.  According to Curley’s wife, how come she didn’t get into show business? 

 She met a man who said he was in "pictures", meaning the fil industry, who said he would write to her opportunist. She believes that he overprotective mother stole those letters.

5.  What can we infer is the reason Curley’s wife married Curley? 

 She married curly to escape a mother who was holding her back. Instead, she ended up being even more trapped in a loveless marriage.

6.  What soft item does Curley’s wife encourage Lennie to touch?

 She asks him to touch her hair.

7.  What did Lennie do to Curley’s wife, and how did he do it? 

 He accidentally snapped her spine when shaking her to make her be quiet.

8.  Who finds Curley’s wife, and what is his initial reaction? 

 Candy first believes that she is sleeping, but when he understands she is dead, he blames her for wrecking his chances at the future farm.

9.  What does Candy hopefully ask George? 

 He asks George if the future farm is still a possibility.

10.  What favor does George ask of Candy? 

 He wants Candy to pretend that George has no knowledge of what just occurred. This buys him time to grab Carlson's Luger to kill Lennie.

11. How does Curley react when he sees his wife?

He feels no sadness or remorse. He immediately claims he will get his revenge on Lennie. 

12.  What does Carlson think happened to his Luger? 

 Carlson thinks Lennie stole his Luger.

Chapter 6:

Of Mice and Men

Study Guide, Chapter 6

1.  Where is Lennie hiding? 

 In the brush by the river, where the story stars, and where George told him to go if they has any trouble "like they did in weed"

2.  With whom does Lennie have his first imaginary conversation, and what does this person say to him? 

 He imagines his Aunt Clara reprimanding him for being a burden to George.

3.  With what does Lennie have his second imaginary conversation, and what does this creature say to him?  

 He hallucinates that he's speaking to a gigantic rabbit who scolds him doe his action, saying he ruined his chances at ever having rabbits.

4. How does Lennie think that George will treat him because he did “bad things”?

 He believes George will beat him.

5.  What story does George tell Lennie? 

 George tells Lennie the story of their future farm with rabbits.

6. What does George do as he is telling Lennie the story?

 Shakily, he raises the gun to the back of Lennie's head.

7. Explain Slim’s reaction after finding George and Lennie.

 Slim says, "You hadda," meaning he knew that George has no choice other than the one he made.

8. Explain Curley and Carlson’s reactions after finding George and Lennie.

 Having never been in a caring relationship, Carlson cannot comprehend the enormity of the loss George is feeling.

9.  What creature slips into the water in the opening scene, and why might that entrance be significant?

 A snake hints that evil or misfortune is about to happen in this idyllic spot.

10.  Predict what kind of life George might live after the conclusion of this story.

George is now free from the burden of having to constantly care for and worried about Lennie. He has a new friendship with an intellectual equal in Slim. The farm might still be a possibility, only now George would be acquiring it in Lennie's memory.

1.  Several characters in Of Mice and Men are identified through their hands and what they do with their hands.  Explain why Steinbeck wrote about hands in such detail.  Use evidence from the text.

The characters' hands hint at their personality's. Lennie's' hands are refed to as paws (animalistic tendency), Slims hands are as "Delicate as those of a temple dancer"" (gentle, understanding). Curley's hand gets crushed, destroying his sense of pride. Candy is missing a hand,  suggesting that he is about to lose his ability to work on the farm, especially as an old man.

2.  Why doesn’t Curley’s wife have a name?  Explain.  Use evidence from the text.

 She doesn't seem relevant to life on the far,. She is called "Curley's wife," "Tramp," "Trat," "poison," "jailbait," "b--," etc. It's easier for them to humanize an objectify her than befriend her, as she might lose them their jobs. The fact that she is only named "Curley's wife" shows that she is treated like a possession, rather than a person.  Her curls are describes as "sausages," reminding us that the men see her as less than human, like a piece of meat.

3.  Does the reader’s impression of Curley’s wife change after her conversation with Lennie in the barn?  Why/Why not?  Does Steinbeck’s tone toward her soften in the barn scene?  Explain.  Use evidence from the text.

 Steinbeck describes Curley's wife as more human than ever explaining her peacefulness in death:

"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. She was very pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young. Now her rouged cheeks and her reddened lips made her seem alive and sleeping very lightly. The curls, tiny little sausages, were spread on the hay behind her head, and her lips were parted. "

This passage reminds us pf her age and innocence, and the fact that she did not deserve such a violent death.

 During the conversation with Lennie Curley wife is shown more human way and makes the reader feel more for her and he back story.

4.  Find at least three symbols in the novel.  What do those symbols represent?  Explain.  Use evidence from the text to support your ideas.

 Mice: representative of Lennie's accidents that ruin their chances at a future, fragility of life in Lennie's hands

Candy's dog: foreshadows Lennie's death, symbol of what happens when a creature on the ranch outlives its purpose/ usefulness.

Rabbits: hopes and dreams for the future

5.  Throughout the novel, inside and outside scenes are contrasted.  How?  Explain.  Do tight enclosures suggest the nature of the workers’ world?  Chapter 5 might be particularly useful to you here.

 Outside: The starting scene of this novel was peaceful at the river side talking about their dreams, The playing  horse shoes by the men together shows how they can get along,  The purposefulness of outside they also fulfill their purpose, shown by the death of candys dog and Lennie, this shows outside is peaceful and bitter sweet when it comes to the actions happening. Although Lennie dies outside, he is at peace when it happens, and he doesn't suffer at the hands of Curley or the Law.

Inside: The fight with Lennie and Curley  chaos insures inside, Curley's wife was accidentally killed inside shows the accidental tragedies that happen inside such as curlers wife dying and the puppy being killed. Crooks is threatened by the presence of others and Curley's wife in his own room. The men decided to put Candy's dog down when they are all in the bunk house. The inside spaces indicate entrapment, bad things the characters cannot escape such as migrant workers and poverty.  Actions that happen inside are tragic and happen due to rage or terror.

Migrant workers are also trapped in a cycle of poverty. Although they work hard, they cannot escape their station in life, never saving enough to pull them out of their migrant lifestyle.

This novella has been called "claustrophobic "

6.  What is George’s hamartia or flaw?  Use evidence from Chapter 5 that shows his moment of enlightenment about Lennie—when he realizes he played a role in their peripeteia.

 he suffers from a blinding live of Lennie, in a state of denial that Lennie can cause bodily harm. He realizes he was at fault after discovering Curley's wife's dead body: "I should of knew… maybe way back in my head I did." Their moment of no return is when Lennie kills Curley's wife; they cannot recover from such a mistake.

7.  In what ways is foreshadowing present in the novel?  Explain using examples from the text.

 Candy's dog's death foreshadows George killing Lennie. The girl in Weeds, the mice, and the puppy foreshadows Curley's wife's death.  The allusion of Robert Burns' poem "To a mouse" also foreshadows their hoped and dreams being destroyed. The snake at the start of Chapter 6 indicates something bad will happen in the brush.

8.  Discuss color imagery and symbolism in the novel.  Are any colors mentioned particularly important?  Explain.  Use evidence from the text.

 Green= nature, peace, safety, outside

Brown/ tan=indoor scenes, tenseness

Red= danger (the color of both the girl in weeds and Curley's wife wear)

9.  Find at least two examples of irony in Of Mice and Men.  Are these examples situational, verbal, and/or dramatic?  Explain.

Dramatic irony the men playing horseshoes don’t know that very close by Lennie is killing Curley's wife by accident. The men think George shot Lennie out of self-defense, but we know it was out of love.

Verbal irony happens in chapter 4 with Curley's wife when describing how her and Curley's relationship is "swell guy, a'int he?" and then going on about how he's not as swell as she would hope her husband was.

Situational irony is when you would not think the person who loves Lennie the most of all would have to shoot him out of love.

10.  How does each chapter begin?  How important is the setting of the play to the story?

 Each chapter begins with a description of the setting. If the chapter starts inside, we can assume It won't ed well. If it starts outside, it will likely be peaceful or serene.

11.  Find at least two words that start with the prefix sol.  Are these words important or significant?  Explain.

 The town closest to the ranch is called "Soledad," which means loneliness or solitude in Spanish, implying how lonely it is to be m a migrant worker. George plays solitaire regularly, hinting that he will end up alone by the end of the novella.

12.  Define the word foil.  Explain how Curley and George are foil characters.

 They are opposite. George is patient, while Curley is short-tempered. George is selfless in his care of Lennie, while Curley is selfish and only think of himself. Curley flaunts his superiority, but Gerger doesn't feel the need to establish his quality.

13.  From what point of view is the story told, and why is that important?

It is told from the third-person limited point of view. We only know what the characters are thinking as they act. This keeps the reader engaged, wondering what will happen next. We dint know that George is considering killing Lennie until the moment just before it happens.

1. The pain of isolation and loneliness:

Candy- Due to his age, disability, and missing his dog he feels separated from the farm.

Curley's Wife- Due her marriage, age, and gender she is left alone by the others.

Cooks- Due to his race and disability he is kept away from others.

Migrant workers- Tend to travel alone and don’t care about other people

Often, uncontrollable factors such as age, gender, disability, and obligation can lead to isolation and loneliness.

1. The inability to escape imprisonment or being “trapped”:

Lennie- is trapped in his own mental struggles

Curley's Wife- fells trapped in the farm, marriage, moms house, and wishes to be an actor

Migrant workers- they are every trapped in the ever living cycle of poverty

Sometimes, people can become trapped in a prison of social construct due to mental or physical differences that force them into certain roles.

1. The objectification of women:

Curley's wives hair- always being described as sausages showing that she is just a piece of meat

The women in weed- Lennie objectified her by holding on to her dress seeing her as only a soft thing to pet

Crooks telling Lennie about what all the men do when going to the city- show that men often to go to bars and blow all of their money on prostitutes and brothels. 

Women are sometimes trapped through male objectification, rendering them as powerless in male-dominated environments. 

1. The power of friendship:

George and Lennie- They lean on each other, travel together, and they provide for each other

Candy and His Dog- Comfort each other, they do what's best for each other, and provide companionship

George and Slim- Shows appreciation for each other, equally intellectual conversations, reality to each other, and support and stand up for each other's actions.

The power of friendship often provides comfort, hope, support, and appreciation, enabling survival in a time of darkness or loneliness.

1. The hope of the American Dream (or shattering of it):

Lennie and George- saving up for the farm

Curley's wife- wanting to be in "pictures" or Hollywood

Candy-believes in the dream of the farm

Often, dreams get crushed in oppressive or limiting environments by others searching for similar opportunities.

1. The plight of the powerless:

Culey's wife- she's the only young women on the farm and can't escape

Crooks- Race and disability makes him powerless in the farm

Lennie- Render powerless with the limitations of his own mind, although he is physically non limited with his straighten.

Often, people are rendered powerless due to unique aspects or traits that alienate them from others.

1. Humans as predators who prey on the weak:

Curley's wife to crooks- doesn't like the way the workers treat her threated to kill Crooks

Curley- fights against all other workers

Gorger used to prey upon Lennie- used to play jokes upon him

Carlson against Candy- bullies him to killing his dog

Curley's wife towards Lennie- Forced herself upon Lennie

Girl in Weed against Lennie- lied about being raped

People in superior social positions often prey upon those who are less powerful to regain their threated status.