Theme Analysis

In last week's blog response, I asked you to select a theme that "hit home" with you the most.  Now that you have set your sights on a theme you would most like work with some more, it is time to test your skills of analysis.  Scan through the last chapter (6) in Of Mice and Men and see if you can pull out a moment from the text that, upon close reading, says something about your selected theme. Next, try to analyze how this moment is somehow connected to the theme you have chosen.

Theme: "Power vs. Powerlessness"

"Lennie turned his head. 'No, Lennie. Look down acrost the river, like you can almost see the place.' Lennie obeyed him. George looked down at the gun." (106)

This quote is connected to the theme, "power vs. powerlessness," because it shows, throughout the entire story, how George always has power over Lennie. Lennie always has, and very well needs, George telling him what to do, or scolding him for something he did wrong. Lennie is always powerless compared to George. If George yells at Lennie, Lennie doesn't do a thing to defend himself. However, Lennie is nothing without George.

http://www.antiessays.com/free-essays/160122.html

Chapter 6 Notes

Characters: Lennie, George, Slim, Curley, Carlson, Aunt Clara (Lennie's imagination), Giganitc talking rabbit (Lennie's imagination)
Setting: The brush, river, pool

Questions: What caused George to kill Lennie, when George didn't want Lennie to be killed at all at first? Why did George still lie about Lennie having Carlson's gun after Geroge killed Lennie, when it was George who really took it? What does Carlson mean when he said what he said at the very end of the chapter? What was with Lennie's visions?

Prediction: After reading this chapter, which was the end of the novel, I can predict that George will think about Lennie every day and regret what he had done to Lennie. About the ranch they were supposed to have together, I think that will still buy one, and always tend to the rabbits, just for Lennie.

Summary: Lennie is in the brushes by himself, thinking how mad George will be about how he killed Curley's wife. He starts to have visions of Aunt Clara and a huge talking rabbit, telling Lennie how much of a bad thing he did, and that George will be very mad. The rabbit says that George won't let Lennie tend to the rabbits. Lennie calls for George, and he appears. Lennie asks him to talk about the ranch they planned on getting, George showing no emotion as he tells Lennie. George tells Lennie to turn around, and he shoots Lennie right in the back of the head, killing him. Slim comes to comfort George, and the group walks away.

Novel Reaction: Thinking Forward

We have investigated many captivating themes that exist in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men over the last few weeks.  You have explored the desperation and poverty of the American 1930s through pictures and video.  You have witnessed how John Steinbeck used naturalism to portray certain characters as "human beasts" acting on impulsiveness and instinct for self-preservation.  You have examined how the author used literary devices such as sentimentalism, diction, tone, parallelism, and foreshadowing in order to propel these themes.  You have close-read and analyzed the text digging deeper and deeper for evidence of themes such as Power vs. Powerlessness, Individual vs. Community, The American Dream, Euthanasia, Racism, Loneliness, and maybe even a little Sexism.  Pat yourself on the back!  You have been critically thinking about this novella on so many different levels.

For this week's blog response, you need to make some pretty serious decisions!  We are quickly approaching the time where you will be expected to write your Research Paper based on a topic of interest from Of Mice and Men.  If you have been keeping up with your reading, completing your notes, participating in conversations and activities during class on the various themes, and completing your blog responses this choice will be fairly easy!  If not, you may be in for a struggle....

What topic or theme that we have touched on during this unit has "hit home" with you the most?  Which theme or topic has a personal connection for you?  Which did you find most captivating or interesting to discuss and investigate during this unit?  Select a topic/theme from the list above that peaks your interest, and, in this week's blog response, discuss why you find it fascinating, which moment in the story you think about when reflecting on this theme, and how this theme is relevant in today's world.

The theme/topic that we have touched on during this unit that has "hit home" with me the most is the theme/topic of power vs. powerlessness. At home, this is the perfect topic for me. I usually feel powerless compared to my parents.

The same topic/theme has a personal connection for me. There have been many times when I feel powerless compared to my mom or dad, like if it's a chore, or anything really. Even if I don't want to do it, like washing the dishes, I know complaining will just make things worse than it already is for me. I've tried it before, and it did not help.

The theme/topic that I found most interesting or captivating to discuss and investigate during this unit was the individual vs. the community. I believe that this played the largest role in the story, which made it easy to talk about. There have been many times where George has said that he'd be better off without Lennie, but in reality, the two need each other. However, I believe that Lennie needs George more than George needs Lennie.

The American Dream peaks my interest. I find it fascinating because it is all about becoming wealthy and successful in life, and achieving goals. It is relevant in the world today because I'm sure everyone on America wants this to happen to them, but in other parts of the world, they just want to survive, and/or be happy. They don't have the opportunity's or advantages as Americans do to become rich, famous, and/or successful. This is relevant in the story because of the setting, the 1930s, which was the Great Depression. People, like Lennie and George, struggle to find a job. They had to walk long distances to get where they had to go, which was the ranch.

This is an example of George having power over Lennie.

http://sultanknish.blogspot.com/2009/02/fear-of-power-vs-fear-of-powerlessness.html

Chapter 5 Notes

Characters: Lennie, Curly's Wife, George, Curly, Candy, Slim, Carlson
Setting: The ranch, the barn
Questions: Why didn't Lennie stop shaking Curly's wife? Why didn't Curly's wife stop screaming when Lennie told her to? Why did everyone, espeically George, leave Lennie by himself when they know how Lennie can be? Will George try to stop Curly from killing Lennie?

Prediction: After reading this horrifying chapter, I think that after Lennie killed Curly's wife, and the puppy, he'll go straight to the brushes where George told him to go if he did something bad. I think that that's where the guys will go to find Lennie as well. I also think that Lennie indeed has Carlson's gun, and try to shoot Curly with it if Curly tries to shoot him. I don't think that George will try to stop Curly, after all that Lennie has done.

Summary: Lennie is in the barn, and he is holding the puppy that he killed. He gets mad at the dead dog and says, " 'Why you have to get killed?' "(85). Then, Curly's wife comes in, and has a nice little conversation talking about her past. Lennie then brings up the rabbits, saying he likes to feel nice things. Curly's wife offers Lennie her hair to feel. Lennie grabs on and doesn't let go. She starts to scream, Lennie shakes her, and he ends up murdering her. He runs away, leaving the corpses of the puppy and Curly's wife behind. A little later, the guys walk in and see Curly's wife, not realizing that she's dead at first.  They immediately knew it was Lennie that committed the homicide. George tries to make sure the guys know that he wasn't part of it. Candy stays behind to watch over the dead body. They search for Lennie, with Curly wanting to be the one to kill him.

A Portrait of Racism

Chapter 4 in Of Mice and Man, paints a very realistic portrait of racism in the 1930s.  Discuss at least two ways in which racism is explored in this chapter.  Include quotes and your own analysis of key moments in this chapter that clearly demonstrate the racism that existed in the American 1930s.  What do readers understand about racism as a result of reading this chapter?

Chapter 4 in Of Mice and Men, paints a very realistic portrait of racism in the 1930s. One way in which racism is explored in this chapter is the fact that Crooks, the one African-American introduced in the story, has his own room away from the bunkhouse and everyone else. " 'I been here a long time,' he(Candy) said. 'An' Crooks been here a long time. This's the first time I ever been in his room.' Crooks said darkly, 'Guys don't come into a colored man's room very much. Nobody been here but Slim. Slim an' the boss.' "(75). This shows that white and black people were very separated, and there was much racial segregation. I don't know where I would fit in during that time period, considering I'm both.

Another way in which racism is explored in this chapter is when Curly's wife comes into Crooks' room. "She turned on him in scorn. 'Listen, nigger,' she said. 'You know what I can do to you if you open your trap?' Crooks stared hopelessly at her, and then he sat down on his bunk and drew into himself. She closed on him. 'You know what I could do?' Crooks seemed to grow smaller, and he pressed himself against the wall. 'Yes, ma'am.' 'Well, you keep your place then, nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny.' "(80-81). As you can see, Crooks could have stood up to Curly's wife, and he did. After that warning, however, it would have made things much, much worse than it already was for Crooks.This shows just how awful African-Americans were treated during this time period. They were treated with disrespect, like animals. Life wasn't fair for them. They didn't have nearly as many rights as white people had. White people had all the power, and blacks were powerless. They were white people's slaves. There were no equal rights. Where do you think Crooks got his name from?

As a result of reading this chapter, readers could understand that racism was just a normal thing during this time period, though it was--and is-- indeed horrific. It shows that racism was a major problem that wasn't fixed until some time after, with people like Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. standing up to it at last. It's like what Crook did to Curly's wife. However, because he barely had any power, powerless even, he couldn't have done a thing to save himself, and he very well could have ended up getting killed, all because of standing up to one insignificant person. Thankfully, racism is not nearly as big as a problem today than it was back then.

http://archive.adl.org/hate-patrol/racism.asp

Chapter 4 Notes

Characters: Lennie, Candy, Crooks, Curly's wife, George
Setting: The ranch, Crooks' room
Questions: Why does Crooks find pleasure in scaring Lennie? What if something really does happen to George? Why does Crooks even bother talking to Lennie if he's not even listening? Why is Curly's wife always wandering around? If she already knows about what happened to Curly's hand, why does she ask about it?

Prediction: I predict that Curly's wife will get Lennie alone. " 'He got his han' caught in a machine,' he (Lennie) said. Curley's wife laughed, 'O.K., Machine. I'll talk to you later. I like machines.' " (80). She will probably want to flirt with him, or even worse. I also predict that since Lennie told Crooks about the ranch/land that he, George, and possibly Candy will have together, he will tell everyone in the ranch, and things could get ugly.

Summary: Lennie comes into Crooks' room, without Crooks wanting him to at first. Then, they start talking, and Lennie asks for George. Crooks then starts to tantalize and scare Lennie about George not coming back, or getting hurt. He keeps asking Lennie these statements, such as "S'pose he ain't comin back. S'pose you didn't have George by your side." Lennie gets angry at Crooks', and Crooks admits he was saying it because he is lonely. Later, Candy comes in, and he and Lennie talk about the land they want. Crooks doubts on them getting it. Later, Curly's wife comes in and things get ugly.

Investigating Themes in Of Mice and Men

2.)  What kind of relationship do George and Lennie have?  Is their relationship a friendship?  How does this relationship express Steinbeck’s position on the individual versus the community?

Check out the info History.com has to offer about the American 1930s!  Who had power in the 1930s?  Who did not?  What kinds of power existed then?  What important relationships were formed in the 1930s?  Was the American Dream still alive in the 1930s? 

The kind of relationship that George and Lennie have is in many ways complicated. It is mainly due to the way George treats Lennie. There have been many cases where George is very harsh on Lennie and treats him like he's nothing. Like the time where he said that he would be better off without Lennie in chapter one and completely blew up. Lennie didn't know how to react. Other times, however, George can be a bit nicer to Lennie, like when they discuss their future ranch together.

I would say that George and Lennie's relationship is a friendship. Although George can treat Lennie very rudely, I be believe that they need each other. There is a quality in each of them that one of them has and the other doesn't. George is the brains, and Lennie is the brawn. Lennie especially needs George. In many cases, such as when Curly was beating Lennie up, Lennie had no idea what to do. He really doesn't know how to fend for himself, and needs George to do many things for him, like talk.

This relationship expresses Steinbeck's position on the individual versus the community pretty clearly. He believes that even though at times being an individual can help you, ultimately being in a community will be needed. This is a perfect example of Lennie and George's relationship.

http://www.essayforum.com/literature-review-5/beauty-dreams-george-lennies-relationship-mice-men-37438/

Chapter 3 Notes

Characters: George, Lennie, Curly, Candy, The Boss (Curly's Dad), Slim, Carlson, Whit, Crooks
Setting: The ranch, stay (bunkhouse), barn
Questions: Why doesn't Candy refuse to let his dog die? What is Curly's wife up to? Why did George motivate Lennie to fight back when Curly was punching him? If Curly knows that Lennie is mentally disabled, why would he start the quarrel in the first place?

Prediction: I predict that Curly won't get over his "ancient" dog getting killed. After Carlson killed the dog, Curly was really upset and didn't talk for a while. Once he got into other conversations, out of no where he brought up the dog. I also predict that we will get to know more about Crooks, even though he was only introduced in a short section in this chapter. Also, I think that Lennie and Curly will get into another fight. I believe that this time no one will be around and it will be even worse.

Summary: Slim talks to George about him working together with Lennie and is surprised that  Lennie being a big, strong, childish/stupid guy and George being a small, smart guy are together.  Carlson then walks in the bunkhouse and can't stand the smell of the ancient dog of Candy's and says it stinks in here, so living much wouldn't help the dog and offers to kill him since Candy resists.  Slim also agrees and that leaves Candy to give up his dog, whom he took care of since the dog was a small pup.  When Carlson takes the dog outside to be killed, Candy feels motionless, looking at the ceiling when he hears the gun shot from outside of Carlson killing the dog. Later, Lennie and Curly get into a fight. Lennie doesn't fight back, but grabs Curly's fist, possibly breaking bones.

Chapter 2 Note-taking

1) Characters: George, Lennie, Curly, Candy, The Boss, Slim
     Setting: The ranch, stay (bunkhouse)
     Questions: Will George and Lennie stay at the ranch? Why does Curly dislike about "big guys" in this case, Lennie? Why would Slim kill the puppies?

2) Prediction: I predict that Lennie and George could still eventually end up getting caught for whatever they did back in "Weed." I believe that this could happen because they had just ran away from Weed, and Lennie did something pretty inappropriate. It shouldn't be too long until someone comes looking for them, and punishes Lennie for what he did. Also, neither one of them seem too bright, especially Lennie.

I also predict that George and Lennie could get kicked out of the ranch because of Curly. Since Curly is the boss's son, the boss will only feel the need to do what's best for Curly. Curly has something against Lennie because he's big. I also think that their fighting could get out of control, and one of them could get hurt pretty badly.

4) Summarize: Lennie and George arrive at the bunkhouse where they meet an old Swamper named Candy.  Candy told them the boss was waiting and that they should speak in a correct manner when they met him.  After Lennie and George talked to the boss, George was suspecting that Candy was eavesdropping on their conversation, when Candy went to get his old good sheep dog.  They talked to Curly (son of boss) afterwards who happen to step in the bunkhouse and seemed pugnacious and cruel to Lennie in a bad manner which George strongly disliked. Slim ends up killing his dogs.

Naturalism Blog

     Literature is often a reflection of the time period in which it was written or, in the case of historical fiction, of the time period it is focused on.  Authors will often find sneaky little ways to demonstrate the dominant characteristics of the time period by blending in details, that, at a closer glance, reveal these hidden themes.

     In class, we viewed several videos (in the LitByFleming blog video bar) that gave us a look at some major events and common themes or characteristics of the 1930s.  John Steinbeck certainly considered these elements when writing Of Mice and Men.  In fact, it might be said, his writing style intentionally made use of naturalism in order to capture and expose some of the attitudes and characteristics of the American 1930s.

     Let's see if you can make the connection!  Think about some of  the naturalistic elements we identified in class (Chapter 1).  What aspects or characteristics of the 1930s are being demonstrated to us at those moments in the text?  What do you believe John Steinbeck was trying to show us or expose about the way people, life, or society was during this time in American history?

     Some aspects or characteristics of the 1930s that are being demonstrated to us at those moments in the text is that the 1930s had much to do with nature. It is usually shown to be very descriptive, and easy to visualize, like, "On one side of the river the golden foothill slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains, but on the valley side the water is lined with trees--willows fresh and green with every spring, carrying in their lower leaf junctures the debris of the winter's flooding; and sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the pool." (1). Some of the elements that are included are grass, trees, animals, and mountains. It has a feeling of being wild, free, and unrestrained. 

     I believe that John Steinbeck was trying to show us or expose about the way people, life, or society was during this time in American history in many ways. He showed that the people were ill-educated and lower-class, and that their lives were governed by heredity, instinct and passion. They had to really work hard to get a job and probably get minimum wage. It was even hard to get a job.  Life was depressing and extreme; it was urban and rural. Society must have been out of control; people really struggled to survive and had to thrive to get what they needed, whether it was food, water, clothes, etc. I'd say the name of this time period is pretty self-explanatory. It was the Great Depression. The name says it all.

http://history1900s.about.com/od/1930s/p/greatdepression.htm

Chapter 1 Note-taking

1) Characters: George, Lennie
     Setting: Brushes, 1930s, on their way to a ranch, coming from "Weed"
     Questions: Why does George mostly treat Lennie so rudely? Why would Lennie kill the mice he finds? Where exactly are the two going? What is a brush? What does a bindle hold in it? 

2) Prediction: I predict that Lennie and George could eventually end up getting caught for whatever they did back in "Weed." I believe that this could happen because they had just ran away from Weed, and Lennie did something pretty inappropriate. It shouldn't be too long until someone comes looking for them, and punishes Lennie for what he did. Also, neither one of them seem too bright, especially Lennie.

4) Summarize: The two main characters, George and Lennie, are on their way to a ranch to work and live. They had just ran away from Weed because of something inappropriate that Lennie did. On their way, Lennie finds some mice that he likes to pet, but ends up killing when they bite him. When the two camp out in the brush, Lennie dreams of all the animals that will be in the ranch. George is usually rude to Lennie, and sometimes complains about dealing with Lennie, saying that he could be better off without him. The two still continue to head to the ranch.

http://www.shmoop.com/of-mice-and-men/chapter-1-summary.html 

Picturing the History Behind Of Mice and Men

For a moment the place was lifeless, and then two men emerged from the path and came into the opening by the green pool.
     They had walked in single file down the path, and even in the open one stayed behind the other. Both were dressed in denim trousers and in denim coats with brass buttons. Both wore black, shapeless hats and both carried tight blanket rolls slung over their shoulders. The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features. Every part of him was defined: small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose. Behind him walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. His arms did not swing at his sides, but hung loosely.

     The first man stopped short in the clearing, and the follower nearly ran over him. He took off his hat and wiped the sweat-band with his forefinger and snapped the moisture off. His huge companion dropped his blankets and flung himself. (1.2-4)
Sound familiar? Kind of like the pictures, right? In writing, compare and contrast this opening section from Of Mice and Men to the pictures you analyzed in class. What does the text and the photographs show us about the 1930s?  Be specific!

        This section from the beginning of the book reminds me most of the second picture that we were showed in class, with the man walking on the road. The picture relates to this section because both the picture and the text show a man walking down a path, wearing (most likely in the picture as well) "denim trousers and in denim coats with brass buttons. Both wore black, shapeless hats and both carried tight blanket rolls slung over their shoulders." It is different because in the picture, there was only one man, walking by himself. In the text, there are two. They both show us that the 1930s were a rough time and many people had to have likely travel long distances to work, mainly (maybe only) the men. It was the Great Depression. They could have also have had to move from their homes because there would be too many mouths to feed, so the men had to move.