Of mice and men - activities and analysis

Of Mice and Men
by John Steinbeck

Of Mice and Men
by John Steinbeck
Pupils will be able to explain the context in
which the text is written.
Grade D
Pupils will be able to explain how the
context affects the meaning in the text.
Grade C
Pupils will explain how different meaning
in the text relate to the context.
Grade B
Learning Objective: – relating the text to social, cultural and historical traditions.
WHAT DO YOU
KNOW ABOUT
THE SOCIAL
CONTEXT OF
THE STORY?

Of Mice and
Men
by John Steinbeck
SOCIAL
CONTEXT
RESEARCH
Grade D
Grade C
Grade B

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
o Set in the Salinas Valley, California, where Steinbeck was
born and raised.
o The Salinas River is mentioned in the first line of the
novel.
o The whole novel is centred on the landscape of Salinas.
o In order to finance going to university Steinbeck took
many jobs. One of these was as a ranch hand. It was
this experience that he drew on to write this novel.
Grade D
Grade C
Grade B

Grade D
Grade C
Grade B
1929 – The Great Depression
1. What were some of the causes of the Great Depression?
2. How did the Great Depression change some people’s
lives?
3. What did some people do to escape the consequences
of the great depression?
Once you have answered the questions above, find some images to
support the points you make. Include two to four images.

Grade D
Grade C
Grade B
Migrant Workers in California in the 1930s
1. In the 1930s, the ‘dust bowls’ of Oklahoma and Arkansas pushed a lot
of farm and ranch workers into California. What were the ‘dust bowls’?
2. How long did the ‘dust bowls’ last, and why were they so disastrous
for the farmers and farm workers in Oklahoma and Arkansas?
3. What were the living and working conditions like for the farm workers
and their families when they got to California?

Grade D
Grade C
Grade B
Discrimination in 1930s America
1. What kind of treatment did non-white people receive as
labourers and farm workers in the southern states of America in
the 1930s?
2. What were the restrictions on non-white people in the southern
states of America in the 1930s? What weren’t they allowed to
do?
3. How were people with mental handicaps and mental health
problems treated in America in the 1930s?

Grade D
Grade C
Grade B
The Role of Women in 1930s America
1. What was the role of women thought to be in 1930s
America? What were their main responsibilities?
2. What kinds of jobs and professions were women excluded
from in 1930s America?
3. How would these restrictions make women feel who were
ambitious and wanted careers?

Grade D
Grade C
Grade B
Now present your
findings to the class in
order to provide an
impression of what life
was like for farm
workers, women and
minorities in 1930s
California.

which the text is written. Grade D
Pupils will be able to explain how the context
affects the meaning in the text. Grade C
Pupils will explain how different meaning in the
text relate to the context. Grade B
1. What was the ‘Wall Street Crash’ and how does it link with the Great
Depression?
3. Who were the migrant workers who moved into California in the 1930s
and what problems did they face?
2. How did the Great Depression affect ordinary people?
4. What is the ‘American Dream’ and were people able to achieve it in
the 1930s?
THE SOCIAL CONTEXT TO OF MICE AND MEN

which the text is written. Grade D
Pupils will be able to explain how the context
affects the meaning in the text. Grade C
Pupils will explain how different meaning in the
text relate to the context. Grade B
5. In the 1930s, Woody Guthrie said ironically that ‘California is the
garden of Eden.’ What negative things was he suggesting?
7. ‘The men were toiling in search of their dreams.’ What were the
dreams that the men wanted to achieve?
6. ‘Even the dispossessed had their pecking order on the farms.’ What
does this tell us about the status of the migrant workers?
8. What was John Steinbeck’s reason for writing the book Of Mice and
Men?
THE SOCIAL CONTEXT TO OF MICE AND MEN

Grade D
Grade C
Grade B
What events would
have influenced
Steinbeck in the
early 1930s to
make him want to
write about life as
it was then?

Grade D
Grade C
Grade B
What do you think
made Steinbeck
angry about life in
1930s California?

Grade D
Grade C
Grade B
Why do you think
that Steinbeck
chose to set the
book in his home
town of Salinas in
California?

Grade D
Grade C
Grade B
What were the
main inequalities
at that time, and
how have things
changed since
then?

A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in
close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green. The
water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the
yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow
pool. On one side of the river the golden foothill slopes
curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains, but
on the valley side the water is lined with trees - willows
fresh and green with every spring, carrying in their lower
leaf junctures the debris of the winter's flooding; and
sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and
branches that arch over the pool. On the sandy bank
under the trees the leaves lie deep and so crisp that a
lizard makes a great skittering if he runs among them.
Rabbits come out of the brush to sit on the sand in the
evening, and the damp flats are covered with the night
tracks of 'coons, and with the spread pads of dogs from
the ranches, and with the split-wedge tracks of deer that
come to drink in the dark.
There is a path through the willows and among the
sycamores, a path beaten hard by boys coming down
from the ranches to swim in the deep pool, and beaten
hard by tramps who come wearily down from the
highway in the evening to jungle-up near water. In front
of the low horizontal limb of a giant sycamore there is an
ash pile made by many fires; the limb is worn smooth by
men who have sat on it.
1. Steinbeck uses a lot of names of animals, plants, colours and shapes in this paragraph. What
impression do you think that this makes on the reader?
2. The description of the countryside in the Salinas valley at the beginning of the story is poetic
and makes California sound a little like the garden of Eden. Why do you think that Steinbeck
wanted to create this impression to start the novella?
3. In contrast to the first paragraph, the phrase ‘beaten hard’ is used in the second paragraph to
describe the effect of people on the beautiful landscape. What do you think that Steinbeck
might be trying to suggest by emphasizing this phrase?
4. When the paragraph ends by saying that the branch has been worn smooth by the men who
have passed through, what does it tell us about how many people pass through there?
Of Mice and Men – The opening of the novella (page 1)
Pupils will be able to identify basic features of the writer’s use of language.
GRADE E
Pupils will be able to identify various language features with some
explanation. GRADE D
Pupils will show a detailed understanding of how language is used with
terminology. GRADE C
Learning Objectives: Explain suggested meaning in the text Explain and comment on the writer’s use of language and literary techniques

GRADE E
Why did Steinbeck begin the novella with a
paragraph describing the beauty of the
Salinas valley, making it sound a little like
Eden?

Evening of a hot day started the little wind to moving among
the leaves. The shade climbed up the hills toward the top.
On the sand banks the rabbits sat as quietly as little gray,
sculptured stones. And then from the direction of the state
highway came the sound of footsteps on crisp sycamore
leaves. The rabbits hurried noiselessly for cover. A stilted
heron labored up into the air and pounded down river. 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 down
and drank from the surface of the green pool; drank with
long gulps, snorting into the water like a horse. The small
man stepped nervously beside him.
1. Because they walked in ‘single file’, one behind the other, what might it suggest about their
relationship?
2. What does their clothing suggest about their social status, and what do the ‘blanket rolls’
suggest about their lifestyle?
3. What does the description of the first man suggest about him and his character? Especially the
words: ‘small and quick’ ‘restless eyes’ ‘sharp, strong features’ ‘small, strong hands’ ‘slender
arms’.
4. What does the description of the second man suggest about him and his character? Especially
the words: ‘walked his opposite’ ‘huge man’ ‘shapeless face’ ‘pale eyes’ ‘wide, sloping
shoulders’ ‘he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws’ ‘his
arms…hung loosely’ ‘drank with long gulps, snorting into the water like a horse’ .
GRADE E

GRADE E
‘he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way
a bear drags his paws’
What does the animal imagery suggest about Lennie?

What does the animal imagery suggest about Lennie?
GRADE E
‘drank with long gulps, snorting into the water like a
horse’

GEORGE
What does the description of the first man suggest about him and his character?
Especially the words:
‘small and quick’
‘restless eyes’
‘sharp, strong features’
‘small, strong hands’
‘slender arms’.
GRADE E

LENNIE
What does the description of the second man suggest about him and his character?
Especially the words:
‘walked his opposite’
‘huge man’
‘shapeless face’
‘pale eyes’
‘wide, sloping shoulders’
‘he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws’
‘his arms…hung loosely’
‘drank with long gulps, snorting into the water like a horse’
GRADE E

George and Lennie’s relationship
• Find two examples of Lennie acting like a child.
• Why does Lennie like the mouse?
• Why is George worried about Lennie?
• Why do you think George stays with Lennie?
GRADE E

What is George, Lennie and Candy’s dream of having their
own farm about?
GRADE E

They would own
their land and
home
They would
answer only to
themselves
They would be free
to do the work they
wanted, when they
wanted
They would reap the
benefits of their labour
GRADE E
What is George, Lennie and Candy’s dream of having their
own farm about?

The American Dream
One of the major themes in the book is ‘The American Dream’, the
hope of creating a better life. Look at the story about their farm
that George and Lennie share. How does this story relate to ‘The
American Dream’? Add your ideas to the image below.
They could
work for
themselves
GRADE E

What is foreshadowing?
• A subtle hint about something that will happen later in
the book.
•
•
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?
GRADE E

1. In what ways does the description of the bunkhouse contrast with the description of the Salinas
valley at the beginning of the first section of the novella? For example, what colours and shapes
are used to describe the bunkhouse?
2. What do we learn about Candy from this first description, and what do the details suggest about
him?
Of Mice and Men – The opening of Section 2
GRADE E
TWO
The bunkhouse was a long, rectangular building. Inside, the
walls were whitewashed and the floor unpainted. In three walls
there were small, square windows, and in the fourth, a solid
door with a wooden latch. Against the walls were eight bunks,
five of them made up with blankets and the other three showing
their burlap ticking. Over each bunk there was nailed an apple
box with the opening forward so that it made two shelves for
the personal belongings of the occupant of the bunk. And these
shelves were loaded with little articles, soap and talcum
powder, razors and those Western magazines ranch men love to
read and scoff at and secretly believe. And there were medicines
on the shelves, and little vials, combs; and from nails on the box
sides, a few neckties. Near one wall there was a black cast-iron
stove, its stovepipe going straight up through the ceiling. In the
middle of the room stood a big square table littered with playing
cards, and around it were grouped boxes for the players to sit
on.
At about ten o'clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-
laden bar through one of the side windows, and in and out of
the beam flies shot like rushing stars. The wooden latch raised.
The door opened and a tall, stoop-shouldered old man came in.
He was dressed in blue jeans and he carried a big push-broom in
his left hand......He pointed with his right arm, and out of the
sleeve came a round stick-like wrist, but no hand…….”I ain’t got
the poop no more.” (Candy tells George and Lennie)

CONTRAST IN THE OPENINGS OF SECTIONS 1 AND 2
GRADE E
THE SALINAS VALLEY (SECTION1)
the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank
and runs deep and green
slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the
sunlight
golden foothill slopes curve up to the strong and
rocky Gabilan mountains,
willows fresh and green with every spring,
sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs
and branches that arch over the pool.
leaves lie deep and so crisp that a lizard makes a
great skittering if he runs among them.
THE BUNKHOUSE (SECTION 2)
a long, rectangular building
the walls were whitewashed and the floor
unpainted
small, square windows,
Over each bunk there was nailed an apple box
from nails on the box sides, a few neckties.
a black cast-iron stove
a big square table
around it were grouped boxes for the players to sit
on.
the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar
through one of the side windows

Characterisation in Section 2
GRADE E
CANDY
• ‘stoop-shouldered old man’
• ‘dressed in blue jeans’
• ‘carried a big push-broom in his left hand’
• ‘out of the sleeve came a round stick-like
wrist, but no hand’
• ”I ain’t got the poop no more.” (Candy tells
George and Lennie)

Characterisation of Candy in Section 2
GRADE E
CANDY

DISCUSS THE PRESENTATION OF CANDY AT THE START OF SECTION 2
GRADE E
Steinbeck uses a mixture of imagery and
symbolism to present Candy at the beginning
of Section 2. However, all of the details used
in the description suggest weakness. The
‘blue jeans’ and his ‘stooped shoulders’
suggest that he has always been a labourer,
and that he has been grinded down by his
work – that why his shoulder are ‘stooped’.
Steinbeck’s description of Candy’s hands is
also important, since he has lost his right
hand altogether, and he has to work using
his only his left hand. Candy’s lost hand is
symbolic, since the right hand traditionally
stands for male strength and virility. This
links with his comment that he doesn’t have
‘poop’ any more. The way that he mentions
this suggests that ‘poop’ also means virility
and energy.
Candy’s loss of his manhood is further
emphasised by his work as a ‘swamper’ since
this was a cleaning job, and cleaning work
would have been associated with work done
by women.
Overall, Candy is introduced as a weak
character, who is old and lacks virility and
power on the ranch. In some way he links
with Lennie who is also vulnerable because
of his disability. The reader begins to see that
there are a number of weak and powerless
characters in the story, which increases the
tension in the story, because we wonder
what is going to happen to them.

DISCUSS THE PRESENTATION OF GEORGE AS HE IS INITIALLY DESCRIBED IN SECTION 1
GRADE E
RELEVANT QUOTE
‘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.’

DISCUSS THE PRESENTATION OF LENNIE AS HE IS INITIALLY DESCRIBED IN SECTION 1
GRADE E
RELEVANT QUOTES
‘Behind him walked his opposite,’
‘a huge man, shapeless of face, with large,’
pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders;
‘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.’
‘drank with long gulps, snorting into the
water like a horse.’
OPENING POINTS
It is clear from the description that Lennie
seems to be very different to George.
Steinbeck emphasises Lennie’s strength.
The description suggests that Lennie is
clumsy and physically awkward.
In some ways, Lennie is made to seem less
than human.

GRADE E
Who are the main characters that we
have met so far, and how are they
described?

What’s in a name?
Curley’s wife
GRADE E

What’s in a name?
Curley’s wife
‘Both men glance up, for the rectangle of
sunshine in the doorway was cut off. A girl was
standing there looking in. She had full, rouged
lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up.
Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little
rolled clusters, like sausages. She wore a
cotton dress and red mules, on the insteps of
which were little bouquets of red ostrich
feathers.’ (p.32)
GRADE E

‘…the rectangle of sunshine in the
doorway was cut off [by Curley’s
wife].’
‘Rouged lips
…heavily
made up. Her
fingernails
were red…’ ‘Her hair hung in
little rolled
clusters, like
sausages.’
‘She’s a
tart.’
‘…she’s a
rattrap if
I ever
seen
one.’
What do the
various
examples of
imagery
suggest to the
reader about
Curley’s wife?
GRADE E

‘…the rectangle of
sunshine in the
doorway was cut off
[by Curley’s wife].’
‘Rouged lips …heavily
made up. Her
fingernails were red…’
‘Her hair hung in
little rolled
clusters, like
sausages.’
‘She’s a
tart.’
‘…she’s a
rattrap if I
ever seen
one.’
What do the
various examples
of imagery suggest
to the reader about
Curley’s wife?
GRADE E
CURLEY’S WIFE

‘…the rectangle of
sunshine in the
doorway was cut off
‘Rouged lips …heavily
made up. Her
fingernails were red…’ ‘Her hair hung in
little rolled
clusters, like
sausages.’
‘She’s a
tart.’
‘…she’s a
rattrap if I
ever seen
one.’
GRADE E
CURLEY’S WIFE
Link these adjectives with one or more of the
quotes, and explain why they are linked.
Foreshadowing – suggesting events that happen
later on in the story
Judgemental – comments that judge other
people, perhaps unfairly
Predatory – seeming like a predator (one animal
that hunts another)
Grotesque – something that seems disgusting or
off-putting
Threatening – something that suggests threat or
danger
Negative – seeming bad in some way
Pejorative – done or said to put another person
down

Section 2: Curley’s
wife in the bunk
house
‘Both men [Lennie
and George] glanced
up, for the rectangle
of sunshine in the
doorway was cut off
• The ‘rectangle of sunshine’ is a
symbol. What do you think it
might represent?
• Curley’s wife cutting off the
light from the doorway
foreshadow events later in the
story?
[Description of
Curley’s wife]
‘Rouged lips
…heavily made up.
Her fingernails were
red. Her hair hung in
little rolled clusters,
like sausages…[she
wore] red mules
[with] little bouquets
of red ostrich
feathers
…Her voice had a
brittle nasal quality.’
• There is a lot of red imagery
used in the description of
Curley’s wife. What do you
think this colour symbolises
about her (especially her lips
and nails)?
• There is an unusual simile of
sausages to describe Curley’s
wife’s hair. By comparing her
with a kind of meat, what is
this imagery suggesting about
Curley’s wife?
• ’red ostrich feathers’ are
unusual to see on a farm.
What does this choice of shoe
suggest about the way that
Curley’s wife fits in on the
ranch?
‘She put her hands
behind her back and
leaned against the
door frame so that
her body was thrown
forward.’
George to Lennie:
‘Jesus, what a
tramp…Don’t you
even take a look at
that bitch…I seen
‘em poison before,
but I ain’t never seen
no jail bait worse
than her… she’s a
rattrap if I ever seen
one.’
• Curley’s wife’s posture in the
doorway is provocative. What
is Steinbeck trying to suggest
by the way that she throws her
body forward with her hands
behind her back?
• When Curley’s wife leaves the
bunk house, Lennie comments:
“She’s purty.” However,
George calls her a “rattrap”.
What danger does George see
that Lennie misses?
• By using the word ‘bitch’,
George links Curley’s wife with
being like a dog. Which other
dogs does this link with, and
why?
GRADE E

Of Mice and Men
– Part 2: in the
bunk house
POINT EVIDENCE
‘Both men [Lennie
and George]
glanced up, for the
rectangle of
sunshine in the
doorway was cut
off [by Curley’s
wife].’
EXPLAIN/DISCUSS
• The ‘rectangle of sunshine’ is a symbol. What do
you think it might represent?
• Foreshadowing is a technique used in stories that
means: a detail in the story predicts what will
happen later. In what way does Curley’s wife
cutting off the light from the doorway foreshadow
events later in the story?
TECHNIQUES/LINKS
[Description of
Curley’s wife]
‘Rouged lips
…heavily made up.
wore] red mules
[with] little
bouquets of red
ostrich feathers
…Her voice had a
• There is a lot of red imagery used in the
description of Curley’s wife. What do you think this
colour symbolises about her?
• It is particularly significant that Curley’s wife’s lips
and nails are red. What is this suggesting about
her?
• There is the unusual simile of sausages to describe
Curley’s wife’s hair. What is the likely reaction of
the reader to this imagery? Because sausages are a
kind of meat, what is this imagery suggesting
about Curley’s wife?
• Curley’s wife’s shoes have
red ostrich feathers on
them. It is unusual to see
such footwear on a farm.
What does this choice of
shoe suggest about the
way that Curley’s wife is
fitting in on the ranch?
behind her back and
leaned against the
door frame so that
her body was
thrown forward.’
George to Lennie:
‘Jesus, what a
tramp…Don’t you
even take a look at
that bitch…I seen
but I ain’t never
seen no jail bait
worse than her…
she’s a rattrap if I
ever seen one.’
• Curley’s wife’s posture in the doorway is
provocative. What is Steinbeck trying to suggest
about Curley’s wife by the way that she throws her
body forward?
• What subtlety of character could be shown by
Curley’s Wife’s hands being behind her back?
• When Curley’s wife leaves the bunk house, Lennie
comments: “She’s purty.” However, George’s
reaction is very different. What risk or danger does
George see that Lennie misses?
• George’s comment about a ‘rattrap’ is another
example of foreshadowing. What details of the
later story does it link with?
• By using the word ‘bitch’,
George links Curley’s wife
with being like a dog.
Which other dog in the
story does she link with,
and why?

Of Mice and Men
– Part 2: in the
bunk house
POINT EVIDENCE
‘Both men [Lennie
and George]
glanced up, for the
rectangle of
sunshine in the
doorway was cut
off [by Curley’s
wife].’
EXPLAIN/DISCUSS TECHNIQUES/LINKS
[Description of
Curley’s wife]
‘Rouged lips
…heavily made up.
wore] red mules
[with] little
bouquets of red
ostrich feathers
…Her voice had a
behind her back and
leaned against the
door frame so that
her body was
thrown forward.’
George to Lennie:
‘Jesus, what a
tramp…Don’t you
even take a look at
that bitch…I seen
but I ain’t never
seen no jail bait
worse than her…
she’s a rattrap if I
ever seen one.’

• CHARACTERISATION
• THEMES
• SETTINGS
• DRAMATIC TECHNIQUES
• LANGUAGE TECHNIQUES
• SOCIAL CONTEXT
GRADE E
ANALYSIS OF OF MICE AND MEN

• What is the overall impression
that we get of Curley’s Wife, and
what is her impact on the other
characters?
• Why do you think that Steinbeck
created Curley’s Wife as she
appears in Section 2?
GRADE E
STEINBECK’S PURPOSE IN CREATING CURLEY’S WIFE

Dramatic Tension
Find some quotations that develop the level of tension and write them below. The first
one has been done for you.
'The silence came
into the room.'
When Candy’s dog is taken away to be shot, Steinbeck creates a high level of dramatic tension
in the room. The reader feels very tense, waiting to see what is going to happen.
GRADE E

• The silence came into the room
• And the silence lasted
• The silence fell on the room again
• He rippled the edge of the deck
nervously
• The silence fell on the room again
• It came out of the night
Dramatic Tension
GRADE E
• A minute passed, and another minute
• Candy lay still, staring at the ceiling
• Only Candy continued to stare at the
ceiling
• The silence was in the room again
• A shot sounded in the distance
• Every head turned to him [Candy]

GRADE E
Who do Slim’s four drowned puppies represent (the four ‘weak’ characters), and what is it about the
society at that time that seems to make them doomed?

• Candy’s dog is symbolic, since it stands for those
people in the story who are also treated like ‘pets’.
• Who are those people, and in what way are they like
pets?
GRADE E
CANDY’S
DOG

GRADE E
The death of Candy’s dog
• What seems to happen to those
things on the ranch that don’t fit
in?
• Which characters don’t fit in on
the ranch, and how might this
foreshadow their future?

GRADE E
SLIM – THE ARCHETYPAL COWBOY

GRADE E
[Candy on Slim] ‘Hell of a nice fella. Slim don’t need to wear no high-heeled boots on a grain team.’
(p. 29)
A tall man stood in the doorway. A tall man stood in the doorway. He held a crushed Stetson hat
under
his arm while he combed his long, black, damp hair straight back. Like the others he wore blue jeans
and a short denim jacket. When he had finished combing his hair he moved into the room, and he
moved with
a majesty achieved only by royalty and master craftsmen. He was a jerkline skinner, the prince of the
ranch, capable of driving ten, sixteen, even twenty mules with a single line to the leaders. He was
capable of killing a fly on the wheeler's butt with a bull whip without touching the mule. There was a
gravity in his manner and a quiet so profound that all talk stopped when he spoke. His authority was
so great that his word was taken on any subject, be it politics or love. This was Slim, the jerkline
skinner. His hatchet face was ageless. He might have been thirty-five or fifty. His ear heard more than
was said to him, and his slow speech had overtones not of thought, but of understanding beyond
thought. His hands, large and lean, were as delicate in their action as those of a temple dancer. He
smoothed out his crushed hat, creased it in the middle and put it on. (pp.34-35)
[Slim on Lennie] “He ain’t mean…I can tell a mean guy a mile off.” (p.43)
[Slim’s judgement on Candy’s dog] “Carl’s right, Candy. That dog ain’t no good to himself. I wisht
somebody’d shoot me if I got old an’ a cripple.” (p.46)
SLIM

GRADE E
ANALYSING THE WAY THAT SLIM IS PRESENTED IN SECTIONS TWO AND THREE
POINT QUOTE EXPLAIN HOW THE DETAILS IN THE QUOTE(S) PROVE THE POINT
Slim has natural
authority.
‘authority’ means that
other people listen to
what you have to say,
and do what you ask.
Slim has natural
talent and good
judgement.
Slim is charismatic
and enigmatic.
‘charismatic’ means
having a magnetic
character. ‘enigmatic’
means being mysterious
and complex.
Steinbeck makes Slim
sound regal and
noble.
‘regal’ means like
royalty.

GRADE E
QUIZ ON DETAILS IN SECTIONS TWO AND THREE
1. What is Lennie’s surname and why is it ironic? 6. Is Curley’s wife really a ‘tart’? Explain your answer.
2. What is George’s surname and why is it significant? 7. Carlson is the man who shoots Candy’s dog. He is quite brutal. What could he stand for in the story?
3. Curley is described as being ‘a thin young man’; ‘an angry little man’; wearing ‘high-heeled boots’;
and ‘like a terrier’. As the boss’s son, how does he contrast with Slim’s character?
8. Candy’s dog is symbolic, since it stands for those people in the story who are also treated like ‘pets’.
Which two pet-like people does the dog stand for, and in what way are they treated like pets?
4. Why does Curley wear a ‘glove fulla Vaseline’, and why is it disturbing that he tells all the men about
it?
9. Candy’s dog is also symbolic of Candy’s position on the ranch. In what ways does the dog symbolise
Candy?
5. What is the dramatic purpose of Curley’s wife in the story? 10. What social message is Steinbeck trying to communicate through the four weak characters in the
story?

What are George’s feelings
about her?
Why is she in the
bunkhouse?
How does she talk
to the men?
What does her provocative
body language show?
What does her appearance
suggest about how she
would like to live
Why is she incongruous
on a working ranch?
What does her appearance
reveal about her?
Curley’s wife
Chapter 2
Use the questions below to help you consider Curley’s wife’s impact.
GRADE E

ANSWERING
CHARACTER
QUESTION
Introduction-
Explain the
circumstances
in which the
character
appears
Relationship
with other
Characters
(What do they
say about
him/her?)
Body language
and appearance
Attitudes &
Behaviour
Link with
themes
Language
details used, and
what they
suggest about
the character
Brief summary
of the key
points and
link back to
question
Analysing
character
Quotes or specific
references to events
needed throughout
Context must be
mentioned
GRADE E

EXAMPLES OF DISCUSSING TENSION AND CONFLICT IN THE STORY
GRADE E
EXAMPLE 3
Lennie’s first meeting with Curley is important, since it shows
that there is an ever-present threat on the ranch for those
who don’t fit in. Curley embodies the discrimination that is a
threat to Lennie and Crooks. We had already discovered that
there had been a racist attack on Crooks at a Christmas party,
now we see that Lennie is immediately picked on because he
is different to the other men. This creates tension for the
reader, since we have already been made to feel sympathy for
Lennie and his condition. In this scene, the reader’s empathy
for Lennie is heightened when we see how distressed he is
about Curley being threatening towards him. Steinbeck uses
the word ‘squirmed’ to describe this, and also describes
Lennie as a ‘lamb’ – emphasising his innocence and
vulnerability. At the time the novel was set, there was not any
protection for men like Lennie, and they were vulnerable to
other people taking advantage of them. Steinbeck uses
George and the other vulnerable characters to highlight the
difficult and hopelessness situations that such people are
trapped in. This shows that the ranch runs on ‘the law of the
jungle’, where only the fittest and strongest can survive.
(Grade C+/B-)
EXAMPLE 1
There is tension when Curley first enters the bunkhouse in
Section 2, when he meets George and Lennie. We know this
because Steinbeck says that Curley ‘glanced coldly’ at George.
Straight away Curley acts violently, putting his elbows out and
making fists with his hands. It looks like he’s going to have a
fight. Curley says: “Well nex’ time you answer when you’re
spoke to”, because he wants to show that he is more
important.
(Grade E+)
EXAMPLE 2
Curley is used to make tension in Section 2 of the novella. For
example it says that he was ‘at once calculating and
pugnacious’ as he walked up to Lennie. His hands are also
‘closed into fists’. These both show that he is threatening.
Lennie’s reaction also shows that he is worries by Curley’s
behaviour; it says that he ‘shifted his feet nervously’. Curley is
used as a warning in this part of the book, suggesting what
could happen later on. This makes the reader feel sorry for
Lennie, and we dislike Curley straight away. Curley shows
meanness and nastiness in his attitude towards Lennie. This
makes tension, because the reader wonders what will happen
to Lennie later on.
(Grade D+/C-)

CHARACTERISATION OF LENNIE AND CURLEY IN THE FIGHT SCENE (SECTION 3)
GRADE E
Curley
(Carlson about Curley) “yella as a frog belly” (p.62)
‘Curley stepped over to Lennie like a terrier.’ (p.62)
(Slim about Curley) “The dirty little rat.” (p.63)
‘Curley flopped like a fish on a line.’ (p.63)
Lennie
‘Lennie covered his face with his huge paws and bleated with terror.’
(p.63)
(Slim to Curley) “I think you got your han’ caught in a machine.” (p.64)
(George to Lennie) “you don’t need to be scairt no more. You done jus’
what I tol’ you to.” (p.65)

GRADE E
Lennie
‘Lennie covered his face with his huge paws and bleated
with terror.’ (p.63)

GRADE E
Lennie
(Slim to Curley) “I think you got your han’ caught in a machine.” (p.64)

GRADE E
Lennie
(George to Lennie) “you don’t need to be scairt no more. You done
jus’ what I tol’ you to.” (p.65)

GRADE E
Curley
(Carlson about Curley) “yella as a frog belly” (p.62)

GRADE E
Curley
‘Curley stepped over to Lennie like a terrier.’ (p.62)

GRADE E
Curley
(Slim about Curley) “The dirty little rat.” (p.63)

GRADE E
Curley
‘Curley flopped like a fish on a line.’ (p.63)

POINTS LINKED WITH CURLEY’S FIGHT WITH LENNIE (SECTION 3)
GRADE E
STRUCTURE
The fight scene follows immediately after George, Lennie and Candy talk about working together to
achieve their dream. Why does Steinbeck choose to put these very different scenes next to one
another?
.
.
CURLEY’S WIFE STIRS UP STRONG FEELINGS
(Whit says) “I don’t know what the hell she wants.” (p.51)
(George says) “Ranch with a bunch of guys on it ain’t no place for a girl, specially like her.” (p.52)
(Carlson says to Curley) “Why’n’t you tell her to stay the hell home where she belongs.” (p.62)
WHAT DO THEIR JUDGEMENTAL COMMENTS SHOW ABOUT THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARDS CURLEY’S
WIFE?
What does the fight scene tell us about Curley?
What does the fight scene tell us about Lennie?
What does the fight scene tell us about George?
What does the fight scene tell us about Slim?

GRADE E
STRUCTURE
The fight scene follows immediately after George, Lennie and Candy talk about
working together to achieve their dream. Why does Steinbeck choose to put these
very different scenes next to one another?
.
.

GRADE E
CURLEY’S WIFE STIRS UP STRONG FEELINGS
(Whit says) “I don’t know what the hell she wants.” (p.51)
(George says) “Ranch with a bunch of guys on it ain’t no
place for a girl, specially like her.” (p.52)
(Carlson says to Curley) “Why’n’t you tell her to stay the
hell home where she belongs.” (p.62)
WHAT DO THEIR JUDGEMENTAL COMMENTS SHOW ABOUT THEIR
ATTITUDES TOWARDS CURLEY’S WIFE?

GRADE E
What does the fight scene tell us about Curley?

GRADE E
What does the fight scene tell us about Lennie?

GRADE E
What does the fight scene tell us about George?

GRADE E
What does the fight scene tell us about Slim?

HOW DO THE FOLLOWING WORDS LINK WITH THE FIGHT SCENE, AND WHY?
GRADE E
VULNERABLE
VICIOUS
VINDICTIVE
CATALYST –
something that
begins a reaction
AUTHORITATIVE
VICTIMISED
CONTROLLER
PERPETRATOR
INSTIGATOR
RETRIBUTION – a
big word for
payback
REVENGE
VULNERABLE
SPITEFUL
MISINTERPRETATION

• WHERE DOES CURLEY’S WIFE’S
PENT UP ANGER AND FURY COME
FROM? WHY IS SHE READY TO
BLOW?
• WHY DO YOU THINK THAT
STEINBECK WANTS TO MAKE
CURLEY’S WIFE SEEM
UNSYMPATHETIC?
(UNSYMPATHETIC = UNCARING AND
SHOWING NO FEELINGS FOR OTHERS)
Make some detailed and relevant comments on how language,
themes and characterisation are used. (Grade D)
Explore language, themes and characterisation in a consistent and
confident way. (Grade C)
Show a clear understanding of how language, themes and characterisation
achieve their effect and purpose. (Grade B)
Learning Objective: to explain how language, structure and form contribute to the writer’s presentation of ideas, themes and settings.
CURLEY’S WIFE IN SECTION 4

ANALYSIS OF THE PRESENTATION OF CROOKS AT THE START OF SECTION 4
Crooks, the Negro stable buck, had his bunk in the
harness room; a little shed that leaned off the wall of the
barn. On one side of the little room there was a square
four-paned window, and on the other, a narrow plank
door leading into the barn. Crooks' bunk was a long box
filled with straw, on which his blankets were flung. On the
wall by the window there were pegs on which hung
broken harness in process of being mended; strips of new
leather; and under the window itself a little bench for
leather-working tools, curved knives and needles and
balls of linen thread, and a small hand riveter. On pegs
were also pieces of harness, a split collar with the
horsehair stuffing sticking out, a broken hame, and a
trace chain with its leather covering split. Crooks had his
apple box over his bunk, and in it a range of medicine
bottles, both for himself and for the horses. There were
cans of saddle soap and a drippy can of tar with its paint
brush sticking over the edge. And scattered about the
floor were a number of personal possessions; for, being
alone, Crooks could leave his things about, and being a
stable buck and a cripple, he was more permanent than
the other men, and he had accumulated more
possessions than he could carry on his back.
Crooks possessed several pairs of shoes, a pair of rubber
boots, a big alarm clock and a single-barreled shotgun.
And he had books, too; a tattered dictionary and a
mauled copy of the California civil code for 19O5. There
were battered magazines and a few dirty books on a
special shelf over his bunk. A pair of large gold-rimmed
spectacles hung from a nail on the wall above his bed.
This room was swept and fairly neat, for Crooks was a
proud, aloof man. He kept his distance and demanded
that other people keep theirs. His body was bent over to
the left by his crooked spine, and his eyes lay deep in his
head, and because of their depth seemed to glitter with
intensity. His lean face was lined with deep black
wrinkles, and he had thin, pain-tightened lips which were
lighter than his face.
It was Saturday night. Through the open door that led into
the barn came the sound of moving horses, of feet
stirring, of teeth champing on hay, of the rattle of halter
chains. In the stable buck's room a small electric globe
threw a meager yellow light.
Crooks sat on his bunk. His shirt was out of his jeans in
back. In one hand he held a bottle of liniment, and with
the other he rubbed his spine. Now and then he poured a
few drops of the liniment into his pink-palmed hand and
reached up under his shirt to rub again. He flexed his
muscles against his back and shivered.

SECTION 4: What does the description of Crooks’ possessions and living conditions tell us about him and his life?
‘Crooks' bunk was a long box filled with straw’
‘..he had books, too; a tattered dictionary and a mauled copy of the
California civil code for 19O5.’
‘A pair of large gold-rimmed spectacles hung from a nail on the wall above
his bed.’
‘…his eyes lay deep in his head, and because of their depth seemed to
glitter…and he had thin, pain-tightened lips’

CROOKS
CROOKS’
MEMORIES
FROM HIS
CHILDHOOD
CROOKS’
APPEARANCE
AND WHAT IT
TELLS US
CROOKS’
ASPIRATIONS
AND WHAT KEEPS
HIM GOING
THINGS THAT
SHOW
CROOKS’
STATUS ON
THE RANCH
CROOKS’
CYNICISM
(DISBELIEVING
AND
UNTRUSTING)
CROOKS’
ATTITUDE
TOWARDS THE
OTHER PEOPLE
ON THE RANCH
Analysing
character

Crooks’ chapter.
SECTION 4: For each quote explain who Crooks is talking to; and what his words suggest about
him and how he relates to other people
1. (p68) “This here’s my room. Nobody got any right in here but me.”
2. (p70) “If I say something, why it’s just a nigger saying it.”
3. (p71) “They’ll take you to the booby hatch. They’ll tie ya up with a collar, like a dog.”
4. (p73) “I remember when I was a little kid on my old man’s chicken ranch. Had two brothers. They was always near me, always there.”
5. (p73) “Ever’body wants a little piece of lan’.”
6. (p80) “Yes, ma’am.” and his voice was toneless

SECTION 4: CURLEY’S WIFE, CROOKS, CANDY AND LENNIE – “THEY LEFT ALL THE WEAK ONES HERE,”
In Crook’s room Curley’s Wife speaks to Lennie, Candy and Crooks (part 1)
"Any you boys seen Curley?“ (Curley’s wife.)
"Curley ain't been here," Candy said sourly.
"Think I don't know where they all went? Even Curley. I know where they all
went.“ Lennie watched her, fascinated; but Candy and Crooks were scowling
down away from her eyes. Candy said, "Then if you know, why you want
to ast us where Curley is at?“ She regarded them amusedly.
[Candy] said accusingly, "You gotta husban'. You got no call foolin' aroun'
with other guys, causin' trouble.“ The girl flared up. "Sure I gotta husban'.
You all seen him. Swell guy, ain't he? Spends all his time sayin' what he's
gonna do to guys he don't like, and he don't like nobody.
[Curley’s wife asked] "Say- what happened to Curley's han'?“Candy stole a
look at Lennie. Then he coughed. "Why... Curley... he got his han' caught in a
machine, ma'am. Bust his han'.“ [Curley’s wife] said contemptuously,
“Awright, cover 'im up if ya wanta. Whatta I care? You bindle bums think
you're so damn good. Whatta ya think I am, a kid? I tell ya I could of went
with shows. Not jus' one, neither. An' a guy tol' me he could put me in
pitchers...." She was breathless with indignation. "-Sat'iday night.
Ever'body out doin' som'pin'. Ever'body! An' what am I doin'? Standin'
here talkin' to a bunch of bindle stiffs- a nigger an' a dum-dum and a
lousy ol' sheep- an' likin' it because they ain't nobody else."
[Candy] said angrily. "You ain't wanted here. We told you you ain't. An' I tell
ya, you got floozy idears about what us guys amounts to. She looked from
one face to another, and they were all closed against her. And she looked
longest at Lennie, until he dropped his eyes in embarrassment. Suddenly she
said, "Where'd you get them bruises on your face?“ Lennie looked up guiltily.
"Who- me?"
"Yeah, you."
Lennie looked to Candy for help, and then he looked at his lap again. "He got
his han' caught in a machine," he said. Curley's wife laughed. "O.K., Machine.
I'll talk to you later. I like machines.“ Candy broke in. "You let this guy alone.
Don't you do no messing aroun' with him. I'm gonna tell George what you
says. George won't have you messin' with Lennie."
Why is Lennie’s response different to that of the other men?
What kind of trouble does Candy think that she might cause?
What do Curley’s wife’s comments tell us about her relationship with Curley
only two weeks into their marriage?
What do these comments tell us about Curley’s wife’s dreams and
aspirations? How does this contrast with her life on the ranch?
How do these comments link with Curley’s wife being called a ‘tart’?
What is Curley’s wife trying to do here, and why is she focusing on Lennie?

SECTION 4: CURLEY’S WIFE, CROOKS, CANDY AND LENNIE – “THEY LEFT ALL THE WEAK ONES HERE,”
In Crook’s room Curley’s Wife speaks to Lennie, Candy and Crooks (part 2)
"Who's George?" she asked. "The little guy you come with?"
Lennie smiled happily. "That's him," he said. "That's the guy, an'
he's gonna let me tend the rabbits."
"Well, if that's all you want, I might get a couple rabbits myself."
Crooks stood up from his bunk and faced her. "I had enough," he said
coldly. "You got no rights comin' in a colored man's room. You got
no rights messing around in here at all. Now you jus' get out, an' get
out quick.”
She turned on him in scorn. "Listen, Nigger," she said. "You know
what I can do to you if you open your trap?“ Crooks stared hopelessly at
her, and then he sat down on his bunk and drew into himself.
She closed on him. "You know what I could do?“ Crooks seemed to grow
smaller, and he pressed himself against the wall. "Yes, ma'am.“
"Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up
on a tree so easy it ain't even funny.“ Crooks had reduced himself to
nothing. There was no personality, no ego- nothing to arouse either like or
dislike. He said, "Yes, ma'am," and his voice was toneless. For a moment
she stood over him as though waiting for him to move so that she could
whip at him again; but Crooks sat perfectly still, his eyes averted,
everything that might be hurt drawn in. She turned at last to the other two.
Old Candy was watching her, fascinated. "If you was to do that, we'd
tell," he said quietly. "We'd tell about you framin' Crooks."
"Tell an' be damned," she cried. "Nobody'd listen to you, an' you
know it. Nobody'd listen to you."
Candy subsided. "No...." he agreed. "Nobody'd listen to us.“ Lennie
whined, "I wisht George was here. I wisht George was here.“ Candy
stepped over to him. "Don't you worry none," he said. "I jus' heard the
guys comin' in. George'll be in the bunkhouse right now, I bet." He turned
to Curley's wife. "You better go home now,“ he said.
What does she think that he might be able to do for her?
Why has Crooks suddenly decided to make a stand? Why has Curley’s wife
gone too far?
Why does Curley’s wife feel the need to be so vicious?
Why does Curley’s wife choose to unleash her anger on Crooks in particular?
What was the point of Curley’s wife’s petty victory over the three men?
Why does Lennie suddenly feel the need for George?

Of Mice and
Men – Part 4: in
Crooks’ room
POINT EVIDENCE
Curley’s wife:
‘Funny thing … If I
catch any one man
and he’s alone, I
get on fine with
him. But just let
two of the guys be
together an’ you
won’t talk… one of
you’s scared the
rest is goin’ to get
something on
you.’
EXPLAIN/DISCUSS
• What difficulties does Curley’s wife experience in
trying to develop a friendly relationship with the
men on the ranch?
• How does Curley’s wife make things harder for
herself in trying to become friends with the men
on the ranch?
• What does Curley’s wife mean when she says the
men are afraid that ‘the rest is goin’ to get
something on [them]’?
TECHNIQUES/LINKS
‘Lennie: He got his
han’ caught in a
machine. Curley’s
Wife: OK machine,
I’ll talk to you
later. I like
machines…
Lennie: …he’s
gonna let me tend
the rabbits.
Curley’s Wife:
Well, if that’s all
you want, I might
get a couple of
rabbits myself.’
• Talking about Lennie as a ‘machine’ is ironic. What
does the idea of Lennie as a machine tell us about
him?
• Why is Curley’s wife motivated to get closer to
Lennie as a ‘machine’?
• When Curley’s wife talks about getting rabbits for
Lennie, they become a metaphor. The way she
talks about them, what could they stand for?
• Why would Curley’s wife want to get rabbits for
Lennie to stroke?
Curley’s wife:
‘a nigger an’ a
dum-dum and a
lousy ol’ sheep…
Well you keep
your place then
nigger, I could get
you strung upon a
tree so easy it ain’t
funny.’
• What motivates Curley’s wife to speak so
offensively to Crooks, Lennie and Candy?
• Why does Curley’s wife use such a severe threat
against Crooks after Crooks made it clear that she
wasn’t welcome?
• What doesn’t Curley’s wife realise about her own
status on the ranch when she is treating the three
men so badly?

Of Mice and Men
– Part 5: in the
barn
(Curley’s wife talking to
Lennie about his dead
pup) “Don’t you worry
none. He was just a mutt.
You can get another one
easy. The whole country
is fulla mutts.” (p.89)
1. Curley’s wife’s comments about the puppy are also ironic because in some ways she is linked with the dogs in the story. Explain how her comments
are ironic.
2. What other examples do we have to support the idea of life having little value on the ranch?
(Curley’s wife to Lennie)
‘I get awful lonely… I ain’t
used to livin’ like this. I
coulda made something’
of myself (p.86)
I don’t like Curley. He
ain’t a nice fella.…Coulda
been in the movies, an’
had nice clothes - all the
nice clothes they wear.
An I coulda sat in them
big hotels, an had
pitchers took of me.
(p.87)
1. Curley’s wife’s dream is a dream of escaping the harsh realities of life. In what ways does it parallel Lennie and George’s dream, and what is she trying
to escape from?
2. When she talks about her dream, what aspects of the movie star life does she focus on, and what do they tell us about her maturity?
(Curley’s wife to Lennie)
“I think you’re nuts.”
(p.89)
…he [Lennie] shook her;
and her body flopped like
a fish. And then she was
still, for Lennie had
broken her neck…”I don’t
want to hurt you,” he
said’…He pawed up the
hay until it partly covered
her. (p.90)
[Describing Curley’s wife
after her death] ‘And the
meanness and the
planning and the
discontent and the ache
for attention were all
gone from her face. She
was very pretty and
simple, and her face was
sweet and young. Now
her rouged cheeks and
her reddened lips made
her seem alive and
sleeping very lightly. The
curls, tiny little sausages,
were spread on the hay
behind her, and her lips
were parted. (p.91)
1. When Curley’s wife jokingly calls Lennie ‘nuts’, what does it suggest that she didn’t understand about him and his condition?
2. When Curley’s wife first appears in the story it is as though she is a predator - with red lips and nails; however, by the end of the story she is a
‘flopping’ fish. What does this change suggest?
3. The description of Curley’s wife’s innocence after her death, is very different to her description at the start of the book. What does this final
description tell us about what she was really like?
4. Why do you think that Steinbeck gives Curley’s wife this sympathetic description at the end of the book, after everything that she has said and done
before?
Learning Objective: to explain how language, structure, and characterisation contribute to the writer’s presentation of ideas, themes and settings.

Of Mice and
Men – Part 5:
in the barn
POINT EVIDENCE
Curley’s wife:
‘Don’t you worry
none. He was just a
mutt. You can get
another one easy.
The whole country
is fulla mutts.’
EXPLAIN/DISCUSS
• What do Curley’s wife’s comments tell the
reader about the value given to life on the
ranch?
• What other examples do we have to support the
idea of life having little value on the ranch?
TECHNIQUES/LINKS
• Curley’s wife’s comments
about the puppy are also
ironic because in some ways
she is linked with the dogs in
the story. Explain how her
comments are ironic.
Curley’s wife: ‘I get
awful lonely… I
ain’t used to livin’
like this. I coulda
made something’
of myself…I don’t
like Curley. He ain’t
a nice fella.
…Coulda been in
the movies, an’ had
nice clothes - all
the nice clothes
they wear.’
• In this part of the story, the reader hears about
Curley’s wife’s lost dream. Explain why her
aspirations make her particularly unsuited to life
on the ranch.
• Curley’s wife’s dream is a dream of escaping the
harsh realities of life. In what ways does it
parallel Lennie and George’s dream, and what is
she trying to escape from?
• When she talks about her dream, what aspects
of the movie star life does she focus on, and
what do they tell us about her maturity?
Curley’s wife: “I think
you’re nuts.”
‘…he [Lennie] shook
her; and her body
flopped like a fish.’
[Describing Curley’s
wife after her death]
‘And the meanness
and the planning and
the discontent…were
all gone…She was
very pretty and
simple, and her face
was sweet and
young.’
• When Curley’s wife calls Lennie ‘nuts’, what
does it suggest that she didn’t understand about
him and his condition?
• When Curley’s wife first appears in the story it is
as though she is a predator - with red lips and
nails; however, by the end of the story she is
described as a ‘flopping’ fish. What does this
suggest about her actual status among the men?
• The description of Curley’s wife’s innocence
after her death, is very different to her
description at the start of the book. What does
this final description tell us about what she was
really like?
• Why do you think that
Steinbeck gives Curley’s wife
this sympathetic description
at the end of the book?

Of Mice and
Men – Part 5:
in the barn
POINT EVIDENCE
Curley’s wife:
‘Don’t you worry
none. He was just a
mutt. You can get
another one easy.
The whole country
is fulla mutts.’
EXPLAIN/DISCUSS TECHNIQUES/LINKS
Curley’s wife: ‘I get
awful lonely… I
ain’t used to livin’
like this. I coulda
made something’
of myself…I don’t
like Curley. He ain’t
a nice fella.
…Coulda been in
the movies, an’ had
nice clothes - all
the nice clothes
they wear.’
Curley’s wife: “I think
you’re nuts.”
‘…he [Lennie] shook
her; and her body
flopped like a fish.’
[Describing Curley’s
wife after her death]
‘And the meanness
and the planning and
the discontent…were
all gone…She was
very pretty and
simple, and her face
was sweet and
young.’

Key images
linked with
Curley’s wife at
different points
in the narrative. ‘[she wore] red mules [with]
little bouquets of red ostrich
feathers’
‘Don’t you even take a look at
that bitch…’
Curley’s Wife: ‘Well, if that’s
all you want, I might get a
couple of rabbits myself.’
‘[Lennie] shook her; and her
body flopped like a fish.’
‘A water snake glided smoothly
up the pool…A silent head and
beak lanced down and plucked
it out by the head’

KEY THEMES IN
OF MICE AND
MEN
Make some detailed and relevant commentson how language, themes
and characterisationare used. (Grade D)
Explore language, themes and characterisationin a consistent and
Show a clear understandingof how language, themes and characterisation

WHAT ARE THE MAIN THEMES IN
OF MICE AND MEN ?

WHAT ARE THE MAIN THEMES IN OF MICE AND
MEN ?
- LONELINESS
- POWERLESSNESS (HAVING NO POWER)
- LOSS OF PARADISE
- FATE AND CIRCULARITY
- DREAMS
- NATURE
- LACK OF COMPASSION (AN UNCARING WORLD)

KEY THEMES IN OF MICE AND MEN
LONELINESS
In addition to dreams, humans crave contact with others to give life meaning.
Loneliness is present throughout this novel. On the most obvious level, we see
this isolation when the ranch workers go into town on Saturday night to ease
their loneliness with alcohol and women. Similarly, Lennie goes into Crook's
room to find someone with whom to talk, and later Curley's wife comes for
the same reason. Crooks says, "A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't
make no difference who the guy is, long's he's with you." Even Slim mentions,
"I seen the guys that go around on the ranches alone. That ain't no good. They
don't have no fun. After a long time they get mean."
George's taking care of Lennie and the dream of the farm are attempts to
break the pattern of loneliness that is part of the human condition. Similarly,
Lennie's desire to pet soft things comes from his need to feel safe and secure,
to touch something that gives him that feeling of comfort and not being alone
in the world. George and Lennie, however, are not the only characters who
struggle against loneliness. Although present in all the characters to some
degree, the theme of loneliness is also shown in Candy, Crooks, and Curley's
wife. They all fight against their isolation in whatever way they can. Until its
death, Candy's dog stopped Candy from being alone in the world. After its
death, Candy struggles against loneliness by sharing in George and Lennie's
dream.
Curley's wife is also lonely; she is the only female on the ranch, and her
husband has forbidden anyone to talk with her. She combats her
loneliness by flirting with the ranch hands.
Crooks is isolated because of his skin colour. As the only black man on
the ranch, he is not allowed into the bunkhouse with the others, and he
does not associate with them. He combats his loneliness with books
and his work, but even he realises that these things are no substitute
for human companionship: "A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody”.
Steinbeck reinforces the theme of loneliness in subtle and not so subtle
ways. In the vicinity of the ranch, for example, is the town of Soledad.
The town's name, not accidentally, means ‘loneliness’. Also, the other
men’s reactions to George and Lennie travelling together emphasises
hoe lonely most of the men are. When George and Lennie arrive at the
ranch, four other characters — the boss, Candy, Crooks, and Slim — all
comment on how suspicious it seems that two men travel together
from ranch to ranch. This companionship seems strange and, according
to the boss and Curley, George and Lennie’s relationship seems
dubious. This is because neither the boss nor Curley can possibly
consider that George might be selflessly helping Lennie.

POWERLESSNESS
Steinbeck's characters are often the underdogs. The four weak characters
represent the main forms of social disability in the story: Lennie – mental
handicap; Candy – age discrimination and physical handicap; Crooks – racial
discrimination and physical handicap; Curley’s wife – sex discrimination.
Steinbeck shows compassion toward these characters, but shows how
hopeless life can be for them.
LENNIE AS THE ‘BEAR’
Although Lennie is physically strong and would therefore seem to represent
someone of power, the only power Lennie possesses is physical. Because of
his mental handicap and his child-like way of perceiving the world, he is
powerless against his urges and the forces that threaten him. For example, he
knows what it is to be good, and he doesn't want to be bad, but he lacks the
mental power that would help him to understand how he could avoid
dangerous situations. Because of this Lennie has to rely on George to protect
him. However George, i is also powerless, since he can’t protect Lennie every
hour of every day, and because of this George cannot protect Lennie from
himself (as we see at the end of the story).
‘I SEEN GUYS NEARLY CRAZY WITH LONELINESS’ (CROOKS’ COMMENT ABOUT
THE RANCH WORKERS)
Another type of powerlessness is economic. Because the ranch hands are
victims of a society where they cannot get ahead economically. They struggle
again and again, but since they don’t work together (because they are afraid
to share their vulnerability), they are doomed to fail.
As Crooks explains, "I seen guys nearly crazy with loneliness for land, but ever'
time a whorehouse or a blackjack game took what it takes." In other words, it
is part of the human condition to always want easy pleasures rather than to
work for tomorrow. As long as the men spend their money every weekends,
they will continue to be powerless. However, they are drawn to the company
of whisky and whores through their despair and lack of real companionship.
Furthermore, the men are paid so little that it is difficult to save enough to
make their dreams come true.
‘GOLD-RIMMED GLASSES HANGING FROM A NAIL’ (SYMBOLIC OF THE THREAT
OF HANGING TO CROOKS).
Crooks represents another type of powerlessness. As the sole black man on
the ranch, he is isolated from the others, and, in ways that the others are not,
subject to their whim. This is never more apparent than when Curley's wife
threatens to have him lynched. Despite his dignity, Crooks shrinks into himself
.for self-protection when he is threatened. This contrasts with Lennie who
needs George when he is threatened (his surrogate parent).

DREAMS
In essence, Of Mice and Men is as much a story about the nature
of human dreams and aspirations and the forces that work
against them as it is the story of two men. Humans give meaning
to their lives — and to their futures — by creating dreams.
Without dreams and goals, life is an endless stream of days that
have little connection or meaning. George and Lennie's dream —
to own a little farm of their own — is so central to Of Mice and
Men that it appears in some form in five of the six chapters. In
fact, the telling of the story, which George has done so often,
becomes a ritual between the two men: George provides the
narrative, and Lennie, who has difficulty remembering even
simple instructions, picks up the refrain by finishing George's
sentences.
To George, this dream of having their own place means
independence, security, being their own boss, and, most
importantly, being "somebody." To Lennie, the dream is like the
soft animals he pets: It means security, the responsibility of
tending to the rabbits, and a sanctuary where he won't have to
be afraid.
To Candy, it offers security for old age and a home where he will
fit in. For Crooks, the little farm will be a place where he can have
self-respect, acceptance, and security. For each man — George,
Lennie, Candy, and Crooks — human dignity is an integral part of
the dream.
Having and sharing the dream, however, are not enough to bring
it to fruition. Each man must make a sacrifice or battle some
other force that seeks, intentionally or not, to steal the dream
away. Initially, the obstacles are difficult but not insurmountable:
staying out of trouble, not spending money on liquor or in
bordellos, and working at the ranch long enough to save the
money for a down payment. But greater obstacles soon become
apparent. Some of these obstacles are external (the threat from
Curley's wife and Curley's violence, for example, as well as the
societal prejudices that plague each man); others are internal
(such as Lennie's strength and his need to touch soft things). For
George, the greatest threat to the dream is Lennie himself;
ironically, it is Lennie who also makes the dream worthwhile.
Explore language, themes and characterisationin a consistentand

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