1. Of Mice and Men
John Steinbeck

2. Overview
Set in California during the Great Depression, Of Mice and Men is the story of two migrant workers – George Milton and Lennie Small – who dream of one day saving enough money to own land of their own.

3. The Characters
Lennie Small
George Milton

4. John Steinbeck
One of the greatest – and most prolific – American writers of the 20th century.
During the late 1930s and 1940s, he wrote several important novels set in California which dealt with the plight of impoverished peoples who sought to improve their lives against unfortunate circumstances.
Of Mice and Men (1937)
The Grapes of Wrath (1939)
The Pearl (1947)

5. Historical Context
During the 1930s, the unemployment rate was high in the U.S., and with so many men searching for work, agencies were set up to send farm workers to where they were needed.
In the novel, George and Lennie (the two main characters) were given work cards from Murray and Ready’s, which was one of the farm work agencies.
These workers would earn $2.50 or $3.00 a day, plus food and shelter.
These migrant workers lived day-to-day, with no apparent futures and no families. George and Lennie, however, believe that they’re different: they have each other and they have their dream.

6. Themes Dreams Friendship The American Dream Brotherhood
“My Brother’s Keeper”
Loneliness
Powerlessness
Man and Natural world
Fate

7. Genre
Realism: Naturalism – A story in which narrators depict characters objectively and dispassionately, reflecting the idea that humans are “human beasts” subjected to the whims of the natural world with little control.
Tragedy – Centers around a flawed character who faces his or her downfall gracefully.
Morality Play – A kind of literature which features an “everyman” who faces obstacles and meets symbolic characters along his path.

8. Style Point-of-View Colloquial/ism Imagery Symbolism Juxtaposition
Morality Play
Parallelism
Theme
Characterization
Tone

9. The Title
Steinbeck’s title was inspired by an eighteenth century poem called “To a Mouse [on turning her up in her nest with the plough]” by Scottish poet Robert Burns.
In the poem, a man incidentally ploughs over a mouse’s den while tending his field. As the mouse suffers the man compares the plight of this mouse with that of mankind:
“The best-laid schemes o’ mice and men
Gang aft agley, [often go awry]
An’ lea’e us nought [leave us nothing] but grief an’ pain,
For promised joy.”
According to the speaker, how are mice and men alike?

10. Research Project
In groups of 4-5 students, research and present one of the following topics. Discuss how the topic is presented in the fictional Of Mice and Men and how it actually existed in history:
The Great Depression in California
John Steinbeck’s life, accomplishments, and beliefs.
FDR and the New Deal
Soledad, California and Salinas, California
Migrant Workers in California
The American Dream
American Society in the 1930’s
California in the 1930’s
Include a Works Cited in MLA format.

11. Assessment You will be graded based on:
- Content (including works cited)
- Presentation (eye contact, voice projection, etc.)
- Visual Aid (clear, easy to follow, informative, not distracting; and works cited)