ktmeng/mec huggingface dataset:
Topic: of-mice-and-men

During the Great Depression, women, especially Curley’s wife, in “of mice and men” were treated as lesser beings. An object that didn’t have any other purpose than to serve their families or others by becoming insignificant weavers, housewives or brothel workers. Many women were employed during this time but if they didn’t have a job they would stay at home, isolated, like a prisoner, just like Curley’s wife. Evidently, Steinbeck portrays Curley’s wife as a character whose isolation from other people clearly impacted her mood, decisions and behaviour. In the novel, John Steinbeck depicts George and Lennie having a loyal and trusting friendship, whereas others experience loneliness because they don’t have any companions or friends. “We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us…” (page 15) Steinbeck ultimately sets George as Lennie’s babysitter or guardian in certain situations. Without George, Lennie would clearly be unable to survive the harsh conditions of the Great Depression and though Lennie is a terrible burden and George could undoubtedly live a much better life without him, as stated “when I think of the swell time, I could have without you, I go nuts. I never get no peace.” (page 13), however, despite the heavy burden called Lennie, George persevered and developed a strong bond with Lennie, an example is when George mercifully killed Lennie instead of letting Curley torture him. “Somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us”, before the end of chapter 1, George assures Lennie that their relationship is special. That they have a relationship different from everybody else, that they have each other to look after each other.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Steinbeck represents male friendships as ideal, indicating that they are, in his opinion, the most respectable and fulfilling method to prevail over the isolation and loneliness all over the world, especially during the time of the Great Depressions. In total, Steinbeck idealises male friendships as a solid foundation of the novella, which is different from the themes of isolation and loneliness and a respectable and fulfilling way of combating isolation and loneliness, Steinbeck’s key example would be George and Lennie, especially after all the times George looks after Lennie. To conclude, the themes of isolation and loneliness indeed dominate the book, however, there also other dominators in the book, such as friendship. Discrimination, segregation and male friendships. These are all parts of various characters’ lives that Steinbeck wrote. Ultimately however, the book is dominated by the themes of isolation and loneliness.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The classic 1937 novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is about two migrant workers who journey across Southern California to find new jobs to make money. However, the setting takes place during the Great Depression and things start to take a turn for the men which make the story amazing. Over many years, Of Mice and Men has been unfortunately banned many times. This novel has been worshipped for the realism it provides and listed as one the top banned book in American history.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

This is one of three main reasons why banning this amazing novel was such an unsuitable and poor decision made as the story paints a clear and understanding picture of factual history throughout the times of the Great Depression. John Steinbeck once spoke about the type of people who use profanity on a daily basis from a letter he wrote and delivered to his grandmother in 1937 saying, “adornment and ornament is never vulgar and to write it so”.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

To add to this even more, two life lessons found within the text is that whenever we search for approval we find disappointment. The example scene begins with, “Feel right around there and see how soft it is.” Lennie’s big fingers fell to stroking her hair. “Don’t you mess it up,” she said. Lennie’s fingers closed on her hair and hung on. He shook her; and her body flopped like a fish. And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck (Narrator, pg. 99-100). The last lesson is that people who are mentally ill or weak are repeatedly pitied of the strong-minded. Used to play jokes on im cause he was too dumb to take care of imself (George, pg. 44).
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Secondly, Of Mice and Men should not be banned because it provides a clear insight on the different types of literary techniques. John Steinbeck uses descriptive language to show how the characters Lennie and George are portrayed by their actions. At this situation, Lennie is described as being very clever and intelligent. The author uses imagery to show how the animals in the novel are depicted by their physical appearance. He writes that they are all white, with brown eyes and big ears. This portrays that the animals are not only beautiful creatures, but have a sense of humor since they look somewhat funny. This makes the reader feel like they are part of something bigger than just themselves reading another story. It also gives the reader a sense of what kind of a character Lennie is during all of it. Steinbeck uses words like soft, hard-edged, and sharp to describe the different characters throughout. Steinbeck is also an amazing author for the amount of similes to make the reader think about what George and Lennie are thinking.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

In the beginning of the book, there is an excessive amount of writing techniques like alliteration, repetition, and anaphora. “A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green. The water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool. 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 white trees-willows fresh and green with every spring, carrying in their lower leave junctures the debris of the winter’s flooding; and sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the pool. On the sandy bank under the trees the leaves lie deep and so crisp that a lizard makes a great skittering if he runs among them” (Narrator, pg. 1).
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Last but not least, Of Mice and Men offers a realistic and historical depiction of what life was like on a ranch during the 1930 Great Depression. People who lived in California at the time had to really work hard and make a money, but everyone was held accountable for their actions no matter what challenges they faced. Truly a hard time to live through. The historical events of ranchers in California, after World War I, economic and environmental forces brought numerous poor and transient environmental specialists from the Great Plains states, for example, Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas, to California. Following World War I, a subsidence prompted to drop of market prices of homestead crops, which implied that ranchers were compelled to create more products so as to acquire a similar measure of money.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

To fulfill this need for expanded efficiency, numerous ranchers purchased more land and put resources into costly agrarian hardware, which drove them into an obligation. The stock market crash of 1929 just exacerbated the whole situation. Banks were compelled to abandon home loans and gather obligations. Unfit to pay their loan bosses, numerous ranchers lost their property and were compelled to discover other work. In any case, doing as such demonstrated exceptionally troublesome, since the country’s unemployment rate had soared, topping at almost twenty-five percent in 1933.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

A good example of the living conditions George and Lennie had to adapt is explained on page nineteen. “The bunk house was a long, rectangular building. Inside, the walls were whitewashed and the floor unpainted. In three walls there were small, square windows, and in the fourth, a solid door with a wooden latch. Against the walls were eight bunks, five of them made up with blankets and the other three showing their burlap ticking. Over each bunk there was nailed an apple box with the opening forward so that it made two shelves for the personal belongings of the occupant of the bunk” (Narrator, pg. 19).
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Concerning people who think the book should stay prohibited, there is one reason that for the duration of our lives has dependably been an issue and that is Discrimination. Of Mice and Men has numerous models containing this. Discrimination isn’t simply founded on skin color, yet in addition on age and sexual orientation. The first is the point at which the character, Crooks, is segregated as a result of his skin color. “They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink.” (pg. 34) This statement shows how the young men on the ranch won’t enable Crooks to play cards since he’s dark. A man separated by his age is Candy; he has a rancid, old, feeble pooch. The young men at the homestead don’t care for the canine any longer since it’s pointless.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

“Why’n’t you get Candy to shoot his old dog” (pg. 17). This makes Candy figure what will occur in the event that he winds up futile, will they shoot him? It makes one marvel, who cares if he’s old and pointless he’s a person and nobody has the privilege to murder another regardless of how old they are. They generally believe he’s unfit to do things since he’s old, despite the fact that he can do it “I lost my hand right here on this ranch. That’s why they give me a job swampin” (pg. 29). All through the book Candy minds his own business, far from others, since he’s rejected by them. Many individuals all through the novel get injured physically and rationally.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

In conclusion, Of Mice and Men is an absolute, must read for anyone who has the slightest interested in literature and American history. This novel is very important because it teaches us about what it is to be human and how we overcome our problems. It also shows how to give kindness and love for those who are in desperate need of it even if that person is your best friend. The distinctive viewpoints on why Of Mice of Men by John Steinbeck should not be a banned book are; the realistic and historical depictions of life on a ranch during the Great Depression, the study of many types of literary techniques, and the life lessons shown throughout this amazing novel. John Steinbeck did a great job writing this book and is considered one of the greatest authors of all time.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Much like Steinbeck\’s short novel The Pearl, Of Mice and Men is a parable that tries to explain what it means to be human. Steinbeck\’s thinking about man\’s place in the universe is essential; man is a tiny part of a vast world; in the greater scheme of things, individuals come and go and leave a small, lasting mark. Deep inside all people is a longing for a place in nature — the desire for the land, roots, and a place to call \”home.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

\” The struggle for such a place is universal, and its success is uncertain. Of Mice and Men tells the life of two migrant workers in California on their journey during the Great Depression. George Milton, an intelligent yet uneducated man, and Lennie Small, a strong mentally disabled man trying to make their american dream reality. This book is a good book because it touches several themes: the nature of dreams, the nature of loneliness, man’s propensity for cruelty, powerlessness and economic injustices.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The telling of the story, which George has done so often, becomes a ritual between the two men: George provides the narrative, and Lennie, who has difficulty remembering even simple instructions, picks up the refrain by finishing George\’s sentences. To George, this dream of having their place means independence, security, being their own boss, and, most importantly, being \”somebody.\” To Lennie, the dream is like the soft animals he pets: It means security, the responsibility of tending to the rabbits, and a sanctuary where he won\’t have to be afraid. To Candy, who sees the farm as a place where he can assert a responsibility he didn\’t take when he let Carlson kill his dog, it offers security for old age and a home where he will fit in. For Crooks, the little farm will be a place where he can have self-respect, acceptance, and security. For each man — George, Lennie, Candy, and Crooks — human dignity is an integral part of the dream.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Having and sharing the dream, however, are not enough to bring it to fruition. Each man must make a sacrifice or battle some other force that seeks, intentionally or not, to steal the dream away. Initially, the obstacles are challenging but not impossible: staying out of trouble, not spending money on liquor or in bordellos, and working at the ranch long enough to save the money for a down payment. But greater obstacles soon become apparent. Some of these obstacles are external (the threat from Curley\’s wife and Curley\’s violence, for example, as well as the societal prejudices that plague each man); others are internal (such as Lennie\’s strength and his need to touch soft things). For George, the greatest threat to the dream is Lennie himself; ironically, it is Lennie who also makes the dream worthwhile.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

In addition to dreams, humans crave contact with others to give life meaning. Loneliness is present throughout this novel. On the most obvious level, we see this isolation when the ranch hands go into town on Saturday night to ease their loneliness with alcohol and women. Similarly, Lennie goes into Crook\’s room to find someone with whom to talk, and later Curley\’s wife comes for the same reason. Crooks says, \”A guy goes nuts if he ain\’t got nobody. Don\’t make no difference who the guy is, long\’s he\’s with you.\” Even Slim mentions, \”I have seen the guys that go around on the ranches alone. That is not any good. The have no fun. After a long time, they get mean.\” George\’s taking care of Lennie and the dream of the farm attempts to break the pattern of loneliness that is part of the human condition. Similarly, Lennie\’s desire to pet soft things comes from his need to feel safe and secure, to touch something that gives him that feeling of not being alone in the world. For Lennie, the dream of the farm parallels that security. Steinbeck\’s characters are often the underdogs, and he shows compassion toward them throughout the body of his writings.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Powerlessness takes many forms — intellectual, economic, societal and Steinbeck touches on them all. The main two that he touches on are intellectual powerlessness and economic powerlessness. Although Lennie is physically strong and would, therefore, seem to represent someone of power, the only power Lennie possesses is physical. Because of his mental handicap and his child-like way of perceiving the world, he is powerless against his urges and the forces that abuse him. For example, he knows what it is to be good, and he doesn\’t want to be bad, but he lacks the mental acuity that would help him understand and, therefore, avoid the dangers that unfold before him. Therefore, he must rely on George to protect him. George, in this regard, is also powerless. Although he can instruct Lennie on what to do and not do, and although he perceives the danger posed by Curley\’s wife, he cannot be with Lennie every hour of every day and, therefore, cannot truly protect Lennie from himself. In the end, the only thing that George can do is protect Lennie from the others.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Another type of powerlessness is economic. Because the migrant workers are victims of a society where they cannot get ahead economically, they must struggle again and again. George and Lennie face overwhelming odds in trying to get together a minimum of $600 to buy their own land. But they are not the only ones who have shared the dream of owning land, nor the only ones who have difficulty securing the mean by which to do it. As Crooks explains, \”I seen guys nearly crazy with loneliness for land, but ever\’ time a whorehouse or a blackjack game took what it takes.\” In other words, it is part of the human condition to always want instant gratification rather than save for tomorrow. As long as the men spend their money on the weekends, they will continue to be powerless. On the other hand, living lives of loneliness and harshness makes companionship, even for a weekend alluring enough to overshadow a dream. Furthermore, the men are paid so little that it is difficult to save enough to make a dream come true.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

‘Of Mice and Men exposes the harsh realities of a cruel world’ Throughout the novella of ‘Of Mice and Men’ the audience is made to desire Lennie and George to live their ‘American dream’. This idea however is turned on its head when Steinbeck reveals the harsh realities of life in the 1930’s. Almost all the characters are yearning for someone to talk to and live a happy life with, and all of them remain lonely by the end of the book.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

For Crooks it was because of being the only worker of African-American decent, and for Curley’s wife she was being excluded from the main group because of being the only woman in the book that is around the workers. Crooks’ clear acceptance of his exclusion is apparent when he says, “They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black”. This event in the book shows that time that this story took place was a senseless, merciless life to live in if you were different.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The men that work on the ranch find her desperate for attention and someone to talk to. Steinbeck never mentions her name in the book because it is a literature technique to make the audience realise she doesn’t deserve her own identity. Page: 1 of 2 Also the men don’t even use her name, often calling her mean things, in which showing how the people around us can be so cruel. Many times in “Of Mice and Men”, the worker group rejects Lennie because he is intellectually hindered. This occurs when Curley attempts to pick a fight with Lennie because he thinks that Lennie isn’t very strong, and how wrong he was. Also another instance when the farmer group ridicules Lennie is when the all go into town to the brothel and leave Lennie behind. Even George says he doesn’t want to be with him at times because he is such a hassle to George. “When I think f the swell time I could have without you, I go nuts”, this quote shows that George is at times quite harsh towards Lennie because he mentally challenged.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Also the world is often cruel to Lennie when he was chased out of the town of Weed because he was falsely accused of rape. It goes to show how that era wasn’t empathetic and understanding at all of others differences. Although the world that “Of Mice and Men” was set in was very harsh, all the men on the ranch hold the false hope of ‘the American dream’, where they can all one day live happily if they work hard until they retire. This even though is false for he majority the men, it gives them hope and a goal to work for. Also most importantly it encourages the workers to make alliances to buy a property quicker. This creates a friendlier environment to work in. This hope is illustrated when George explains to Lennie, “we got a future, we got someone to talk to that gives a damn about us”. This shows that George is confident the he and Lennie can make a living together if they work hard, just like the American dream.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Also when Candy finds out that they have a good plan to live sustainably during the depression, he immediately jumps at the opportunity and pleas to George to let im in on the plan. The idea of ‘ the American dream’ is beneficial because it gives the struggling Americans something to work for, even though it is deceiving. During the 1930’s when America recorded its most catastrophic recession, when the majority of the workers lost their jobs, all the farmers had the survival-of-the- fittest approach to living. Steinbeck beautifully displaces this when he captures the workers struggle by showing their desperate race to make enough money to survive. This turns them all to selfish people, wanting only the best for themselves, making that era a brutal and cruel world.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Many characters in the novella Of Mice and Men are marginalised and are deemed outcasts. One of the many ways marginalisation is presented in ‘Of Mice and Men’ is sexism. This is clearly represented in this novella through the character Curley’s wife and also about the way the men talk about women. Curley’s wife isn’t even named by John Steinbeck, so her identity is linked with her husband Curly. She is heavily discriminated and is treated as if she isn’t of any importance.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The men in this novella have the impression that she is a “rattrap”. Curly had only been married to her for a couple of weeks when George and Lennie had arrived at the ranch, and in almost an instant they were warned from her and are told that she is “purty” and “, but she got the eye” which indicates that she has her eyes wondering on men. Curley’s wife is also described as a flirt or worse, resulting in the men showing her little to no respect.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Curley’s attitude towards others when they talk to his wife makes them all want to stay away from her so they don’t get any trouble. At one point, George and Lennie’s first day at the bunkhouse, she came in looking for Curly and asked George where he was. After not finding Curly in the bunkhouse, she left and George tells Lennie to stay away from her, “Listen to me, you crazy bastard, “Don’t you even take a look at that bitch.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

All Curley’s wife ever wanted was to be a famous actress and had met an actor who told her she could be a star but wasn’t allowed “he says he was gonna put me in the movies. Says I was a natural. Soon’s he got back he was gonna write to me about it.” thus forced to marry Curly to get somewhere, and ending up in a place that she never wanted which she puts is “a ranch full of guys”. By Steinbeck adding this, it emphasises the lives of women in this society as they had very little choice and most of them did end up somewhere they didn’t want. In the era of the Great Depression, the time this novella is set in, women were trapped in this stereotype that they should only be in one place, and this place was at home cooking, cleaning and looking after the children. Very little Women in that era worked because women were seen as weak, the men saw themselves as more powerful and important. When a woman had been told that because she had a pretty face this indicated she could easily attract a financially stable husband and have a safe future. When the Great Depression started the women could not do much in that time since the men were seen as more powerful and more capable of work.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Most of the women and children were left behind or forgotten, with the husbands going out to find work and leaving them to fend for themselves. Most situations the men couldn’t find any work near their family or in the same state so they would have to pack up and leave. Others are alone and once they take a loan from the bank and don’t have a steady pay flow/salary and can’t pay them back this then leads to the bank taking custody of the house. Section 2 Loneliness is a theme that was in the era of the novella Of Mice and Men and is still present to this day. Steinbeck clearly illustrates this theme through the eyes of Candy, Curley’s wife and Crooks. Loneliness by discrimination is an issue that continues to affect society today. In the era in which this novella is set in men usually travelled and worked alone either by their own choice or because they were faced with discrimination, but those who worked alone by choice still had a couple of guys that they would talk to.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Women in that time were isolated and the men that were of old age had a physical disability or had a dark skin colour were usually isolated and had no friends because they are being discriminated for physicals that they couldn’t control. The very fact that Crooks sleeps in a separate place than everyone else heavily reveals racial discrimination as he is literally insulated from the other ranch workers. The moment when racial discrimination is most shown is at the end of Chapter 4 when Curley’s wife confronts Crooks. Crooks tells curly’s wife she has no right to come into a coloured man’s room and then she bites back out of her anguish from being so alone all the time “Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.” and by this point Crooks had just given up and retreated completely in fear because he knew very well she could in an instant. He is only one of the ways john Steinbeck expresses loneliness through this novella.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Candy was treated differently on the ranch because of the physical disabilities he had and his age, both issues that continue to afflict society today. With Candy, he only had one friend and this was his dog but from the pressure of the other guys in the bunkhouse they kill him off making Candy completely alone, Candy tells George and Lennie how he is going to get fired anytime now. The characters in this novella fought loneliness with Curley’s wife flirting around to not be alone and with Candy when he had his dog but after he was killed he was completely alone. In the present day, people are still being isolated because they experience discrimination and stigma for example, because of a disability or long-term health condition, or their gender, race or sexuality. In our society, we have social media and the internet which makes everything worse, if you have any type of imperfection or are not up to the “standards” you are excluded.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

At school, if you have a certain disability or look a certain way you are excluded and are alone. Steinbeck’s novella doesn’t just project the theme loneliness for that time that it’s set in, it also relates to today’s society in many ways, if people from this day and age were to read this novella they would find a lot of similarities from back then and today. The lives of the men and woman in the time period this novella is set in are unfairly prejudiced, they are isolated because of things they could not control and were either born with or things that happened along the way and the exact same things that caused loneliness back then in the novella and reality happen in our present day’s society.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Crooks tells Lennie, ‘They’ll tie ya up with a collar, like a dog’. The character Crooks is also a cripple. At the ranch he works as a stable buck, someone who tends to the animals such as horses. He became crippled at the ranch when he was injured by a horse and this is how he received the name Crooks, as he has a crooked back. This is one of the reasons he is a misfit. Crooks is an outcast and doesn’t sleep with the other migrant workers, ‘I ain’t wanted in the bunk-house’.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

This would have been seen as unusual because many people in the period were not literate, especially not black people. He also gains confidence when talking to Lennie and Candy, and when arguing with Curley’s wife, ‘Crooks stood up from his bunk and faced her. ‘I had enough’ he said coldly’. This implies that even though Crooks is seen as the lowest respected in society he still has some sense of dignity.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

In the 1930’s racism was widespread making Crooks a misfit and because of this a lot of the novel is devoted to him. The readers of the period would have learned a lot about black people from Crooks. For example, the fact that he has feelings, is clever and wants to be friends with the whites on the farm. The chapter devoted to Crooks shows that the society that Steinbeck lived in needed to change, and it could change if everyone had the same perspective that Lennie had on the matter. The character Crooks is more than a ‘cripple’ as he is a person who is proud of what he has in life.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

He has exceeded people’s expectations of a black man in the 1930’s and has done well for himself. Even though he is often being discriminated against, he stands up for himself. He also has taught himself to read. He is keen to point out that his upbringing is not that of the stereotyped southern negro, but that he is from the North and was accepted by the white kids as a child Although, once again, this character is a cripple and misfit he is totally true to life and relevant in 1930’s America. Curley’s wife is the only female character in the novel.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

She portrays the struggle of a woman in 1930’s society. She would have been seen as less important than a man, but more important than a black person. This meant that on the ranch she was one of the least respected people. She is never given a name by the author. Throughout the novel she is referred to in reference to her husband. The men on the farm refer to her as a ‘tramp,’ a ‘tart,’ and a ‘looloo’, all of which are derogatory terms. ‘Of Mice and Men’ is not kind in its portrayal of women, and Steinbeck generally depicts women as troublemakers.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Curley’s wife emerges, however, as a relatively complex and interesting character. Curley’s wife is a misfit as she is a female existing in a male environment. She doesn’t fit in on the ranch, firstly due to what she wears. She walks around the farm in high heels, dresses and make up. She does this in such a way that she tempts the men and is seen as a sexual object, but really she is desperate for attention. She is also an unusual character due to the dream she has of becoming a Hollywood star.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Like George and Lennie’s dream it is almost unachievable; however, it makes her character a lot more humane, as she is normally insensitive and provocative. Curley’s wife’s struggle in the novel is a struggle with loneliness. She is seen by the men as a temptress which turns the men on the farm immediately against her. One of the first things George says to Lennie when they arrive at the ranch is a warning to stay away from her. This is why she feels so lonely, because she is the only woman and feels isolated from the men who openly scorn her.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

However she does not do herself any favours; she married a man she does not like, she walks around the ranch wearing red feathered shoes, tempting the men, and when she has the chance to talk to some of the workers on the farm, which is a moment of great vulnerability for her, (as she had just admitted being dissatisfied with her life), she seeks out even greater weaknesses in others, preying upon Lennie’s mental handicap, Candy’s debilitating age, and the colour of Crooks’ skin in order to protect herself against harm.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

She is a bitter and scornful woman who shamelessly uses sex to intimidate the workers. However after Lennie murders her you see her in a different light, as when she is in peace Steinbeck describes her as ‘pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young’. Steinbeck could be implying that she is now happy as she got to talk to Lennie and is no longer lonely, and her only escape was death as she is no longer suffering. From the character of Curley’s wife we learn lots about the period the book was written in and how difficult it was for a woman to fit into a man’s world.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

A reader’s understanding of the American working class’ situation during the 1930’s is further deepened by knowledge of the socio-historical context surrounding John Steinbeck book Of Mice and Men, which can be read as a microcosm of American society at the time. In particular, background knowledge of the Great Depression and the associated major social upheavals of the time, as well as the social hierarchy as a result of the Great Depression, reveals some of the motivations behind the main events Steinbeck writes into the plot.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

To a lesser extent a reader’s understanding is further added to by knowledge of Steinbeck’s literary context, such as the style in which he wrote Of Mice and Men, his approach to the issues he brings up, as well as the particular values he upholds. Background knowledge of the Great Depression, and the associated social upheavals, explains to the reader the situation of the American working class as well as revealing the cause of the self-oppressing loop they are stuck in, as shown in Of Mice and Men.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

In the plot Steinbeck, in true Realist style, starkly and plainly juxtaposes the idealised American Dream with the harsh reality of its impossibility. The thousands upon thousands of displaced, unemployed American workers pouring into California are embodied within the two characters George and Lennie who, like every other displaced worker, dream of owning their own little farm or as George puts it “we’d have own our place where we belonged. ” But inevitably, as hinted to by the book’s title Of Mice and Men, their dreams of owning a farm stays just that, a dream.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

This is encapsulated by the line from which the book’s title is taken from: “The best laid schemes of mice and men/Go often awry. ” George also comes to this realisation toward the end of the book: “I think I knowed from the very first… we’d never do her. ” This situation of menial, back-breaking labour is also shown to be self-perpetuating as Steinbeck shows, in plain Realist fashion, how the labourers would go out to the town to fritter away their hard earned money in the brothels and bars then have to earn it all again.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The cyclical nature of their situation is further shown by the cyclic nature of the plot, which also symbolically ends where it began in a beautiful clearing by the river. Prior knowledge of the social discrimination and the general lack of knowledge and support for the disabled present in the 1930’s, further reveals the causes behind the events representing the mentally disabled in Of Mice and Men. Around the time that Steinbeck wrote Of Mice and Men the general public’s knowledge of the mentally disabled (basic psychology) was very limited, mainly influenced by religious beliefs and local superstitions.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

This is not to say that developed knowledge about psychology wasn’t available but layman’s knowledge was sparse. With this in mind the reader can deeper understand Lennie’s situation and the reasons why he was always misunderstood because Lennie never committed a malicious act in plot, for example as Slim says “Maybe he ain’t bright, but… He damn near killed his partner bucking. ” This, again in a very Realist way, shows very clearly how Lennie is represented as having an innocent child-like mind but the brutish strength of a bull, which is what the other characters react to in the book and decide to lynch him.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Also a reader’s prior knowledge of the fact that Steinbeck wrote with Naturalist approach, i. e. he described events as realistically as possible but with an agenda or comment in mind, could also suggest that Steinbeck wrote Lennie with the purpose to make a comment on the unfortunate fate of people with mental disabilities who were doomed to be ostracized in 1930s American society. In the end, George was forced to shoot Lennie to rescue him from his terrible fate and it is in this way that Steinbeck demonstrates the despicable manner in which people with differences were treated.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

A reader’s understanding of the importance of companionship amongst the agricultural workers in the 1930’s, as represented in Of Mice and Men, is added to by contextual knowledge of the generally hostile social environment of the time. Amongst the working class of America in the 1930s it can be generally understood that amongst the agricultural workers wandering California looking for work sustained friendships between workers were rare as individuals strove for a better life for themselves with the exclusion of other people around them.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

This further highlights to the reader the special friendship between George and Lennie which is verbalised by ‘The Boss’ when he states “Well, I never seen one guy take so much trouble for another guy. ” It is through ‘The Boss’ that Steinbeck demonstrates George and Lennie’s friendship to be rare and special, which is a something that Steinbeck values very highly and he shows this through the plot. In contrast it is also shown that men do need someone to be close to, as Crooks, who is shunned and segregated from the rest of the workers, says: “S’pose you didn’t have nobody… A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. This loneliness, which is physically fuelled by the workers’ inability to form lasting friendships since they are constantly on the move, is also psychological as there are many social barriers that prevent the men from experiencing or expressing empathy. Which Steinbeck shows in the bunkhouse scenes; the ranch workers having become so vigilant about protecting their secrets and their own skins that they were unable to reach out to fill the void of loneliness.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

John Steinbecks story is set in California in the mid 1930s where a formidable amount of American men were genuinely lonely and had the tragedy of dispossession. The story centres around two characters, George and Lennie, two bindle stiff workers who are sent from ranch to ranch harvesting wheat, barley and sugar beets. The economical situation was oppressive to the extent that agricultural labouring was the only answer for men like these. In these times the wages were low and living quarters squalid.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The powerlessness of the Californian labouring class loomed indefatigably and the opportunity for advancing in society was practically non-existent. Steinbeck’s examination of the reality in ‘Of mice and men’ sets the story a few miles south of Soledad. Soledad is Spanish for “solitude”, the intense loneliness and anger engendered by hopelessness. The reader is drawn in by the doomed appeal of Lennie and George, which inevitably shapes their friendship and their dream.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The structure of the story is ironic in the way Steinbeck uses descriptive language with smell, colour, light and sound, at the beginning and end. But the circumstances that Lennie and George find themselves in at the beginning and the end is of total opposite. This gives the reader a feel of inevitability to life and that the revolution of Lennie and George was one of insignificance, that we are no more fortunate than mice and nature and man has something in common.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Lennie’s character is firstly described by Steinbeck as “a huge man, shapeless of face, with large pale eyes, and wide sloping shoulders; walking heavily, dragging his feet, the way a bear drags his paws” this gives an indication to the reader that Lennie is a docile man. Steinbeck uses animal like descriptions, which gives the reader an idea that Lennie is also a strong man. He’s like a small child trapped in a big mans body. He has relied on George ever since her was a kid. Lennie forgets things easily, which gets them into a spot of bother now and again.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

George sometimes asks Lennie not to speak, due to him not making sense or not being able to keep a secret, but Lennie is unable to. George is described as “small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features” the total opposite from Lennie. George is definitely the brains of the outfit and the one with the grand scheme of things within his sight. George knows that Lennie is capable of harming people especially nice things that Lennie likes to stroke. This is why George tells Lennie to go back to the brush if anything bad happens. George is clever in pre-empting any situation that might occur with Lennie.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The relationship between George and Lennie is one of companionship and genuine friendship but this is burdened by Lennie’s mental age defect. George is also a father figure to Lennie having to supervise him most of the time. More characters begin to emerge soon after George and lennie arrive at the bunkhouse. Candy the old swamper, a tall, stoop-shouldered man. Candy, with only one hand has a job as a general cleaner with his old sheep dog, which keeps him company. The other main characters are Curley, the boss’s son, a young man, thin with tightly curled brown hair and brown eyes.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

A nasty jealous man who has a complex about his size and likes to pick on bigger men to satisfy his ego. Curlys wife as described by steinberg is a troubled and lonely woman who invariably causes trouble for everyone, but she does not see how talking to other men can be so wrong. When talking with other men she has a habit of saying how she could of been a famous actor and how she thought at first that different men would help her obtain her dreams. She says ‘I met one of those actors. He says I could go with that show. But my ol’ lady wouldn’t let me’.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

She’s described by George as a tramp but as she stays in a house by herself, just makes her a lonely character. The character slim is a cool customer with consideration and thought for other people’s feelings. A tall man with long black hair, blue jeans and a denim jacket. He is a jerkline skinner, a supervisor of the team with a tremendous amount of respect from the other guys. One of the themes in this novel is of loneliness. Steinberg shows a pessimistic view of life by making the characters show feelings of negativity. Curl’s wife is a victim of this and also Lennie.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Crook’s the stable buck is probably one of the loneliest characters. Being a black man in those days had many disadvantages. One of which was segregation. But Crook’s is described as a proud, aloof man. Crook’s description by Steinbeck has an air of sympathy to him. His mauled copy of the Californian civil code emphasises his struggle. This is a man of few possessions. Even though he is discriminated against and his thoughts of men’s dreams are hopeless. He still hope’s of being part of George and Lennie’s scheme. John Steinbeck’s purpose within this novel was to emphasise the struggle of men and their hopes and dreams that they held.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Most of the language used is colloquial; this gives an authenticity to the book and a real feel for the characters. The story takes a sinister twist when George decides to take time out with slim. Lennie is left alone in the barn whilst tending a pup he had accidentally killed. When approached by Curley’s wife he becomes transfixed on her and in a state of panic he breaks her neck. One of the key moments of hope for me in this book was when George realises he could obtain his dream as he says repeatedly; I could swing her! At this point the possibilities of their dream are real.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The realisation of George killing Lennie only came into mind, for me when George reached inside his pocket and pulled out the slugger; sat at the hillside bank. Steinbeck makes the novel more powerful by not letting the reader figure out the plot right until the end. This for me was a good ending considering the circumstances. And still the possibilities of George, Candy and the stable buck dreams, are real. The only thing that disappointed me was Lennie’s carelessness, nevertheless, I feel the novel was gripping and gave suspense, a thriller.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The American Dream, which has become practically reality for George, Lennie and Candy, is briefly shared by Crooks (the stable buck). “Crooks, the Negro had his bunk in the harness room, a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn. ” Crooks was inferior to the other men because of his race. He was not allowed into the bunk house, and lived in his own small room outside. The other men regarded him as entertainment, or someone to take things out on.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

However, Crooks’ dream is destroyed by the entrance of Curley’s wife. She starts teasing Lennie and begins to crush their dream. Crooks tells her to get out, but Curley’s wife refuses and threatens him. This is when Crooks realises he cannot accomplish what he desires, because he is considered to be so inferior. Each character has hopes and dreams to adhere to. Even Curley’s wife. Curley’s wife wanted to be an actress, she craved fame and the glamour of stardom, and believes she could still be famous. “I coulda made somethin’ of myself.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Maybe I will yet. ” This shows the importance of her dream. It gives her something to look forward to, a better life than her present situation. The reader knows Curley’s wife is unhappy with her life, she doesn’t even like her husband. “I don’t like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella. ” She tells Lennie of the high life she could be living. “could been in the movies, an’ had nice clothes. An’ I coulda sat in them big hotels, an’ had pitchers took of me. ” This detail shows exactly what Curley’s wife wants, as well as showing what she has not got.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

She is the only female on the ranch, is married to a man who boats about his manhood and sees her as sexual object – “he wears a glove fulla vaseline,” and she is treated like a girl, “maybe you just better go along an’ roll your hoop”. She has no friends – “I get lonely” – and no one to talk to. Curley’s wife’s dream is an escape from the life she detests. She didn’t even want to marry Curley, and live on the ranch. “I wasn’t gonna stay no place where I couldn’t get no where or make something of myself. So I married Curley.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

” Curley’s wife needed an escape from her previous life (which must have been extremely bad for her to marry a person she did not like). But, even with her knew life, Curley’s wife is unhappy. I think Curley’s wife’s dream is important in “Of Mice and Men,” because, it shows how different people suffer. It is not just the migrant workers who dream of better lives, but others as well. I think Curley’s wife’s dream is an insight to what the young American girls hope for. The main them of “Of Mice and Men” is the hopes of dreams of migrant workers.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Curley’s wife’s dream continues the theme of what everyone might hope for. Curley, the boss’ son, has a different dream to the other characters. He already has what the other men want; a farm, a piece of land, a wife and furthermore he has power. However, he has no friends and no respect even though he is the boss’s son. “Curley sounds like a son-of-a bitch to me I don’t like mean little guys. ” Curley’s dream is to become a professional boxer. The reader is told that he is good at the sport and has previous experience. “Curley’s pretty handy.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

He done quite a bit in the ring. ” However, Curley wants to be in the “Golden Gloves” competition, his dream is to become the best, be superior, more so than he already is. He just wants pride and glory. I think Curley’s dream is extremely important in “Of Mice and Men. ” Curley already has everything the other men long for, despite this he still wants more. This shows how people are unsatisfied with what they have, and are never happy – unless they get more. Furthermore, it shows Curley’s true character, shows his greed in wanting more than the other will ever have.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Additionally Curley’s dream indicates how people do not appreciate the things they do have, but just take them for granted. The main them in Steibeck’s novella – a dream of a better life – is suddenly ended: which brings loneliness and isolation, immense upset, serious anger and even death to the characters. Curley’s wife’s dream (along with her life was crushed by Lennie. She had been telling Lennie of how she could have been an actress, and Lennie had told her of how he liked to pet soft things. Curley’s wife told Lennie to that her hair was “soft and fine” and let him stroke her hair.