Chapter 6 Notes

Question: In this chapter, George ends up killing Lennie. Why didn't he just run away with Lennie again? Why did he kill him? Lennie had a mental disability, and George knew something bad would happened. Why didn't he just agree he'd kill him, then run away with him? Was it all for this new job? If so, he's wrong. He can't just kill like that.

Summarize: Lennie starts to hallucinate, he sees his Aunt Clara, and starts to see a bunny talking to him. George fun sky comes out from hiding and consoles Lennie about how he won't leave. Lennie then asks George to tell him about how they'll get away. As George is telling him, he shoots him, right where the skull meets the spine.

Reflect: "And George raised the gun and steadied it, and he brought the muzzle of it close to the back of Lennie's head. The hand shook violently, but his face set and his hand steadied. He pulled the trigger." George basically stabbed Lennie in the back. I don't know if he thought he was helping Lennie, or just wanted to get rid of him, but it was harsh. He turned his back on Lennie, he got rid of him. If I was Aunt Clara, I would be ashamed. He just needed attention, and all he wanted was to tend the rabbits. But he won't even get to do that anymore.

http://www.wambie.com/tuttifrutti_us/news/ADVICE_TIME__WHEN_A_FRIEND_TURNS_HER_BACK_ON__YOU-new_en-8382.html
Advice on when a friend turns their back on you.

Novel Reaction: Thinking Forward

We have investigated many captivating themes that exist in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men over the last few weeks.  You have explored the desperation and poverty of the American 1930s through pictures and video.  You have witnessed how John Steinbeck used naturalism to portray certain characters as "human beasts" acting on impulsiveness and instinct for self-preservation.  You have examined how the author used literary devices such as sentimentalism, diction, tone, parallelism, and foreshadowing in order to propel these themes.  You have close-read and analyzed the text digging deeper and deeper for evidence of themes such as Power vs. Powerlessness, Individual vs. Community, The American Dream, Euthanasia, Racism, Loneliness, and maybe even a little Sexism.  Pat yourself on the back!  You have been critically thinking about this novella on so many different levels. 

For this week's blog response, you need to make some pretty serious decisions!  We are quickly approaching the time where you will be expected to write your Research Paper based on a topic of interest from Of Mice and Men.  If you have been keeping up with your reading, completing your notes, participating in conversations and activities during class on the various themes, and completing your blog responses this choice will be fairly easy!  If not, you may be in for a struggle....

What topic or theme that we have touched on during this unit has "hit home" with you the most?  Which theme or topic has a personal connection for you?  Which did you find most captivating or interesting to discuss and investigate during this unit?  Select a topic/theme from the list above that peaks your interest, and, in this week's blog response, discuss why you find it fascinating, which moment in the story you think about when reflecting on this theme, and how this theme is relevant in today's world.

The theme that I found most interesting was loneliness. I find loneliness fascinating because so many people in the world are lonely, and no one is aware. Loneliness can lead to bigger issues, such as depression, and suicide. It's a scary thing, and all you need is someone to be there for you. But it still isn't enough, because they don't understand, they won't understand. For all we know, our best friend could be lonely, but they won't tell us, they don't want to burden us with their problems.

When I think about the novella Of Mice and Men, many of the characters are lonely. Lennie, could as well be hiding his problems, he's trying to fit in, which most people with such problems do. Without Lennie, who would George have? No one. He's been with Lennie so long, he probably wouldn't want anyone. Curley is always looking for his wife, has anyone thought he could be so controlling because he doesn't want to loose her? Curley's wife just wants control, she married Curley to defy her mom. She could miss her mom, it's expected. Crooks probably misses his family and all the property he used to have. He's excluded, he has to sleep somewhere else because he's 'colored'.

  The psychological and Health Consequences of Loneliness: http://panicdisorder.about.com/od/livingwithpd/a/Loneliness.htm

Chapter 5 Notes

Summarize: In this chapter, all of the boys go out to play horseshoes. Except Lennie, he stays with his puppy. In a way, Lennie is just like a puppy, he can't remember much, and can't do much. He ends up killing his puppy, and tries to hide in. In the process of him trying to hide it, Curley's wife finds him. She convinces him to touch her hair, but soon she gets scared, and starts to yell. So, to prevent any trouble, Lennie snaps her neck.

Prediction: I think George will try and protect Lennie from Curley. George has stuck by Lennie's side, because of his Aunt Clara, I don't think he'd stop now. They might run away to another town, get new jobs, and make new friends. Soon, it'll probably become a routine for them.

Question: George is trying to make sure that they go easy on him. Isn't he tired of the things he has to go through on a daily basis because of Lennie? Is it just because of Lennie's Aunt Clara, that he stayed with him? Most people couldn't do what he does, so there must be a true friendship. Curley's wife gets scared of Lennie, when he doesn't let go. She could've easily avoided all of it, if she stayed away. Why does she have to seek attention from everyone?

http://psychology.about.com/od/psychotherapy/a/loneliness.htm

Chapter 4 Notes

Prediction: I think George will leave Lennie. Crooks leads the reader to believe he will. I find it pretty ironic, because if he does leave Lennie, in the beginning of the book it says that he promised Aunt Clara he wouldn't. I think he'll take off with Candy. Lennie will stay at the ranch and become friends with Crooks.
 
Summarize: In chapter four, a new character, Crooks was introduced. Because he's colored, he has to live in the barn. He likes to keep his distance from people, but he lets Lennie in. They get into a conversation about how George may not come back. Then Curleys wife comes in, stirring up trouble, as usual. But soon after George does come back with the boys.
 
Question: Crooks like to keep his distance. I wonder if its because he's always by himself or because someone hurt him. I wonder what's going through Lennie's head when Crooks is saying how George may have left him. I wonder whats going through his mind.

Investigating Themes In Of Mice and Men

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?

2.) What kind of relationship do George and Lennie have? Is their relationship a friendship? How does this relationship express Steinbeck’s position on the individual versus the community?

3.) Is the American Dream a real possibility in the story? If yes, what characters, symbols, events, or other details from the story confirm that the American Dream is within reach? If not, what characters, symbols, events, or other details from the story represent the American Dream as out of reach?


Check out the info History.com has to offer about the American 1930s! Who had power in the 1930s? Who did not? What kinds of power existed then? What important relationships were formed in the 1930s? Was the American Dream still alive in the 1930s?

2)  What kind of relationship do George and Lennie have? Is their relationship a friendship? How does relationship express Steinbeck’s position on the individual versus the community?

George and Lennie have a conflicting relationship, they both rely on each other. George looks to Lennie for protect hi, he says that no one should mess with Lennie which was proved in chapter 3, when Lennie breaks Curley’s hand. Lennie looks up to George for guidance. George is the one who told Lennie to get Curley.

I think their relationship is a true friendship. I don’t think George would have stayed with Lennie if he didn’t care for him. I think Lennie probably thinks of George as his only family member after Aunt Clara passed.

Steinback shows how Lennie relies on George to be his parental figure. He asks George to tell him stories, for permission to do things, etc. George relies on Lennie to rough anyone up if they bother them. Lennie doesn’t know any better than to listen to George, so he does.

 How to be socially involved: http://www.mind.org.uk/mental_health_a-z/7977_socialising-how_to_stay_socially_involved