1. The Theme of Fate in Of Mice and Men

2. Wheel of Fortune

3. Robert Burns’ Poem
You saw the fields laid bare and wasted, And weary winter coming fast, And cozy here, beneath the blast, You thought to dwell, Till crash! the cruel plough past Out through your cell. That small bit heap of leaves and stubble, Has cost you many a weary nibble! Now you are turned out, for all your trouble, Without house or holding, To endure the winter's sleety dribble, And hoar-frost cold.

4. Robert Burns’ Poem
But Mouse, you are not alone, In proving foresight may be vain: The best laid schemes of mice and men Go often askew, And leaves us nothing but grief and pain, For promised joy!

5. Robert Burns’ Poem
Still you are blest, compared with me! The present only touches you: But oh! I backward cast my eye, On prospects dreary! And forward, though I cannot see, I guess and fear!

6. George
“‘Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world…They come to a ranch an’ work up a stake and then they go inta town and blow their stake, and the first thing you know they’re poundin’ their tail on some other ranch. They ain’t got nothing to look ahead to’” (14)
“‘I seen hundreds of men come by on the road an’ on the ranches, with their bindles on their backs and that same damn thing in their heads….Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land. It’s just in their head’” (72)
George is aware of the fate that befalls migrant workers like him and Lennie

7. Lennie
“‘’Course he ain’t mean. But he gets in trouble alla time because he’s so God damn dumb. Like what happened in Weed—’” (41)
“‘I shouldn’t of did that. George’ll be mad.…
He’s gonna be mad….I’ll throw him away’” (92)
Lennie attracts trouble and lacks control
TROUBLE

8. Candy
“‘You seen what they done to my dog tonight? They says he was no good to himself nor nobody else. When they can me here I wisht somebody’d shoot me….I won’t have no place to go, an’ I can’t get no more jobs” (60)
Candy’s dog was an example of what happens when you are no longer useful and have served your purpose; Candy fears a similar fate

9. Curley’s Wife
“And the meanness and the plannings and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face. She was very pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young” (92-93)
Curley’s Wife’s fate was a result of her being born a woman during a time when women were treated poorly

10. Crooks
“‘Well, you keep your place then, nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.’ Crooks had reduced himself to nothing. There was no personality, no ego—nothing to arouse either like or dislike. He said, ‘Yes ma’am,’ and his voice was toneless” (81)
“‘’Member what I said about hoein’ and doin’ odd jobs?...Well, jus’ forget it…I didn’ mean it’” (83)
Crooks is more accepting of his fate compared to other characters

11. Discussion
Consider some of the other characters in the novel, such as Curley, Slim, and Carlson. How did they contribute to the fate of the characters discussed throughout this presentation?

12. Discussion
Attaining the dream ranch would have led to a much different future for George and Lennie. Why do you think George chooses to simply accept the lonely fate of a migrant worker and discontinue his pursuit of this dream after Lennie’s death?