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 to 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.  

     "Slim said, 'You hadda, George. I swear you hadda. Come on with me.'" (Steinbeck 107.) In this scene George had just finished killing Lennie and all the guys came to see. Right now in George's head he might be regretting killing Lennie, because he will no longer be a friend and even bigger will be lonely. In the beginning of the book when Lennie and George came to the ranch they came together. The workers at the ranch said it was rare for two guys to come together and work together. Lennie and George were best friends. They have never been separated and have always been together. This must have been hard for Lennie, because like most people in the 1930s they were all lonely, but George had a friend who they both looked out for each other. In the 1930s even though you had a friend they will leave your side, because in order to survive you had to worry about yourself and only yourself. George gad to to kill Lennie, because he was getting into the way of his life and work. So, to make peace he had to kill Lennie. This left George lonely and just like the guys on the ranch said it was rare to find a person by your side during this crisis the country. Hence, the name the Great Depression, because everybody was lonely and had no one to be with. Loneliness during the Great Depression

Chapter 6 Notes

Summary:

     In today's reading the ending was really dramatic. It started off with Lennie hiding in the brush waiting for George to come. He eventually does come and Lennie starts apologizing for what he did to Curley's wife. George is so nervous that he takes the gun away from Lennie and tells him that everything will be okay and for him to look out onto the lake. George starts telling Lennie of how they are going to live when they have enough money for the house. George shoot Lennie in the back of the neck and all of the guys from the ranch came and took a look. They were are all quite except for Carlson. Then they go back to the ranch and Slim ends up comforting George all the way back home.

Predictions:

     If this novella were to go on I would predict that George would leave the ranch and forget about everything. He will go back to the brush and stay there next to Lennie dead body. For a couple of days he would stay their and cry regretting what he did to Lennie. He will then go back into town and start and whole new life. Working in a better job, having a house, and a girl. He will seem happy, but deep inside he will feel guilty for killing Lennie. But, he will live the life that he always wanted that he said he will have without Lennie.

Questions:

     We are brought back to the Salinas river from the beginning. Lennie is hiding behind the brush just like he was supposed to. Any time soon the boys should be here looking for him. Why did John Steinbeck make a rabbit appear in Lennie's head? Couldn't have his aunt Clara said the same thing the rabbit just confuses the story and sort of makes it sound unbelievable. Why is in the end Carlson making jokes about Slim and George being sad? It was a really traumatic event for a person like George and Carlson is making fun of him. I wonder if Lennie is mentally aware of what he did to Curley's wife? Even though he is mentally handicapped I think killing someone will scare you. He doesn't at all seems to worry what he did. But, he worries more if George is mad and whether he will let him tend the rabbits.

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.

     The topic that "hit home" with me the most was the topic of loneliness. This really hit me, because a lot of examples are shown in the text about loneliness. It is common for a novella to have a major topic like loneliness, because it is a common problem. Many people are locked down onto a place and feel lonely, because they have no where to go. This type of loneliness is represented a lot in the book like being lonely, because under law or a person they are locked down into not doing many things or not going many places, because of their gender, color, age, and state of mind. 

     In this novella loneliness is a major topic that is used a lot through the book it is used from characters like Crooks and Curley's wife to characters like Lennie. It is a major theme that a lot of people in this book can relate to. "Why can't I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely." (Steinbeck 86.) A character like Curley's wife is lonely, because of her gender. She is the only woman on this ranch she has nobody to talk to except for the guys on the ranch. But, Curley won't even let her out of the house. Another, lonely person is Crooks being a colored person and not having many right to do many things he is often lonely. "Crooks, THE NEGRO stable buck, had his bunk in the harness room; a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn." (Steinbeck 66.) Crooks had his own little room  away from the bunkhouse he wasn't allowed to go in there, because of the law he had to have a different sleeping accommodation from the other guys. Since, he was the only colored person on the ranch he had to live in the barn on a bed made out of straw. 

     This topic is relevant in today's world not as much as it was back then, but it is relevant. In today's world many people are lonely like in school for being who they are. If you are not like many others you are excluded out of their little circle and have to be by yourself. Being who you are is not really something you do at school or in public. In order, to fit in to a group you have to gave the same likes as they do in order to fit in. For example, if you don't like video games, but your friend does and likes to play it every hour of the day. You are from now on excluded from his group and don't have something in common. Instead of hanging out with you he will preferably go hang out with someone who does like video games. And, will play with him when ever he wants. This will make you lonely not being able to hangout with your friend, because he has another friend who pursues the same interest he does. Loneliness exists today as it had in the past even though the type of loneliness has changed like being colored, old, or of gender. It is till around in a different way like for having different interests and being excluded out of a group.Go here and you will learn more about loneliness.

Chapter 5 Notes

Summary:

     In this chapter Curley's wife and Lennie got to know about each other a little more. Lennie was in the barn just looking at the puppy he killed. He killed the puppy, because the puppy looked like he was going to bite him, so Lennie slapped him and the puppy died. Curley's wife walks in just as he is about to hide the pup. She acts like she doesn't know what just happened and asks Lennie how he is doing? He doesn't want to talk to her, because George told him not to. She gets mad that Lennie won't talk to her, because George said so. She goes on rampaging how Lennie thinks she will mess things up and get him in trouble. Lennie then brings up how George, Candy, and he are going to have a house all to them. She ignores him and starts talking about how she regrets marrying Curley. How she should've joined the circus and how she could've gotten into the movies. As Lennie is rambling on about rabbits she asks him why he is so obsessed with rabbits. He reply's, because they are so soft like velvet and mice. She says that her hair is soft and that he should touch it. He does and he grabs on harder and she starts to freak out. He grabs on harder and she starts to scream and he covers her mouth, because he doesn't want people to hear her and for George to get him in trouble and not let him tend to the rabbits. Lennie ends up killing her and escapes to the brush. Candy ends up finding her and he shows George. George goes back out as though he did not do anything and Candy goes and calls all the other guys. They go to get their guns to go hunt down Lennie and shot him in the gut.

Predictions:

     In the next chapter I think that Curley will find Lennie and kill him and George will be an accomplice, because he will tell where Lennie is hiding. "You George! You stick with us so we don't think you had notin' to do with this." (Steinbeck 98.) When Curley said this I automatically thought that they will think that George had something to do with this. Curley will get mad that he can't find Lennie and look at George asking him if he knows where Lennie is. Curley will get it out of him he will squeeze it out of him. They will force him to tell them where Lennie is and they will find Lennie and kill him just like Curley said. 

Connections:

     A connection that I can make towards the book is when Curley's wife is talking to Lennie and he is not paying attention to her, but thinking about rabbits. "She demanded, 'You listenin?' 'Me? Sure." (Steinbeck 88.) I can connect to Curley's wife on how Lennie is barely listening to her. When I talk to my friend about something that happened to me she just zones out and is in her own fairy tale land. She is thinking of something that I don't know about and just ignore me. I ask her if she is paying attention to me and she just keeps on starring out there not listening to a word I say.

     

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?

     Racism is expressed a lot in this chapter as we really get to know Crooks. Crooks is one of the workers who works as a stable buck on the ranch. He is a colored person who by many isn't paid much attention to. Through this character racism is expressed a lot through this chapter. We find out in the beginning that Crooks lives by himself in the harness room. "Crooks, the Negro stable buck, had his bunk in the harness room; a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn." (Steinbeck 66.) Crooks is forced to live by himself, because of segregation. He had to live by in a separate room for colored people, because he wasn't allowed to sleep in the bunkhouse with the rest of the guys. Due to the segregation laws he was forced to live in a separate room with colored people. 

     Another form racism is expressed in the chapter is through the way people talk toward Crooks. For example "Well, you know your place then, nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny." (Steinbeck 81.) The way Curley's wife talks to Crooks is crude threatening she has the power to kill Crooks. "He said, 'Yes ma'am,' and his voice was toneless." (Steinbeck 81.) Crooks couldn't say anything back, because he was colored and as a colored person he could easily get hung without anyone caring. He couldn't say anything, because he had still not had the freedom to talk back to her. The white race was more superior then the colored race they could force them to do anything. Colored people like Crooks had no power to talk back to her or day anything to her. First, because she was white and had automatically more power. Second, of all because she was married to the bosses son.

     Through this chapter I understood more about racism. I found out that colored people didn't have much power as I thought. They couldn't talk back to a white person so easily as they can now without getting themselves hung. They would have to take the insult not being able to talk back fearing they could go to jail or worse be killed. Almost, everywhere were whites and colored separated like on buses, restaurants, and many more places. Check out more stuff about racism in the 1930s here!

Chapter 4 Notes

Summary:
     In chapter 4 the all the boys were away at a bar except for Lennie, Candy, and Crooks. They all choose to stay on the ranch. Crooks was in his bedroom minding his own businesses. Until Lennie comes in standing at the door looking at Crooks. When Crooks notices he says to Lennie what are you doing here? A white man doesn't come into a Negro’s bedroom. He starts exclaiming how Lennie should be at the bunkhouse not here, because they can get into serious trouble. Lennie ignores him and says that he came here, because he saw a light turned on and wanted to see what was here. He was on his way to pet the pups and stumbled on over here. Crooks still doesn't like this, but let's Lennie in. Crooks then starts asking Lennie a bunch coalfield questions like why does he follow around George? What would Lennie do if George disappeared? And does he understand everything George says. Lennie gets mad thinking that George is dead, because Crooks is asking all these question. Lennie cools off and starts talking about the rabbits that George. Then Candy comes in and he too starts talking about the rabbits and what they can do. Then Curley's wife comes in and asks if they seen Curley. They don't tell her anything about what happened earlier that day, but she seemed to know. Curley's wife then starts making fun of these guys. Saying how she has nothing better to do then to hang out with a Negro, a dum-dum, and an o'l sheep. The guys then tell her to leave, because they don't want any trouble. She then hears the rest of the gang coming and she quickly leaves hoping no one will see her. George comes into the barn looking for them and they quickly scurry off to the bunk house.

Connections: 

     I can relate to Lennie being alone on the ranch not having anything to do, because he was left behind. So, he went over to Crooks room and started to get to know him and talk to him. In the 7th grade I was in Language arts class and the teachers had us pair up with a partner. I noticed that this girl was just sitting there having no partner. She was a quite girl didn't seem to have that many friends in this class. So, I approached her and asked her to be my partner. She agreed and we both started to work together. After a while, we broke the ice and she was funny and kind of talkative. From there in she would be my friend and I would always partner up with her and talk with her and we would always have good laughs.

Predictions:

     I predict that in the next chapter Crooks will get along better with Lennie and Candy. They will become good friends that Crooks will ask them if when they have this house that if he can move in with them. “You guys is just kiddin' yourself. You'll talk about it a lot, but you won't get no land." (Steinbeck 75.) I believe that Crooks thinks it is impossible for a men like them from the lower working class to own land. But, he will soon get sweet talked into wanting to help Lennie, George, and Candy into getting that land. He will dream so high about owning a farm that he too will want to get a piece of land and be free from being segregated in this ranch.