Of Mice and Men by John
Steinbeck
1. Two friends, George and Lennie, travel together from farm to farm in order to find work. George takes care of Lennie, who has some sort of mental disability. They come across a farm in California where they are planning to work after getting chased away from their last job. They get hired and meet the staff: Candy, who is an old-time employee with an elderly dog, and Curley, the boss's strict, mean son. Curley is also newly married to a girl who flirts around with all the employees behind Curley's back, making him constantly jealous and angry with her. In order to avoid trouble, George tells Lennie to keep his distance from the woman and if he gets into any kind of trouble, he should run off to their secret hideaway just to keep safe. George and Lennie go on to meet Slim, a respected mule-driver, and Carlson, a ranch hand. We later find out how George and Lennie got chased away from their last job; Lennie was accused of rape after constantly stroking a woman's dress. In the meantime, Carlson keeps pushing for Candy to kill his old bag of a dog to the point where Candy actually gives in and lets Carlson shoot him. George and Lennie continue to try to keep their plans of owning some land a secret until Candy finds out and wants in. With a bit of consideration, they allow Candy to join them on their pipe dream. At the same time, Curley is going mad over the fact that he can never keep track of his wife and takes out his frustration on Lennie. George then tells Lennie to fight back and he ends up crushing Curley's hand. The next day, Lennie meets Crooks, an African American employee, and they strike up a friendship. The day after, Curley's wife comes to talk to Lennie about how disappointing her life has been since marrying Curley. She ends up letting Lennie touch her hair and when she tells him to stop, he panics and ends up breaking her neck, killing her. Lennie then flees to the secret hideaway while the men find out about the murder of Curley's wife. When George comes to find and console Lennie, he begins to talk about the dream farm as he shoots Lennie in the back of the head. George is left distraught and emotional; the other men don't understand why he feels so horrible and leave him in confusion.
2. The main theme of the novel is the fraternal bond of two men and how important a male friendship can be. This message ties into their dream of owning a farm due to the fact that this dream keeps them together until George realizes the fact that in reality, it may never happen for them. Despite George killing Lennie in the end, he still feels a tight bond to Lennie and realizes the tragic end to their brotherhood.
3. The tone of the novel is very sentimental and at the most important moments, slightly tragic. The mood it portrays gives a feeling of compassion for these two optimistic dreamers who lack a sense of reality.
Lit. Techniques
1. Two friends, George and Lennie, travel together from farm to farm in order to find work. George takes care of Lennie, who has some sort of mental disability. They come across a farm in California where they are planning to work after getting chased away from their last job. They get hired and meet the staff: Candy, who is an old-time employee with an elderly dog, and Curley, the boss's strict, mean son. Curley is also newly married to a girl who flirts around with all the employees behind Curley's back, making him constantly jealous and angry with her. In order to avoid trouble, George tells Lennie to keep his distance from the woman and if he gets into any kind of trouble, he should run off to their secret hideaway just to keep safe. George and Lennie go on to meet Slim, a respected mule-driver, and Carlson, a ranch hand. We later find out how George and Lennie got chased away from their last job; Lennie was accused of rape after constantly stroking a woman's dress. In the meantime, Carlson keeps pushing for Candy to kill his old bag of a dog to the point where Candy actually gives in and lets Carlson shoot him. George and Lennie continue to try to keep their plans of owning some land a secret until Candy finds out and wants in. With a bit of consideration, they allow Candy to join them on their pipe dream. At the same time, Curley is going mad over the fact that he can never keep track of his wife and takes out his frustration on Lennie. George then tells Lennie to fight back and he ends up crushing Curley's hand. The next day, Lennie meets Crooks, an African American employee, and they strike up a friendship. The day after, Curley's wife comes to talk to Lennie about how disappointing her life has been since marrying Curley. She ends up letting Lennie touch her hair and when she tells him to stop, he panics and ends up breaking her neck, killing her. Lennie then flees to the secret hideaway while the men find out about the murder of Curley's wife. When George comes to find and console Lennie, he begins to talk about the dream farm as he shoots Lennie in the back of the head. George is left distraught and emotional; the other men don't understand why he feels so horrible and leave him in confusion.
2. The main theme of the novel is the fraternal bond of two men and how important a male friendship can be. This message ties into their dream of owning a farm due to the fact that this dream keeps them together until George realizes the fact that in reality, it may never happen for them. Despite George killing Lennie in the end, he still feels a tight bond to Lennie and realizes the tragic end to their brotherhood.
3. The tone of the novel is very sentimental and at the most important moments, slightly tragic. The mood it portrays gives a feeling of compassion for these two optimistic dreamers who lack a sense of reality.
Lit. Techniques
Simile
-" At about ten o'clock in the mornig the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows, and in and out of the beam flies shot like rushing stars"
Diction
-"We could live offa the fatta the lan"
Imagery
"Evening
of a hot day started the little wind to moving among the leaves. The shade climbed up the
hills toward the top. On the sand banks the rabbits sat as quietly as little gray, sculptured
stones."
Foreshadowing
-"I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn't ought to
of let no stranger shoot my dog."
Characterization:
1.
The author uses indirect characterization as he reveals what the
characters’ are feeling through his actions.
2.
The diction and syntax changes as the author talks about different
characters’. For example the rich and the poor, the blacks and the whites.
3.
The protagonist is both dynamic and round because he changes and
matures over time.
4.
I definitely feel like I met a person because I felt like I was in
the story .
