How does 'Of Mice and Men' connect to...?
U can't go wrong with other Steinbeck novels: The Grapes of Wrath = a novel published in 1939 and written by John Steinbeck, who was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1940 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. Set during the Great Depression, the novel focuses on a poor family of sharecroppers, the Joads, driven from their Oklahoma home by drought, economic hardship, and changes in the agriculture industry. In a nearly hopeless situation, they set out for California along with thousands of other "Okies" in search of land, jobs and dignity.
What are 2 themes in chapter 1 of mice and men?
Of Mice and Men is a novella written by Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck. Published in 1937, it tells the tragic story of George Milton and Lennie Small, two displaced migrant ranch workers during the Great Depression in California. Based on Steinbeck's own experiences as a bindle stiff in the 1920s (before the arrival of the Okies he would vividly describe in The Grapes of Wrath), the title is taken from Robert Burns's poem, To a Mouse, which are often quoted as: "The best-laid plans of mice and men/often go awry," though in the original Scots of the poem they read: "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men/Gang aft agley." http://www.bookrags.com/Of_Mice_and_Men http://www.bookrags.com/notes/omam/ http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/micemen/ http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/LitNote/id-101.html http://www.novelguide.com/ofmiceandmen/index.html http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmOfMiceMen02.asp http://www.gradesaver.com/ClassicNotes/Titles/miceandmen http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/barrons/ofmcmen.asp http://www.awerty.com/mice2.html
How does John Steinbeck show the theme of hardship in the novel OF Mice and Men?
Hey i did essays and stuff on that book at school like a year or so ago - i cant remember it that well but i ll try and see what i can remember. Think about loneliness - a major theme in the story. George feels isolated and lonely because he is forever with the burden of caring for Lennie, he cant do whatever he wants, cant settle down with a girl - he has a constant responsibility for the childlike man. Lennie is excluded from society - he is often discriminated against, people dont accept or understand him, and George tries to keep the pair of them away from civilisation to keep Lennie out of trouble. They are always on the run, and cannot stay in one place for any length of time. Theyre effctively homeless and very lonely. Old Candy with his bad leg and limited work abilities isnt regarded very highly and has no respect given to him by the younger gyus on the ranch. He has hopes and dreams that he knows will never be fufilled. He is terrified of his future - where will he go when he can no longer be of any use to the ranch? He feels threatened by the ranch men - how does he react when one of them takes his only companion, his old dog, away and shoots it? Curly's wife is also lonely - she is constantly hanging around the other guys, everyone thinks of her as a cheap tart, when she is only like 16 or something (I think?!) , and craving a bit of attention, someone to talk to. I know she confesses some stuff to Lennie, cant remember what, but im pretty sure its relevant. Dont forget about how the black stable hand guy whos name i forgot, gets treated differently - he is not allowed to share the bunk house with everyone else, he cant join in with any games or anything - he lives his life in a silent state of aloneness with nothing but his painful damaged back. Yeah thats enough from me for tonight - typing on a dodgy touch sceen phone is actually much more tiring than you think! Hope my jabbering is of any help, but my teacher did really emphasise the whole lonely thing in the hardships so... But I am impressed i actually remembered as much as i did!
Loneliness with Of Mice and Men- please mark and help in anyway possible!?
much and may face the consequences of this from Lennie because of her vulnerability. Not only this, but Curley’s wife is vulnerable because she has no name which in a sense, to me, suggests that she has no strong identity on the ranch and is treated as a social accessory, like Candy’s dog-also with her name. So similarly to Crooks, her loneliness has made her bitter and more masculine which is shown towards the end of Section Four and is now treated as ‘ma’am’ by Crooks, which raises her hierarchy. Yet nevertheless, I feel that she is still lonely because she was never meant to be masculine so she is still in isolation with herself. Contrasting with all these characters, George + Lennie are a strong companionship coming into the ranch with high expectations. However, their initial descriptions convey their hierarchy already as Steinbeck says that ‘the first man was small and quick’ with ‘sharp, strong features’- which means to me that he is the dominant and masculine character in this
What important topics and themes does John Steinbeck raise in his writings?
In a lot of his books he talks about the plight of the poor and the perseverance of families as they struggle through tough times. In the pearl he talks about the problem of the poor family and the hope that they have if they find the pearl. In the Grapes of Wrath he talks about the family and it's struggle to move to an area where they might find more work in the fields. it deals with a son's want to have a better life. In of mice and men he talks about the hardship of being developmentally slow and the challenges that arise because of this. You get the picture right :) Good Luck!
What is the theme/central idea readers are supposed to understand after reading "Of Mice and Men"? It’s a good book, but what message are we supposed to take from it?
The ‘American Dream’ (or any dream) is not obtainable.It's been a while since I've read it, but the main message I found in the book was the impossibility of achieving the ‘American Dream’ or any other hope for the future. In fact the very title of the novel alludes to this, being taken from the phrase ‘the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry’. Pretty dull stuff…George and Lenny share the dream of owning a small ranch and living off the ‘fatta the lan’. Despite their efforts is just something they can't achieve no matter how much effort they put in.George is practically tied to Lenny, he can't abandon him but he can't live the life he wants with him.Lenny wants to ‘tend the rabbits’ but his heavy handed ways show he would never be able to actually look after them (as seen by his accidental killing of his puppy). Such a simple dream, but no hope of ever achieving.Candy loses his dog, and the chance to join in on the dream of George and Lenny. The loss of his hand and old age also limits his chances of achieving much in life. He is doomed to end up jobless or dead in the near future.Curley’s Wife had dreams of becoming an actress and socialite. She failed to do that, ended up with an abusive husband, branded a ‘tart’ and ultimately dies.‘Crooks’ was doomed to live a pretty sad live, being a black man at the time. He displays a clear intelligence but he's forced into a depressing, boring life and to make matters worse he's physically disabled due to an accident. The man isn't going to end up anywhere in life. He also voices the hopelessness of the American Dream, but does ask if he can join George and Lenny (and Candy).As he prophecied, the dream ends in tatters.Curley seems to have achieved quite a lot, with his beautiful wife and ranch owning family. Yet he's plagued by worry and jealousy and his reputation takes a severe knock when Lenny crushed his hand.Only a few characters seem to be at any peace or in possession of their dreams.Slim, he's satisfied with the ranch life that everyone else is clawing to escape. He's a realist, not a dreamer.‘The Boss’ who owns the ranch isn't heard of very much, but he's a man who had achieved the ‘American Dream’ and really the only person who did this in the entire novel.
The Last Line of the Book "Of Mice and Men,"....What does it Mean!?
It undercuts the entire suffering of the previous book. The fact that to someone else the entire struggle of the two main protagonists is just an off hand remark about 'hey, what dya reckon's bothering them?' type thing, signifies the attitudes of those higher up the social strata during the depression era.
Of mice and men theme: what was the author's purpose in using loneliness as the main theme?
This is a common theme running throughout all of this works. I think it speaks to a part of the author's spirit. And for that matter to all human spirits. But, in M&M, the story would not have worked out otherwise. Each character in the novel was lonely in their world, isolated and reaching desperately for each other. Lennie personified this, but it applies to all of them, even Curley who wanted his dad's love and respect. PS - Not to disagree with your teacher, but I've always felt the theme of this book was hopes and dreams in the most hopeless of us. Lonliness is a setting. In my opinion.