Chapter 2

A Summary:

    In chapter 2, George and Lennie go off to their new job. This job seem  to be related to farming, as the pair is given the duty of "bucking barley". When they first arrive, they are already in trouble since they were expected in the early morning and arrived at 10. At first, the place doesn't seem so bad, since they were greeted fairly nicely and given a place to stay. But, their luck doesn't last very long, as the boss quickly learns to keep his eye on Lennie. As the chapter goes on, George talks to various people who tell them about the place. They eventually meet Curly, the boss' son, who seems to have something against big guys like Lennie, which presents the first real conflict. 

A Prediction:

    I believe that the conflict between Lennie and Curly will be revived at some other point during the story, and will bring bad results concerning George and Lennie (like causing them to lose their job). I also believe that this will happen quickly, since Curly seemed very urgent and pugnacious. 

A Question:

Most of the things presented in the story so far I understand. But one thing is left that i don't quite understand:

• Why does George choose to stay in such a hostile environment?

He knows that Curly has a "thing" against big guys, and he knows that Lennie, the big guy, is not smart enough to deal with a situation like that. Its like setting up for disaster. Also, he mentions that there are other places they can go to make money if this job if it doesn't work out. So my question is, why does he choose to stay, instead of going to another place?

Naturalism as a Mirror of the 1930s

   

   

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 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.

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     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? 

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    To start, the example of Lennie going straight for the lake for a drink when they camp out would suggest that he was very thirsty, also meaning they didn't have much water or supplies. This would, by itself, represent how hard the time period was for people in the same realm of work as George and Lennie. They couldn't afford good water and their dinner that night was a can of baked beans. How many people today can you think of that rely on a local lake for water? And only have one can of beans for dinner, or possibly no dinner at all?

    Another example of naturalism is displayed when Lennie shows his affection for mice.  Not only is this showing extreme love for another species, but also possibly showing that Lennie has nothing else to treasure or love. They are both travelers, and it doesn't seem that they have many possessions to care for or look after, so Lennie focuses his love on the mice. I believe that both of these examples of naturalism clearly display signs of the times.

Chapter 1

A Connection:

The way the characters are described so far in chapter 1 remind me a lot of this late 90's TV cartoon. While they are not really trying to take over the world, the fact that the story describes one man being very large but dumb, and the other being very small but seemingly smart and bitter, it really relates to that TV show.

A Summary:

The first chapter of Of Mice and Men really introduces the novella (Like any first chapter of any book should do) by describing the characters and their main focus. It explains the setting and  why they are staying at a well known camp spot rather than being at their house or a hotel. These two men have been wondering around the city in search of work, and seem to have gotten into some trouble in the process. The one man, Lennie, is very slow and dumb, and also seems to have this connection to mice. He insists on picking up mice and stroking them just for fun (which usually ends up killing the creatures). The other man, George, is a lot smarter than Lennie but seems to have a more "sour" attitude. Both of these men are in a way forced to stay together, as Lennie can not survive without George, meaning George must take care of Lennie. 

A Prediction:

I believe that these two men will end up getting into trouble again, as it seems inevitable. The fact that Lennie keeps forgetting things George tells him leads me to believe that Lennie will one day forget to do something vital to their survival, and they will once again be on the run again or even get caught for the end of the story.

 

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. (1.2-4)

Sound familiar? Kind of like the pictures, right? In writing, compare and contrast this opening section from Of Mice and Men to the pictures you analyzed in class. What does the text and the photographs show us about the 1930s?  Be specific!

        This quote reminds me of the picture where it is just a lonely man walking on a highway.  This man seems to be wearing the same type of clothes as the characters in the story, with the denim trousers and a denim coat. Also, he is walking 
down some sort of path, once again just like they were in the quote. One more relation between this picture and this specific quote would be how his features are in a way related to the first man described. The man in the picture does look on the small side and has slender arms. You can not see the other features described since he has his back facing the camera, but these are enough to show the relation. 

        As for how life must have been like in the 1930's, you could assume right away that it was much harder than today's lifestyle. Today, for example, you would not be wondering a highway with your belongings on your back to travel, you would most likely be using a car, a bus, a plane, or some other means of transportation. 
Back then, this type of transportation wasn't as popular, and cars were very expensive. This relates to the text too, as the characters are walking somewhere rather than taking some sort of modern transportation like you would today. Also, communication wasn't as easy back then. What happens if the guy walking on the highway slips and injures himself? He would have to wait for someone to find him, instead of whipping out your cell phone and calling for help. These factors( plus the fact they were in the Great Depression Era) made life back then much more difficult then it would be today. Sure, today there are still poor people who can't afford a car or go to be hungry each night, but today's lifestyle provides more ways of healthy and safe living than in the 1930s.