Chapter 5 Notes

Chapter Note - Taking Criteria

Summarize: Lennie and Curley's wife had a discussion in the barn but Lennie tried to refuse cause he told her that George told him not to talk to her and that he would be in big trouble if he finds Lennie had killed a mouse.  Curley's wife tried to discard that and said that was ok.  Curley's wife told stories to Lennie about how life could have been better and she married Curley but hated him.  Lennie then tells Curley's wife that he would tend the rabbit and she told that he was nuts but Lennie said that George say's that he is not nuts and that "I like to pet nice things with my fingers, sof' things," (Steinbeck 90).  Then Curley's wife felt reassured and said she liked velvet but when she showed Lennie that he could stroke her hair gently he wouldn't let go or her hair and she screamed and screamed and Lennie would beg her to stop because George would punish him and then as she struggled Lennie shook her but she had already died from her broken neck.  Lennie feels miserable about what 's going to happen to him next and what's George going to do.  It just so happens that in the barn Curley's wife is dead and from the  horseshoe tournament, Candy sees her and calls/ brings George to ask what had happened to her.  George knew it was Lennie and then George and Candy made a plan about telling the other guys, but not Curley what had happened to Curley's wife.  Then they did their plan and they happen to be in the first stall and all glanced at her dead.  This made Curley mad, not had his hand messed, but now his wife was kill.  Curley was also mad because he stole the gun from Carlson even though George denied that was not through.  Candy stayed with the dead Curley's wife and the rest of them went to get Lennie and kill, even though George was feeling terrified that Lennie didn't do it on purpose and was thinking wildly like he did in Weed, but didn't want to be part of the problem so he went along.

Question: Where= Curley's ranch (out in the barn area)
                  When= In the 1930's

1. Why did Lennie even bother talking to Curley's wife in the first place, if he knew he was going to get into trouble? Was he afraid Curley might do something to him and what? (pg.86)

2. I wonder where Lennie was when after he had killed Curley's wife mistakenly? Still down in the hay or did he leave someplace else? (pg.92)

3. If Curley's wife didn't mind about Curley getting his hand messed up then why was Curley so furious when she found her wife had died? Was he dependent on her? (pg.96)

4. Where is the boss?

Prediction:  I predict that when Curley, George and the rest of the people go since George knows Lennie, since George is less weak and Curley is in more Curley George will just ask Curley that he will sympathize Lennie and then slowly kill him since he is going to so much suffer about his mistake like Carlson killed Candy's dog.  I think this going to happen, because Curley is angry at Lennie for many reasons and will desperately try to find and kill him, but I think George will say when the find Lennie he will kill him but first sympathize and agree to whatever he is saying.  George, Carlson or Curley will have to kill Lennie because of his terrible actions even though he didn't meant it wrong but it seems unreasonable to Curley why would he do it to his wife.  To make Lennie kill Curley's wife, I think she told him to feel her soft hair and Lennie couldn't resist touching her hair after and I think somewhere on the lines George might be thinking a scenario in his similar to that one cause he knows how Lennie functions and acts upon things.

A Portrait of Racism

Chapter 4 in Of Mice and Men, paints a very realistic portrait of racism in the 1930s.  Discuss at least two ways in which racism is explored in this chapter.  Include quotes and your own analysis of key moments in this chapter that clearly demonstrate the racism that existed in the American 1930s.  What do readers understand about racism as a result of reading this chapter?


Two ways that racism is explored in this chapter is that Crooks, a negro stable buck, and he is colored so he get's his own room and can't go into a white's room, so he yells at Lennie and Candy for being in his room.  Another way is that Curley's wife takes advantage of Crook since he is black, poor, and lonely (most of the time) and threatens him that he can't do anything bad to her.  Crook reveals his anger to Lennie by telling him, "You got no right to come in my room.  This here's my room.  Nobody got any right in here but me" (Steinbeck 68).  He tells his story of that he is black and is treated unfairly and has to be lonely to Lennie, but Lennie doesn't seemed to care and knows that he has George around.  Crooks is treated pretty rough at the end when he told Curley's wife "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.  If you don't, I'm gonna ast the boss not to ever let you come in the barn no more" (Steinbeck 80).  Curley's wife just calls him a "nigger" and threatens him that she will do something bad and that he better not talk like that.  In the 1930's racism was based on the color of your face (African American) and also because of this the colored people didn't really want anybdy coming into their privacy/room since they were mistreated. 



Police brutality racism in the 1930's:

Racism explored in Of Mice and Men was the skin color in which blacks and whites were segregated and people with less money and poor quality/background were put aside from the rest.  Some people like Curley's wife will try to take advantage and controls of the black where as a few people like Candy would try to defend the black person because they feel skin colored people should't be treated that way.  In reading this chapter readers can understand about racism being as a way to treat people unfairly because of their skin color and then give them the worst job like Crooks was assigned the stable buck person.  Even though Crooks didn't want to have a personal room and wanted company he couldn't be with the whites so he had to stay lonely hoping things would go better.  He yells at Lennie and Candy for being in his room because he is treated unfairly and doesn't want people to come in his privacy/room, which reflects how people reacted and felt during the 1930's.



I found a video on the racism in the 1930's (1930s: The Great Depression and Racial Segregation):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KebHqCxOGZY

Chapter 4 Notes

Chapter Note - Taking Criteria

Summary: Crooks, a negro stable buck sees Lennie come into his bunkhouse to see his pups and doesn't want Lennie to come because the other people don't let him come in Lennie's and George's bunkhouse because he's black.  Then he realizes Lennie alone, because the other boys went to town and tells Lennie that he can stay for the duration but not to tell him.  Crooks tortures Lennie in talking to  him from his perspective about being black/lonely and scares Lennie by telling Lennie that suppose George didn't comeback and then what would he do lonely.  Lennie is used to George and wants company and is depended on George and so he is furious and frustrated and doesn't want to think negative of what's going to happen to George.  After having a decent discussion with Lennie, Crooks sees Candy supposedly out where the horses were and invites him, because he already invited Lennie.  When Candy and Lennie talk about their dreams of tending rabbits and having land, etc.  Curley's wife later comes in to the room to see where Curley was and Candy says his hand was got caught in a machine and Curley thinks what idiots they are.  Then Candy frustrated, starts stirring up a talk on Curley's wife saying he's mad and that he's irritated and that he has a better place to stay then work in this dumb place.  Curley's wife says, "Baloney" (pg.78&79).  Then she starts to mess with Lennie but Candy stops her and then Crooks says he has enough and tries to talk smart at Curley's wife into getting out of his room but is hopeless when Curley's wife tells that she could do many things to him.  Then Candy persuaded Curley's wife into getting out because all the guys and Curley would come back and we would tell Curley that you were here or he would see you if you are not fast enough.  Then George calls Lennie and Lennie & Candy both start leaving, and George tells Lennie why are you in Crook's room and Crook said that he told them, but he thought Lennie was a nice fella.

Question:  When-1930's
                  Where-In Curley's Ranch (Crook's room)

1.  If Curley's wife knew that Lennie bust Curley's hand then why did she ask? Was it to be smart or getting to know how it happened? (pg.81) 

2. When Candy tells Crooks that George is working on the ranch, Crook is surprised and can't doubt about that too much. Why? (pg.76)

3. I wonder if Crooks finds himself alike to Lennie, because he and Lennie are both powerless in society?

Same character's from Chapter 1, 2 and 3

Prediction: I can predict that since Lennie told Crooks about tending the rabbits and land dream he will probably tell it to Curley or Curley's wife when one of them get's upon him because he forgets what George tells about not to tell about their grateful dreams and will blab it out to one of them or maybe even both. I believe also Crook will probably join in on the plan of the dream give the money from his side because I think he believes that George can make it happen and that no longer does he have to work in "Curley's Ranch."  He is also black so he thinks he wouldn't probably get much advantage here and that if he goes with George, Candy, and Lennie he would be better off. 

Investigating Themes in Of Mice and Men

Question #1

What different forms of power exist in Of Mice and Men? What kind of power does Lennie have? What kind of power does George have? What kinds of power or powerlessness do other characters possess?

The different types of power that exist in Of Mice and Men is physical, mental, economical, racial, and sexual.  Physical power means the appearance of strength and force to defeat something.  Mental power means to use the mind as strength to solve, defeat problems, etc.  Economical power means to have adequate resources to enforce economic decisions as a leader.  Racial power means power reached on the basis of race that one race is superior to others.  Sexual power is the ability to excite or attract someone by their appearance sexually.

Lennie has mainly physical power because he is big and strong.  Even though George tells Lennie to fight Curley and not be fired he demonstrates physical power, "The next minute Curley was flopping like a fish on a line, and his fist was closed fist was lost in Lennie's big hand," (Steinbeck 63).  George has mental power because he is smart and helps Lennie to be safe. George tells Lennie, "  Lennie--if you jus' happen to get in trouble like you always done before, I want you to come right here an' hide in the brush.  Hide in the brush till I come for you," (Steinbeck 15).  

Slim also has mental power like George.  Carlson has physical power like Lennie but not like him.  Curley's wife has sexual power that catches people's attention like Lennie.  Curley lacks sexual power because he feels small and manliness without his wife.  Crook lacks racial power because he is black and has to be lonely.  The boss has economical power.  He is both rich and wealthy to make the decisions of his own business.  Carlson also lacks economical power because of his limitations in economic conditions in which he killed Candy's dog.  Candy lacks physical power because of his hand when working in the ranch previously and therefore in not strong. 

On Youtube I found a video that talks about that hard times bring fear and the result is in violence and discrimination towards America's racial and ethnic minorities.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wrhpZOGQFk

Chapter 3 Notes

Chapter - Note Taking Criteria

Summary= Slim talks to George about him working together with Lennie and is surprised that  Lennie being a big, strong, childish/stupid guy and George being a small, smart guy are together.  Carlson then walks in the bunkhouse and can't stand the smell of the ancient dog of Candy's and says it stinks in here, so living much wouldn't help the dog and offers to kill him since Candy resists.  Slim also agrees and that leaves Candy to give up his dog, whom he took care of since the dog was a small pup.  When Carlson takes the dog outside to be killed, Candy feels motionless, looking at the ceiling when he hears the gun shot from outside of Carlson killing the dog.  Then a black man, Crooks, (who is the stable hand that takes care of the horses by himself because he is black and not allowed to work with the white), comes into the bunkhouse and asks Slim that he needs help tending the horses.  He also told Slim that Lennie has one of his pups and that he might hurt him, but show he is not worried (understanding Lennie) he says "Well, he ain't doin' no harm.  I give him one of them pups."  Curly comes in the bunkhouse later to see if his wife is their but she is not their son instead he finds out that Slim has gone away to help Crooks.  While Whit (another ranch hand who talks about Curly's wife sex to George) and Carlson go to see if their is a fight Lennie wants George to talk about their future dreams and how they will get whatever they want.  Candy wants to join adding 300 bucks to the plan for his share and just then Slim, Whit and Curley come back.  Slim is pissed at Curley for bugging him about his wife. Later Curley get's in a fight with Lennie because he laughed supposedly at Curley for getting dissed by Slim and later Carlson.  Lennie fights back because of George and then Curley is defeat is hand is messed up so he has to go to the hospital with Carlson.  Lennie feels so bad that it was his fault but George reassures him and says I told you do so.

Question= When: 1930's
                  Where: Curley's ranch (staying at bunkhouse)

1. I wonder why Curley decided to hit Lennie in front of everybody even though Lennie laughed knowing that he is stupid? (pg.63-64)

2. Why is Whit so much interested in Curley's wife? Did she do anything to Whit in particular? (pg.55) 

3. Did Lennie lie to George what Slim said to him about the pups and what he was doing in the meanwhile and if so why? (pg.55)

Same characters from chapter 2 except Crooks and Whit

Prediction= I can predict that since Curley went to the hospital his wife would be lookin' for him coming in the bunkhouse and saying every few minutes "Where is he? Where did he go?" I believe that there is going to a false statement about her husband and that he got lost.  Since Curley's wife is like Curley she will pick on Lennie, I think, because he looks powerless, she will trouble him to telling where Curley is when George is no around.  Maybe, also, I have a feeling that Crooks will come to talk to Lennie when George is not around and asks his life status and why he was taking care of a pup, because when he ask Slim he seemed curious but then led it slide because he probably figured that Slim knew what he was during.  (pg.50&65)

Chapter 2 Notes

Chapter Note - Taking Criteria

Summary= Lennie and George arrive at the bunkhouse where they meet a old Swamper named Candy.  Candy told them the boss was waiting and that they should speak in a correct manner when they met him.  After Lennie and George talked to the boss, George was suspecting that Candy was eavesdropping on their conversation, when Candy went to get his old good sheep dog.  They talked to Curly (son of boss) afterwards who happen to step in the bunkhouse and seemed pugnacious and cruel to Lennie in a bad manner which George strongly disliked.  George told Lennie to be quiet and ignore Curley and go hide in the bush if something major happens.  Later they met Curley's wife and even though she was "pretty looking", since George had a bad reputation for Curley, George thought that Curley will cheat and take advantage of Lennie to be on Curley's side.  Then he meets Slim, a Jerkline skinner, so called high-authority, who tried to control things in high-fashion manner.  They met Carlson, one of the big man's of the group.  Since Lennie loves "puppy," when Carlson enters the bunkhouse and asks Slim about his new puppies to replace one of them with Candy's old dog, George will ask one for Lennie.   There is no initial fighting moves when Curley opens the door to look for his wife.  Afterward's dinner bell rings and next Lennie and George are about to buck-barley and experience how it is like to work in this ranch vs. Weed.

Question= When: 1930's
                  Where: Ranch in the Saline Valley
                              Stay (bunkhouse)

Characters involved: Lennie, George, boss, Curley, Curley's wife, Slim, Old Swamp, Carlson

1. I wonder how Lennie will function during buck-barley in ranch since George gave him boost-up compliments?

2.What will Lennie do since Curley is pugnacious and is cruel to him? Will George step up or Lennie take over?

3. Will Candy, have a discussion, with the boss, about Lennie and George and how they felt here with everybody and the conditions?

Prediction= Since Curley had a bad reputation on Lennie, I think since George is together with Lennie, they would not be nice to Curley and if he slightly mistreats Lennie, then I George will act upon seriously.  I also believe that Lennie, instead of just hiding in the bush when trouble comes, would fight back and cause both of them to be more trouble, Lennie has an intendency to forget many things, even though several times repeated.  The boss, I think, will find out Lennie's problem through Curley or  one of the workers, because of his actions and behavior.  Then both Lennie and George will be both fired from the job cause they can't keep their hands to themselves and do the work diligently.  Lennie would forget to listen to George and something disastrous might happen.   

Naturalism as a Mirror of the 1930's

      Literature is often a reflection of the time period in which it was written or, in the case of historical fiction, of the time period it is focused on.  Authors will often find sneaky little ways to demonstrate the dominant characteristics of the time period by blending in details, that, at a closer glance, reveal these hidden themes.

      In class, we viewed several videos (in the LitByFleming blog video bar) that gave us a look at some major events and common themes or characteristics of the 1930s.  John Steinbeck certainly considered these elements when writing Of Mice and Men.  In fact, it might be said, his writing style intentionally made use of naturalism in order to capture and expose some of the attitudes and characteristics of the American 1930s.

      Let's see if you can make the connection!  Think about some of  the naturalistic elements we identified in class (Chapter 1).  What aspects or characteristics of the 1930s are being demonstrated to us at those moments in the text?  What do you believe John Steinbeck was trying to show us or expose about the way people, life, or society was during this time in American history? 

      As far as the text "Of Mice and Men" some characteristics of the 1930's that are being demonstrated to me is ill - educatedness, desperately looking for a job, beast and being uncivilized.  The text talks about the daily lives of people during the 1930's.  In the text Lennie, the bigger dude, is compared to being more like a beast because he is described as a bear.  On pg.2 it says "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."Bears are not humans and can not be tamed and so Lennie is described as big, bulky person.  Also, Lennie and George are desperate to survive and live for the purpose of living so they need food.  On pg.8 George says "Sure we are, if you gather up some dead willow sticks.  I got three cans of beans in my bindle.  You get a fire ready.  I'll give you a match when you get the sticks together.  Then we'll heat the beans and have supper." In the 1930's options were very limited and people had to just manage.  On the same page it talks about in the text of Lennie being uncivilized.  "Lennie lumbered to his feet and disappeared in the brush.  George lay where he was and whistled softly to himself.  There were sounds of splashing down the river in the direction Lennie had taken.  In this text Lennie is being compared to as if he was a tree.  Since the 1930's were hard times people needed things desperately.  Lennie is like a horse when he follows George.  For example on pg.4 it says "Lennie, who had been watching him, imitated George exactly.  He pushed himself back, drew up his knees, embraced them, looked over to George to see whether he had it just right.  He pulled his hat down a little more over his eyes, the way George's hat was.  On pg.5 Lennie is also being compared to an animal when playing with the water, "Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water and wiggled his fingers so the water arose in little splashes; rings widened across the pool to the other side and came back again."

      During this time in American society I think John Steinbeck is trying to show us of how people for the soul purpose of living.  People during the time period had to struggle cause they had no job and were poor.  They were desperate to acquire anything the can have when they get the chance, like Lennie did when he needed water.  It was rough times because people had to sleep, eat and work wherever they can if they get an opportunity for a job, like Lennie and George did.  Also the clothing wasn't fancy but worthy enough to survive.  John Steinbeck was trying to show how people would act desperately for such needs and that to survive that was unpleasant and unfortunate.  Some people were dependent on other friends and families like Lennie and George were to each other.  Now a days we have advanced in our technology with cars, telephones, etc.  We are appreciative of our ancestors going to these difficult times to brighten our future.

I saw a video on youtube that talks about how the Great Depression happened and what people had to go through during the Great Depression:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpKmfjf5tUk