““The best laid plans of mice The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry”and men often go awry”

Robert BurnsRobert Burns

Of Mice and MenOf Mice and Menby John Steinbeck by John Steinbeck

John SteinbeckJohn Steinbeck

Born in Salinas, Ca. in Born in Salinas, Ca. in 19021902

First successful novel First successful novel was was Tortilla FlatTortilla Flat published in1935published in1935

The Grapes of Wrath The Grapes of Wrath won The Pulitzer Prize won The Pulitzer Prize in 1939in 1939

Steinbeck won the Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize for Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962Literature in 1962

Steinbeck’s WritingSteinbeck’s Writing

His stories are almost His stories are almost always set in the Salinas always set in the Salinas ValleyValley

He likes to write about He likes to write about the working man, the the working man, the under dogunder dog

His biggest talent is in His biggest talent is in creating vivid, believable creating vivid, believable characterscharacters

Many of his most Many of his most memorable characters memorable characters are bulliesare bullies

Steinbeck’s WritingSteinbeck’s Writing He often examines He often examines

the cruel nature of the cruel nature of the worldthe world

He appears to be a He appears to be a fan of Darwin, but fan of Darwin, but his true heroes his true heroes always display always display compassioncompassion

He is often He is often examining the examining the accessibility of the accessibility of the American DreamAmerican Dream

What does it mean to be a What does it mean to be a friend?friend?

What is the American What is the American Dream?Dream?

SettingSetting

The novel is set in The novel is set in the Salinas Valley, the Salinas Valley, Ca.Ca.

It is set during the It is set during the Great DepressionGreat Depression

The two main The two main characters find work characters find work on a farm helping on a farm helping with the harvestwith the harvest

CharactersCharacters

GeorgeGeorge: A “bindle : A “bindle bum” who looks out bum” who looks out for Lenniefor Lennie

LennieLennie: A very large, : A very large, strong, mentally strong, mentally challenged man who challenged man who travels with Georgetravels with George

The boss: The boss: Owns the Owns the farm Lennie and farm Lennie and George will be working George will be working on.on.

CharactersCharacters

CurlyCurly: The bosses : The bosses son, and he is married son, and he is married to a very pretty to a very pretty woman. He is short, woman. He is short, and he is a bullyand he is a bully

Curly’s WifeCurly’s Wife: She is : She is bored and lonely. She bored and lonely. She is always trying to get is always trying to get attentionattention

CandyCandy: He is an old, : He is an old, injured handyman. He injured handyman. He has a very old, very has a very old, very smelly dog.smelly dog.

CharactersCharacters

SlimSlim: A highly skilled : A highly skilled worker on the farm, he worker on the farm, he is the only character is the only character who seems to be at who seems to be at peace with himself.peace with himself.

CarlsonCarlson: One of the : One of the other workers at the other workers at the farm.farm.

Aunt ClaraAunt Clara: Lennie’s : Lennie’s Aunt who cared for Aunt who cared for him but has passed him but has passed awayaway

CharactersCharacters

CrooksCrooks: He runs the : He runs the stable. He was hurt stable. He was hurt in an accident with a in an accident with a horse and his back horse and his back crooked—that’s crooked—that’s where his name where his name comes from.comes from.

None of the other men None of the other men will mix with him will mix with him because he is black.because he is black.

Chapter IChapter I

Lennie and George Lennie and George are on their way to are on their way to a new job.a new job.

They barely got They barely got away alive from away alive from their last job their last job because Lennie because Lennie was “petting” a was “petting” a woman’s coat.woman’s coat.

Chapter IChapter I

George is obviously George is obviously the leader of the two.the leader of the two.

Lennie is not capable Lennie is not capable of taking care of of taking care of himself, so George has himself, so George has to look out for himto look out for him

Lennie is very big and Lennie is very big and very strongvery strong

Lennie loves soft Lennie loves soft things, but he is too things, but he is too rough with them.rough with them.

Chapter IChapter I

George wants to George wants to spend one more day spend one more day “free” before they go “free” before they go to work. So they to work. So they camp by the river.camp by the river.

Lennie and George Lennie and George have a dream:have a dream: Own their own landOwn their own land Have their own houseHave their own house Raise rabbitsRaise rabbits Be freeBe free

Chapter IChapter I

George tells Lennie George tells Lennie that he has to that he has to make sure to stay make sure to stay out of trouble, but out of trouble, but if Lennie can’t, he if Lennie can’t, he needs to run away needs to run away and meet George and meet George by the river.by the river.

Significant symbols to watchSignificant symbols to watch

Soft thingsSoft things Nature vs. Nature vs.

civilizationcivilization Lennie and Lennie and

George’s dreamGeorge’s dream

Chapter IIChapter II

George and Lennie George and Lennie arrive late at the arrive late at the farm and the boss is farm and the boss is madmad

The boss is The boss is suspicious of Lennie suspicious of Lennie and George’s and George’s relationshiprelationship

They meet Candy in They meet Candy in the bunkhouse the bunkhouse

Chapter IIChapter II

Candy explains how Candy explains how things work at the things work at the ranchranch

Curly comes in and Curly comes in and immediately starts to immediately starts to try to pick a fight with try to pick a fight with Lennie—Curly has a Lennie—Curly has a Napoleon Complex—Napoleon Complex—Picks fight to prove he Picks fight to prove he is strong and brave is strong and brave because he is shortbecause he is short

Chapter IIChapter II

Curly’s Wife—what is Curly’s Wife—what is her name?—comes in her name?—comes in and flirts with the and flirts with the men.men.

Carlson wants to Carlson wants to shoot Candy’s old dog shoot Candy’s old dog and have Slim give and have Slim give Candy a new oneCandy a new one

Lennie wants a brown Lennie wants a brown and white puppyand white puppy

Symbols to WatchSymbols to Watch

Candy’s DogCandy’s Dog Curly’s wifeCurly’s wife The puppiesThe puppies The bunkhouseThe bunkhouse

Chapter IIIChapter III

George explains Lennie George explains Lennie to Slimto Slim

Carlson shoots Candy’s Carlson shoots Candy’s dogdog

George and Lennie let George and Lennie let Candy in on their dreamCandy in on their dream

Curly picks a fight w/ Curly picks a fight w/ Lennie and Lennie Lennie and Lennie crushes Curly’s handcrushes Curly’s hand

Curly won’t fire Lennie Curly won’t fire Lennie as long as no one tells as long as no one tells how the hand got how the hand got brokenbroken

Important SymbolsImportant Symbols

The puppiesThe puppies The death of The death of

Candy’s dogCandy’s dog Candy joining the Candy joining the

dreamdream

Chapter IVChapter IV

Lennie meets Lennie meets CrooksCrooks

At first, Crooks is At first, Crooks is cruel to Lenniecruel to Lennie

Then, he joins the Then, he joins the dreamdream

Curly’s wife comes Curly’s wife comes in and destroys the in and destroys the momentmoment

What does loneliness do to a What does loneliness do to a person?person?

CrooksCrooks Curly’s WifeCurly’s Wife CandyCandy

Chapter VChapter V

George goes into George goes into town and leaves town and leaves Lennie aloneLennie alone

Lennie pets the Lennie pets the puppy to deathpuppy to death

Curly’s wife tells Curly’s wife tells Lennie he can pet Lennie he can pet her hairher hair

He accidently kills He accidently kills herher

Chapter VIChapter VI

The men get The men get together and go together and go after Lennieafter Lennie

Lennie runs to the Lennie runs to the meeting place meeting place George told him George told him aboutabout

George shoots George shoots LennieLennie

ThemesThemes

In his novel In his novel of Mice of Mice and Men,and Men, John John Steinbeck Steinbeck maintains that maintains that friendship can friendship can make a even the make a even the hardest life easier hardest life easier to live.to live.

ThemesThemes

The American The American Dream is equally Dream is equally available to all as available to all as John Steinbeck John Steinbeck demonstrates in demonstrates in his novel his novel Of Mice Of Mice and Men.and Men.

ThemesThemes

As John Steinbeck As John Steinbeck illustrates in his illustrates in his novel novel Of Mice and Of Mice and MenMen, only the , only the strong survive in strong survive in this cruel worldthis cruel world