Themes and characters :)

1. By Callum Higgs

2.  A pugilistic, Napoleonic Complex character who compensates
his small stature by attempting to gain dominance through his
physical strength. This is evident through his unsuccessful
fight with Lennie which consequently leads to him flopping
‘like a fish.’ When Lennie kills his wife he is the first person
to grab a gun this could be another endeavour to regain his
high social status. As soon as George and Lennie meet Curley,
he is quick

3.  Due to a mental disability, Lennie is heavily dependant on
George and is positioned very low on the hierarchy. Lennie
represents the socially inferior and how the American dream is
unrealistic. His fate was concealed from the beginning of the
novel due to the injustices of the American Dream. His and
George’s dream about living on the ‘fatta the land’ is a
microcosm for how the American dream and the unrealistic
nature of it. Curley’s boss uses this as a way of cheap labour.

4.  The apostrophe emphasises how she is a possession of
Curleys. She represents and highlights the treatment on
women in the 1930s society. Her naivety has lead her to
become unhappily married to Curley. She is both marginalised
and objectified by him which is highlighted by his ‘glove fulla
vaseline’. She has an important role in the novel and
highlights the gender divide. The only women in the novel are
used for the ranchers sexual demands, which is evident when
George blows their money on the Brothel.

5.  Due to an accident leading to his hand becoming amputated,
Candy’s fate has been become futile. In the novella Candy
represents the socially inferior. His dogs death foreshadows
Lennie’s fate after he explains to George how he wished he
had killed the dog himself – ‘I ought to of shot that dog
myself.’ His dog also symbolises how once a rancher becomes
weak, they are no longer needed and simply thrown out – this
is Candy’s big fear and he attempts to join in on Lennie and
George’s dream by offering his life savings.

6.  "You gonna give me that mouse or do I have to sock you?“ The notion of
violence is present between George and Lennie. He has to use violence to
ensure Lennie stays in line.
 “Jesus Christ, you're a crazy bastard!” Curley says this to Lennie to reinforce
his power and social positioning on the ranch. By saying this to Lennie, who is
of large size and physical power, it emphasises Curley’s urge for power.
Despite this he has cruelly targeted Lennie due to his mental disability and self
control. However after strong encouragement from George, Lennie over-
powered Curley.
 “I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.” Despite
Curley’s wife being extremely low on the social hierarchy, she is still above
Crooks due to the Jim Crow Laws and racism that took place during the 1930s.
Curley’s wife verbally attacks Crooks as a way of releasing the anger she has
built up after being victimised for so many years.

7.  At the beginning of the text we read “The golden foothill slopes curve up”
which puts us in a false sense of security as we are prompted to believe
that the men will be successful on the ranch.
 “In the stable buck’s room a small electric globe threw a meagre yellow
light.” The word meagre suggests there is no hope for him and that his
future has already been dictated.
 Just before Curley’s wife dies we hear the phrase “the sun streaks climbed
up the wall” suggesting that Lennie and Georges dream is futile.
 ‘the light climbed out of the valley’ foreshadowed Lennie’s tragic death.