1. Chapter Four and Racism in America
Of Mice and Men
Chapter Four and Racism in America

5. Racism in America Specifically Against Black Americans
The period we’ll be looking at specifically (using this text) takes place between 1896 and 1954

6. Essentially: The civil war is over
Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation
The 13th Amendment officially abolishes slavery
The 14th Amendment officially guarantees equal protection to all persons under the law
The 15th Amendment officially declares that no states may deny citizens voting rights based on race, color, or previous conditions of servitude
The Supreme Court approved the doctrine of “separate but equal”

7. Sources of Racial Discrimination:
Racist mindset: most white people during this time still see black Americans as inferior
Even if there is no hate, per say, the idea that black Americans are below white Americans is “fact”
Separate but Equal Doctrine
Jim Crow Law

8. “Separate but Equal”

9. “Separate but Equal”

10. Jim Crow Law
Enforces segregated: transportation, education, shopping, restaurants, water fountains, hotels, towns
Makes inter-racial marriage illegal
Works to undermine the equality promised by the amendments
Black workers paid much less
Black Americans given less opportunity to succeed
Black Americans prevented from voting due to intimidation and “voting requirements”

11. Harlem Renaissance (We’ll come back to this)
Due to wartime needs of WWI, around 1914, the North, Midwest, and West faced shortage of industrial workers
By the end of 1919, about 1 million black Americans had left the South for Northern cities
During the economic boom of the 1920’s, there was an explosion of black art, music, and literature, centered in Harlem in New York City

12. 1930’s
Lack of jobs and opportunity robbed black Americans of the strides they had made in the 1920’s
Jobs more likely went to white workers
Jim Crow Law continued to encourage such injustices as: segregation, conscious miscarriage of justice, and even lynching

13. “Let America Be America Again” Langston Hughes Published 1938
We’ll read it three times: The first time, we’ll read it aloud. The second time, you’ll read it to your conversation card partner. The third time, you’ll read it silently to yourself.

14. Reflect
What does Langston Hughes imply about the American Dream/American society in this poem?
Who is Langston Hughes calling to action? What is he asking them to do?

15. Reflect
How does this poem connect to Crook’s experience?

16. Journal
What does Hughes’ poem and Steinbeck’s chapter imply about the American Dream? Write a half page to a page response.

17. Reading Quiz

18. Why is Lennie upset at the start of the chapter?

19. Turn and talk to a partner
Describe the situation between Lennie and Curley’s wife:
What do they talk about?
How does their conversation end in her death?

20. Reflect on Reactions How does Lennie react to Curley’s wife’s death?
How does George react to Curley’s wife’s death?
How does Candy react to Curley’s wife’s death?
How does Curley react to his wife’s death?
How does Slim react to Curley’s wife’s death?
How does Steinbeck describe Curley’s wife in death?

21. What is Steinbeck saying about society based on these characters’ actions?

22. How do you think Steinbeck views Curley’s Wife?

23. Read and Respond
Read Steinbeck’s letter to Claire Luce (the woman cast to play Curley’s wife in the first ever stage production in 1938)
Write a page or so about what Steinbeck is trying to say through the story of Curley’s wife.
Make a clear claim about what he is trying to say
Use two pieces of evidence from the letter to support your conclusion
Use two pieces of evidence from the book to support your conclusion

24. Homework
Character Charts: Work on Crooks’ and Curley’s Wife Reading: Read pages for homework and answer the following questions: 1. How did Steinbeck use foreshadowing earlier in the story to hint at this conclusion? 2. What is Candy most upset about? 3. What is Curley most concerned with?