Powerpoint presentation
Marianne Østensen
Pedagogisk senter/Kristiansand kommune
John Steinbeck
Was born on February
27th 1902 in Salinas
Valley in the state of
California in the USA
 Died on December 20th
1968 in New York
 Was a famous writer
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U.S. Postage stamp
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In 1962 the Swedish Academy
awarded John Steinbeck the Nobel
Prize for Literature, the highest
honour a writer can receive
The prize was presented for the
body of his work
The prize was met with outcries
from critics who felt that Steinbeck
had limited talent and was a writer
of propaganda
Privately, he felt he did not
deserve the honour
Although the prize gave Steinbeck
a place of great honour in the
literary world, it also put terrible
pressure on his future writing
The Nobel
Prize for
Literature
The United States Medal of Freedom
The medal is the
highest civilian
award for
distinguished
Americans
 In September of
1964, John
Steinbeck was
awarded the
United States
Medal of Freedom
by President
Lyndon B. Johnson
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Steinbeck with his son, visits President
Lyndon B. Johnson in the Oval Office of
the White House
The California
Novels
The Pastures of Heaven
The Red Pony
To A God Unknown
Tortilla Flat
In Dubious Battle
Of Mice And Men (1937)
The Long Valley
The Grapes Of Wrath
Cannery Row
East Of Eden
Sweet Thursday
Stage Play
Of Mice and Men
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was published in 1937
was a popular and critical
success
was selected by the Bookof-the-Month Club
Steinbeck produced a play
version of the book with
famous playwright George
Kaufman
The play won the New
York Drama Critic Circle’s
Award and also became a
popular film
Place of
Action
Place of action
is in the state
of California
 We remember
that Steinbeck
himself was
born in Salinas
 Soledad is a
coastal
California city
about 130 miles
south of San
Francisco
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Place of action
The American Dream & The Great Depression
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From the 17th Century, when the first settlers arrived, immigrants dreamed
of a better life in America.
People went there to escape from persecution or poverty, and to make a
new life for themselves or their families.
They dreamed of making their fortunes in the goldfields.
For many the dream became a nightmare.
The horrors of slavery, of the American Civil War, the growth of towns with
slums as bad as those in Europe, and the corruption of the American
political system led to many shattered hopes.
For the American society as a whole the dream ended with the Wall Street
crash of 1929.
This was the start of the Great Depression that would affect the whole
world during the 1930’s.
However the dream survived for individuals. Thousands made their way
west to California to escape from their farmlands in the mid-West.
George and Lennie dreamt of their 'little house and a couple of acres'.
The growing popularity of cinema was the last American Dream for many,
Curley's wife was one: 'Coulda been in the movies, an' had nice clothes.'
Migrant
Farm
Workers
During the 1930’s, when there was very bad
unemployment in the United States,
agencies were set up under the New Deal to
send farm-workers to where they were
needed. George and Lennie got their work
cards from Murray and Ready's, one of these
agencies.
Farm workers getting work cards under a Government Scheme
Why Of Mice and Men?
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The title of the novel comes from a poem by
the Scottish poet Robert Burns (1759 - 96):
The best laid schemes o' mice and men
Gang aft agley [often go wrong]
And leave us nought but grief and pain
For promised joy!
www.englishresouces.co.uk
Gary Sinise
Director and Actor
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Gary Sinise plays
George, and also
directed the film.
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"I walked in this kid
with open eyes, and
walked out with very
wet eyes..." Gary
Sinise
Synopsis
(sammendrag)
John Steinbeck's
classic story of loyalty
and friendship focuses
on two travelling farm
workers, George and
Lennie. George has
taken on responsibility
for the mildly retarded
Lennie, who constantly
seems to fall into
trouble of one sort or
another.
George and Lennie
don't plan to travel
forever - someday,
they will have a little
place of their own...
John Malkovich
as the mildly mentally
retarded Lennie
Lennie
loves to
touch soft
things.
Lennie and Curley’s wife
John Malkowich
Sherilyn Fenn
Characters
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He is a small man, but has brains and a quick
wit.
He has been a good friend to Lennie, ever since
he promised Lennie's Aunt Clara that he would
care for him. He looks after all Lennie's affairs,
such as carrying his work card, and tries to steer
him out of potential trouble.
He needs Lennie as a friend, not only because
Lennie's strength helps to get them both jobs,
but so as not to be lonely. His threats to leave
Lennie are not really serious. He is genuinely
proud of Lennie.
He shares a dream with Lennie to own a piece of
land and is prepared to work hard to build up
the money needed to buy it.
"...with us it ain't like that. We got a future. We
got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about
us. We don't have to sit in no bar room blowin'
in our jack 'jus because we got no place else to
go. If them other guys gets in jail they can rot
for all anybody gives a damn. But not us."
He is honest with people he trusts. For example,
he tells Slim that he used to play tricks on Lennie
when they were young, but now feels guilty
about it as Lennie nearly drowned.
George Milton
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He is a big man, in contrast to his name.
He has limited intelligence, so he relies on
George to look after him.
"Behind him(George)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."
He shares a dream with George to own a
piece of land. Lennie's special job would be to
tend the rabbits
He likes to pet soft things, like puppies and
dead mice. We know this got him into trouble
in Weed when he tried to feel a girl's soft red
dress: she thought he was going to attack
her.
He can be forgetful - George continually has
to remind him about important things.
He is very gentle and kind, and would never
harm anyone or anything deliberately.
He is extremely strong: he can work as well
as two men at bucking barley.
He is often described as a child or an animal he drinks from the pool like a horse and his
huge hands are described as paws.
Lennie Small
Slim
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Slim is the jerkline skinner (lead muleteam driver) at the ranch. He is excellent
at his job.
He is the natural leader at the ranch.
Everyone respects his views and looks
up to him.
He has a quiet dignity: he doesn't need
to assert himself to have authority.
"there was a gravity in his manner and a
quiet so profound that all talk stopped
when he spoke. His authority was so
great that his word was taken on any
subject, be it politics or love."
He understands the relationship between
George and Lennie. He helps George at
the end and reassures George that he
did the right thing.
We know little else about him, which
gives him a slightly mysterious quality.
Do you think he is too good to be true?
Curley
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Curley is the boss's son, so
he doesn't need to work like
the ordinary ranch hands,
and he has time to kill.
He's little - so he hates big
guys.
He is a prize-fighter and
looks for opportunities for a
fight.
He is newly- married and is
very possessive of his wife but he still visits brothels.
There is a rumour that he
wears a glove filled with
Vaseline to keep his hand
soft for his wife.
Curley’s wife  She is newly married to Curley.
 We never know her name - she is
merely Curley's 'property' with no
individual identity.
 She is young, pretty, wears attractive
clothes and curls her hair.
 She seems flirtatious and is always
hanging around the bunk-house.
 She is lonely - there are no other
women to talk to. Curley is not really
interested in her.
 She doesn't like Curley - she tells
Lennie that she only married him
when she didn't receive a letter she'd
been promised to get into Hollywood.
 She is naive.
Crooks
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Crooks is the black stable hand or buck.
He is the only permanent employee at the
ranch, since he injured his back in an accident.
He is the only black man around and is isolated
by his colour.
He is always called the 'nigger' by the men,
which shows how racism is taken for granted.
The men don't mean to insult Crooks every
time they call him this, but they never think to
use his name.
He is lonely.
"S'pose you didn't have nobody. S'pose you
couldn't go into the bunk house and play
rummy 'cause you were black...A guy needs
somebody-to be near him....I tell ya a guy gets
too lonely an' he gets sick."
The only time he mixes with the ranch hands
socially is when they pitch horseshoes - and
then he beats everyone!
He has his own room near the stables. He has
books, which show he is intelligent and an old
copy of the California Civil Code, which
suggests he is concerned about his rights.
He has seen many men come and go, all
dreaming of buying a piece of land.
Candy
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Candy is the oldest ranch hand. He lost his
right hand in an accident at work.
He is the 'swamper' - the man who cleans the
bunkhouse. He knows he will be thrown out
and put 'on the county' when he is too old to
work.
Because of this, he accepts what goes on and
doesn't challenge anything: he can't afford to
lose his job.
He has a very old dog, which he has had from
a pup. It is his only friend and companion.
Carlson insists on shooting the dog because he
claims it is too old and ill to be of any use.
Candy is devastated.
He is lonely and isolated, but makes friends
with George and Lennie and offers his
compensation money to help them all to buy a
ranch together and achieve their dream.
When he finds Curley's wife dead, he is
furious, as he knows instantly that Lennie was
involved and that they have lost their chance
of achieving their dream.
The Themes of the Novel
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The novel is a parable (lignelse) that tries to explain
what it means to be human
Essentially, man is a very small part of a very large
universe
In the greater scheme of things, individuals come and
go and leave very little, lasting mark
Yet deep inside all people are longing for a place in
nature – the desire for the land, roots, and a place to
call ”home”
The struggle for such a place is universal, and its
success is uncertain
Steinbeck’s vision of what it means to be
human, touches on several themes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The nature of dreams
The nature of loneliness
Man’s propensity (hang, tilbøyelighet) for
cruelty
Powerlessness and economic
injustices
The uncertainty of the future
The Nature of Dreams
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Of Mice and Men is as much a story about the nature
of human dreams and aspirations as it is the story of
two men
Humans give meaning to their lives – and to their
futures – by creating dreams
Without dreams and goals, life is an endless stream of
days that have little connection or meaning
George and Lennie’s dream is to own a little farm of
their own
The telling of the story (dream) becomes a ritual
between the two men
The Last Telling of the Story...
...’We gonna get a little place,’ George began. He reached in his side pocket
and brought out Carlson’s Luger. He snapped off the the safety, and the
hand and gun lay on the ground behind Lennie’s back. He looked at the
back of Lennie’s head, at the place where the spine and the skull were
joined.
A man’s voice called from up the river, and another man answered.
’Go on,’ said Lennie.
George raised his gun and his hand shook, and he dropped his hand to
the ground again.
’Go on,’ said Lennie. ’How’s it gonna be. We gonna get a little place.’
’We’ll have a cow,’ said George. ’And we’ll have maybe a pig and
chickens...and down the flat we’ll have a...little piece of alfalfa...’
’For the rabbits,’ Lennie shouted.
’For the rabbits,’ George repeated.
’And I get to tend the rabbits.’
’And you get to tend the rabbits.’
Lennie giggled with happiness. ’And live on the fat of the land.’
The Nature of Dreams...
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To George, his dream of having their own place
means independence, security, being his own boss,
and, most importantly, being ”somebody”
To Lennie, the dream is like the soft animals he
pets: it means security, the responsibility of
tending the rabbits, and a sanctuary (tilfluktssted)
where he won’t be afraid
To Candy, the dream of the farm offers security
for old age and a home where he will fit in
For Crooks, the farm will be a place where he can
have self-respect, acceptance, and security
For George, Lennie, Candy, and Crooks–human
dignity is an integral (vesentlig) part of the
dream
Loneliness
Humans crave contact with others to give life meaning
Loneliness is present throughout the novel
- the ranch hands go into town to ease their
loneliness with alcohol and women
- Lennie goes into Crooks’s room to find someone
to talk to
- Curley’s wife comes for the same reason
 Crooks says: ”A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody.
Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long’s he’s
with you.”
 Slim mentions: ”I seen the guys that go around on the
ranches alone. That ain’t no good. They don’t have no
fun. After a long time they get mean.”
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Loneliness...
George’s taking care of Lennie and the dream
of the farm are the attempts to break the
pattern of loneliness that is part of the human
condition
 Similarily, Lennie’s desire to pet soft things
comes from the need to feel safe and secure,
to touch something that gives him that feeling
of not being alone in the world. For Lennie,
the dream of the farm parallels that security
 The theme of loneliness is also notably
present in the characters of Candy, Crooks,
and Curley’s wife. How?
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Loneliness...
Candy: Candy’s dog stopped Candy from being
lonely
 Curley’s wife: Her husband has forbidden
anyone to talk to her. She combats her
loneliness by flirting with the ranch hands
 Crooks: Crooks is isolated because of his skin
colour. As the only black man on the ranch, he
is not allowed into the bunkhouse with the
others. He combats (kjemper mot) his loneliness
with books and his work.
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Loneliness...
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Solidade: The name of the town means
”solitude” or ”alone”
Barriers
Despite the need for companionship,
people set up barriers that maintain
loneliness
 People sustain (opprettholder) those barriers
by being inhumane to each other
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Barriers...
A barrier based on gender: The real
thing that isolates Curley’s wife is that she
is a female in an all-male world
 A barrier based on race: Crooks being an
Afro-American must occupy a room in the
stable alone. He is not welcome in the
bunkhouse
 A barrier based on age and handicap:
Candy is afraid of being thrown out
because of his age and handicap. He is a
victim of a society that does not value age
and discriminates against handicaps.
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Powerlessness
Steinbeck’s characters are often underdogs
 He shows compassion (medfølelse) toward them
throughout his body of writings
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A pile of mice and men
Powerlessness...
Powerlessness takes many forms:
- intellectual
- financial
- societal
 Steinbeck touches them all
 Which characters represent the different
forms of powerlessness?
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Literary Device – Animal Imagery
Lennie
 is often compared to a bear with his huge size and
strength
 ’s hands are described as paws
 is always associated with rabbits and mice
 snorts like a horse at the stream
 Circles like a terrier when he does not want to bring the
dead mouse to George
These animal images lead careful readers to question
Lennie’s future. With his enormous strength and his lack
of intelligence, common sense, and responsibility, Lennie
causes the reader to wonder how well he fits into human
society.