1929 Wall Street Crash
1930s Depression
Hierarchy – power struggles in brutal times
1930s Drought and the Dust Bowl
Crime and punishment of the 1930s American Dream
Itinerant / migrant workers Racial Discrimination – aftermath of slavery and the Ku Klux Klan
CHAPTER ONE:
George and Lennie are introduced:
‘The first man was small and quick… Behind him walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face’.
Opposites – support one another – companionship / carer roles.
Foreboding before they reach the ranch:
“If he finds out what a crazy bastard you are, we won’t get no job, but if he sees ya work before he hears ya talk, we’re set.”
George is brutally honest with Lennie.
The Dream is explained:
‘An’ live off the fatta the lan’.
George and Lennie, despite their disadvantaged position, are still united by the hope of being independent.
CONTEXT:
Migrant / itinerant workers travelled around the country in search of work. George and Lennie’s close friendship starkly juxtaposes the brutal circumstances – provides hope?
Hierarchy was endemic throughout society. There were more men than jobs so those at the top could take advantage of those lower down the scale. The bosses could pick and choose from the job market and George realises how tenuous their situation is.
The American Dream: a national ethos of the United
States of the possibility of prosperity and success.
As migrant workers, roaming the country seeking work, living hand-to-mouth, they are left with little else for which to strive.
CHAPTER TWO:
Curley argues with Lennie:
“Well, nex’ time you answer when you’re spoke to.”
Curley is an extremely aggressive and domineering character who bullies the vulnerable Lennie.
We meet Slim:
‘He was a jerkline skinner, the prince of the ranch…
His authority was so great that his word was taken on any subject, be it politics or love’.
CONTEXT:
Bosses could take advantage of those lower on the
‘pecking order’. Curley personifies the ruthless times of the Depression years when those in charge showed no sympathy to the underlings.
Men were taken for granted and not appreciated by those in charge. Slim is the antithesis of harsh and uncaring characters like Curley and Carlson, so accentuates how unpleasant they are.
CHAPTER THREE:
Candy’s dog is shot:
“Let’s get it over with,” he said. “We can’t sleep with him stinkin’ around in here.” He put the pistol in his hip pocket’.
George and Lennie discuss the dream:
‘George’s hands stopped working with the cards. His voice was growing warmer. “An’ we could have a few pigs…”
Curley attacks Lennie.
Lennie looked blankly at him. “Huh?”
The Curley’s rage exploded. “Come on, ya big bastard. Get up on your feet. No big son-of-a-bitch is gonna laugh at me. I’ll show ya who’s yella.”
CONTEXT:
In the hand to mouth existence of the 1930s, there was little sympathy for people let alone pets. On a ranch where surplus animals were killed, this attitude would have been the norm. Carlson’s lack of sympathy over the connection between Candy and his pet dog reveals his extreme ruthless nature.
The American Dream was an ambition for all US citizens, but during the 1930s was highly unrealistic given the economic Depression. Even the pragmatic
George is swept along with the unrealistic hope thereby making the ending even more poignant.
The social hierarchy meant that those in charge wanted to remain in control, particularly under such tenuous and potential volatile pressures borne out as a result of economic pressures. Curley is an extreme example of this, preying on the most vulnerable.

CHAPTER FOUR:
Crooks teases Lennie:
‘Crooks’ face lighted with pleasure in his torture.
“Nobody can’t tell what a guy’ll do,” he observed calmly. “Le’ say he wants to come back and can’t.
S’pose he gets killed or hurt so he can’t come back.”
Curley’s wife insults the men who remained behind:
“They left all the weak ones here,” she said finally.
Curley’s wife threatens Crooks:
“Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.”
CHAPTER FIVE:
Lennie kills his puppy:
‘And Lennie said softly to the puppy, “Why do you got to get killed?”
Curley’s wife’s dreams:
“What kinda harm am I doin’ to you? Seems like they ain’t none of them cares how I gotta live. I tell you I ain’t used to livin’ like this. I coulda made something’ of myself… Nother… guy… says he was gonna put me in the movies. Says I was a natural.”
The killing of Curley’s wife:
‘And she continued to struggle, and her eyes were wild with terror… And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck’.
CHAPTER SIX:
Curley is determined to avenge his wife’s death:
“I’m gonna get him. I’m going for my shot-gun. I’ll kill the big son of-a-bitch myself. I’ll shoot ‘im in the guts.”
George kills Lennie:
‘The hand shook violently, but his face was set and his hand steadied. He pulled the trigger… Lennie jarred, then… lay without quivering’.
CONTEXT:
Crooks is discriminated against by the white community so takes this at his sole opportunity to seek revenge.
There was no social care in 1930s America so and little empathy shown during the Depression.
Crooks does not retaliated as in 1930s America, black people were prejudiced against so her threats are very real. Racist organisations such as the Ku
Klux Klan would carry out attacks and killings on people from the black community. Often their crimes would go unreported due to fear of repercussions. Also, many of the officials were white and racist, so sheriffs and other law enforcers were strongly biased.
CONTEXT:
Natural selection to the extreme – during the
Depression years of the 1930s, the weak ones did not survive / were not treated kindly.
The American Dream is hoped for by most of the characters reflecting how it was the focus for all citizens. It is also highly poignant because the hope of the Dream and the reality of attaining it are poles apart – stark juxtaposition. Curley’s wife’s naivety also shows how desperate / willing people were to accept the Dream as they had little else to live for.
Society neglected the most vulnerable in society
(poor people could not afford the medical care) resulting in extreme events. Lennie is mentally unsound, but made to struggle to survive in society – eventually resulting in Curley’s wife’s death.
Ironically, Curley’s wife could have arranged help for
Lennie, yet does not, and is inevitably killed by him.
CONTEXT:
Cruel times meant cruel measures. Isolated on the ranch, men like Curley took the law into their own hands. In a desperate and lawless society, tempers could easily flair and so incidents were often dealt with swiftly and remorselessly, like Curley who plans the most gruesome killing: ‘in the guts’.
In the harsh environment of a ‘dog eat dog’ existence, George realises that, despite his concern for Lennie: ‘hand shook violently’, he has to kill him,
‘face was set’ in order that Lennie escape Curley’s torturous murder.