The American Dream From the 17th Century, when the first settlers arrived, immigrants dreamed of a better life in America.

People went there to escape from persecution or poverty, and to make a new life for themselves or their families. They dreamed of making their fortunes in the goldfields. For many the dream became a nightmare. The horrors of slavery, of the American Civil War, the growth of towns with slums as bad as those in Europe and the corruption of the American political system led to many shattered hopes. For the American society as a whole the dream ended with the Wall Street crash of 1929. This was the start of the Great Depression that would affect the whole world during the 1930s. However the dream survived for individuals. Thousands made their way west to California to escape from their farmlands in the mid-West.

Stereotypes and Attitudes

Each Character’s Major Desires/DreamsWhat needs to change in the

character or in society?

Lennie:

George:

Candy:

Slim:

Curley:

Curley’s wife:

Crooks:

Character Stereotype/attitude Why?Lennie

Boss

Candy

Crooks

Curely’s wife

Themes

Social Protest: Certain aspects of the American society are heavily criticized. Prove it.

Friendship: Every man needs someone to make him feel special. Prove it.

The American Dream: Everyone has a dream to strive for. Prove it.

Loneliness: Loneliness can make a person live a life of despair. Prove it.

Characters’ Names

Name MeaningLennie Small

George Milton

Curley’s wife

Candy

Curley

Of Mice and MenCh ap ter One

1 . Discuss the following quote: “Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place. They come to a ranch an’ work up a stake and then they go into town and blow their stake, and the first thing you know they’re poundin’ their tail on some other ranch. They ain’t got a thing to look ahead to.” How is this important?

2. Steinbeck spends a lot of work describing the setting. How do you feel about this place? What places have you seen that are similar?

3. Phys ica l ly descr ibe Lennie and George . What ’s in te res t ing about this contrast?

4 . What’s the name of the town where George and Lennie las t worked? Why is this symbolic?

.

5 . Descr ibe ac t iv i t i es that show George act ing a s Lenn ie’ s pa ren t /gua rd i an .

6. Describe activities that show Lennie behav ing as an animal.

7. George gets frustrated and yells at Lennie, saying, “...if I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an’ work, an’ no trouble.” W h y , d o y o u s u p p o s e , G e o r g e h a s n ’ t l e f t Lennie?

Chapter Two

1. The last guy who slept in George’s bunk just up and “quit, the way a guy wi l l .” What does this show us about the l i fes tyle of the ranch men? What are they like? How do they live? How do they get along together? How do they react to George and Lennie?

2 . What was the boss’ Christmas gif t to the men? What did theydo for fun that night? What’s the significance of this?

3 . Why does Curley, the boss’ son, automat ical ly hate Lennie?

4 . Why do you suppose Curley chose his wife to marry? What’s the irony of this decision?

5 . What happened to Lulu’s puppies? How i s th is s igni f icant?

6 . W h at i s C a r l s o n ’ s p ro b l e m wi th Ca n d y ’ s d o g ? W h a t d o e s t h i s s h o w y o u a b o u t h i s c h a ra c t e r ?

4. Carlson wants to put Candy’s dog out of i ts misery. Candy wants the dog to remain al ive. Who’s right? Why? Also, symbolical ly connect the dog to Candy himself .

Chapter Three

1. When ta lking to Sl im about Lennie , George says , “Funny. . . I used to havea hel l of a lot of fun with ‘ im. Used to play jokes on ‘ im ‘cause he was too dumb to takecare of ‘imself. But he was too dumb even to know he had a joke played on him...Tell you what made me stop that. One day a bunch of guys was standin’ around up on the Sacramento River. I was feelin’ pretty smart. I turns to Lennie and says, ‘Jump in.’ An’ he jumps. Couldn’t swim a stroke. He damn near drowned before we could get him. An’ he was so damn nice to me for pullin’ him out. Clean forgot I told him to jump in. Well, I ain’t done nothing like that no more.” What does this passage show us about Lennie? About George? About Slim?

2. What are the two card games tha t George hal f -hear tedly plays dur ing this chapter? Ass ign some symbolic significance to either or both of the card games in the chapter.

5 . Why i s Candy so keen to jo in George and Lennie on their dream farm?

6. Why does Curley at tack Lennie? Look closely a t the scene. At what point does Lennie react /defend himself? What’s the significance of this?

Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men

2. Why does Crooks have more i tems than most of the other men? Take a look at his belongings. Choose three specific i tems and explain what they show about this character.

Chapter Four

1. How is the set t ing dif ferent in this chapter? How do your feelings change because of the difference?

3 . D e s p i t e the r a c i a l s e g r e g a t i o n of the t ime, Crooks a sks to jo in Candy a n d L e n n i e o n t h e dream farm. La te r , he says he was“jus’ foolin’. I wouldn’ w a n t t o g o n o p l a c e l i k e t h a t . ” W h a t causes his change of heart?

3. “I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.” Who says this l ine? Discuss the power structure of the ranch. Which characters have power? Which don’t? Where does Crooks rate in terms of power on the ranch? HAND THIS IN.

4. The idea of loneliness is a key part of this book. Write two lines spoken by Crooks, include page number, where he directly talks about his feelings of loneliness.

4. When Lennie runs away, he t akes the _____ puppy w i t h h i m , s a y i n g , “ I ’ l l t h r o w h i m a w a y . . . I t ’ s b a d e n o u g h l i k e i t i s . ” W h a t d o e s t h i s s h o w u s a b o u t h i s m e n t a l state?

5 . N o w t h a t y o u ’ v e f i n i s h e d t h e chapter , expla in how the p u p p y can be seen a s a symbol .

6 . What is the significance of the pigeon that flies out of the barn?

Chapter Five

1 . L i s t t he r eas on s t ha t Lenn ie g ive s t o exp la in ho w the p u p p y i s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r i t s o w n d e a t h . A r e L e n n i e ’ s a rguments va l id? Why o r why no t?

3 . I k no w th a t yo u wan t t o d esp i se Cu r l ey ’ s w i fe , bu t t h i s ch ap te r h e lp s us t o se e he r in a s l ight ly d i f fe rent l ight , chang ing he r f rom a s ta t i c charac te r to one who i s more dynamic . Now tha t you know a b i t of her background, how have your fee l ings about th i s charac ter changed? Expla in your answer .

2. Exp la in wha t happened to Cur ley’s wi fe tha t l ed her to mee t and qu ick ly marry Curley .

Of Mice and Men

1. Other than the dea th of the puppy a t the beginning of chapter f ive, what clues have there been throughout the book tha t lead up to Lennie’s ________ of Curley’s wife?

4 . S l im says , “You hadda , George . . . I swear you hadda .” Is th i s t rue? What would have happened i f George had wai t ed ano the r f i ve minu tes?

5 . At wha t po in t d id George dec ide he was go ing to have to____________? Look back ove r the end of chapter f ive for c lues .

Chapter Six

2 . A s L e n n i e i s h i d i n g i n t h e b r u s h w a i t i n g f o r G e o r g e , h e h a s t w o h a l l u c i n a t i o n s . Descr ibe the two separa te hal lucina t ions and expla in how each a re meaningful to Lennie and the reader.

6 . W h y c a n ’ t Ca n d y a n d Ge o r g e s t i l l g e t t h e d r e a m f a r m ? E x p l a i n w h y G e o r g e t u r n s a wa y f r o m Ca n d y i n ch a p t e r f i v e .

7 . W h a t ’ s i n t e r e s t i n g a b o u t t h e l a s t p a r a g r a p h ?

“To a Mouse” ”

by Robert Burns, 1785 (Standard English translation) Small, crafty, cowering, t imorous l itt le beast, O,

what a panic is in your l i t t le breast!You need not start away so hastyWith argumentative chatter!

5 I would be loath to run and chase you,With murdering plough-staff.

I ’m truly sorry man’s dominionHas broken Nature’s social union, And justi f ies that i l l opinion

10 Which makes you sta r t leAt me, your poor, earth born companion And fe l low morta l !

I doubt not, sometimes, but you may steal;What then? Poor l i t t le beast, you must live!

15 An odd ear in twenty- four sheavesIs a small request;I wil l get a blessing with what is left, And never miss i t.

Assignment - on your own paper and in RACED fo rmat

Your small house, too, in ruin!20 I ts feeble wal ls the winds are scatter ing!

And no th ing now, to bui ld a new one, Of coarse grass g reen!And bleak December’s winds coming, Both bi tter and keen!

1 . S u m m a r i z e t h e p l o t o f t h e p o e m . W h a t h a s happened and wha t i s th e f a rm er ’ s r eac t i on?

2. Look at l ines 39-40 . Th is is the sect ion f rom which Steinbeck borrowed the t i t le of his novel . In your own words, descr ibe Burns’ message in these two l ines . Why was the phrase “o f m ice and men” an a pp rop r ia te cho ice fo r S te i nbeck ’s n ove l?

25 You saw the f ie lds la id bare and wasted,And weary winter coming fast ,And cozy here, beneath the b last ,You thought to dwel l ,Ti l l c rash! the cruel p lough passed

30 Out through your cel l .

3 . Exp la in how Burns ’ message in l ines 39-40 i s t r ue fo r : Geo r ge

LennieCandyCr ooksCur ley ’ s w i fe

That small bit heap of leaves and stubble,Has cost you many a weary n ibb le!Now you are turned out, for all your trouble, Wi thout house or hold ing,

35 To endure the winter ’s sleety dr ibble,And hoar-f rost cold .

But l i t t le Mouse, you are not alone,In proving fores ight may be vain:The best laid schemes of mice and men

40 Of ten go awry ,And leave us nothing but grief and pain, For promised joy!

4.Look at the f inal s tanza. Who feels more pain , the fa rm er o r th e m ouse? W hy?

Stil l you are blessed, compared with me! The present only touches you:

45 But oh! I backward cast my eye,On prospects d reary!And forward, though I cannot see, I guess and fear!

5 . D o y o u a g r e e w i t h B u r n s ’ a n d S t e i n b e c k ’ s message about p lans and dreams? Exp la in your answer .

6. Despi te our awareness that many dreams are n e v e r r e a l i z e d a n d m a n y p l a n s a r e d e f e a t e d , p e o p l e s t i l l c o n t i n u e t o d r e a m a n d h o l d o n t o ho p e . W h y d o y ou su p po se pe o p l e do t h i s ?