Introduction to…

1. Introduction to… Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

2. About the Author: Biography John Steinbeck • Born Feb.27 1902 in Salinas, CA • Grew up working summers on nearby ranches with migrants, becoming aware of their harsh lives. • Attended Stanford University, but dropped out

3. John Steinbeck’s Work • Of Mice and Men was published in 1937 after a series of other failures • Masterpiece – The Grapes of Wrath about a family during the Great Depression. This epic novel won him a Pulitzer in 1940.

4. STEINBECK’S WRITING • Steinbeck’s stories are based on fact. He wrote what he knew. • His stories are often set in California and focus on detailed descriptions of nature. • Steinbeck is known for humanizing the working class outcast or “loser” archetype.

5. “The Marginalized” in OMAM Marginalization – to force a group of people to the “margins” of society Characters in this book are judged by their… Race Age Gender Intelligence Social Class

6. Inspiration for the Title The title of the novella is adapted from a line in the poem “To a Mouse,” by Robert Burns “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry”(astray, imperfectly, wrongly) Translation: No matter how carefully an idea is planned, something often goes wrong with it.

7. SETTING: • Salinas Valley, California (Steinbeck’s “backyard”) • During the time of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl

9. Migrant Workers in the 20’s/30’s • Thousands of people migrated to California during this time period for the promise of a better climate, gold and “The American Dream” • Many were disappointed when no jobs were available so migrant farming became popular – men abandoned their families, moving from one farm to another, finding short term work based on the harvest seasons.

11. The American Dream • Set of ideals that are routed in the founding of the United States: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” - Declaration of Independence • It is the belief that all people can achieve success and become upwardly mobile through hard work.

12. Characterization: The process by which writers reveal their characters’ traits (qualities) Two Types: • Direct characterization: The writer directly tells the reader what the character is like. ex. “Jennifer was a bright and honest young lady.”

13. Indirect Characterization: The writer reveals character's traits indirectly with any combination of: • Describing the character’s appearance • Dialogue (what they say!) • Character’s actions • The effects of the character’s actions on others • The character’s private thoughts

14. CHARACTERS: • LENNIE is physically large and extremely strong. • As large as he is, he is mentally challenged, having the mentality and temperament of a small child. • He is fiercely loyal to and dependent upon George

15. CHARACTERS: • George was a good friend to Lennie • He was small of stature but wiry and well built • He was frustrated with the task of having to take care of Lennie but had compassion and loyalty as well

16. Writing Structure • Steinbeck writes his book like a play. Think of the end of a chapter as the lights dimming on the stage and the beginning of each chapter as the lights coming up. • Steinbeck establishes a new setting for each chapter change and he gives the audience a description of this location in the first few paragraphs. • This is also why the chapters are not numbered. They simply indicate scene changes, but it’s all really one long passage.

17. Concepts to Look For • Symbols • Rabbits • Candy’s Dog • Curley and Curley’s Wife • Lennie • Sensitive Issues • Racism • Foul Language

18. THEMES TO LOOK FOR • The importance of friendship • The struggles of loneliness • The worth and purpose of an individual life • Disillusionment (to free from illusion) of the American Dream • Social injustice / prejudice