1. How did Of Mice And Men get it’s title
Originally the title was “Something That
Happened” but changed after he read a
poem by Robert Burns. The poem is about
the narrator feeling regret after destroying a
home for mice. It can mean that no plan is
fool-proof and no one can be prepared for
the future.

2. The Great Depression
It began in August 1929 where there was an
economical downturn and the market crashed
which started a decade of high
unemployment, poverty, low profits, low farm
income and opportunities lost for an economic
growth. This would have given John Steinbeck
the idea of people moving from job to job and
farmers hiring workers.

3. The Dustbowl and California
The dustbowl was a period during the 1930s
that had strong sand storms. There was a severe
drought which meant that farm land became
ruined. It affected 100,000,000 acres which
centred on Oklahoma and Texas. A lot of families
moved to California because it was not seriously
affected by the sand storms. Steinbeck may have
used this as the workers move around to
different farms and ranches. And also could be
why Crooks moved as once owned land.

4. American Dream
The American Dream is rooted to United States
Declaration of Independence which says that “all
men are equal”. But Steinbeck shows in the
book that there is racism, poor and rich people
which may be saying that it did not work. The
American Dream also says “pursuit of
happiness” which can relate to George and
Lennie’s dream.