1. Of Mice and Men
By John Steinbeck

3. Of Mice and Men
Published in 1937, in this novella, Steinbeck again seeks to accuse land owners, labor organizers, communists, police and big government of exploiting workers. Setting is again Southwest California – similar to The Grapes of Wrath

4. Lennie and george The Idea of Lennie and George Two Migrant Workers
The American Dream – Not only Survival like the Joads

5. objectives
To describe the physical, mental, and emotional effects of caregiving
To pinpoint the sources of fear and despair
To analyze intimidation and cruelty
To justify survivalism
To assess the causes of bullying
To define euthanasia

6. Literary terms
Existentialism – a loosely defined term that contrasts the random nature of the universe with the inadequacy of human control or intelligence – For Example George and Lennie – who must flee their jobs because George is unable to stifle Lennie’s need to caress soft objects

7. Literary terms
Foreshadowing – an object statement action, that anticipates prefigures or predicts a certain event

8. Literary terms
Novella – a shortened form of fictional development lying between 30,000-50,000 words. The intensity of the limited action and character development maintains the author’s control over the emerging theme of compassion.
Naturalism
Social Realism - a type of literature which concerns itself with the direct engagement with and intervention in the problematic (usually economic) social conditions in society.

9. Themes Compassion Loyalty Dependence Vulnerability Need Longing
Violence/intimidation
Euthanasia

10. motifs Caregiving to the handicapped Migrating from job to job
Following orders
The powerlessness of the dispossesed
Dreaming of an idyllic place
Accepting the weaknesses of others
Avoiding trouble

11. Language and vernacular
We will limit the usage of bad language from the novel in class
Code Names – Almost every character has a name that is in some way symbolic of who he or she is portrayed as a character