Independent Reading

Of Mice and Men

Who allows Carlson to kill Candy’s dog? Consider who Candy looks to for “permission” to keep his dog How do the individuals responsible show their guilt? (48)

What would Ralph Waldo Emerson say about this scene? Think back to “Self-Reliance” and consider how Emerson’s assertions about society tie to Steinbeck’s

Which man does Candy look to for “permission” to keep his dog?

The Character of Slim Consider Steinbeck’s description of Slim on page 33- 34, 40, and 45 What words does he use to describe Slim? What sets Slim apart from the rest of the ranchers?

Whit’s reaction to Bill’s letter Why is Whit so eager to show Slim Bill’s letter? How does Whit and Bill’s relationship relate to what we discussed about what life is like for migratory workers?

Candy and George What do these two men have in common?

Make a prediction: How will the relationships between the ranchers change after this passage?

“I Sit and Look Out” Turn to page 315 Listen and follow along with the poem Then reread it to yourself and make annotations (diction, syntax, literary devices, vocab, tone, purpose, mood) on a separate sheet of paper

Mood and Tone How does Whitman want us to feel? (Mood) How does Whitman feel towards this subject? (Tone)

Speaker vs. Author When a poet writes, he does not always write from his own perspective—we call his chosen perspective the “speaker” Considering what this speaker sees, hears, and does, who do you think he/she is?

Purpose Considering what we’ve discussed about Whitman’s choices, why do you think he wrote this poem?

What connects our reading to this poem?

What do you “sit and look out” on? Write a reflection/reaction to this scene in your journal Does it remind you of something you’ve witnessed, read about, or thought about?

Read Along I’ll be reading pages 56-61 aloud. As I do, reflect on the following question: What is Candy exchanging in this scene? He is giving something up and gaining something new—what do you think those things are?

Homework Read pages 61-65 Answer the following questions: Who gets into a fight? What is each character’s reaction to the fight, at first? What is the result of the fight?