1. Themes and Symbols in Of Mice and Men

2. The American Dream
The term was first used by James Truslow Adams in his book The Epic of America which was written in 1931

3. The American Dream
"The American Dream is "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to achieve the fullest stature of which they are capable of, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the circumstances of birth or position."

4. OMAM and the American Dream
Do the characters of OMAM strive for the American Dream? What do they hope for?

5. George & Lennie’s Dream
What is George & Lennie’s Dream?
Why do they want this?
Who else wants in on the Dream? Why?

6. George & Lennie’s Dream
'Well,' said George, 'we'll have a big vegetable patch and a rabbit hutch and chickens. And when it rains in the winter, we'll just say the hell with goin' to work, and we'll build up a fire in the stove and set around it an' listen to the rain comin' down on the roof...'"

7. George & Lennie’s Dream
Candy and Crooks also want in on George & Lennie’s dream.
Why does each character want to live on the farm like this?
"We could live offa the fatta the lan'." – Lennie, Chapter 3, pg. 57

8. The Dream
George and Lennie want independence and something to call their own
Workers like Lennie and George have no family, no home, and very little control over their lives. They have to do what the boss tells them and they have little to show for it. They only own what they can carry
Candy wants somewhere to live out the rest of his life with independence and dignity
Crooks wants to be included and to not be alone

9. Loneliness
The men in Of Mice and Men desire to come together to protect each other, and to know that there is someone in the world dedicated to protecting them.
This contrasts the harsh, lonely conditions under which these men live.
Many of the characters admit to suffering from profound loneliness. 
Crooks is also isolated because of his race, and Lennie would be if he did not have George.

10. Loneliness Why are each of the following characters lonely? Lennie –
George –
Candy –
Crooks –
Curley’s Wife –

11. Loneliness
Lennie – Would be lonely without George, has no other family
George – Lonely without Lennie, has no other family; is alone once Lennie is gone
Candy – Elderly and disabled, he wants to be included and safe as he ages
Crooks – Social outcast due to his race and disability
Curley’s Wife – Unhappily married, her husband is controlling and does not treat her well

12. Power
At what points in the novella do different characters possess and use power?

13. Power
Compare how Curley and Slim get power.

14. Power Curley represents social power.
Given Curley’s temperament, he serves as a natural foil—a character whose emotions or actions contrast with those of other characters—for both the gentle Lennie and the self-assured Slim.
He is the son of the Boss, and therefore holds a greater amount of power and control over the others

15. Power: Curley vs. Slim
Curley forces people to pay attention to him – even if it is negative attention. He picks on those weaker than himself.
Slim gains respect from others, and his power comes from more legitimate reasons – he does not need approval from others like Curley does.

16. Power
What role does physical strength play in the book?

17. Power: Physical Strength
“With great power comes great responsibility” – Uncle Ben, Spiderman
Lennie has a great deal of power – physical power – but he lacks in mental power
Physical strength is vital to the working men in the book and has a great deal to do with power status and control
Candy is elderly and disabled, Crooks is physically disabled

18. Power
Curley’s Wife does not have a lot of power on the ranch since she is a woman, but who does she have power over? Why?

19. Power: Social Strength
Curley’s Wife holds power over Crooks due to his race – her word may also be taken over Candy’s and Lennie’s despite the fact she is a woman

20. Role of Women
What is the role of women in the novel? How is this shown? Use examples that include Curley’s Wife.

21. The Role of Women: Objects & Dangerous
In Of Mice and Men, women are only caretakers of men, and sex objects
Curley’s Wife is never given a proper name – just an object
Women are also depicted as dangerous – George tells Lennie to stay away from her, she is described as “jail bait”, and the men seem to be more upset about Lennie’s fate after he accidentally kills her than her death itself

22. Symbols

23. Animals & Helplessness
How are animals depicted in Of Mice and Men?
How does Steinbeck use animals in relation to Lennie? Why?

24. Mice and Slim’s Puppies
Mice and Slim’s puppies are innocent and unknowing of their place in the world/society, similar to Lennie.
The fate of the puppies demonstrates what happens to the weak on the farm (and in society) – Lennie is dependent on George, like the puppies would be dependent on their mother/the men

25. Candy’s Dog
Candy’s dog represents the fate awaiting anyone who has outlived their purpose – the aged, disabled etc.
Pity for dependents/the weak does not exist on the ranch
The strong will dispose of the weak – dog eat dog.

26. The Heron and the Snake
 A water snake was at the pond in the beginning of the book, but in the last chapter it is eaten by a heron
The heron eats the first snake and waits for another – this is foreshadowing for Lennie’s death…
Like the other animals in the book, and like Lennie, the snake is helpless and does not know its death is coming