First, just a bit of background about the novel. Since Steinbeck is considered to be one of America's best Naturalist writers, we should probably briefly cover some characteristics of Naturalism.
*Although our 5th period class is highly poetic, Naturalism is not. The prose focuses less on imagery and more on explanations and details. While some of the novel includes metaphors and similes (especially at the beginnings of some chapters), most of the novel is free of poetic devices.
*Explores sociological conditions in a mostly objective manner (instead of focusing on the beauty of the language)
*Explores conflicts between the social classes, especially the exploitation of workers by those in power. Watch for examples of exploitation on the ranch as well as illustration of larger social issues happening in the 1930s within the novel.
*Creates stories in which the reader is an observor in the story. Many characters strive for the American Dream.
*Focuses on an occupation or trade. In the case in Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck's story also documents the lives of migrant workers in the 1930s.
As far as the genre is concerned, Of Mice and Men is written as a play-novel, or a mixture of both. Each of the six chapters is an extended episode- the action takes place in one scene and begins with a description of that scene. Characters also exit and enter with what seems like stage directions. Also, you've probably noticed the large amount of dialogue.
For your reader's blog, mention at least three key events that have struck you so far. Do you notice any possible foreshadowing? Steinbeck is a master of this! Also, what kinds of animal imagery is associated with Lennie? Crooks? (If you read chapter 4 already.) Why does Steinbeck describe these characters in animal terms? What's the effect and purpose? Other than that, please include your thoughts, ideas, interpretations so far. Raise questions to the class if you'd like as well.
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Three important events are George and Lennie's arrival at the bunk house, the shooting of Candy's dog, and the fight between Lennie and Curley. I think the dog's death is especially significant because it transforms Candy. He is deeply bothered by the shooting, as he stares fixedly at the ceiling. Yet he also becomes free-minded and idealistic, planning to escape to the house George describes. Candy's ties to the dog remind me of George's guardianship of Lennie. Like the lame, blind dog, Lennie's childish mind as drawbacks. Candy's imaginative planning resembles George's speculation in chapter one about the enjoyable life he could lead without Lennie. However, both the dog and Lennie serve as companions to Candy and George, respectively. I think the dog's demise foreshadows that Lennie will undergo something unpleasant.
After reading through the first few chapters of Of Mice and Men, I think that Lennie is a very interesting character. I found it kind of distubing that he liked to keep the dead mouse in his pocket so he could pet it, especially when he goes looking for it after George threw it away. Although I think that this might symbolize that Lennie is lonely and he wishes he had a friend that would judge him because he isn't very smart. Although George takes care of Lennie, George often makes comments on how Lennie is setting him back.
The working partners George and Lennie remind me a lot of mike and sully from monsters inc. George is really samll like mike and Lennie is really big and awkward like sully. Lennie is the big slow giant and george is sort of there to keep him in tack. I don't really understand why in the first chapter they make such a big deal about Lennie being able to have the mouse or not, maybe this will foreshadow an event. I think Lennie's stroking of a woman's dress is going to foreshadow an actual rape or kill in the future of the novel. I can't remember if we discussed this in class, but how did Candy actual lose his hand?
Again, nice analogy, Derek. That one is just as good as your Hester/Michael Jordan comparison.
Candy got his hand caught in some farming machinery and received a couple hundred dollars in compensation. He is emblematic of the migrant workers who give everything (in this case his hand) to their jobs, and receive little in repayment.
Although Lennie is huge in size (and can easily crush most little animals) he is a very soft and sweet man. He even cares for a little mouse. I think that his obsession over petting things is a little weird but I guess its just how he comforts himself. I think this obsession will eventually lead him into trouble, like it did in the last town he was in. Another thing that foreshadows trouble for Lennie is that every time that he is described, he is compared with an animal. First, he was described as looking like a bear, then as a horse. The comparisons themselves aren't bad but may foreshadow that he will have the same fate as the animals in the book; the mice, candy's dog and his own puppy.
Some possible foreshadowing I noticed in these three chapters are the hiding place that George mentions for Lennie to remember in case of emergency, and Lennie's love for touching different materials/animals. The reason I think that the hiding place is an example of foreshadowing is because if George made such a big deal about Lennie remembering where it was in case he needs to hide there again, I think that is a sign that something is going to go wrong and they are going to have to hide out there. Also, Lennie got in trouble at the last place they were for grabbing the lady's dress even though he just wanted to feel it, and I think this is an omen to what is going to happen at this new farm as well. Lennie is by far my favorite character. Even though he is an awkwardly huge guy who is naive, forgetful, and lacks intelligence, he is caring and sensitive, and I love that about him. He also seems to admire George very much. You can tell by the way he tries so hard to remember things, and how he listens/"obeys" George. I am really enjoying this book so far.
In the opening chapters of the novel, I have begun to picture Lennie as a very likable character. He is so innocent in everything he does. His first act gone wrong is his keeping of mice that he loves so much that he crushes them so they can always be with him. His obsession with things that are soft also leads him into somewhat of a trap. Lennie walks up to a lady and begins rubbing her dress because it calms him. The woman does not understand, so she begins to pull away. As she pulls away, he grabs her, and she exaggerates the story when later telling it. She says that Lennie raped her, but this is later dismissed. I think that the author may be foreshadowing and accidental death, committed by Lennie, by showing him as large and clumsy. I think that while George is not around to keep Lennie in line, or perhaps something happpens to George, Lennie will do something that he is not smart enough to regret.
I think the reason Steinbeck uses animal like description is to show how the conditions of the depression have degenerated the degenerates of society further. Also I think it helps the reader see how small the gap can be between killing mice and men for some people.
On the topic of Lennie it seems he lacks a strong moral compass. With children a spanking can always keep them in line and eventually teach them right from wrong but all he has to fear is George's wicked tongue. I see this as only keeping him under control for so long until either Lennie loses his temper or George over steps his bounds and drives him to it
Three key events that struck me so far are: 1)The reason why Lennie and George got run out of town- that was shocking, especially because Lennie really didn't rape the girl. 2)Lennie loves mice but he pets them so hard he kills them. 3)Then men on the ranch killed Candy's dog- I felt bad for Candy, he is just an old, nice man, and the workers wanted to kill his life companion. One possible hint of foreshadowing is when George tells Lennie to memorize the clearing by the river just in case he gets in trouble, that is where he should go. I like Lennie's character and Candy's too. I am enjoying this book and can't wait to reach the end.
I was significantly intrigued to notice the compassion Lenny felt for creatures. I agree with Jamie with the fact that his mental disability has left him lonely. I think that because he knows in himself that he isnt so smart, he tries to do his good with love and tender care.
I was also suprised when George randomly flipped out when Lenny asked for ketchup. We now know that George has consisered Lenny's ungratefulness constatntly if he is blurting it out with no real reason to.
Finally, i thought that it was intresting that Lenny could go so far as harm a girl, thinking that he did it innocently. I think this event forshadows troube for Lenny becuase he has difficulty differentiating right from wrong. he could do some harm and not even relize that he had done any wrong in the first place.
i agree with Kiersten, when i read the passage in the book when George told Lennie to remember that spot I knew it had to be a foreshadow. I think that in the future, with this novel, somethings going to happen to make Lennie and George run from their work place they are at now, back to the spot, with the bush. Lennies fetish with small/soft things is starting to creep me out. But i do think is very kinda of George to stick by Lennie when he does not have to. This shows Georges protection over Lennie like a big brother would do. I think Lennie is a grown man with a little boy's imagination.
I think that George should give Lennie a little bit of a break and not yell at him as much when he forgets things. It's not Lennie's fault he has a mental disability. Although, I do think that it is nice of George to look after Lennie the way he does. I think sometimes though he sticks up for Lennie a little too much. For instance, when the boss was asking Lennie some questions and George answered them for him. George blamed Lennie, accusing him of almost costing them their new job for speaking. I think that George almost cost them their job because of him answering Lennie's questions. I think that Lennie is capable of answering questions without George's help. I felt bad for Candy when he decided to let Carlson shoot his dog. I know that must have hurt him a lot.
Steinbeck opens the book with peaceful scenes of nature. He expresses the beauty and serenity around the area. He establishes a sense of perfection in a world which is really cruel and imperfect. Then, he goes on to explain the companionship of Lennie and George. He places there relationship so high that the only place it can go is down, foreshadowing the future events. The later events in the novel, such as, the killing of Candy's dog, Lennie killing mice, and of Curley's fight with Lennie, all deal with demoralizing and destroying the weak. Carlson saw Candy's dog as useless, even though Candy had an emotional connection with it, so Carlson killed it. Lennie being the strong person he is accidently kills the weak mice. And finally, Curley picks a fight with Lennie because he knows Lennie has a disablity.
The three events in the novel that I thought were the most interesting are when Lennie wanted to keep the little dead mouse so that he could pet it, when Candy's dog was shot, and when Lennie crushed Curley's hand because he was so scared. I think that George is doing the best he can with Lennie given the circumstances. Some people may have mentioned that he is a little too hard on Lennie, but it has to be frustrating having to constantly watch out for someone else. I think that George constantly reminding Lennie to repeat things to himself and pointing out hiding spots is foreshadowing that Lennie might forget something important that will get the two in trouble. I was excited for George and Lennie when Candy told them that he wanted to help them get their land as long as he could work their too. I think it is funny how George knows everything that Lennie does, for instance he knew that Lennie would try and take a puppy with him and he knew that Lennie went back for the dead mouse.
I am beginning to really like the unusual friendship of Lennie and George. It helps make the story interesting and exciting because the mental disablement of Lennine and how he doesn't realize how strong he is gets him into a lot of trouble but somehow George finds the time to help Lennie when he doesn't have to. I thought it was great how the other workers on the ranch are sticking up for Lennie even though he is different from other people they know. They were willing to accept Lennie for who he is and not make a mockery of it.
The poor pups! why would slim drowned them just because there were 9! and Candy's poor dog, thats like the same as shooting an old person just because they have to be in a nursing home. I don't think Slim should have pushed Candy into letting him kill the poor dog, it should have been Candy's choice. Candy is just a lonely old man, who can't do much work, has no family, and all he had was a dog who he had had since the dog was a puppy, probably for 16 years. That was his family! This event sort of transitions into Lennie, George and Candy's idea about buying that far and having the rich life, which their own animals and crops. Steinbecks wants to show the abuse of workers during this time when he rights that Curley always tries to beat up big guys and then turns it around on them when he loses the fight. He also shows the imagination and hope of this era when he explains their idea to buy the farm. This book is really straightforward which is kind of nice, but it doesn't make it as poetic or thoughtful because it is so upfront, it doesn't make you think as much because it lacks symbols and abstract ideas.
I think that the realtionshiop betweer George and Lennie is interesting. I like how Geroge kinda stands up and protects Lennie, but i think that he gets too mad at him sometimes. Lennie can't really help that hes not the smartest person. I think that the place George tells Lennie to meet at if he gets in to trouble is foreshadoowing that something will happen and Lennie will get in to some sort of trouble. I also think the fight between Curley and Lennie might foreshadow another conflict in the novel.
The characters of Lennie and George are very interesting together. Lennie is a gentle giant, who is not very bright, and has a hard time remembering things. George takes care of Lennie, and watches out for him, but sometimes comes off as mean because he gets mad at Lennie, and calls him names like "dumb," and other names(with curse words). I really like Lennie's character because he never means to do any harm, and always feels terrible if he makes a mistake. I also feel bad for Lennie in regard to what happened back in Weed. He didn't really rape that girl, he just wanted to feel her dress and held on since he was scared. I like Lennie and George's plan to get their own house with the rabbits. I hope that they include Candy since he seems like an interesting character, who could really contribute to their plans. I felt really bad for Candy when Carlson shot his dog. They pretty much forced him into it, and that dog was his best friend. It was really sad how, in the novel, puppies were being drowned, and the sheepdog was killed. I don't like when dogs die, it's sad. Candy's old dog was just like him in a way since they were both crippled, so it's like by killing his dog because he was useless was like saying Candy should just be shot because he's crippled and useless too. It was very sad. I hope that Lennie, George, and Candy move on with their plans because Candy needs friends right now, and I see his character being very important to the rest of the novel and developing greatly. I also see something happening between Lennie and Curley's wife. I think his wife is going to try something with Lennie, and it's going to get Lennie into trouble, and mess up the plans for the house because Lennie is going to get trapped by that woman, and he won't know what to do, or even that something wrong is happening. Curley has anger problems too, so it won't be good if something happens. He already beat Lennie up once and caused Lennie to do something he didn't want to do by hurting Curley. I felt bad for Lennie when that happened. I hope everything turns out fine in the end.
Lennie is probably my favorite character in the novel so far but unfortunately I think that he is going to get into just as much if not more trouble than he did in the last town due to his mental disability. I think that the death of the dog is foreshadowing Lennie's fate. He is similar to Candy's dog in that while he is loyal and is a good companion, he is often a burden to those around him. I also think that Curley's wife is nothing but trouble and will get Lennie into trouble. However, I think there is a more complicated side to her and she will play a more important role than that of a flirtatious tart.
So far i find of Mice and Men very sad. I feel so bad for Lennie because of how slow he is. I also dont like the cruelty to animals exhibited so far. I was so sad when slim said that he drowned some of the pups. I was also very sad when Carlson shot Candy's dog. I think that there was foreshadowing when they say that Curly's wife is going to cause trouble because she always has her eye on someone.
I think that George is a bad person. Sure it's nice that he takes care of Lennie, but he is mean to him. Like when he took away Lennie's mouse and threw it. What harm could it do? If george was really his friend, he should take him to an asylum where he wouldnt be able to hurt people. I think that Lennie will get into trouble. Lennie is dangerous. He is very big and could easily kill someone. I'm not saying that just because he is a big guy he is dangerous, but he isn't right in the head. That is a bad combination. I don't really see any symbolism in this book. I think Steinbeck wrote it to be a story and that's it.
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