Notes & Thoughts On Of Mice And Men Essays - English-language Films

Notes & thoughts on Of Mice and Men Written by John Steinbeck. Born in Salinas, Calif. in 1902. Worked as a laborer and journalist. Focused on the laboring class, dispossessed, underdogs, misfits, castaways, and marginal characters of society _ what to do with them? Concerned with how society treats them. Title is from Robert Burns' poem "To a Mouse" which has to do with planning and the powers beyond over which man has no control _ "The best laid schemes o'mice an' men *gang aft a-gley" (*go awry) and it indicates, or suggests, that plans of Lennie and George will also go astray due to forces beyond their control. Some economists of the early nineteen hundreds theorized that the industrialized age builds a permanent underclass and regardless of hopes and dreams there is no escape because of powers beyond their control. The people doomed to manual day and piece work labor will never be able to escape from their dreary day-to-day existence. Steinbeck focuses on the underdog, the dispossessed, society's misfits and outcasts. What to do with them? Dreams are a major theme in the novel, dreams that can never materialize. Steinbeck suggests that society itself encourages dreams, such as Curley's wife and her dream of becoming a Hollywood star, which can never come to fruition. Characters in Of Mice and Men Lennie Small Imaged as pet/animal, child, white race, victim of nature and society, just pure dumb luck he ended up mentally ill, not his fault, he does not know and cannot learn. Lennie will be discussed through this outline. George Milton Looks after Lennie. Acts as parent, friend, protector, and master. George does not really believe the dream he continually relates to Lennie about their one day getting their own place until Lennie brings Candy and his money contributions into the plan. At that time George says, "Jesus Christ! I bet we could swing her." George can't see that the dream will never materialize. He is doomed to day labor and piece work jobs with no significant gain. George does value Lennie, even loves Lennie, as a friend and partner. They are different because they have each other. This shows that George does not have normal relationships with other men. He relies on a mentally ill man for a friend. Loneliness is also a major theme. George is lonely and likes Lennie's company. He sees Lennie as a pet, a friend, a responsibility, and a helpless person. George is victim of a failed economic system that does not provide for its castoffs. Aunt Clara Lennie's aunt who cared for him but has died. George now looks after Lennie. But, why? That's the big question. Pose this to the class. Have them look for supporting details for their answers. Candy The "swamper" (one who cleans, mops and sweeps up the bunk house) who had his right hand mauled in a piece of farm equipment (ironically a cultivator which is used to produce nourishment but it robs him of the very part of his body that he must have in order to nourish himself) and he is now of almost of no use to the system. His days are numbered and he'll soon be "on the county." The right hand is a symbol of the workingman which Candy no longer is. Thus, he is fast becoming worthless and will soon be dispossessed like his dog. Candy has no chance, or hope, of a future except if he throws his small amount of money in with the others. Irony is that they have no hope without him. Lennie acts as the glue to hold this dream together. Candy's dog A foreshadowing of what will become of Lennie, Candy, Crooks, and all the characters sooner or later. The dog used to be one of the best sheep herder dogs but now is used up, spent, no longer of any economic value. No one but Candy cares what the dog used to be able to do. Now he just "stinks" and can barely get around. This is an excellent opportunity to introduce to the learners the term "foreshadowing." Slim An American cowboy who now works on a barley farm driving mules due to the closing, or civilizing, if you will, of the American west. Slim's a victim of a vanished way of life with few if any skills suitable to obtain himself meaningful employment. He's now a "jerk-line skinner"