John SteinbeckJohn Steinbeck One of The Great American One of The Great American Writers of the 20Writers of the 20thth Century Century

1962—won the Nobel Prize in Literature1962—won the Nobel Prize in Literature

The setting in The setting in OfOf Mice and Mice and MenMen

The novel is set in the The novel is set in the farmland of the Salinas farmland of the Salinas valley, where John valley, where John Steinbeck was born.Steinbeck was born.

The ranch in the novel The ranch in the novel is near Soledad, which is near Soledad, which is south-east of Salinas is south-east of Salinas on the Salinas river.on the Salinas river.

The countryside The countryside described at the described at the beginning of the novel, beginning of the novel, and the ranch itself is and the ranch itself is based on Steinbeck’s based on Steinbeck’s own experiences. own experiences.

The Fields of Salinas, The Fields of Salinas, CaliforniaCalifornia

The Beauty of SalinasThe Beauty of Salinas Rich, fertile soilRich, fertile soil

California in the 1930sCalifornia in the 1930s

Thousands of people traveled to California to escape Thousands of people traveled to California to escape from their farmlands in the Midwest that were failing from their farmlands in the Midwest that were failing due to drought and the dust bowl.due to drought and the dust bowl.

Why Migrant Workers?Why Migrant Workers? Before technology Before technology

created farm created farm machinery, humans machinery, humans had to do a lot of the had to do a lot of the farm work by hand.farm work by hand.

Between the 1880s and Between the 1880s and the 1930s, thousands the 1930s, thousands of men would travel of men would travel the countryside in the countryside in search of work.search of work.

Such work included the Such work included the harvesting of wheat harvesting of wheat and barley.and barley.

Migrant WorkersMigrant Workers Mostly single menMostly single men Earned $2.50-$3.00 a day, Earned $2.50-$3.00 a day,

Plus food & shelterPlus food & shelter Traveled from farm to farmTraveled from farm to farm Living quarters squalidLiving quarters squalid Opportunities for advancement non-Opportunities for advancement non-

existentexistent 25% feeble-minded25% feeble-minded

The BookOf Mice and Men was originally called Something That Happened.Deals with:

– poverty and homelessness,

– the exploitation of migrant workers,

– the failure of the American Dream,

– America’s general moral decline..

The two main characters The two main characters are George Milton and are George Milton and Lennie Small.Lennie Small.

They are migrant They are migrant workers who travel to a workers who travel to a ranch for work.ranch for work.

Lennie is mentally Lennie is mentally disabled and George is disabled and George is his friend that watches his friend that watches over him.over him.

George and Lennie George and Lennie dream of having a “little dream of having a “little house and a couple of house and a couple of acres”. acres”.

RealismRealism Writing that uses real language and Writing that uses real language and

vivid descriptions of people and vivid descriptions of people and nature.nature.

Dialect is realistic with bad grammar, Dialect is realistic with bad grammar, slang and profanity.slang and profanity.

Profanity “To the men I write about Profanity “To the men I write about profanity is adornment & ornament profanity is adornment & ornament and is never vulgar and I try to write and is never vulgar and I try to write it so.”it so.”

RacismRacism

ThemesThemes Theme of friendship and Theme of friendship and

commitment to one another.commitment to one another. Theme of dreams.Theme of dreams. Theme of loneliness.Theme of loneliness.

Basic theme of all of Steinbeck’s Basic theme of all of Steinbeck’s writings: “try to understand each writings: “try to understand each

other”other”

Of Mice and MenOf Mice and Men – Title’s – Title’s OriginOrigin The title of the novel comes from

a poem by the Scottish poet Robert Burns (1759-96)

The best laid schemes o’ mice and menGang aft agley [often go wrong]And leave us nought but grief and painFor promised joy!

The best laid schemes of mice and men often go wrong- referring to a little mouse who had so carefully built her burrow in a field to protect herself and her little mice babies – and the burrow is turned over and destroyed by the man plowing.

Reading AssignmentReading Assignment Read the novel.Read the novel. As you read, take sticky notes about the As you read, take sticky notes about the

following:following: The main characters and descriptions Examples of descriptive writing by John Steinbeck

(Realism) Any literary elements: foreshadowing, irony, figurative

language, mood, tone, symbolism etc. The themes of the novel

Minimum 20 sticky notes (may have more)Minimum 20 sticky notes (may have more) Option: Complete study guide instead. Option: Complete study guide instead.

Writing AssignmentWriting Assignment Immediately after you finish the Immediately after you finish the

novel, write a novel, write a paragraph reaction paragraph reaction to the ending. What are your to the ending. What are your thoughts and opinions about how the thoughts and opinions about how the novel ended? Do you agree or novel ended? Do you agree or disagree with George’s decision? disagree with George’s decision? Why or why not? What do you think Why or why not? What do you think will happen next? will happen next?

When We ReturnWhen We Return I will check sticky notes and collect I will check sticky notes and collect

the paragraph.the paragraph. Be prepared for a TEST on the plot Be prepared for a TEST on the plot

and characters.and characters. SeminarSeminar EssayEssay