Theme Analysis

In last week's blog response, I asked you to select a theme that "hit home" with you the most. Now that you have set your sights on a theme you would most like work with some more, it is time to test your skills of analysis. Scan through the last chapter (6) in Of Mice and Men and see if you can pull out a moment from the text that, upon close reading, says something about your selected theme.

For example, imagine that I am a student who was most interested in the theme of "The American Dream." When scanning chapter 6 I came across this moment in the text:

"A water snake glided smoothly up the pool, twisting its periscope head from side to side; and it swam the length of the pool and came to the legs of a motionless heron that stood in the shallows. A silent head and beak lanced down and plucked it out by the head, and the beak swallowed the little snake while its tail waved frantically."

Next, try to analyze how this moment is somehow connected the theme you have chosen. It mights sound something like:

One of the final images of setting that Steinbeck offers us in Of Mice and Men involves a snake being eaten unexpectedly by a taller, silent bird. The snake "gliding smoothly up the pool" is similar to an American citizen in the 1930s attempting to work their way towards a goal of prosperity. The snake moves its way around obstacles as it sees them, just like a hardworking citizen has to jump some hurdles in the pursuit of their dream. However, the unfortunate truth of the matter is that "The American Dream" is beyond the grasp of most people because of unforeseen enemies to their progress. The tall heron might be a symbol for the more powerful upper or dominant class of society silently waiting in the shadows. The heron ultimately swallows the snake, and in the same light, many Americans dreams are snatched from American people in ways that they do not suspect. 

In chapter 6 in, Of Mice and Men, freedom is portrayed within George and Lennie.  "Come on George.  Me an' you'll go in an' get a drink."........."yeah a drink"page 107)  After killing Lennie, George had the freedom to do whatever he wanted.  He always complained about Lennie saying that if Lennie wasn't there, he could have done whatever he wanted.  George does not have Lennie as a burden anymore.  He is a free man which means that he has the right to do anything.  If he went to town to get a drink and Lenine was alive, then he would have to arrange something to make sure Lennie would be okay.  Now he doesn't have to go through that trouble of taking care of Lennie.  From the minute George pulled the trigger, he was free! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9irH7ruetdo

Chapter 6 Notes

Questions

Where:  Salines River, California (By the Brush)
When:  1930s
1)  Why does George go and kill Lennie when he could have made Curley or one of the other guys do it?  Why George?
2)  Why did Slim bring up the concept of getting a drink right after his friend killed someone, and that too Lennie? 
3)  Why didn't George stay with Lennie?  Why didn't he bury Lennie ?
4)  Do you think that Curley would have killed Lennie?  I don't think he had the nerve to.  After he saw Lennie on the ground, he started talking very softly.  After that, we didn't hear one word about him. 
5)  I wonder if Lennie had even one little thought in the back of his head that maybe his Aunt Clara and the rabbit were right?  Did he ever think that maybe George was not his true friend but was to scared to say anything?
6)  Do you think that the robin eating the snake having power over it was like George killing Lennie?

Summary

Lennie goes to the brush as George tells him to do if he got into trouble of any sort.  By the lake, Lennie imagines his Aunt Clara there.  His Aunt Clara tells him that it is all his fault.  She tells him that George does so much for him and that all he does is make trouble.  Then, Lennie imagines a rabbit in front of him.  The rabbit told Lennie that George is going to leave him.  By that time, George comes and talks to Lennie about the house they were going to live in.  The author foreshadows that something is going to happen when Lennie said that he did another bad thing and George replied it doesn't matter anymore.  This tells us that George is done with Lennie and that whatever he does would not matter from then on.  George makes Lennie look out across the river.  He goes behind him, puts the gun towards his head an pulls the trigger.  Lennie dropped to the ground and the other guys come out of the brush.  Curley seemed to be sympathetic and Slim went up to George and said that a guy has to sometimes.  They go off to get a drink as if nothing happened. 

Prediction

I predict that both George and Candy will be lonely and doleful.  George will just be like the other men on the ranch who travel alone and earn money and just spend it off.  I think he will get so influenced by the other men, that his dreams will get shattered.  He has no one to share them with.  Just like they said in the beginning, men never travel with others, they travel by themselves after a few months.  Now that Lennie is gone, George has no one.  Also, Candy asked George at the barn when they saw Curley's wife dead that they wouldn't be able to get a house now.  Candy knows now that none of his dreams would ever get fulfilled.  He knows that they were shattered and that he would just die at the ranch.  Candy would never feel joy again in his life and neither would George.  George would have a guilt feeling all his life that he killed his friend.   

Novel Reaction: Thinking Forward

We have investigated many captivating themes that exist in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men over the last few weeks. You have explored the desperation and poverty of the American 1930s through pictures and video. You have witnessed how John Steinbeck used naturalism to portray certain characters as "human beasts" acting on impulsiveness and instinct for self-preservation. You have examined how the author used literary devices such as sentimentalism, diction, tone, parallelism, and foreshadowing in order to propel these themes. You have close-read and analyzed the text digging deeper and deeper for evidence of themes such as Power vs. Powerlessness, Individual vs. Community, The American Dream, Euthanasia, Racism, Loneliness, and maybe even a little Sexism. Pat yourself on the back! You have been critically thinking about this novella on so many different levels.

For this week's blog response, you need to make some pretty serious decisions! We are quickly approaching the time where you will be expected to write your Research Paper based on a topic of interest from Of Mice and Men. If you have been keeping up with your reading, completing your notes, participating in conversations and activities during class on the various themes, and completing your blog responses this choice will be fairly easy! If not, you may be in for a struggle....

What topic or theme that we have touched on during this unit has "hit home" with you the most? Which theme or topic has a personal connection for you? Which did you find most captivating or interesting to discuss and investigate during this unit? Select a topic/theme from the list above that peaks your interest, and, in this week's blog response, discuss why you find it fascinating, which moment in the story you think about when reflecting on this theme, and how this theme is relevant in today's world.

A topic or theme that hot me the most is freedom.  When I say freedom, I think of disability, age, loneliness and even gender.  I think that gender has a personal connection to me.  In this world, jobs are differentiated between women and men.  For example, nurses are known as jobs for women, building houses is a job for men, and teachers are mostly women.  If I say that I wanted to be a pharmacist, it would be fine because I am a girl.  If I said that I wanted to build a house, people would ask me why in the world would I want to do that.  In this world, women and men jobs are different based on strength.  Jobs that involve physical strength is mostly for men.  A theme or topic that I found most captivating or interesting to discuss and investigate during this unit is The American Dream. 
Loneliness and the why characters are lonely in this story peaks my interest.  I get fascinated by this because this topic tells and gives me a feel for what people had to face and realize the different ways people can be lonely.  In the story, Curley's wife tells Lennie about her not being able to do anything and that getting married because she had to ruined her career, her life.  I learned how women can feel lonely at many times.  Crooks is lonely based on his color.  He was kept separately and was telling Candy and Lennie how it feels to be alone, away from other men.  After reading this, I understand that loneliness comes within race and gender.  In today's world, people, even teenagers judge people by their color.  Many people are racist towards Africans and make jokes about other cultures.  Women have rights now but jobs are still listed as women should have this kind of job and men should have that kind of job.  There is still loneliness in the world, as it may be no parents, no friends and even in different countries, girl's are not even allowed to leave the house.  Loneliness exists back in the 1930s as well as now may it be race, gender, disability, etc.

This is a video that shows people all on their own trying to fend for themselves while there is no one to help them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZz7mwvmm7A

Chapter 5 Notes

Questions

Where: Curley's ranch
When: 1930s
1) Why did Curley's wife start screaming when Lennie grabbed her hair?  Why couldn't she just say to let go of her hair nicely?
2)  I wonder if Curley really loved his wife?  I think this because, if he really loved her, he would have stayed and mourned her death instead of as soon as seeing her dead, go after the guy who he assumed killed her.
3)  Do you think Lennie will get killed or hurt this time?
4)  Why doesn't Curley's wife care about her husband at all?  She told Lennie that if Curley gets tough with him then just break his other hand.  If she loved or cared even the tiniest bit about her husband, she would love him no matter what he does.  She wouldn't go around complaining about her husband. 
5)  What do you think George will do next?  Will he go to the brush and hide Lenny and sort it out or will he just tell them where he was?
6)  Do you think that the boss will come back in and try to fire George as well because he said that he and Lennie stay together?

Prediction

I predict that George will just tell the other guys where Lennie was.  I think this because George will think that it is enough and that if he keeps on defending Lennie, he will end up being in trouble.  George might think that enough was enough and that he cannot keep taking the responsibility of Lennie.  Also, instead of someone else killing Lennie, he might just do it to keep him out of his misery.  I predict that Curley will just bury his wife and leave it at that.  He wont have a ceremony and will not tell the other guys.  I think this because when his wife died, he didn't even bother to give her a second glance, he didn't bother to stay with his wife.  A guy who cared for their wife would not be worried about killing the murderer at first.  I do not think that Lennie will get away this time, Curley would not let him. 

Connection

I can connect to Lennie when Curley's wife was talking to him and he was in a different world thinking about something else.  One time when my friend was talking to me about something, I was just in dreamland.  I was thinking a certain thing just like Lennie and did not pay attention to what she was saying.  Lennie was only thinking about tending the rabbits and not concentrating on what she was saying.  When there is one thing on your mind, you don't hear your surroundings which is what happened with both me and Lennie.

A Portrait Of Racism

Chapter 4 in Of Mice and Man, paints a very realistic portrait of racism in the 1930s. Discuss at least two ways in which racism is explored in this chapter. Include quotes and your own analysis of key moments in this chapter that clearly demonstrate the racism that existed in the American 1930s. What do readers understand about racism as a result of reading this chapter?

During the 1930's racism was realistic and played a big role in the mindsets of people.  In chapter 4, Crooks complains about his life being lonely.  He is separated from the white men and does not get as much power.  No one comes to see him except Slim and the boss.  "Cause I'm black.  They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black.  They say I stink.  Well I tell you, all of you stink to me."(page 68)  This shows that the other men do not include Crooks because he was African American.  When Curley's wife started threatening Crooks, he was powerless and put his head down like obeying to his master and then replied "yes ma'am."  "There wasn't another colored family for miles around.  And now there ain't a colored man on this ranch an' there's jus' one family in Soledad."  He laughed.  "If I say something, why its just a nigger sayin' it."  This shows that African Americans are not heard, are not listen to. 
Readers understand that racism was a crucial in the 1930's.  After reading this chapter, we understand that people did not give African Amercians the rights that a white man would have.  For example, not being able to live in the bunkhouse and having a room to himself, lonely and not being able to socialize with others.  No one cared to come in his house or invite him to the bunkhouse.  Crooks was saying that there wasn't a colored family around and that he had no one to talk to, no one with something common with him.  When Crooks said that, it's just a nigger saying that, it meant that no one listens to him, his thoughts, his feelings.  Colored people could not show what they truly felt, they were never able to talk to whites as a friend.  Whites had power and the ability to do as they want and say what they want while colored people were forced to be quiet and have distance from whites.  We find this out from the life style Crooks lives in.  This chapter has shown us how racism affects African Americans lives and how they are separated from Whites.

I found this link about segregation in the 1930's which shows how African Americans were treated.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6CQ_Z9eflE

Chapter 4 Notes

Questions

When:  1930's
Where:  on a ranch, south of Soledad
1)  Why does Candy start talking back to Curley's wife?  She is lonely and trapped in a house all day and wants to communicate with other people. 
2)  why does Crooks tell Lennie that George might not come back and complains about his life when he knows that Lennie wont even understand him?
3)  Why did Candy tell Crooks about the house that they were going to set up?  George told them not to tell anyone and Candy is sensible. 
4)  Is it better to live alone as an African American and live in a place by yourself, living peacefully and in an organized environment or live in the bunkhouse full of guys which is probably dirty?  Crooks that a nice place to himself, a nice place to eat, sleep, pass the time.  He had books and was clean, and did not have to have to worry about all the drama of the guys.
5)  Why did both Crooks and Curley's wife say that getting a house and living there will never happen and that many guys have dreams like that and it wont happen?  Is the author trying to foreshadow that George, Lennie, and Candy will not get a house and will leave just like all the other men?

Prediction

I predict that George will not come back from the city one day when he goes just like Crooks said.  I think that the author is trying to foreshadow that George will leave Lennie one day when he goes to the city.  One day, George will get really upset with Lennie, might take his money and leave.  He was saying that Lennie had about $100 saved up and might take all the money from their bank and leave.  That is what any guy might do to live his own life like what Crooks said.  It is much easier to live alone and he himself said that to Lennie in the beginning of the story.  Also, I think that even if they stay together, the author may have foreshadowed that they are not going to get the house because both Crooks and Curley's wife said that all men say the same thing, that they want to get land and have a house but it never happens.

Connection

I can connect to Lennie when George went to to town and Lennie went to Crooks house.  Since his friend left him to be safe, Lennie was bored and went to Crooks house even though Crooks was African American.  When my friends all went out one time and I didn't want to go, I stayed behind and saw that this girl was lonely.  I went and started talking to her and found out all about her.  Lennie did the same and gave Crooks company which I believe gave Crooks a little bit happiness because it said that he didn't know how to show anger and pleasure at the same time.  He felt appreciated.  Lennie went to Crooks and talked to him normally just like I did to that girl who felt abandoned. 

Investigating Themes in Of Mice And Men

Choose one of the following questions that interests you most to respond to in this week’s blog post:

1.)  What different forms of power exist in Of Mice and Men?  What kind of power does Lennie have?  What kind of power does George have?  What kinds of power or powerlessness do other characters possess?  
2.)  What kind of relationship do George and Lennie have?  Is their relationship a friendship?  How does this relationship express Steinbeck’s position on the individual versus the community?

3.)  Is the American Dream a real possibility in the story?  If yes, what characters, symbols, events, or other details from the story confirm that the American Dream is within reach?  If not, what characters, symbols, events, or other details from the story represent the American Dream as out of reach?  

Check out the info History.com has to offer about the American 1930s!  Who had power in the 1930s?  Who did not?  What kinds of power existed then?  What important relationships were formed in the 1930s?  Was the American Dream still alive in the 1930s?

There are two different powers that exist in, Of Mice And Men.  Lennie has physical power, he is very strong.  "Curley was white and shrunken by now, and his struggling had become weak.  He stood crying, his fist lost in Lennie's paw."(page 64)  Lennie was able to fight back and stand up for himself although George told him what to do. 
George has power over Lennie.  He bosses Lennie around and is verbal rather than physical.  On page 9, "Slowly, like a terrier who doesn't want to bring a ball to its master, Lennie approached, drew back, approached again.  George snapped his fingers sharply, and at the sound Lennie laid the mouse in his hand."  George is like the master and Lennie is like the terrier.  he controlls everything Lennie does.  It says that George snapped his fingers and at the snap, Lennie put the mouse in his hand.  Lennie is powerless compared to George.  George, Lennie, and all the other men working in fields were powerless during the Great Depression.  Compared to the wealthy, they had to struggle a lot in order to get the little money they could.
Curley has power over Lennie until the end of chapter 3.  Before, he tried to pick on Lennie and try to start a fight.  He is also powerful because he is the boss's son.  At the end when he started hitting Lennie he was powerful.  When George told Lennie to fight back, Lennie crushed the man.  There was a change in power from when we met Curley till now.  Candy is old and powerless.  People now say that the old are the wisest.  The men didn't give Candy a choice.  They forced him into saying yes for killing his dog.  No one supported Candy and never would.  He could not stand up for his dog, to keep him alive.  The boss had a lot of power.  He controlled everything and for once someone told George what to do.  These are some characters who show power and who are powerless!

This link is a video of Lennie crushing Curley's hand having power over Curley!
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njDrdhTfmZE