Of mice and men Section 2

Section 2 George and Lennie have arrived at the ranch and are shown the bunk house by the ‘old swamper’ (cleaner) Candy, who has an old dog.

George worries that the previous occupant of his bunk house had lice. The boss is talked about – ‘a pretty nice fella,’ – and the stable-hand Crooks. The boss meets George and Lennie. Curley, the boss’s son, comes into the bunk house, and picks on Lennie, seeming to want a fight. Curley is ‘pretty handy. He done quite a bit in the ring.’. He also ‘hates big guys’.

Curley’s wife visits the bunk house, and flirts with the men. George becomes even more worried. Curley frightens George – ‘I hate that kind of guy’. George reminds Lennie he is to go to the pool if there is ‘trouble’.

Slim, the ‘jerk line skinner’ and unofficial leader of the ranch hands, meets George and Lennie. He wins George’s confidence with his natural authority and ‘dignity’. Slim offers to give Lennie one of the pups recently born to his dog.

Why is Section 2 important? It introduces us to the bunk house, the home of the ranch hands and setting for much of the novel. It introduces us to some of the main characters at the ranch. Curley is clearly identified as a threat to Lennie and George, as is his wife. We are given clear hints that there is trouble ahead.

Ranch life and migrant workers The bunk house is an important setting in the novella; a number of important and dramatic events take place there. Steinbeck’s description of the bunk house gives us many clues about ranch life and the wider issues affecting the lives of the migrant farm workers. Life for migrant farm workers was not easy. Some of the problems they faced were linked not just to the difficult work buy also to ranch lifestyle.

Vocabulary – Section 2 apprehensive barley contorted derogatory skeptically swamper 1.Define 2. Place in your own sentence to show your comprehension of word

The Bunkhouse Read the description of the Bunkhouse at the beginning of Section Two. If you drew the bunkhouse from the description given, what would it look like? Using details in the description, draw a plan of the layout in the bunk house – a bird’s eye view, like a set design. Label your drawing with relevant quotes from the text. What can you say about the variety of syntax (sentence construction) in terms of length and punctuation?

Themes LONELINESS In this section, loneliness has been highlighted as a major theme. What are some examples of where we see this? Remember: we are not told that characters are lonely. We have to make presumptions based on what Steinbeck writes.

Themes LONELINESS Candy – his relationship with his dog, his surprise that George and Lennie travel together Curley – possessive of his wife Curley’s wife – looking for people to talk to, no female friendships George – looking for equality in friendship (Slim); someone he can look up to; someone else as the leader/the dependable one; wants a girl and to settle down Lennie – wants a pet to call his own/that is unconditional

Comprehension How does the account of Whitey’s quitting contribute to the book’s mood of alienation? Why is the stable buck set apart from the other men? What is Candy’s opinion of him and how does this reveal the opinions of the time? Which character names from this section have symbolic importance? List and explain the importance of each. Choose three (3) from Slim, Candy, Curley and Crooks

The Bunkhouse How does the description of the Bunkhouse give an impression of the life of the migrant worker? Point Evidence Explanation The men do not have many luxury items. “Quote from the text,” (pg. #). This shows that…

Contrasting Settings Turn these points into a paragraph about the Bunkhouse. Your paragraph should include: Where it is in the novel (straight after the peaceful ending of Section One) How it is described (use some of the phrases you wrote down earlier) What the room tells us about the lives of the ranchers (e.g. their few possessions; not well looked after; quite sad and lonely looking) You MUST use at least two quotations in this paragraph as well.

Contrasting Settings Now write a paragraph about the Clearing (page 1). Your paragraph should include: Where it is in the novel (i.e. it’s the first setting) How it is described (look back in your quotation booklet and find the words you wrote down in the first lesson) How it makes the reader feel at the end of the section (calm and peaceful because…) You MUST use at least two quotations in this paragraph.

Contrasting Settings Conclusion: Why do you think Steinbeck starts each section with a description of the setting? Why do you think the end of Section One and the start of Section Two are so contrasting? (What is Steinbeck trying to make us understand or think about?) You do not need to use any quotations in this paragraph – you are just summing up your ideas. This is your analysis, the most important part of any analytical writing is telling us what we know and what information can be gathered from the evidence provided.

Rising Tension The author has used a technique in writing called foreshadowing. Foreshadowing provides a warning to readers or an indication of future events. Give some examples of foreshadowing in this section.

Examples of foreshadowing Curley’s wife flirting with the other men Candy says Curley doesn’t like big guys Lennie, if he gets a pup The Boss’s suspicion of George and Lennie’s lateness to the job Lennie shows an interest in Curley’s wife George and Lennie’s relationship may suffer if George and Slim become friends George reminds Lennie to go to the pool if there is trouble Whitey’s disappearance Candy’s dog may die

Slim Slim is a jerkline skinner, in control of a team of horses, and is seen as the leading worker in the bunk house. Slim takes on many lead roles in Of Mice and Men Steinbeck calls Slim the ‘prince of the ranch’. Find three (3) physical descriptions of Slim that back this up. What does it mean that Candy says Slim doesn’t need high-heeled boots? Who does wear these and what does this suggest?

Slim Complete the explanation of the evidence Write a point about Slim that this evidence and explanation justifies. Evidence Explanation He is ‘godlike’ and ‘moved with majesty’ Suggests an attractive, almost princely appearance, confirmed by Curley’s suspicions (that Slim is attractive to his wife) and how the men admire and look up to him. ‘understanding beyond thought’ He doesn’t need to think things through to ‘get them’; he realises instinctively how George and Lennie get along ‘There was gravity in his manner … all talk stopped when he spoke’ ‘His hands, large and lean, were as delicate in their action as those of a temple dancer’

Is it what Slim does, or what he seems to represent or symbolise? For example, decency. He knows that life is hard, and that dreams don’t come true. He drowns some of the puppies because the mother ‘couldn’t feed that many’. Despite being charismatic, prince-like, understanding and skilled at what he does, Steinbeck also implies that Slim is trapped by the life he leads.

Candy Candy has lost his right hand in a farm accident and is now reduced to the meanest job on the ranch – that of ‘swamper’ or menial cleaner Candy is a ‘tall, stoop shouldered old man’ (p.20), who has lost his right hand. Highlighting physical weakness Candy is also described through his dog, ‘a drag-footed sheep dog, grey of muzzle and with pale, blind old eyes’. Candy’s relationship with his dog is like George’s relationship with Lennie, not something rational but an antidote to loneliness. Candy, rather like his dog, is infirm and weak. One of the strongest statements in Of Mice and Men is that such people are worthy of our attention and our respect.

Candy is seen as a ‘weak’ character Candy is seen as a ‘weak’ character. Find three (3) ways Steinbeck presents him as physically weak and/or old, and comment on your choice of quotations. How does Steinbeck highlight a more general sense of the lives of itinerant workers through Candy? Why do you think Candy is ‘reassured’ that he has ‘drawn a derogatory statement from George’ when mentioning the ‘glove fulla Vaseline’?

Curley’s wife She is the young, attractive, newly married wife of Curley, the Boss’s son. She makes Curley jealous by flirting with the ranch hands. She creates tension in the bunk house. ‘She had full, rouged lips and wide spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages.’ (p.34) ‘Think I’m gonna stay in that two by four house and listen how Curley’s gonna lead with his left twice, and then bring in the ol’ right cross?’ ‘You know what I can do to you if you open your trap.’ ‘He says he was gonna put me in the movies.’ ‘She was very pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young.’ What do these quotes hint to us about Curley’s wife?

Look carefully at the passage describing Curley’s wife Look carefully at the passage describing Curley’s wife. What impression does this give? How does this contrast with the description of how she acts? Pick four (4) separate aspects of the description, and explain the impression Steinbeck is trying to create. What might be there despite the obvious ‘tartiness’ that he is trying to convey? Compare how George and Lennie respond to Curley’s wife. What is Candy’s opinion of Curley’s wife? George says of her ‘Curley’s got his work ahead of him.’ What does he mean by this, and by calling her a ‘rat trap’.

Steinbeck never provides a name for Curley’s wife. How does this affect our response to her?

Women and femininity ‘bitch’ ‘good-lookin’ ‘rat trap’ ‘a tramp’ ‘jail bait’ ‘tart’ ‘purty’ Having considered these words, how might you describe the role of women and the nature of femininity in Of Mice and Men? What women are referred to in the novella?

Steinbeck’s characterisation of Curley’s wife Steinbeck uses his narrative voice to tell us what to think. He does this through: dialogue (including sentence length, use of slang, repetition “If he ain’t, I guess I better look some place else,” she said playfully. (p.35) physical imagery “…She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red.” association (who or what she associates with tells us about the type of person she is) “I’m trying to find Curley…”

Steinbeck’s characterisation of Curley’s wife Steinbeck uses his narrative voice to tell us what to think. He does this through: her reactions (how she relates to others) “She was suddenly apprehensive…she hurried away.” other characters’ opinions of her “I seen ‘em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her.” her actions “She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward.”

More themes DREAMS RACIAL PREJUDICE Reread the extract where George first describes the ‘dream’ in Section 1. In pairs, make a list of aspects of the dream that are in complete contrast to their lives as migrant ranch workers. RACIAL PREJUDICE The treatment of Crooks and the response to this treatment Language used

Paragraph analysis of the theme of loneliness How does John Steinbeck highlight the theme of loneliness through both character and setting within Section 2. Answer this question in paragraph form using at least two PEE chains. One for character and one for setting.

Paragraph analysis of character – Curley’s wife How does Steinbeck position the character to feel about Curley’s wife? You should include two PEE chains Ideas could be: dialogue, physical imagery, association, her reactions, her actions, how other characters view her

Mini assessment (20 mins) How does Steinbeck portray Curley’s wife in chapter 2? (29, 32-33) Note – you can refer to the way other characters talk/respond to her, as well as the way she is described.

Starter – 5 mins Misogynistic Vulnerable Isolated Young Prejudge Equal opportunities Housewife How does Steinbeck present Curley’s wife as a victim, as well as a flirt. You must use all of the words in the box!