Chapter 1 1. Why does Steinbeck describe the setting with such detail? He describes it in such detail because he wants to describe the setting in a way that appeals to the reader. Opinions may vary, but when I read the first page I automatically thought of a place abundant in greenery and animals. Maybe even a forest with a running river. But then later on in the book he describes the setting in a very opposite manner. 2. What is the relationship between George and Lennie? George and Lennie are like brothers...if you look at life during the Dust Bowl, times were hard and families were torn apart. George could have left Lennie any day. George could 've left Reed and let the authorities take lennie so he would run off, start …show more content…
George snapped his fingers sharply, and at the sound Lennie laid the mouse in his hand. The use of "terrier" is significant. It shows that Lennie, despite his overwhelming "bear" size, is actually extremely loyal to George. Akin to the dog, Lennie obeys George as a dog does a master. The detail of "who doesn 't want to bring a ball to its master" is another example of animal imagery that evokes how much Lennie is dependent on George. The idea of how a dog obeys its master no matter what 7. What does it say about he view of handicapped people during the 1930`s? Mentally disabled people in the 1930 's did not have the same treatment, which they are afforded today. Mentally disabled people during this era had the tendency to be placed into mental wards--at an alarming number. Doctors during this time did not have the understanding of mental disabilities that they do today. Many hospitals were overcrowded given doctors would tend to commit the mentally disabled person (given their inability to properly treat them). 8. How have views on the handicapped changed/stayed the same today? In the 1930`s people who handicapped would be considered metal and would be placed in a mental hospital and would not have the right to do anything. In todays society people who are handicapped are treated with respect and are not thrown into mental hospitals. You cannot judge a person based on something like that
George even uses Lennie’s need as leverage to keep him under control. Lennie strives to hold responsibility. Unfortunately, Lennie tends to hurt the animals that he does receive. He is too strong for the animals that she cares for. During their journey from Weed, Lennie tends to a mouse, only to end up killing the fragile creature. Later on, George gets Lennie a puppy that Lennie regretfully kills with his power. Lennie’s good intentions fell short in comparison to his power. Lennie was looking for responsibility in pets but took on too much when the animals would be killed by his overwhelming strength.
The author, Steinbeck, uses his own personal experience to “serve as an inspiration…” (Johnson 1) when writing this particular story. His past experiences also helped him for the future. Lennie, of all characters, is the least dynamic. He undergoes a significant amount of change and develops throughout the story. He has been isolated with George throughout his life. His sole purpose in life is to make George happy and to own a farm with George and take care of the soft rabbits. Lennie is the most innocent and defenseless. He also is the largest and strongest, which does not help in certain situations. Lennie is the protagonist in the story. He gains the readers sympathy by his intellectual disability and helplessness. Lennie murders things by accident such as the mouse in his pocket, the puppy and Curley’s wife. He enjoys the touch of and somehow uses those murders and experiences to scare him from doing it again. George’s opinion means the most to him.
Because of his mental disability he does things that further put him out of the “normal” group of ranch hands. Lennie has a good friend in George but he is portrayed as being lonley in the book anyway. He just wants to be like every one else on the ranch.
3.1 Describe environmental and social barriers that can have a disabling effect on an individual with a physical disability
Everyone has dreams, big and small. When one dreams, there is a scent of whimsical hope in the air mixed with the powerful drive for success to obtain their luminous goals. But, many times these luscious dreams end up in grief and pain instead of a promised joy due to the hurdles in life, such as the certain circumstances that society professes or the flaws in a person that restrains them from their aspirations. The writer, John Steinbeck, incorporates this ideology in his novella, Of Mice and Men by creating three pivotal characters. Lennie, Crooks, and George all have schemes that go wrong, and yet hope to illustrate their desires of fulfilling their American Dream and to be prosperous for their own independent purposes.
There is also a sense of lack of trust in the relationship between the two men. We see this through the predicament with the work cards. It tells us that George again has to take care of Lennie, and that Lennie isn’t trusted by George. Again this idea is portrayed to the reader on page seventeen, we notice that George knows that he needs a plan b as Lennie cannot be trusted so his plan b is to tell Lennie to “hide in the brush until I come for you”. This helps us to understand the relationship even further. George also treats Lennie like a dog in one occasion in the chapter, “good boy”. This is something a master would say to a dog to encourage them, it also tells us the sort of role in the relationship George has again.
Each time period had people with different views of disability and ways of treating those with disabilities. For example, early European colonists in 1492-1700 had a definition for disability that discussed productivity in regards to things such as class and gender. For children who were born with disabilities, the women were always blamed. For the time period of 1700-1776, slaves who had "undesirable bodies" were left to die. After that until 1865, African and indigenous women compared to white women were compared to animals and viewed negatively due to their features. Each time period had people who viewed disabilities in different capacities and took
Lennie is described as a big bulky animal. But his brain, on the other hand, is slow as child’s. Because of this fact, when George was younger, he picked on Lennie and bullied him. In the book it states, “George’s voice was taking on the
Some people think that George did not do the right thing by killing Lennie because there were alternative options for shooting him. But, if George and Lennie decided to run away, they would be running their whole life, and if George decided to turn Lennie in, he
In chapter one, the main events that happen where: I. In the beginning of the story, the author describe over the details of the Salinas River and he wants to explain that his main characters George and Lennie will have a sense of the setting. The author says, "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." (1) This shows how the author gives the description of Salinas River, how the valley runs down green, hillside banks and yellow sands.
Lennie loves George so much, that he considers him his brother. George and Lennie stayed to true to one another, attached, and devoted to one another.
Before George kills Lennie, he reassures him that they will be there for each other forever. Lennie doesn’t want George to ever leave him, and that is shown by this quote in the book, spoken by Lennie. “You ain't gonna leave me, are ya George? I know you ain't.” George then answers, “No” (103). Even though George did not want to kill Lennie, it was the best choice for the both of them. George was still Lennie’s best friend, but he would look out for him till the end. Even if the end meant
Lennie is unquestioning in his loyalty to George. We see this in George’s anecdote about the Sacramento River. “‘Jump in.’ An’ he jumps”(P66) Lennie has a childlike obedience. Steinbeck shows us this in the fight between Lennie and Curley. Earlier on, George tells Lennie to not fight with Curley, Lennie remembers this and due to his childlike obedience, his “hands remained at his sides; he was too frightened to defend himself.”(P91). Once George tells Lennie to “Get him”(P91), Lennie immediately crushes Curley’s hand completely. Most mature people would know whether they should break the rules or not, because they wouldn’t get as badly hurt, but with Lennie, it is a different story. It is this childlike obedience that Steinbeck uses to show us how George needs to act as a parent towards Lennie.
George says “why do you have to be so stupid” In another scene George says “Your aunt told me to take care of you and that is what i am doing.How would you see Lennie and George later on they always have different connections and they are just trying to get through life without screwing up.
What suggestion might Steinbeck have left for us in the opening chapter as he describes the conditions of the families?