of mice and men

Of Mice and MenOf Mice and Men

By John SteinbeckBy John Steinbeck

Mr. G’s English 9 HonorsMr. G’s English 9 Honors

John SteinbeckJohn Steinbeck

• Born and raised in Salinas area, the setting of this and other stories.

• Attended Stanford, left to find work.

• Did some work on a company owned farm.

• Moved to NYC to work in journalism – fired because he was too subjective.

The Salinas ValleyThe Salinas ValleySalinas Valley still called “The Lettuce Belt.” Soledad home to large farms to this day…as well as a prison.

Monterey once housed a tremendous fish canning industry, setting for Cannery Row (now a tourist zone).

Events in HistoryEvents in History at the time of the story.at the time of the story.

• The Great Depression: over 30% of US workers unemployed.

• The Dust Bowl: Midwest US ravaged by dust storms, farms destroyed.

• Most farms owned by large companies,staffed with seasonal, migrant farm workers…sound familiar?

Life of a “bindlestiff”Life of a “bindlestiff”• Migrant workers carried beds and belongings in a

bundle.• Most Hispanic, Asian. OM&M focus is on white worker.• Average wage about $2.50/day, or about $600/year.• Workers lived in bunkhouses.• Most lived job-to-job, many spending earnings on bars

and brothels instead of saving.

Women in Depression era campsWomen in Depression era camps

• Treated as property, little freedom

• Confined to domesticity

• Roles changing

• Right to vote comes, so does opportunity

Mentally DisabledMentally Disabled• No tolerance. General public frightened.• Marriage disallowed; segregation and

sterilization common (a practice later adopted by Hitler).

• Rights not granted until 1975, 1990, and 1997.• Lennie an exception due to George’s presence.

Racial Tension and Vigilante JusticeRacial Tension and Vigilante Justice

• Segregation was still a function of life in California.

• Racially motivated lynching common.

• Mob violence high, vigilante groups common.

SourcesSources• Steinbeck dropped out of Stanford, worked

on ranches and farms.• Robert Burns poem “To a Mouse.” The best-laid

schemes o' mice an 'men Gang aft agley,

Structure•Play format: 3 acts of two chapters

•Objective tone – like a newspaper

•Takes place across three days

ThemesThemes

• Idealism vs Reality

• Alienation, lonliness, and poverty

• Race and Racism

• Class conflict

• Mental Disability

• Loyalty

• Friendship