Chapter 6 notes

Summary: Lennie was sitting by the pool waiting for George. Lennie patting himself for remembering what George had told him. Then he started see his Aunt Clara. After awhile Aunt Clara disappears, replace by a large and angry rabbit. Then the rabbit hit Lennie where it hurts. Then the rabbit telling Lennie that George will beat him and leave him. Lennie covered his ears and calling for George. George appeared from the bushes, Lennie was glad to see him. Lennie wants George to tell the dream farm story as the men getting closer. Lennie continues look to over the bank. George put the gun behind his head and pulled the trigger.

Lennie lies down in the sand, dead. Ugh, Steinbeck. Could you be any more depressing?

Question: 

• How would George feel after he assassinated Lennie?
• Will his life ever be the same?
• What will happen next?   

Novel Reaction: Thinking Forward

What I find most fascinating is comparing humans to animals, well in my opinion. Humans are way different than animals in most cases. Like humans are more civilize, humans can walk on two feet, not uncouth as animals and humans have opposable thumbs. Animals are more dirty, smell, uncouth and sloppy. Humans are more intelligent than most animals but animals have more strength than us. We are comparing humans to animals based on how the author describe the characters. It's pretty neat to see how some people can act as animals sometimes.  For example, the beginning of the novella Lennie was drinking water out of the green pool. Then the author describe Lennie as horse or compare him as a horse. Today, there are still some people in the world act like animals. For example, African kids are smelly and they are dirty. When they find food, they eat it like there was no tomorrow. It's abnormal to see people act like animals and yet interesting. 

Chapter 5 Notes

Summary: Lennie was alone in the barn, petting a puppy. Then he encountered a dead puppy and covers up with hay. Curley's wife gave Lennie some advice. Then she told Lennie that how he could be a movie star. Then Lennie pet Curley's wife's hair. He petting her too long that her necks break. Now Lennie have to cover her body. He remembers where to hide if something goes wrong. So he goes, taking the dead puppy with him. Candy came in and saw Curley's wife and ran to George. Candy and George created a plan; they're going to fake the scene. Then the men came and saw the dead body. Curley grab his shotgun and going to search for the murderer.

Questions:

• Will George turn Lennie in?
• Will they find and kill Lennie?
• What would George do if he was in this situation?     

Chapter 4 Notes

Summary: Crooks was at his bunkhouse all by himself until Lennie decided to stop by. Then Lennie told Crooks about his dream farm. Then Crooks was getting angry and start talking about George may never come back. Then Lennie gets mad. Eventually, Lennie calms down. Curley's wife appears in the doorway. Curley's wife asks Lennie how he got the bruises on his face. Crooks tells her again to leave. When George comes in and Candy admits that they've told Crooks about the farm, George is Not Happy.


Questions: 

• Will George's plan work?
• Will Crooks be part of George's plan?
• Will Curley's wife tell what happen to Curley? 

Chapter 3 notes

Summary: George and Lennie were at the bunkhouse. Slim is also there, the other guy were playing horse shoe. George and slim were taking about how he knew Lennie's Aunt Clara. George also tells Slim what happened in Weed with the girl in the red dress. Slim decides that Lennie is a kid but not mean. Carlson comes in and complains about the smell from the dog. Then a shot heard from a distance. Carlson shot the dog. Carlson enters and starts cleaning his gun. Then George and Candy talk about their dreams, getting what they want and freedom. Then Curley start punching Lennie, Lennie crush his face. Lennie is afraid that he's going to get fire but Slim will explain everything.


Question: 

• Would it be more complicated for Curley and Lennie?
• Why does Curley hates tall guys?
• Will Lennie ever grow up?

  

Chapter 2 notes

Summarize: George and Lennie arrive at a bunkhouse, waiting for the boss to be interview. The boss shows up and asks question about George and Lennie work history. George does all the talking, as they agreed to, which makes the boss all suspicious. George said the boss that they are cousins.The boss leaves and Candy comes back in with his dog. Then the boss's son comes in. Curley is his name, he likes to pick on big guys.

Curley’s wife enters the bunkhouse, claiming to be looking for Curley. Then Slim came and send Curley on her way. Carlson enters the bunkhouse and asks Slim about his new puppies. He suggests giving one to Candy as a replacement for his ancient dog. 

Questions:

• Will Lennie fall in love with Curley's wife?
• Is Curley tough as he describe in the story? 
• Will Lennie get a new a puppy?    

Naturalism as a Mirror of the 1930s

 Let's see if you can make the connection!  Think about some of  the naturalistic elements we identified in class (Chapter 1).  What aspects or characteristics of the 1930s are being demonstrated to us at those moments in the text?  What do you believe John Steinbeck was trying to show us or expose about the way people, life, or society was during this time in American history?


"Drank with long gulps, snorting into the water like a horse." This quote was referring to Lennie. This show aspects of the 1930s because Lennie hadn't drank water for a long time. Lennie is walk a highway looking a job with the intense heat behind his back. Lennie probably walked for miles with out any water. A lot of people of 1930s don't have jobs or looking for jobs, they have to rely on the highway for jobs. Or Lennie is exhausted from all the hard work at the farm. Working at the farm, with the heat for hours and no water. Also, most people at the 1930s are farmers, that's the only thing that they are good at.

I believe John Steinbeck was trying to show us how difficult it was during the great depression. It was sad and a tragic event. People were poor, had no families, stressed, and tension. People were all dirty, can't take a shower, wear the same clothes everyday. Even children have to work for their families. People were too poor to have a family. There were lots of traveling, traveling to another city or state in order to find jobs. People had no hope at all during the great depression .

History of the great depression          

Chapter 1 notes

So far, George and Lennie are walking on a highway in the middle of nowhere hopefully looking for a job. Then a green pool appear in front of them and they drank the pool. Lennie had a dead mouse in his pocket, he said he found it, he didn't kill it. Lennie kept the mouse because he wants to pet it. George threw the mouse all the other side of the green pool. Later that night, George and Lennie were taking about that Lennie should be quiet and let George do all the work. They cooked some beans. George reminds Lennie to stop act childish and keeps reminding him to be quiet tomorrow. George pat Lennie on the back and fell asleep.       A green pool

Picturing the History Behind Of Mice and Men

 For a moment the place was lifeless, and then two men emerged from the path and came into the opening by the green pool.
     They had walked in single file down the path, and even in the open one stayed behind the other. Both were dressed in denim trousers and in denim coats with brass buttons. Both wore black, shapeless hats and both carried tight blanket rolls slung over their shoulders. The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features. Every part of him was defined: small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose. Behind him walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. His arms did not swing at his sides, but hung loosely.

     The first man stopped short in the clearing, and the follower nearly ran over him. He took off his hat and wiped the sweat-band with his forefinger and snapped the moisture off. His huge companion dropped his blankets and flung himself. (1.2-4)

Sound familiar? Kind of like the pictures, right? In writing, compare and contrast this opening section from Of Mice and Men to the pictures you analyzed in class. What does the text and the photographs show us about the 1930s?  Be specific!

In the opening section from Of Mice and Men, the second paragraph is describing the characters and the setting. From what I read, the characters are poor and old. It's hot outside and there were sweating because of the intense heat. There are drinking from the green pool because they have no water. They could been traveling together on a interstate highway. The picture could relate because one picture I saw was a guy who's holding a bag on his back and traveling by foot on his own. He's looking for a job and hopefully finds one  Both of these compare to the 1930s because it took place in the great depression. The guy in the picture is looking for a job as a farmer, that is the only thing he knows to do. Most people in the west were farmers, poor farmers. In the text, both of the characters are probably looking for jobs as farmers.