© Boardworks Ltd 2006 1 of 19 © Boardworks Ltd 20061 of 19 Of Mice and Men Introduction These icons indicate that teacher’s notes or useful web addresses

© Boardworks Ltd 20061 of 19 © Boardworks Ltd 20061 of 19

Of Mice and Men

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© Boardworks Ltd 20062 of 19

In this unit we will be looking at the novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.

The book is divided into six sections, and for each section you will be completing a variety of activities to develop your understanding of the text.

Before we start looking at the novel itself, it will be useful to explore some of the background of John Steinbeck, his work and its historical and social context.

Introduction


John Steinbeck (1902–1968)

Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California, and many of his novels are set in this part of the USA. He was born into a middle-class family but left university without taking a degree.

Before finding success as a writer he worked in a variety of labouring jobs. This experience was reflected in his work, with many of his novels dealing with the plight of the poor and dispossessed.

Biography


Biography


Did you know?

John Steinbeck married three times and had two sons by his second wife.

He spent several months travelling around the USA with his pet poodle. You can read about his experiences in Travels with Charley in Search of America (1962).

Several of his books have been made into films. Of Mice and Men has been filmed twice, once in 1939 and again in 1992.


The main characters in Of Mice and Men are itinerant ranch hands – they travel from town to town, from state to state, and work for a few dollars a day. They have no home and few personal possessions, but they would probably have been considered lucky to have a job at all.

During the 1930s a large number of migrant workers came to California. To compound the problems of the Depression, the crops had failed in many parts of America – notably in Oklahoma, where vast tracts of land turned into a dust bowl. These migrants were known as the ‘Okies’. They were badly treated: many died on the journey, or starved to death after arriving in California. Steinbeck wrote about their plight in his great novel The Grapes of Wrath (1939).

Much of Steinbeck’s work deals with the way society mistreats its poorest and most vulnerable people.

The social context: rural poverty


The 29 October 1929 was known as ‘Black Tuesday’ in America. The huge crash of the stock market brought and end to the prosperity that had characterized the United States throughout the 1920s, and signalled the start of the Great Depression.

Unemployment rose from around 3% in 1929 to over 26% by 1934. Many of the poorest members of US society suffered badly, and at one point it was estimated that 34 million men, women and children had no income at all. Many people were evicted from their homes and ended up living in shanty towns. This crisis in the US economy forms the background to many of Steinbeck’s novels.

The social context: the Great Depression


These icons indicate that teacher’s notes or useful web addresses are available in the Notes Page.

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This icon indicates that the slide contains activities created in Flash. These activities are not editable.

For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation.


Section One

Of Mice and Men


Complete the plot summary by filling in the blanks.

Plot summary (Section One)


Vocabulary


The protagonists: George and Lennie

Can you think of any other words which describe them?


George and Lennie’s relationship

Relationship Evidence

Mutually protective “I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you…”

Use this table to make notes on the protagonists’ relationship. Enter a feature of their relationship on the left, and textual evidence to support your ideas on the right, as shown.


George and Lennie’s relationship

Why does George get angry with Lennie? Do you blame him?

How do you think Lennie feels about George?

When and in what ways does Lennie demonstrate intelligence?

Why do you think George stays with Lennie?


Nature

The first section of the novel is set on a river bank.

What kind of atmosphere does Steinbeck create? What techniques does he use? (Hint: you could consider such aspects of his writing as word choice, sentence structure and imagery.)

Find all the words and phrases that describe Lennie in terms usually associated with animals.

Why do you think Steinbeck describes Lennie in this way?


Literary terms


The American Dream

For hundreds of years the USA has been associated with the promise of a new and better life.

Early settlers went there to escape religious persecution.

Others went in search of land and independence. Until the 18th century, land was virtually the only way to gain wealth or power.

Because America was a new land with no aristocracy, it gained the reputation as a country where anyone, no matter what their background, could succeed. All you needed was talent and hard work.

This ideal became known as ‘The American Dream’.


Theme: dreams

How does George and Lennie’s dream of having their own farm relate to the American Dream?

They would own their land and home

They would answer only to themselves

They believe they can do it despite being poor

They would reap the benefits of their labour


What is foreshadowing?

A subtle hint about something that will happen later in the book.

Often a signal that warns of danger for one of the characters.

A way of creating anticipation and tension for the reader.

A way of making the reader want to find out what happens next.

Look at the end of Section One. Can you find an example of foreshadowing here? What do you think might happen later on in the book that is being hinted at here?

Predictions


Complete the following tasks to develop your understanding of the background to Of Mice and Men.

1. Find out more about life in the USA during the Great Depression.

2. Complete some background reading. Try looking at Steinbeck’s other short novels, for instance Tortilla Flat or The Red Pony.

3. Do some independent research on John Steinbeck’s life and work.

Extension work

Documents

© Boardworks Ltd 2006 1 of 19 © Boardworks Ltd 20061 of 19 Of Mice and Men Introduction These icons indicate that teacher’s notes or useful web addresses