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

This shows how, after all of the loyalty and love that both of these creatures had given to their respective “friends”, both of the superior creatures decide that they don’t need them any more and choose to end the dominated creatures lives in a less than honourable manner. However in Candy’s case it was more a cause of not being able to stand up to the other men on the ranch, but in George’s case, it was George either trying to spare Lennie, or to give up on the companionship because of greed and the belief that the universal dream was obtainable without Lennie behind his back.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

When the other men find George, he manipulates the situation further, telling them that he murdered Lennie out of self-defence when he wrested the gun that Lennie supposedly stole from him. He rids himself of any blame for the killing. Slim senses George’s feeling of remorse over the situation. However, the book ends with Carlson wondering why George is upset, once again demonstrating that the other men cannot comprehend the bond of friendship between George and Lennie. Although Steinbeck is not trying to say that you can never trust the people that you call your friends, he is saying to be careful of those who call you a friend but only think of themselves while saying it. I, however, do not believe that George killed Lennie out of greed, I believe that the remorse George shows towards Lennie’s death is valid and enough proof of that.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

I imagine George in two ways at the end of this novel. My wish is that George somehow gets enough money to buy his farm with Candy, and they live the dream. The probable ending is that George continues living, trying to scrape enough money to one day have his farm, but gives up hope, realises the dream will never happen and follows the other men, spending his fifty bucks in the cathouse and drink, to drown his sorrows.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Me and Lennie met a few people today. There was this old guy called candy and he’s got a stinkin’ old dog. He’s quit a nice fella though he told me about Curley and his wife. I met Curley just a bit after that convisation with Candy, he came in asking for his wife. He had a go at Lennie for no god damn reason at all. Candy reckons it’s just coz Lennie’s bigger than him. Curly’s one of those small guys who hates big guys, but he better not pick on Lennie coz Lennie may be dumb but hell he’s strong as a bull
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Earlier I was angry with Lennie coz he spoke infront of the boss when i told him not to.I had to tell the boss a few lies because he realised that Lennie was dumb and the boss wanted to know if I was hangin’ round with him to take his pay check off him at the end of the month.I told him that me and Lennie were cousins so tha is why we hung round together, good job that ain’t true coz if I was any relation to Lennie i’d kill myself.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Although I’m gettin’ on O.K at the ranch with all the other guys and stuff, I cant help thinkin’ about the chance of Lennie and Curley gettin’ into a fight coz Curley was real mean to Lennie earlier. If Curley tries to start a fight with Lennie then Lennie gonna have to smash him back. I know that Lennie would never mean to cause any trouble but if Curley starts i’m gonna let Lennie fight back coz guys like Curley need to be taught a lesson. I ain’t sittin’ back and watching Curley beat up Lennie coz that ain’t right.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Today Candy was listenin’ in on me and Lennie havin’ a chat, normally I don’t like people listenin’ in on me but Candy had somethin’ interesting to say. He wanted to join the little dream me and Lennie ‘ave got of gettin’ our own little place and land and a few crops an’ animals. He’s got $350 to help buy the land. Since he aint no harm and he’s probabally gonna die soon we decided to let him come.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

This whole idea of our own land has made Candy have a bit of hope, poor bastard, Carlson shot his dog last night to put it out of misery, I mean it was old, smelly & decrepid it was for the best. Slim offered him one of his new pups, Slim also gave a pup to Lennie which was really nice of him. Lennies pretty dumb and he loves petting things I hope he jus’ dont do nothin’ stupid like on our last job and blow the chances of the house.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

I new somethin’ bout that Curley couldn’t help but pick a fight with Lennie. Lennie hadn’t done nothin’ wrong either, he was standin’ there smilin’, thinkin’ bout our dream an’ Curley came in the bunk house in a mood an’ seen Lennie laughin’ and he socked him right in the chops and hittin’ and hittin’ him, Lennie was jus’ standin’ there takin’ it. So I told Lennie to fight back so Lennie grabbed hold of Curley’s fist and started crushin’ it like a tin can, Curley was floppin’ like a fish, Lennie must of broke every bone in his damn hand.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

I was right in what i did wasn’t I? If they caught Lennie they would strap him up in a cage in one of those nut houses. It was the right thing to do! If Curley had caught him he would of tortured him and made him die a slow death. Atleast when i shot him he was happy and peaceful thinkin’ about the dream and not scared. Now Lennies gone im gonna be just like any other ranch worker, lonely and without a loving friend, it’s gonna take me a while to come to terms with what i’ve done, killed my only and best friend.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

For example, Steinbeck starts the novel with a scene after they have run away from a ranch because of a mishap with Lennie accidentally harassing a woman. Sinise begins with the scene just before- when Lennie and George are actually running away from the ranch owners, equipped with horses and dogs, to save their lives. The working scenes have been lengthened to show the audience the exhausting labor of the ranch hands.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The aspects of filming, of course, differ from the aspects of the imagination. Gary Sinise must use his own imagination and construct those images into reality on film. He has to cast the actors according to skill and appearance, develop scenes to suit the common people’s taste, he must worry about costumes, makeup, shooting, sets, set changes, time spans… and the most stressful of them all, working with other people to illustrate his view of Of Mice and Men.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

One can’t be too harsh in critiquing a movie when its predecessor is a novel by John Steinbeck. There can be, naturally, absolutely no comparison to the human imagination, but Sinise does it with only a few imperfections and adjustments to the plot. Let me commence with Sinise’s choice of casting. Lennie, played by John Malkovich, maintains the childlike, simple character Steinbeck creates in his novel. Other film critics might disagree with me, but I believe that Malkovich was entirely convincing throughout his performance.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

George, played by Gary Sinise himself (and I must say that he must be partially “self-satisfied” to cast himself) was a confusing actor at times, changing his relationship to Lennie on several different occasions. He is, on one hand, very harsh towards Lennie and tells him what to do and what not to do, basically being domineering. On the other hand, however, George seems to be very compassionate and caring in his relationship with Lennie. Honestly, I was confused. Does George really want Lennie around, or is he just loyal to his promise to Lennie’s aunt, Clara? Who is George? Hopefully you can comprehend this sporadic behavior, because I certainly have not. An example of this is when George cleans the blood off of Lennie’s face after a fight- his movements are gentle and kind, whereas when George forces Lennie to stay at the ranch while ‘the guys’ go out for a drink. His attitudes in these two incidents are totally opposing each other.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

At least in Steinbeck’s book it was clear that although George was officious, he loved him. George’s annoyance is weaker than his profound unity and one-ness with him. Curley’s wife is described as a very racist, harmful, flirtatious person, who is all too aware of her power and consequently abuses it. For example, she threatens an innocent Crooks, “‘Listen, Nigger,’ she said, ‘You know what I can do to you if you open your trap?'”1 Sinise’s depiction of her in the movie, however, is not as despicable. She holds a pitiable role and always is portrayed as the victim. The audience begins to sympathize with her, although, in the book, she was the one to initiate all the trouble.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Curley’s wife, in the novel, abused Lennie’s stupidity and the fact that he was fascinated by her- Sinise shows the opposite in the movie, because he represents her attraction to Lennie as one of friendship. Sinise also had to think about the skill of his actors. It seemed as though Sinise chose the actors well, because they fundamentally illustrated the feelings of the director and how he wanted to have the characters form relationships and emotions. Although the casting and level of skill was satisfactory, Sinise sometimes made scenes too extensive and irrelevant to the topic of the book. For example, when Lennie kills the puppy in the barn, he does not throw it away as he does in the book.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Another similar difference is when Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s wife by breaking her neck and he does not cover her in the hay, also left out from the novel. This is a mistake, because concealing the puppy and Curley’s wife shows that Lennie is remorseful of the acts he has committed, and in the movie it is not shown like that. Sinise must also consider camera shooting. Obviously camera shots are not as effective as the descriptions in the book, because you can picture what you want, and not only what the director guesses you will want to see. Sinise, as all directors, tells the audience what to imagine. Therefore it is not as interesting as reading the book yourself and letting your imagination grow.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

So, if I were to recommend this movie to you, I would recommend reading the novel first. Reading Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck will show you what I am talking about in the movie. Because Steinbeck’s intentions are slightly altered in the film, you can fully appreciate this piece of theater whilst valuing the literature it sprung from. Sinise changes feelings, maybe not intentionally, but however hard he tried, he didn’t succeed perfectly. I won’t be too critical- perhaps he had to make cuts which thus excluding important relationship formations or conclusions. Overall the movie was good, but the book is of no comparison. Read Steinbeck’s version first, then decide for yourself. Me? I’m only one opinion.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Dreams are an ingrained part of our lives, and those who strive to achieve them show extraordinary devotion and resolve. The allure of a brighter future, of a better life, can both benefit and harm, as John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men illustrates. Living in a time of pain and loss, the characters in the novella cling to their dreams. However, these dreams are beyond attainment, of no importance for accomplishment, and bring them nothing but regret. This essay will demonstrate how hopes and dreams are unimportant for success and happiness, as they are unachievable and bring only pain.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Firstly, the pursuit of dreams is futile, as they cannot be achieved. The dream that the two protagonists, George and Lennie, harbour recurs throughout the novel. Their dream is to one day own their own property and to become self-sufficient, and the realization of this dream becomes more likely as the novel nears its climax. However, the dream shatters with the death of Lennie, devastating George, as George cannot envisage the dream without Lennie.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The dreams of the other characters, such as Candy and Crooks, are also shown to be beyond realization. Candy, knowing that he is soon to outlive his usefulness, hopes that he can come and live with George and Lennie and to have the freedom to work or rest as he pleases. However, this also is broken when Lennie dies. The black stable-hand Crooks is the only character that clearly understands the futility of dreams.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Crooks dreams of being equal to the other workers, but he understands that he is not considered equal. He briefly joins the dream that George and Lennie have, but withdraws his offer to help on the farm when he accepts that dreams are not possible: the freedom and happiness that they wish for is not found in the world they live in. The impossibility of achieving dreams makes them unimportant; they remain unfulfilled, leaving the holder with nothing.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Because of her mother, Curley’s wife was never able to achieve her dream, just like the other characters, leaving her only with the knowledge that she could have had a better life. Her attitude and manner around the ranch evidences this. Her bitterness and attempts to draw attention from the other men, simply so she can have some companionship, are clear indicators of her dissatisfaction and loneliness. Curley’s wife is an example of dreams leaving the holder with regret when unfulfilled, and of how they are not important for success.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

However, while the other characters have dreams, Slim appears to have none. He never mentions any of his own, but rather supports others with theirs. It is demonstrated that he does not want anything outside of what he has, and that he has not created any plans. Whether it is because he, like Crooks, understands the futility of dreams, or because he is simply satisfied with his place in life, Slim does not possess them, and despite of this, he has the highest status among the workers. He stands as the primary example of how dreams are not required for somebody to be successful.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

In conclusion, it can be seen that dreams are not important. Not only do dreams leave those who keep them with unhappiness, such as with Curley’s wife, but they also cannot be achieved due to the cruel nature of fate, leaving them unfulfilled. These dreams, whether they are fulfilled or not, are shown to be unnecessary for contentment, as evidenced by Slim, the most successful worker. Ultimately, the nature of dreams is best illustrated by the poem from which the novel draws its name.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Candy works for Curley who has a wife. Curley’s wife is killed by Lennie. When Candy finds Curley’s wife laying on the floor, he gets very angry and start swearing at her saying that she had ruined his life forever because Lennie will now be killed by Curley and this will mean that they will not be able to own their own ranch. When all the ranch workers leave Candy feels sorry for Curley’s wife because she was lonely and was never able to go out anywhere and needed someone to talk. Candy says “poor bastard” because he feels sorry for her.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

When Lennie enters into Crooks’ room he acts very violently at first. Crooks says, “you got no right to come in my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got any right in here but me”, later in the conversation Crooks starts confusing Lennie by saying things like “s’pose George don’t come back no more. S’pose he took a powder and just ain’t coming back. What’ll you do then.” This starts to upset Lennie. Crooks tells Lennie about his childhood. His childhood was remembered as him playing with white children when there was no racism in America, but his dad hated him playing with white children because in the end the white children would grow up hating black people.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Crooks only has one dream in life and this is to live in a non-racist society, like when he was a child playing with the white children. When Lennie tells Crooks about his dream about the ranch, Crooks says “you’r nuts. I see hundreds of men come by on the road and on the ranch with their bindles on their backs and that same damn thing in their heads. Nobody never gets to heaven and nobody never gets no land, it’s just in their head.”
Topic: of-mice-and-men

When Curley’s wife entered Crooks room he reacted in a very angry way because he did not like her. She always insulted them and Crooks had had enough of this, he says, “I had enough. You got no right coming in a coloured man’s room.” Even after saying this Curley’s wife threatened him, then Crooks just backed away and went silent. Now he has no future because he will just be living in a racist society, scared and lonely.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Most of the time she goes around the ranch looking for Curley but she is not really looking for him she just wants to chat to people. She had no respect from anyone, just like all women in the 1930’s. The only reason she married Curley was to get away from her mum because her mum did not let her do her own thing. Curley’s wife’s dream was to get away from the ranch and be in the pictures or theatre. She once had the chance to do this but her mum stopped her going.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The American Dream meant a better life for George, Lennie and Candy because they would live on their own ranch and not have anything to worry about. The dream would also mean companionship for Candy because he would not be lonely anymore because he would have George and Lennie to be with. In the end no one’s dreams come true because loneliness ruins their lives. Loneliness kills Curley’s wife, it gives Candy no future or security and for Crooks it gives him no hope because he will always be living in a racist society.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

In my opinion, Of Mice and Men can be interpreted on three main levels. On the surface, it is an entertaining tale detailing prejudice and how two men strive to obtain their dream. It could also be interpreted as a criticism of 1930’s America. However, there is a deeper meaning to the novella, as parallels can be drawn between situations depicted within the novella and tales from the bible, and the novella could be viewed as a story about the fate of man in a fallen world.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

A major theme in the bible is co-existence, and the two main protagonists show this. Each has different characteristics, and strengths, and each must combine to survive. George protests that life would be easier without Lennie, but in reality he needs Lennie as a friend. Steinbeck also introduces the same question as Cain, in Genesis chapter 4 of the bible, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” by having a dominant character looking after a subservient protagonist. Steinbeck suggests that the attitude of Cain in the genesis story, “Am I my brother’s keeper”, has become universal.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

All of the ranch workers are shocked and suspicious by their partnership, “Ain’t many guys travel around together”. Steinbeck interprets this as part of the message of the biblical story, and the curse of Cain; distrust. This message interlinks with the criticism of 1930’s America as, on a basic level, the fact everyone is suspicious of George and Lennie travelling together is linked to the depression, and the pessimism caused by it. The two main protagonists that reflect this are Crooks and Curley’s wife, who detail the stratified society, and the fact the dream is not open to everyone, another criticism of American society. A second parallel from this passage is the curse that, “every one that findeth me (Cain) shall slay me”, which resembles the fact that, whenever George and Lennie find a ranch, they are cast out.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The Wall Street Crash and subsequent depression also echoes the “original sin”, in the Garden of Eden story. Original sin is a Christian belief that there is a defect in our nature. God made us, but we do not always think objectively or dispassionately about others, and we use people to suit our selfish needs. It is not our fault that we have these defects, yet we have them nonetheless. In the novella, this is represented as it is not George and Lennie’s fault that they have lost their money, yet it is they who have to move from ranch to ranch in search of work. In the Genesis story, the descendants of Cain are shunned by others, much as Lennie and George are, yet the descendants have done nothing wrong. Their fate is beyond their control, which is the concept of original sin. The title reflects this message; it is a phrase from a poem by Robert Burns, which emphasises the futility of human endeavour. “The best laid schemes of Mice and Men…leave us nought but grief and pain”.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

One of the key themes of the novella, the American dream, also has religious implications. Lennie wants to, “live off the fatta’ the land”, which is exploiting God’s creation, just as Adam and Eve exploited God’s Garden of Eden in the bible. Also, in the passage in Genesis chapter 4, Cain is cursed, “When thou tillest the land, it shall not henceforth yield unto her your strength”. This curse is the opposite of the American dream, which is so attractive to Lennie and George. This aspiration could also be a metaphor for heaven, and then the failure of Lennie and George to attain this farm is associated with the inability of man to achieve this goal after the Curse of Cain. Steinbeck is referring to the fact that it may not be possible to get to heaven in this fallen world, after the curse of Cain, we are all tarnished.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

However, the dream of the two main protagonists can be interpreted in another way, as breaking free of the great depression and the downward nature of things at the time. This fact is in keeping with the novella being a criticism, and is reflected in the cyclical nature of the book, and the way that the whole book has a similar structure. Each chapter starts with “light”, and this represents the hope of George and Lennie striving to break the cycle. The message of hope would have appealed to the working class affected by the depression, and the religious implications would have added to its success, due to the pious nature of the public at the time.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

This is especially true of the first page, and the description of the ranch itself. Steinbeck uses personification, “recumbent limbs”, and the present tense, “the water is warm too”, to emphasise the timeless nature, and the fact that this place is not subject to change. This, “perfect” landscape can then be compared to the Garden of Eden in the creation story, and the fact that if God created it, it must be perfect. This impression is further confirmed by the way the hill-side is described as a haven of safety, away from man. However, man is intruding on this scene, and destroying the landscape, which is reminiscent of man’s fall from grace, and the curse of Cain. Also, the fact that death occurs here, in this idyllic setting, shows the abuse of this God-given land, by human influence.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Temptation is a major theme in this book, just as it is in the bible. In this novella, temptation is represented by women, specifically Curley’s wife, and all of the women in the novella are disreputable, “cathouse”. They represent the apple in the creation story, as they try to tempt George into being fired, thus destroying the dream. Curley’s wife wears a red dress which is a reference to a “scarlet woman”, and, in the bible, the, “whore of Babylon”. The, “water snake” that is, “plucked”, at the conclusion of the novella represents the evil influence on the creation story, in the Garden of Eden. In Of Mice and Men, this evil influence is women, but in the bible, it is the apple. Steinbeck also criticises American Society at the time, by not giving Curley’s wife a first name. This makes it seem that she is the property of Curley, rather than herself, and sexism was a major problem at the time of Steinbeck writing.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The final religious parallel is that of George killing Lennie for Lennie’s good. This selfless act could be representative of Jesus dying for Christians. There is also the fact that George and Lennie’s stay at the ranch lasted three days, and that is a reference to Jesus’ rising. Jesus tried to reverse the inevitability of Cain’s curse by sacrificing himself- just as Lennie is sacrificed for the sake of the dream.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Of Mice and men is certainly a religious allegory, as it mirrors parts of the bible, and it is possible to see where John Steinbeck got his inspiration from. He even wrote a novel called, “East of Eden”, which is a quote from genesis chapter four. I believe that of mice and men was written to detail the plight of man after the curse of Cain, as is shown in the bible, and that the major religious theme is co-existence, symbolised by Lennie and George .This does not mean, however, that Of Mice and Men is not a criticism of 1930’s America, he criticises the racist views and sexist nature that existed at that time. The two aims of religion and criticism combine to form a successful novella that reads like a bible story, and can be interpreted on many different levels.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The sun was blazing down, droplets of sweat poured down their faces as they arrived to the fields. Both men had arrived late for the third time this week; they got straight to work as the boss walked by inspecting how everyone was getting on’You late again georgy boy, carry on this way and u’ll be hitting the road and that goes for the big one too’ pointing his short crooked fingers to the direction of Lennie ‘Won’t happen again boss’ replied George hesitantly. The ranch workers were terrified of the boss, he was a mysterious guy, no one actually knew anything about him let alone his actual name. He would spend his whole day walking through the fields looking for someone in the wrong for him to pick on. George just kept out his way as he didn’t want no trouble just wanted to make the money and head off to buy a little farm house and live the American dream.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The day finally came to an end, and on top of everything it was a Friday, looking forward to the two days off George and the boys decided to go into town. As the men headed of for the cabin Lennie followed walking half a mile behind the rest as usual singing to him self. ‘Go straight back to the cabin and go to bed, me and the boys gonna hit inta town so don’t stay awake’ instructed George to Lennie’Ok George’ replied the big fellow, repeating quietly the instruction from George. Lennie made his way back towards the cabin strolling through the muddy fields all alone denting gigantic footprints behind him.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

He started walking through the dark muddy fields, his boots covered with large bulks of mud making it hard for him to lift of the ground to take the next step, lost in his own thoughts he carried on walking until his leg finally got stuck so deep in the mud he dropped, his large figure fell to the ground with an impact leaving the ground surface all uneven. He layed motionless on the ground for a few second before deciding to get up. Finally he made an effort to get back to his feet when to his shock he realised a young women standing above him looking down at him offering her hand to pull him up. He gazed into her eyes, his head started spinning her beauty was undescribable her red lipstick shone aginst the moonlight as her long silky hair ran down her back. Shocked by her beauty Lennie just carried on looking into her eyes, she looked back into his with a confused smile flashing off her face ‘you ok there?’ the women asked politely ‘you want a hand getting up big man, didnt you see thea sign no walking through the fields at night! it’s there for a reason!’
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Lennie was lost in her beauty, not listening to nothing she said he put out his hand to accept help from the women, she grabbed on to his enormous rough hand trying to pull him up using both her soft hands. She tried to pull the big man off the ground who made no effort to try get up himself, he just gazed into her eyes as if he was lost in them. She used all her strength to help him up but Lennie didnt move an inch. As she released the power, tired of pulling, Lennie gave a slight pull on her left hand.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The women came flying down directly ontop of him but hitting her head against the mud. The women layed directly above him, Lennie’s heart beat increased as the women didn’t move, he gently turned her of him to his left. While moving her body of himself he realised droplets of blood on her forehead. Lennie’s heart rate increased, he started to take long deep breathes and got to his feet instantly. He stood above her to realise she had hit her head onto a rock which layed on the mud. Lennie’s panic began to increas now that he figured out the women was dead, he was now going to get into trouble once again and let George down.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Feeling terrified and confused, Lennie made a run, he ran through the fields falling after every few steps as he realised a light being shone in his direction, it was his boss. ‘What you doing out here at this time big man’ shouted the boss curiously with his voice echoeing through the fields, however Lennie’s fear forced him to ignore the boss and carry on running. He ran and ran untill he finaly made it to the cabin. Lennie entered the cabin and went straight to his bunk where he sat up waiting for George. Hours went past and the men were not back, Lennie left the cabin and stood outside.The winds blew with force and a few minutes later Lennie saw George and the men walking back in the distance, George saw Lennie outside the cabin from a far distance and ran towards him.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

‘What you doing up awake at this time, I told u I was going to be late’said George in a dim and tired voice and suddenly Lennie bursted into tears as he explained himself to George about what happened. After hearing the news George also began to panic ‘we have to leave Lennie now’ both men packed their bags as the other men fell into their deep sleep and left as they had no other choice. Although Lennie had meant no harm on th women Lennie’s life would be at risk, he would be blamed for murder and with no evidence to prove his innocence he would most likely be killed. The only way to avoid this was to go on the run so both men set off for the woods to get as far away from the town of weed as possible.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

From the 17th Century, when the first settlers arrived, immigrants dreamed of a better life in America. People went there to escape from discrimination or poverty, and to make a new life for themselves or their families. They dreamed of making their fortunes in the goldfields. For many the dream became a nightmare. The horrors of slavery, of the American Civil War, the growth of towns with slums as bad as those in Europe, and the corruption of the American political system led to many shattered hopes.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

A great deal of money had been spent on the First World War, and countries found themselves in debt. Lots of American lost their jobs. They joined bands of wandering farmers, looking for work. The farm owners of California found that they could pay very low wages, and expect men to work for long hours, as the demand for work was so great. The men were only needed for short periods at a time, for harvesting and so they had to travel around for work.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

On October 24, 1929, the stock market crashed. Prices began to decline early in the day, triggering a selling panic in the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). This caused the loss of jobs of various workers, black or white. It was very hard for the workers to find a job elsewhere in any other farms, just like George and lennie. These kinds of workers were called itinerant workers. The coming months saw no recovery.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The racism, which Martin Luther King talks about in his famous “I had a dream speech”, states that white men think they have got power over black people. That all men are created equally, and no one differs from each other. The black people have to give up their seats if a white person comes on to the bus and there is no space left. Also black people were not allowed to shop in the same place as white people. And black people had to send their children to a different school to the white people. This is an example of segregation and isolation.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Crooks demands isolation because he is black and wants to live alone. He is also called names ” nigger “. He is proberly one of the most disliked people in the story because of the colour of hes skin. But still people say crooks the ” nigger ” is a really nice fellow at the same time. I think they just call him that because at that time they could say or do anything to a nigger and still get away with it. The white boys did not want to sleep in the same room as a black man. I just totally disagree with this because you should not judge a perosn by the colout of the skin. Also crooks himself does not want to sleep with them because of the way the white boys have treated him.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Crooks him self is a stable buck which is a very low classed job even at that time. The white boys call crooks ” crooks ” because as a stable buck he waz kicked on the back by a horse and he is now got a crooked back. Also the white lads have made crooks fight on christmas day with smitty just so he can sit down and have a drink with the white boys on christmas day. I think that is not acceptable because crooks is already hurt hes back from the accident with the horse and on top of that he had to have a fight with smitty with that injury when smitty was perfectly fine. All they did do was that they tyied hes hands behind hes back so he could not punch crooks but can only kick him.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

This first starts when crooks privacy is invaded by lennie. When lennie enters crooks room without no permission from crooks to cum into the room. Crooks is not very happy when lennie enters the room and says ‘you got no right to come in my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got no rights in here but me’! Crooks says all of this because he is not really happy with lennies presents in the room. As lennie stays longer and longer he starts to find out that lennie is dumb and crooks thinks to him self that he has got the upper hand on lennie.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Crooks for the first time has got power over someone and that’s a white man. Then lennie gets up and says to crooks ‘why are you not liked on the ranch’ and crooks replys by saying ‘its just because I’m BLACK! Crooks means by this quote that the white men on the ranch do not like him. And also crooks has got nobody to talk to because crooks is the only ” nigger ” on the ranch. Then lennie quickly changes the subject and starts talking about the dream him and George have got. But all crooks thinks is hes ” crazy “. He thinks this because he thinks that lennie doesn’t know what he is talking about.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Crooks taunts lennie thaat George is not going to come back. And crooks also says he might even get hurt. After crooks has said that ” crooks face lightened up with pleasure in his torture. After crooks has said lennie quickly gets to hes feet and says ” nothing is going to happen to come George he si going to come back safe”. Crooks is really frightened when lennis says’s that and crooks moves further up hes bed and rests hes hands on hes knees. The reason for crooks out burst like that is because all crooks is trying to do is trying to make someone feel like how crooks is feeling by telling lennie when the other boys on the ranch play horse shoe he has to stay in hes room and read a book when he would rather be playing horse shoe with the other workers on the ranch. Crooks is trying say just because i am black they don’t let me play horseshoe. Crooks is trying to gain sympthy from lennie but lennie does not really understand what crooks is trying to say to him. So lennie doesn’t really feel sorry for him because he doesn’t know what going on. So lennie can’t really feel sorry for crooks because he is lost him self in other words.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

The workers on the ranch describe crooks as a ” nigger ” one second and the other second they be saying he is a ” very nice fella “. I think my self that crooks is a very good person and stays quiet throught the book but it is just because of the colour of hes skin he is treated like dirt. Even thought crooks is proberly the most educated person on the farm. Crooks has got a dictionary which is described as ” battered” and ” ripped “and hes also got some ” tatered ” magazines. Also crooks has got some reading books, which are described, as ” dirty “. And all of these things go on a special shelf over hes bunk. When crooks read these books he feels ” proud ” and really ” important ” because at this time not much people could read or write. And on top of all that hes a ” nigger “.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

When we first meet crooks I thought he waz a nasty man because of hes posture and hes colour of hes skin. But looks can be dece-ving because he turned out to be a very well educated person and also soft hearted. It was very unusal for a black man to read or write in these in these times even so most of the white men could not read or write. I really feel sorry for crooks because he is alll alone and must feel really isolated at times or most of the time. And he has got no company at all and he aint even got no one to talk to at all because hes black. If you ask me I think that is really unacceptable because no one should be left alone for that reason.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

He aint got no friends to say ” hello ” too all because of the colour of hes skin. The white boys always pick him on. And even thought it aint hes fault most of the things are blamed on him. Also when the boss is feeling really mad he takes it all out on crooks and crooks just gets shouted at for no reason at all. Crooks on the hireachy he is right at the bottom and hes got no power at all. Even thought he has been one of the people who has been working there the longest and he has been loyal to boss.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Curley’s wife, the attention seeker always flirts with other prople on the ranch because her husband is always at the cathouse or out and about. And is never at home to care about her. Curley’s wife is one of the most powerful people in the hireachy because she is married to the boses son. She tries to have some comfort with other people. This is because her husband takes no notice of her apart from the sex. She is used for an object of sex.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

When crooks reailses that his chances of being in the dream looked very slim and he crawled back defeated because he can’t say anything to Curley’s wife at all because she has got all the power. She can get him hung from a tree so easy, she can jus say that he waz flirting with me and that’s it he would get hung. If that was a white person being prosequted they would give him a trial and would be taken to court but just because he is black they would just get him hung without any proof he did it or not.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Going back to the initial question, I think that john Steinbeck doesn’t throw the thought of ‘racism’ in our face. He just hints of the idea and makes do the rest of the thinking. This is proved whenthe worker calls him a ‘nigger’ and also a ‘nice fella’. We had do some thinking to find out that the word ‘nigger is used so much that the workers don’t even think of what the word means.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

In 1929, the US entered a period of Great economic Depression from it only emerged with the onset of the Second War in 1939. During this period, there was long-term unemployment, so workers needed to go to California where there was still some short-term, poorly paid contract ranch works available. They were not educated therefore they had got no right and could be sacked at any time. They travelled from ranch to ranch to get jobs. This lifestyle forced ranch workers to keep moving and got no chance of making friend and keeping contact with their families.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

They live isolated lives and are alienated from each other because are rivals. They are struggling to survive in a hostile world. All of these factors make all the characters lonely in ‘Of Mice and Men’. Between them, there are some characters who are very lonely because they are disadvantaged, Crooks, he’s black; Candy, because he is old; Curley, because he has more security than others; and his wife, as she is the only woman on the ranch.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Instead they take advantage of his disability this is shown when they beat him up at Christmas. The racism society gives Crooks no chance of making friend. Crooks tries to get his own back for the way the white men treat him by keeping a distance between him and the other men. But obviously he recent the fact that he isn’t want in the bunkhouse. This makes it even harder to make friends. This is revealed by his words when Lennie comes to his room.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

This quote from the same page of the book also shows you Crooks’ feelings of loneliness. When Lennie and Candy started to talk about the dream Crooks pointed out that this dream was shared by thousand of ranch workers but none of them ever succeed in reality but just for a moment he suspends his disbelief long enough to wish to share the dream, though he was immediately reminded his position by Curley’s wife words and shut by George’s anger as he doesn’t think that any white people would treat him decently. From the facts above, we could see the reasons of why Crooks are lonely.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Candy is an old and disabled character in the book. He is quite similar to Crooks and is very lonely because he is different too. He lost his hand in an accident and was only kept on by the boss out of guilt. He has no relatives, no friends and his only comfort is his old dog, which keeps him company and reminds him of the days when he was young and whole. Candy is not interested in the things the other guys talk about. For instance:
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Curley is the character who is described as a ‘wretch’ by John Steinbeck. It may be argued that he must be not lonely because he is the boss’s son and had been married for two weeks, has a family and a lot of thing that other ranch workers wanted to have. But actually he is very lonely. As he has more security (he was never worried about being fired), other ranch workers don’t mix with him so he has no one to talk to. The ‘macho’ male society makes him fell that if a guy doesn’t appear to be tough and strong, others will put something on him and laugh at him. It is even worse for him that he chooses the wrong way to earn respect-by fighting and be aggressive. But other workers know that he is a coward and despise him for the tension atmosphere he creates.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

He has no friends, to overcome his loneliness, he married a pretty young woman but has blindly chosen the wrong person whom totally inappropriate for the kind of life he leads. He forbids his wife to talk to other ranch workers, as he is scared that she may have an affair with one of the other men which makes her hate him and others more despise to him. Consequently, his feelings are all channelled into aggressive behaviour in order to deal with his loneliness but this leads to his feeling lonelier because the others don’t want to be with him.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Curley’s aggressive behaviour leads others to avoid her and this further isolated her and she approaches the ranch hands more frequently therefore Curley becomes even more jealous and aggressive. This leads to her feeling lonelier. Finally her loneliness leads to her death as she makes a serious error of trying to overcome it by playing the tease with Lennie as she is pleased that Lennie beat Curley and impressed by his size and strength, but she didn’t realise the extent and danger of Lennie’s mental disability.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

George and Lennie are also caught in the trap of loneliness; this is because they are different as they have a strong friendship. They travelled together and trust each other and share a dream of owning a farm whereas other ranch workers travelled alone and had no strong relationships with others and have nothing to look forward to. George’s loneliness could be reflected by the words that he uses a lot of swearing and the fact that he needs the dream to keep him going. Just as candy has his dog for company, George has Lennie (who is often described in animal-like terms). Both companions died and George and candy are left completely alone. Lennie totally relies on George and couldn’t survive without George, but on the other hand, George somehow needs Lennie to overcome his own loneliness. It is revealed by Crooks’ words with great understanding he tells us of the importance of Lennie.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

In conclusion it is clear that all of the characters in ‘ Of Mice and Men’ are lonely. Their loneliness is the evitable result of the society, which is made by the Great Depression. Crooks, for instance is suffered deeply from the racism society. No one is trying to make friends with him before the visit of Lennie except Slim. Candy, Curley and his wife are the victims of the macho male society. They all have dreams but none of them realise them and get nothing at the end.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

This has actually been the worst day I have actually ever had and I do not think I am gonnar have a worse one once again. I had to do it. I had actually to shot Lennie it wasn’t anything evil. I didn’t wan na injure Lennie. At that moment, I didn’t have any option however to do it. He was my only friend not only friend, we were more like a household. We had actually been pals considering that when we were boys.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Oh I feel so awful! I think that Lennie didn’t do any damage. A minimum of he never indicated any. He is arrested. Lennie is an innocent, like as a kid. I shouldn’t have left him alone. I feel so terrible. He never indicated any harm. His mind is like a kid. Lennie never implied to injure people. He always gets me into dreadful problem. He’s an insane bastard.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Anyhow, we were all playing and I had actually no considered Lennie or what he was doing. In the middle of the video game, suddenly Sweet was calling me over to the barn. For a 2nd, I felt she was simply resting. She was laying there, I went near by her and I saw her neck all twisted and her face down in the straw. Lennie did it. Crazy bastard. I understood he was the only one, but from within my mind it was eliminating me. I do not understand why that is, I never seemed like that before. In the back of my mind, I always understood that he would go too far, that he wasn’t safe and needs to not been left alone. But I didn’t wan na believe like that. Now I needed to.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

I knew that I had to get to Lennie before them. I told Candy to make out I had never seen and tell the others and then take me. I had to go to the bunkhouse and get Carlson’s Luger. People in the ranch were all blaming Lennie. They were all thinking that Lennie did it. Curley was screaming and shouting. He was shoken up and ready to explode. Curley scared me by screaming like that and looking at me like that but I had to keep my cool. I just pretended that I was on their side, out to kill for murder. The word sends a shiver down me and I know I have done it now. Lennie always said to me that we were the same, like we were before.
Topic: of-mice-and-men

Only Slim knew what I was doing though. He knew me well enough. I sent Curley in the other direction from where I knew Lennie was. He would go to the brush like I told him to. He always tried to do what I told him. I ran off and found him straight away. Lennie hid in the brush by the pool. He was sitting there by the river and he was talking to himself. He kept saying sorry: he knew that I would look after him. He made me tell him about our farm house for what was to be the last time. I mentioned it, and, he heard it. I told him not to look at me. I was trying to be a man but I couldn’t control my eyes and hands. I was shaking too. I talked quietly to him about the little place we would have together, then I shot him with Carlson’s gun. When the other men found me near by Lennie, they all assumed I shot Lennie in self-defence. Only Slim understands what I did and why