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 might 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. 

"Well he's sick of you," said the rabbit. "He's gonna beat the hell outta you an' then go away an' leave you" 
     This took place when Lennie was alone by the Salinas River. He was hearing the things and people speaking in his voice about how George would feel if he found out what he had did. This quote from Of Mice and Men shows the power that George possesses and the powerlessness of Lennie.    
    

Chapter 6 Notes

My Reflection

     I think it would've been a lot more exhilarating if Of Mice and Men ended with Curley and his goons going out to hunt and kill Lennie, and George brought his own allies and they sorted it out (fought until death)! My extreme imagination leads me to believe that that ending would leave all of us in amazement. 

My Question

      Why did Steinbeck end the story with Carlson asking Curley what he thinks is eating at George and Slim ? I feel that a different ending could have been established.

My Prediction (After finishing the book)

     Predictions are difficult to make after reading a book. However, I think that having to deal with the guilt of killing his best friend, George will have a tough time getting over it. Eventually, George will get over it, leave the ranch in Salinas Valley, find a new job, and maybe even find a girlfriend.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=of+mice+and+men&oq=of+mi&gs_l=youtube.1.0.0l10.2395.4755.0.6424.5.4.0.1.1.0.154.468.1j3.4.0...0.0...1ac.1.SbUdJDh-itk

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 we've discussed in class that has really "hit home" with me was the loneliness that has been incorporated in Of Mice and Men. I mainly like the way Steinbeck not only used one charcter to show discrimination- he used 4! However, I don't really have a personal connection with any of the topics or themes we have talked about.

     The topic that was most captivating, to me, was Euthanasia. The topic that sparks interest in me is Power vs. Powerless. This theme is relevant in today's world because it happens to everyone at some point of their lives. No one is always the person with  power because even my parents had their own parents that told them what to do; that's a good thing to have.

Chapter 5 Notes

My Summary

     Lennie was in the barn alone. He was petting and stroking the hair of his dead puppy (he killed it). While Lennie was busy talking to himself and being scared that George would find out and shun the chances of him ever getting a rabbit, Curley's wife walks in. They started to talk and confide in each other but she spotted his obsession with animals. He showed Curley's wife the dead puppy and she showed no emotions toward it. After being in the barn together for a long time, Curley's wife tells Lennie to touch her hair to feel how soft it was. Long story short, he couldn't get enough of stroking her hair but she'd already had enough. Lennie was being rough on her and she struggled to pull away. She screamed and screamed until she finally submitted. Lennie had now taken the lives of a woman, a mouse, and a puppy.

My Reflection

     The way Crooks is treated at the ranch really reflects the racism that had lived in the 1930's. Being that he is a black man, Crooks isn't allowed to sleep where the others do and is isolated when group activities take place. This is the way my African Americans were treated in the 1930s.

My Question

      What is George going to say when he finds out what Lennie has done ? I can't help but imagine the terrible circumstances that Lennie and George will be facing. 

Lennie and Curley's wife... before the incident 

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?

Check out this article titled, "Racial Segregation in the American South: Jim Crow Laws"  to gain a better understanding of the timeline of racial segregation in America. 

     Racism is explored in this chapter. It is explored through the character of Crooks. He is an African American male who lives at the ranch that George and Lennie are working at. Crooks is treated unfairly by the rest of the workers and he can't even live where they do. 

Page 68) "Why ain't you wanted?" Lennie asked.
" 'Cause I'm black. They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black.
Page 81) "I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny."

Readers can now comprehend the hardships of being on the wrong end of racism, the way Crooks is

Chapter 4 Notes

My Summary

     Saturday, Crooks sits on his bunk in the harness room. The African American stable-hand has a crooked back—the source of his nickname—and is described as a “proud, aloof man” who spends much of his time reading. Lennie, who has been in the barn tending to his puppy, appears in the doorway, looking for company. Crooks tells him to go away, saying that if he, as a black man, is not allowed in the white quarters, then white men are not allowed in his. Lennie does not understand. He innocently reports that everyone else has gone into town and that he saw Crooks’s light on and thought he could come in and keep him company. Finally, Crooks yields to Lennie’s “disarming smile” and invites him in.

My Reflection

  If I was the author, I wouldn't have included Slim giving Lennie the puppy. I think that something unfortunate will happen.

My Connection

   Crooks, Lennie, and even Curley’s wife might have formed an alliance, via the various attributes that  society portraits them as—being African-American, being mentally disabled, and being female, respectively—would bring them together. On the ranch, however, they are pitted against one another. Crooks berates Lennie until Lennie threatens to do him physical harm; Crooks accuses Curley’s wife of being a tramp; and she, in turn, threatens to have him lynched. 

Chapter 3 Notes

                      My Summary

     At the end of the workday, Slim and George return to the bunkhouse. Slim has agreed to give one of the pups to Lennie, and George thanks him for his kindness, insisting that Lennie is “dumb as hell,” but is neither crazy nor mean. Slim appreciates George’s friendship with Lennie, saying that it is a welcome change in a world where no one ever “seems to give a damn about nobody.” George confides in Slim the story of how he and Lennie came to be companions. Curley picks a fight with Lennie and Lennie destroys Curley's hand.

                                                                                      My Connection

      I can connect to Lennie getting a puppy from Slim. I remember when I my mom bought me my dog. Also, I believe that Lennie has positive intentions with his new dog. Something may happen to the pup,  but I don't think Lennie would purposely kill it.

                                                                 My Reflection

     The structure of Of Mice and Men isn't as organized as most books. I would like it if the chapters were labeled as opposed to the actual structure of the book now. It would make it a little easier to stay organized. The book it very simple other than the unlabeled chapters.

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?

Response to question # 2:

      George and Lennie have a close relationship. They are practically each other's only family so I would say that they have a friendship! They've traveled together and bonded with each other over the years they've known one another. John Steinbeck expresses his position on the individual versus the community by further describing their relationship. In chapter 2, Steinbeck shows us that George won't let anyone try to cross Lennie. George made sure that Curley wouldn't do anything to disrespect Lennie . He also shows us that Lennie will do the same for George. If you will stand up for someone, you should be considered a friend !

Chapter 2 Notes

My Prediction:

     I predict that a big problem will occur between either George and Curley or Lennie and Curley.  I base my prediction from the way Lennie and George  met Curley. He caught an attitude with both of them because George answered a question that Curley attempted to ask Lennie. Also, on page 26, the swamper mentions the fact that Curley hates big guys. He is probably very intimidated by big men like Lennie because he's small. I think there will be an altercation between these two...

My Question:

     Why is Curley so mean to Lennie? I understand that bigger guys intimidate him but Lennie didn't do anything to make him angry. If anything, he should be mad at George.

My Reflection:

      

      If I could make a change to Of Mice and Men, I wouldn't have Curley being the boss's son. I just don't think the amount of power he holds is fair. If Curley was to get into an altercation between Lennie or George, it wouldn't be good for those two. They would be kicked out on the spot .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Isu6-5CpR6g

Naturalism Prompt Response

      

Naturalism as a Mirror of the 1930s

     Literature is often a reflection of the time period in which it was written or, in the case of historical fiction, of the time period it is focused on.  Authors will often find sneaky little ways to demonstrate the dominant characteristics of the time period by blending in details, that, at a closer glance, reveal these hidden themes.

     In class, we viewed several videos (in the LitByFleming blog video bar) that gave us a look at some major events and common themes or characteristics of the 1930s.  John Steinbeck certainly considered these elements when writing Of Mice and Men.  In fact, it might be said, his writing style intentionally made use of naturalism in order to capture and expose some of the attitudes and characteristics of the American 1930s. Let's see if you can make the connection! Think about some of  the naturalistic elements we identified in class (Chapter 1). What aspects or characteristics of the 1930s are being demonstrated to us at those moments in the text? What do you believe John Steinbeck was trying to show us or expose about the way people, life, or society was during this time in American history? 

      Naturalism is a type of literature that attempts to show humans in a very detached way, based on their relationships and the environment that they're in. It is displayed a lot in Of Mice and Men. John Steinbeck incorporates elements of naturalism through the dialogue in the book.

       Ignorance is shown by John Steinbeck. I can connect the characteristics of the 1930s to the ill education of George and Lennie because the 1930s sheltered poor and homeless people. It's pretty hard to imagine a well educated person in an era of destitute men and women.

Of Mice and Men: Chapter 1 Blog Prompt/Notes N' Stuff

                                                                                     My Connection:

     

    

    Based on what I've read in the first chapter, I can connect this book to the animated cartoon, Pinky and the Brain. First of all, Pinky and the Brain were mice. Lennie loves mice. The TV show was based on the adventures of these two mice. Also, George is small but he is educated like the Brain. Lennie is huge but isn't smart at all, just like Pinky. There is big correlation between this 90s TV show and  the book we are reading.

                 My Question:

1.) Page 3-16: When are we going to meet some new characters? I'm anxious to see how George and Lennie interact with other people. I can already tell how they are with each other but they have bonded with one another and traveled together. They have basically been each other's only family. So in my opinion, it would be very interesting to detect how they are when they're around others.

2.) Page 5: Where and when did Lennie's obsession with rats occur?    

                  

My Reflection:

      I find it very fascinating that Lennie has an obsession with rats. I actually believe that everyone in the world has an obsession of some sort. My obsesion is sneakers. There is no particular reason, I just like being fashionable around beautiful girls. Lennie's love for rats is a lot more unique than mine but it is certainly not unordinary!

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=pinky+and+the+brain&oq=pinky+a&gs_l=youtube.1.0.0l10.10280631.10287053.0.10292459.8.4.0.0.0.0.1984.3046.5-2j8-1.3.0...0.0...1ac.1.wtmT0ERuwwk

Picturing the History Behind Of Mice and Men

     
      For a moment the place was lifeless, and then two men emerged from the path and came into the opening by the green pool.
     They had walked in single file down the path, and even in the open one stayed behind the other. Both were dressed in denim trousers and in denim coats with brass buttons. Both wore black, shapeless hats and both carried tight blanket rolls slung over their shoulders. The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features. Every part of him was defined: small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose. Behind him walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. His arms did not swing at his sides, but hung loosely.
     The first man stopped short in the clearing, and the follower nearly ran over him. He took off his hat and wiped the sweat-band with his forefinger and snapped the moisture off. His huge companion dropped his blankets and flung himself.

    The beginning of the book sounds very familiar. I can envision the two men (one big and one small) walking down a long road. They were probably tired and hungry. It reminds me of the picture of Highway 84. What reminds me of the picture is the path that these men are walking on. I imagine it looking the way it looks in the pictures. The text and the photographs show us how different life was back in the 1930s. By the way the author described the clothing that the men wore, you can tell that there is a difference between the way they dressed in the 1930s and the way we dress now!