1930s in America

1. 1930s in America Leah

2. Wall street crash and the great depression • When the wall street stock market crashed in October 1929, the world economy was plunged into the great depression. • ‘The number of unemployed people reached upwards of 13 million. Many people lived in primitive conditions close to famine.’ • ‘The wall street crash also caused more than 1000 people to live in shacks made from scrap metal and boxes.’ • ‘Between 1 and 2 million people travelled the country desperately looking for work.’ • All these points relate to George and Lennie because when they were travelling to get to their new job they have to sleep rough for one night and they argue because they don’t have much food to share between the two of them. We know that George and Lennie had to stay in shack whilst living in the ranch.

3. Economy • America had lent huge sums of money to European countries. When the stock market collapsed, they suddenly recalled those loans. This had a devastating impact on the European economy. • The collapse of European banks caused a general world financial crisis. • As early as 1926, there were signs that boom was under threat this was seen in the collapse of land prices in Florida • This points link in the novel of mice and men because George and Lennie never had any money or enough food to feed them both. It also links in with the dream George and Lennie had always dreamt about because the ranch would have been expensive to buy however, with the land prices dropping they could have afford to buy somewhere.

4. The American dream • The dream in America in the 1930’s was to own a land which would be better, richer and fuller for everyone who lived there, with opportunity for each individual according to ability or achievement • The dream was there to represent freedom and the difference between the working class and the non working class. • This points link in with George and Lennie in the novel because George has this dream all planned out in his head and he is constantly telling Lennie that one day the dream will be come reality and has to keep reminding Lennie all the little details because Lennie can imagine it in his head. Also the dream shows that George and Lennie dream of having their own ranch for the freedom because they work really hard to get money and still they are poor but in this dream they are not poor and they are happy as they are not being bossed around by other people even though they work their back off just to keep themselves alive.

5. Itinerant (migrant) workers • Itinerant workers are people who travel the country looking for any sort of work due to the mass unemployment • They were not guaranteed a job, they didn’t have much money, sleep in camps or ranchs • Life for the itinerant was really hard as nothing was for sure, their crops went for cheap prices. • George and Lennie were itinerant workers as they travelled all around America for work and didn’t really mind what it was. They were hard workers. George and Lennie slept rough in the street when they were looking for work and never gave up. • The second point tells us that George and Lennie never gave up hope and just tried to find any work no matter what, they also didn’t have any money therefore meant they didn’t have enough food for them both. They also both slept rough or in camps and ranches when working. The life for these two must have been really hard because everything they did went for a really cheap price and didn’t get much money even though they did lots.

6. Race and Racism • Black people were treated unfairly and had to walk on the opposite side of the road to white people • Black people were often hung or beaten • Blacks had no civil rights, land ownership was possible but very limited for example, if I white man saw a black man with lands which they could see any use for the land, they could take it from the black man. Blacks were not allowed to serve any political position of any level • This defiantly relates to Crooks in mice of men because he was treated unfairly as he was the only black man on the ranch therefore all the men felt the need to treat him horrible. He was made to sleep by the dung where it smells horrible and makes him feel intimidated by the other men.

7. Women (their status and stereotypes) • Women were seen as housewives who stay at home and do all the housework whilst the men went out working • This connects with Curley’s wife because she doesn’t have a name it makes her sound not as important because she is just a house wife with no opinion and she is also seen as a mans object