“Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck

In today’s lesson you will learn about the social and economic context of the novel. This will help you to understand the plot, characters and theme more fully when we begin reading the novel.

Published in 1937

The Great Depression

• In 1929, the Stock Exchange Crashed.

• People panicked and withdrew their money from the bank.

• This caused the economy to collapse.

• This period of history has been called The Great Depression.

This picture was taken in America in 1930.What does the picture tell you about what was happening in the USA at the time?

Put yourself in their shoes...What might have motivated these men to advertise themselves in this way?

A picture paints a thousand words.Why do you think the photographer was inspired to take this picture?What point do you think he is trying to make?

Migrant workers

As men tried to find work, they had to move from place to place, taking anything that was available. Often it was hard labour.

Some left their families behind and sent them money and others took their families with them, sleeping anywhere they could. Try to describe a migrant worker’s

experience at this time.

We are going to watch a number of clips from films set during the Great Depression in order to develop a good understanding

of the context of the novel we are about to read.

Causes of difficulties faced by American people

Difficulties faced by American people

The ways people responded to/ dealt with these difficulties

Clip 1 – It’s a Wonderful

Clip 2 – ‘Oh Brother Where Art Thou?’

Clip 3 – Annie the Musical

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0bOH8ABpco

Clip 4 – Cinderella Man

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlbHzcH4VJY

What have we learned?

Write a paragraph explaining the difficulties faced by the American public

during the 1930s and what the consequences of these difficulties were for

American society.