English 9

Jimenez
Jimenez
Of Mice and Men / End of Novella
Final Prep

In order to prepare for our upcoming final essay, prepare a typed response for each topic you are
assigned, referring to evidence from the text. (You should prepare a response for each numbered
topic as well as a response for each character analysis.) For each, you must have a direct thesis and
explanation addressing the complexity of the question. Consider all of the bulleted questions for
each topic. This portion should be at least 200 words, and make specific references to the text
(you may use direct quotes). Then, provide at least TWO-THREE pieces of evidence for each
response that support your thesis and explanation.

PART I: Assigned Questions

1. One of the strongest human drives seems to be a desire for power. Drawing on textual support
from throughout Of Mice and Men, establish a thesis in which you discuss how at least two
characters in the novella struggle to free him or herself from the power of others or seeks to gain
power over others. Be sure to demonstrate in your response how Steinbeck uses this power struggle
to enhance the meaning of the work. Avoid mere plot summary. Use lots of quotes to support your
interpretation. Please stick to the text! (Don’t rely on assumptions or predictions!)

Characters like Curley and Crooks both show contrasting power struggles. For example, Candy
seems to employ and desire power, as his physical size affects his thoughts of being powerless, so he
tries to make his stature more “intimidating”. Crooks, on the other hand, tries to free himself from his
position in power in the ranch (he has little to no power due to his race) but is intimidated by the
other people of the ranch by the threat of death (Curley’s wife makes this threat), “You know what I
can do to you if you open your trap?.. Crooks had reduced himself to nothing. There was no
personality, no ego–” (Steinbeck, 81). Her threat of killing him reduces Crooks and makes him
intimidated and even scared due to the “rules of power ”in the ranch. Candy, on the other hand,
wants to show his power and desires it, “Then Curley’s rage exploded. Get up on your feet..I’’ show ya
who’s yella” (Steinback, 62) showing that Curley wants to fight people just to show his dominance
over them in terms of power.

This prompt obviously requires you to nail down the meaning of the work as a whole and to explain
how a character’s struggle to liberate him or herself from the power of others or to exercise power
serves to convey that meaning. In order to establish your thesis (claim) - you might consider the
following questions:
• In what ways is the character subject to the power others exercise over him/her and/or in what
ways does the character seek to exercise power over others?
• To what extent is the character’s struggle with power (freedom from or acquisition of) related to
the need to control his or her destiny? Even when the drive for power manifests itself in negative
ways (e.g. the oppression or abuse of others), can this drive be understood as one caused by a lack of
agency (by “agency” I mean the philosophical and sociological concept that refers the capacity of an
individual to act in the world – as opposed to being acted upon).
• How does the character behave when he/she lacks power/agency?
• What does the character's lack or possession of power reveal about the surrounding society's
assumptions and values?
• What, within the context of the novella, constitutes power? What does the character have to have
in order to possess actual power in this society? Remember, this is set in Depression era America.
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• What does the character’s possession or lack of power reveal about the possibilities of the
American Dream?

2. The most important themes in literature are sometimes developed in scenes in which a death or
deaths take place. Drawing on textual support from throughout Of Mice and Men, establish a thesis
where you address how the death scene at the end of the novella helps to illuminate the meaning of
the work as a whole. Use lots of quotes to support your interpretation. Please stick to the text!
(Don’t rely on assumptions or predictions!)

The death scene at the end of the novella shows that the vulnerable and the dream of him is gone, an
idea that is portrayed continuously throughout the book. Lennie as a character contrasts with other
characters due to his disability and personality. His innocence and weakness in terms of the mind
brought him down, physically and symbolically. Throughout the novella, combinations of power,
mentality, conflicts, etc. make up many of the characters' positions in the plot. Lennie’s death
symbolizes the disintegration of both George and Lennie's dream, all due to the consequences of
Lennie’s actions and how other people think of Lennie as a whole. Even though George knew that
this will impact him heavily, he did not want Lennie to suffer a horrible death by the ranch people
(Curley) so he tried to put him down in the most “humane” away, and this can be compared to
Candy’s dog as many other people of the ranch also thing the dog was weak and put him down due
to its weakness and old age. “Lennie begged, ‘Le’s do it now. Le’s get that place [George] pulled the
trigger” (Steinbeck 106). “If George dont want me.. I’ll go away. I’ll go away” (Steinbeck, 101). This
quote can be thought as a foreshadow as George kills Lennie, and causes all Lennie’s dreams and
hopes to die away.
This prompt obviously requires you to nail down the meaning of the work as a whole and to explain
how the portrayal of Lennie’s death – how the scene is described, what events surround his death,
etc. - serves to convey that meaning In order to establish your thesis (claim) - you might consider the
following questions:
• To what extent is Lennie’s death necessary and inevitable?
• How and why does Steinbeck invoke the dream in this scene (and I don’t mean in terms of the
basic plot, i.e. to “comfort” Lennie)? How does placing the dream directly prior to the shooting of
Lennie affect our perceptions of the dream, or rather the possibility of the dream’s realization?
• Why does Steinbeck set the death of Lennie in the same location as the opening scene? What does
this setting represent to Lennie and George and why is then ironic that Lennie meets his death here?
What does that suggest in a larger sense about society?
• What do the circumstances and the actual description of the character's death reveal about the
surrounding society's assumptions and moral values?
• To what extent can Lennie’s death be considered symbolic? What “dies” with Lennie? What values
did Lennie represent that are arguably “lost” with his life?
• Consider other death scenes in the novella. What are similarities or differences with Lennie’s
death?
3. Writers often highlight the values of a culture or a society by using characters who are alienated
from that culture or society because of gender, race, class, or creed. Steinbeck presents such
characters throughout Of Mice and Men, but this is especially apparent in Chapter 4. Establish a
thesis where you address how the alienation of one or more of the characters featured in this
chapter illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary. Use lots of
quotes to support your interpretation. Please stick to the text! (Don’t rely on assumptions or
predictions!)
The alienation of one of the characters, Crooks, shows the power imbalance in the ranch’s society,
an apparent problem in the society of this book. Due to Crooks’ race, he gets isolated by the other
people and is treated poorly. Due to the threats of other people, Crooks’ “power” and determination
heavily goes down due to his fear of being treated horribly and even death. This can symbolize that
throughout the book, power struggles dealt by people of different races/backgrounds are a key part
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of the ranch society. Even as Crooks dreams of being with the group (Lennie, George, Candy) he
knows that he could not be part of the group due to his skin and color and power in the societal
pyramid (shown by Curleys’ wife dialogue and other people). “Crooks stared hopelessly at her, and
then he sat down on his bunk and drew into himself” (Steinbeck 81) and “"Well, jus' forget it," said
Crooks. "I didn' mean it. Jus' foolin'. I wouldn' want to go no place like that” (Steinbeck 83).
This prompt obviously requires you to nail down the meaning of the work as a whole and to explain
how these alienated, marginalized characters serve to convey that meaning. In order to establish
your thesis (claim) - you might consider the following questions:
• In what ways are these characters entrapped?
• Why are they entrapped?
• How do they behave when faced with the limitations imposed upon them by society due to gender,
race, class or creed?
• What does the character's alienation reveal about the surrounding society's assumptions and moral
values?
• What does this entrapment reveal about the possibilities of the American Dream?

4. What does Steinbeck seem to be saying about the importance of both dreams and friendships?
Many of the characters in the novella are motivated by a dream, specifically George and Lennie’s.
What does it represent to them? How does it evolve? Characters also react to the rarity of George
and Lennie’s friendship and often speak about friendship and companionship. What does Steinbeck
seem to be saying about these topics? How are dreams and friendship connected? Establish two
thesis statements, one that addresses the importance of dreams, and how this contributes to the
meaning of the work as a whole, and one that addresses the importance of friendships, and how this
contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole. Use lots of quotes to support your
interpretation. Please stick to the text! (Don’t rely on assumptions or predictions!)

The importance of dreams in Of Mice and Men shows people of similar circumstances (like isolation,
for example, which is shared by many different characters) and lives that people long for that
contrast their daily lives. The importance of friends also plays a key role in this book, mainly
portrayed by Lennie and George. They both share similar dreams and hopes, like one that is
stress-free and that they can live together in a simple little farm with their bonding. Even until the
end of the book, their dream of living together is brought up and Lennie’s death symbolizes their
dream shattering. Many other people also experience dreams and things that they desire. For
example, Curley’s wife for example dreams of being an actress and away from her current life (as she
claims that she does not like Curley and being with him). Being with Curley makes her feel “isolated”
and even overall, she says that she feels lonely. Many types of dreams are shared throughout the
book, each with their own backgrounds by the characters. “I don'like Curley. He ain't a nice fella…
Coulda been in the movies, an' had nice clothes-all them nice clothes like they wear (Steinbeck 89).
“"Sure, we'd have a little house an' a room to ourself. Little fat iron stove, an' in the winter we'd keep a
fire goin' in it…We wouldn't have to buck no barley eleven hours a day (Steinbeck,59)

This prompt requires that you address both topics separately, but also consider how they are related.
In order to establish your thesis, you might consider the following questions:
• How does each character speak of hopes and dreams? How does the idea of “the dream” differ for
each character? Think of course about Lennie and George, but also about Candy, Curley’s wife,
Crooks, and other characters (including Whit).
• How and why does “the” dream (George and Lennie’s) change throughout the book? What makes it
stronger or weaker?
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• How does “the” dream help us understand isolation and loneliness versus community and
friendship?
• What do dreams tell us about issues of class, race, and gender during this time (dehumanization)?
• How do the different characters react to George and Lennie’s friendship? Why?
• Consider the different relationships within the novel. Which characters have some kind of
companionship? Are companionship and friendship the same things? Why or why not?

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Part II: Character Assignments:

Group 1: George, Carlson Group 2: Lennie, Candy
Group 3: Curley’s Wife, Curley Group 4: Slim, Crooks

Assignment: Analyze each character. Discuss any details/descriptions about them that convey
meaning (physical descriptions, personality, motivations, fears, conflicts, etc. Use these descriptions
to answer the question: In the novella, Of Mice and Men, ____(character’s name)___ symbolizes
people in society who_____________. (ex. Have futile dreams, will never quit their dreams, etc.)

In Of Mice and Men, George and Carlson symbolize people in society who are “normal” workers but
are haunted by loneliness and a figure that both has temper and the ability to understand.
George is a person that physically is weaker than Lennie but overall has more power in terms of his
mentality. He is a “leader” compared to Lennie. He repeatedly has a temper over Lennie but knows
that he cannot be let go so he stays with him, continuing a friendship. Carlson represents that he
has some sort of understanding, just like George.He also has some influence over George and the
ranch overall as he was the one who questioned George if Lennie killed Curley’s wife and offered
different solutions. However, he still has another side in which he is aggressive, as seen as when he
wanted to put down Candy’s dog due to his physical appearance and behavior. Candy also describes
workers in the ranch as the most lonely people that only came to work, which fits Carlson’s situation.
“"Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They
don’t belong no place” (Steinbeck, 15). “"Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin' them two guys?"
(Steinbeck, 107). “ "He ain't, I tell ya he ain't." And he cried, "Oh! George-George--George!" “
(Steinbeck, 101).