OF MICE AND MEN REVISION NOTES

OF MICE AND MEN REVISION NOTES

The Survival of the FittestMain PointDetailed DevelopmentKey Quotations

Hard times

Novel set in Great Depression of 1930s

dog-eat-dog worldMass unemployment

Many families went bankrupt and lost everything, including their homes

Life was unbearably hard with little chance of improvement.

Only toughest and hardest made it to top of heap and survived.Old couple have to sell farm (their home) to pay for her operation. Even L and Gs dream would be achieved at someone elses expense.

Migrant workers are the loneliest guys in the world

Helpless Characters

Several of novels characters linked by their vulnerability.All different, but share a weakness which makes them helpless in this harsh world.

All finally cast aside or trampled on.Lennie

Candy

Crooks

Curleys Wife

GeorgeAll dream of better life where they can feel safe but none achieves this. All linked in Crooks room in chapter 4 a nigger, a dumb-dumb and an ol sheep

George is made vulnerable by his feelings for Lennie. Makes him feel the loss of a friend when Lennie dies so more lonely. No longer has anyone to give a hoot in hell about him and no chance of living off the fatta the lan

LennieRetarded

Childlike understanding makes him unfit for world where hard, insensitive men like Curley and Carlson rule the roost and outnumber more kind and considerate ones like Slim.

Constantly in trouble because unaware of own strength and motives are misunderstood by others as in Weed. No-one has time to listen or understand.Just dismissed as cuckoo

Picked on by Candy as scapegoat for loss of pride in bunkhouse fight.

no big bastard is gonna laugh at me

Lennie bleated with terror

How was she supposed to know you just wanted to feel her dress?

G and L almost lynched in Weed

Curleys WifeLone woman on ranch of men.

Dismissed as tart and poison by sexist attitudes of men.

Desperately lonely and unhappy with Curley but no-one cares or even notices her ache for attention

Just a trophy to husband not even given a name!

Even overlooked when dead. No-one really cares about her too excited about hunt for Lennie!You seen the new girl? Aint she a looloo?

Thats what Curley picks for a wife

Aint I got a right to talk to no-one? I get awful lonely

glove fulla Vaseline

You lousy tart

CandyOld and disabled. Scared of Curley and boss.

Set apart from other, younger men and overlooked, unvalued.

No longer useful or wanted. Knows he will soon be canned and faces life in miserable old age institution.

Knows ranch with L and G is last and only chance of security and company in old age.

Bullied by tougher, more dominant characters like Carlson.

Left alone and scared at end. Blames Curleys wife in his griefYou wont tell Curley I said none of thishell slough me

Theyll put me on the county

I shouldnt have let no stranger shoot my dog

Devastated at end by loss of dream and breaks down in tears. I could have cooked for them nice guys

CrooksNegro stable buck

Isolated by other mens racial prejudice.

Exploited by boss used as scapegoat for his bad temper

Has to live barn with horses, as if an animal himself.

Made hard and bitter by experience of injustice.

Clings to his rights and his pride

like a shell

Desperately lonely. Only books for company.

Knows it has made him cruel and bitter. Torments Lennie and takes revenge on him.

Hard and cynical doesnt believe in dreams

Shows more soft, vulnerable side to character when asks hesitatingly about ranch.

Left just as alone and isolated at end after being reminded of his lowly place in world by Curleys Wife.Dismissed as the nigger

He gave the stable buck hell

with a manure pile under the window. Sure its swell.

Aint nobody allowed in my room

the terrible protective dignity of the black man

Books aint no good a guy gets so lonely he gets sick

Howd you like it if you wasnt allowed nowhere cos you was black? They say I stink

Aint nobody gets to heaven and aint nobody gets a piece of land

If.. you guys was to need..

You guys comin in and setting made me forget

Natural World

Law of jungle only fittest survive

Life is cruel and unfair.

Mirrored in world of men.Steinbeck uses creatures to reinforce theme subtly.

Weak, defenceless animals dont stand chance in this hostile world.

Lennies mice skulls crushed

Puppy also dies dismissed as just a mutt by Curleys wife

Candys dog is shot because its only and an inconvenience to dominant character Carlson.

California rich and lush like Garden of Eden but even there harsh law of jungle is played out watersnake just petted them a little

I didnt bounce you so hard

The whole countrys fulla mutts

Doesnt matter that Candy had him since he was a pup.

One minute snake glided smoothly up the pool and next the heron swallowed the little snake while its tail wavered frantically

Survivors

Hard, tough characters who only care about selves so no vulnerability or weaknessCurley unaffected by wifes death as no real feeling for her.

Doesnt even touch her dead body or say her name. More interested in revenge and reclaiming precious tough image as pretty handy

Carlson insensitive and selfish. No grasp of bond between Candy and dog or friendship between L and G.

Given last callous and unfeeling words of novel.Im gonna get that big bastard myselfIm gonna shoot him in the guts

Points to dogs head with toe to show where hes shoot him and cleans gun while Candy grieves silently.

Now what the hell you think is eatin them two guys?