1. John Steinbeck

2. Background Full Name: John Ernst Steinbeck
Place of Birth: Salinas, California
Heritage: Father was County Treasures and Mother was a former school teacher
How has location and heritage played a part in Steinbeck’s life?
The Steinbeck House in Salinas…this is the place of his boyhood

3. Adult Life Steinbeck graduated from Salinas HS in 1925
He attended Stanford with the hope to earn a degree in English, but he dropped out to seek a writing career in New York
However…he was unsuccessful in NY and moved back to California
He struggled with odd jobs to keep his family a float while still pursuing his love of writing
His first 5 novels went unnoticed

4. Steinbeck’s Luck Changes
Tortilla Flat (1935) won Steinbeck his first award
Grapes of Wrath (1939) earned Steinbeck the most prestigious prize for writing: The Pulitzer
Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962 “...for his realistic as well as imaginative writings, distinguished by a sympathetic humor and a keen social perception.”

5. Of Mice and Men Published in 1937 1938: OMM won the New York Drama
Critics' Circle Award
Story is about a pair of migrant farm workers
Genre: Tragedy
Setting: Salinas Valley, post Great Depression…what do we know about The Great Depression?

6. The Great Depression What are your initial reactions to the picture?
Who is in the picture?
Who is the woman?
What mood does she portray?
How does she look?
What kind of life must she lead?
How do we know any of this information?
How does the economy effect our lives?

7. The Great Depression
5 Causes: Stock Market Crash, Bank Failures, Reduction in Spending, American Economic Policy with Europe, Drought Conditions
The New Deal: FDR’s string of policies to help America get through the Depression (the New Deal was how he was elected President)
The first days of Roosevelt's administration saw the passage of banking reform laws, emergency relief programs, work relief programs, and agricultural programs. Later, a second New Deal was to evolve; it included union protection programs, the Social Security Act, and programs to aid tenant farmers and migrant workers

8. Migrant Farm Workers
When OMM was published, almost half of America’s grain was harvested by huge combines
5 men could do what would have taken 350 men to do a few years earlier…what was the impact of this?
You got it: unemployment…
the two main characters
are some of the last
migrant workers

9. Migrants The farm hands traveled the country side harvesting wheat
They earned $2.50-$3 a day (what does this break down per hour?) plus food and basic accommodations

10. Lennie and George
Describe your current relationship with your best friend
Imagine how difficult it would be if your best friend was disabled
Now imagine they are disabled and you not only have to take care of them, but you also have to move from town to town on a consistent basis
Think about the complexity of this relationship…
Discuss with someone next to you:
How can a difficult relationship make life worthwhile?

11. American Dream
Friendship is a key factor of the novel but so is the American Dream
Compare/Contrast the Dream: 1930’s versus today
Is the Dream possible in the historical context of the novel?

12. Info to Know
George is a traveling farm worker, friend and protector of Lennie. He is small but intelligent and witty.
Lennie is a huge child-like man who travles with George. He is incapable of looking after himself, is extremely strong, and is fascinated by soft things.
The novel uses foul language…why?
Reading study guides with questions and vocabulary-how will this help?