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Literature Examination. Novel – Of Mice and Men. Learning Outcomes: To understand the novel and to be able to develop your own interpretation independently. We will be reading the whole of this novel. Characters. Themes. Setting. Social and historical context. P.E.E chain practise.
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Literature Examination Novel – Of Mice and Men
Learning Outcomes: To understand the novel and to be able to develop your own interpretation independently. • We will be reading the whole of this novel. • Characters. • Themes. • Setting. • Social and historical context. • P.E.E chain practise. • Timed essay writing. • Film
Migrant Workers • What is a migrant worker? • Why were there so many? • What was life like as a migrant worker?
The tag line for the film version ‘Of Mice and Men’ (1992) is: • We have a dream. • Someday we’ll have a little house and a couple of acres. • A place to call home. • How does this represent ‘The American Dream’?
Lennie George What are your first impressions of George after looking at the picture? What are your first impressions of Lennie after looking at the picture?
Background Itinerant workers George Milton and Lennie Small rest in a clearing by the river, on their way to a nearby ranch where they expect to sign on for temporary work. They have hurriedly left the last ranch where they worked, following an incident involving Lennie. Lennie pleads with George to tell him over and over again about their dream ranch, where Lennie’s main task will be to tend the rabbits.
We are going to read section 1. Consider : the representation of George and Lennie the environment they are in themes introduced by Steinbeck
Recap Section 1: • Where? • Who? • What? • Why? • How?
Section 1: Let’s read then we will fill out information on the main characters. George Lennie What is the nature of the relationship between George and Lennie? Is there anything Steinbeck writes which leads us to believe that Lennie has the mind of a child? What is the significance of the dead mouse in terms of what it might tell us about Lennie? Why do you think George asks Lennie to familiarise himself with the location of the clearing where they spend the night?
Homework – Due in Thurs 10th Find out about: • The dust bowl • Economic depression – 1930s America • Migrant workers. • Ranch life in America. • The American Dream. Print out a few pictures to help you visualise the above. Your information should be concise and in your own words – NOT copied and pasted!
In pairs, discuss the following questions and then answer them: • What is the nature of the relationship between George and Lennie? • Is there anything Steinbeck writes which leads us to believe that Lennie has the mind of a child? • What is the significance of the dead mouse in terms of what it might tell us about Lennie? • Why do you think George asks Lennie to familiarise himself with the location of the clearing where they spend the night?
The Setting – Salinas Valley Why the Salinas Valley? Why so much detail about the setting?
The Setting • How important is the setting as an opening to the novel? • What is the significance of the peaceful scene by the river in contrast to the trouble which George and Lennie have left behind in Weed? • Is there any significance in Steinbeck’s references to the natural world in this opening section?
Themes • The American Dream / Dreams • Violence • Authority • Loneliness • Brain vs. Brawn • Discrimination • Nature
Section 2 As we read this section, consider: • How George and Lennie felt going to work as strangers on a new ranch. • The reasons why George wants to do all the talking in his exchanges with the boss and Curley. • What might have happened if Lennie had been allowed to speak for himself.
Of Mice and Men 15th June • What do we remember about section 2? • What do you know about the new characters we are introduced to? • What do you think are some of the possible themes of the novel? Task – Spend 5 minutes adding to your notes on George and Lennie – remember to support your ideas with quotations.
Themes • Loneliness • Dreams • Violence • Nature • Authority • Discrimination
Section 2 - Summary The next day George and Lennie arrive at the ranch and go to the bunk house where they meet most of the other main characters in the story: Candy, an old swamper with only one hand; Curley, the boss’ son; the boss, who is suspicious that George will not let Lennie speak up for himself.
We also meet: Curley’s beautiful young wife who flirts with the other men; Slim, the top ranch hand who is respected by all the other hands; and Carlson another of the established hands. Slim is friendly towards George and Lennie. Slim’s bitch dog has recently given birth to pups and Lennie begs George to ask him if he will give one to Lennie as a pet.
Discuss the following with your partner then answer: • What does the language used by Candy to describe the stable buck tell us about the relationship between blacks and whites? Does this language offer us any clues to the period in which the novel was set? • What words & phrases does Steinbeck use in introducing us to Curley which suggest that he might cause trouble for Lennie? • Do you think the ranch hands find Curley’s wife attractive? Does Lennie? Give examples which suggest that she openly flirts with the men. • Why does Curley’s wife not have a name?
Characters – Fill in what you know with supporting quotations Curley Curley’s wife Candy’s opinion of her is shared with George before she enters. Is Steinbeck preparing or prejudicing the reader? What does her appearance suggest about her? What do you notice about her body language as she speaks? Why is she in the bunkhouse? Clues: look at her explanation and how she leaves. 5. How does George feel about her and how is this shown?
Foreshadowing Steinbeck drops hints about what might happen later on in the book. Read the quotations below and decide what events they might foreshadow. Don’t forget to check later to see if you guessed right! 'Hide till I come for you. Don’t let nobody see you.' (George) 'You keep away from Curley, Lennie.' (George) Foreshadowing 'Why’n’t you get Candy to shoot his old dog ...' (Carlson) 'Gosh, she was purty.' (Lennie)
Closing the scene Look at the last paragraph of the scene. Referring back to events in this section, what do you think the significance of Candy’s old dog might be? Write your ideas below. The dog is now old and worn out. He is no longer useful, - look what happens to him later in the story. Candy has had him since he was a pup - they are loyal friends, just like George and Lennie. Slim’s puppies are newly born - it is significant that we hear about them in the same section that we meet the dog. He is an ‘outsider’, because he is old and worn out. When you have finished the story, think about the links between the ‘outsiders’.
Section 3 • What are the predictions you have made about the possible events in the novel? • Together we are going to read section 3.
Section 3 – Questions to think about: 1.What is it about Lennie’s actions in the bunk house which lead Slim to conclude that he has the mental age of a child and is not deliberately mean or wicked? 2. What does Carlson’s persistence in arguing for Candy’s dog to be shot, tell us about what sort of man he is? What do you think of Slim’s role in this incident? 3. Why does Curley pick a fight with Lennie, the strongest of all the men? As a bully wouldn’t it have been more realistic for Curley to have fought with George who is less physically imposing? 4. Why do you think Lennie allows Curley to beat him up before fighting back and protecting himself? 5. Why is it better for Curley to pretend that he got his hand caught in a machine, as Slim suggests, rather than tell the truth?
