Please go back through your annotations from chapters 1-4 of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. Come to some conclusions about one character and his/her connection to one of our big ideas. Then, write your thesis and a short paragraph explanation/analysis/response here. Use at least one quote and one example in your paragraph. You can use this format for your thesis: John Steinbeck in Of Mice and Men uses _______________ (character) to illustrate _____________________ (truth, conflict, concern) about _____________________ (one of our big ideas).
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ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck in Of Mice and Men uses Lennie to illustrate the idea of innocence and lack of knowledge about life and the way one takes in their scenario and chooses to alter it. In this book Lennie grasps hold of items when frightened which indicates a child like attitude. Towards the end of the book Lennie grabbed Curley's wife's hair and wont let go because he is startled and once she started yelling he clamped his hand over her face saying, "please don't" as in alert people because he is afraid of getting in trouble with George over the act of accidentally killing someone.
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck in Of Mice and Men uses Lennie to illustrate the conflict between nature and man. As Lennie is exposed to other people, he begins to become less and less innocent. When in nature, he seems to belong. He is an pure and calm. This demonstrates how different 'inside' and 'outside' truly are. His impressionable nature helps bring the contrast to light.
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck in Of Mice and Men uses George to illustrate the truth about sacrifice. George uses sacrifice because he gives up everything to try and give himself and Lennie a better life. He leaves his home and travels from place to place to ensure that they will soon be happy and possibly have their own home. George sacrifices his life for Lennie because when they were at Weed, George could of left Lennie to be on his own but instead, he helped him out of his bad situation and they left to find another job on a different ranch. In chapter 5, George says, "He--would of went south. We come from the north so he would of went south." George is sacrificing himself for the safety of Lennie because if the other men find out that George was lying to them, then George will be in a lot of trouble. George sacrifices a lot to help him and Lennie be safe and happy.
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck in Of Mice and Men uses Lennie and George to illustrate truth about brotherhood. Lennie and George have been together for as long as they can remember. George needs Lennie in the sense that he is the only constant thing in George's life. George is always moving, meeting new people, and getting new jobs, but through it all he's had Lennie, which is important. Lennie keeps George's life stable. Without him, George's life would be lonely and chaotic. Lennie needs George, perhaps in a more obvious way. Lennie is mentally handicapped and without George he would most likely die. George is, in a way, like a father to Lennie because he guides him and makes sure he's okay. More specifically, George is like an older brother to Lennie. Even though they get mad at each other at times, they are like brothers and they would be nothing without each other. Lennie and George are a very strong symbol of brotherhood in the book.
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck in Of Mice and Men uses George to illustrate the voice of reason and logic in nature as he is the complete opposite of Lennie who is more childish and you could even say beastly. The two characters are like the left and right halves of a brain as George wants to control Lennie because he can cause harm if left unattended and feel little remorse because, like we talked about in class empathy has to be taught and learned and Lennie is still learning. Lennie as a right brain figure is colorful and innocent but lacking in stability doesn't understand how certain actions can affect people. This is why I say nature because Nature is neither good nor evil.
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck in Of Mice and Men uses Lennie to illustrate the truth about friendship. Lennie is used to illustrate friendship in his main purpose in life it seems. Through the whole book Lennie is looking for bonds and something or someone to hold on too and be friends with. Wether it is a animal or person, his main purpose and actions are based on pleasing other to get recognition or pleasing himself with puppies or animal friends that don't have the power to leave him. The reason Lennie find such an interest in these animal friends is that it is the one relationship he has control over and in a friendship there has to be a tug and pull. John Steinback makes a point to show the relationships Lennie has in order to force this idea about the truth in friendship and how one person having complete control or vis verse creates problems. Like George and Lennie, George has complete control over there friendship causing a bitterness towards Lennie. With these relationships another part of the truth of a friendship is the unconditional love and compassion each person has towards the other. Back to Lennie and George, yes George is distressed with having to take care of Lennie but he would die for him and defend him no matter what. Clearly, Steinback used Lennie to illustrate the truth about friendship through Lennie's relationships throughout the book.
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck in "Of Mice and Men" uses George to illustrate the truth about friendship. The other men at the ranch think it's funny how George and Lennie travel around the country together because they think it's different. Like when George is talking to Curley and George says that him and Lennie travel together and Curley responds with "oh, it's that way" and George says "yes, it's that way." George doesn't care what the others think about him and Lennie traveling together because they are friends and true friends don't care about others thoughts. George and Lennie are perfect examples of friendship because they aren't close enough to be brothers and they stick up for each other when it's the right thing to do.
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck In "Of Mice and Men" uses George to show sacrifice. The reason George show sacrifice is because every thing he does is for Lennie. He could have a job a girl friend if it wasn't for Lennie (so he thinks). It shows this in chapter one when George say's,"An' what I got," George when on furiously. " I got you! You can't keep a job and you lose me ever' job I get." This shows that George sacrifice is pretty much every thing for Lennie. But is it out of love or the fact that he wouldn't know what t do with out Lennie.
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck in Of MIce and Men uses Slim to demonstrate camaraderie through his willingness to help people in the same situations as him. In chapter 3 when Curley is beating on Lennie we hear Slim say "'The dirty little rat,' he cried, 'I'll get 'um myself.'" Slim was willing to defend Lennie, a guy he barely knew, against Curley, someone who could get him fired. This is because he knows how mean Curley will be to him, and he himself has experienced that, and he as a character doesn't want anyone else to have to expeience that. As I have always seen camaraderie as is people who are in the same boat together who have the same struggles. In this way Lennie and Geoge and Slim are all cammrades, thus Slim shows camaraderie.
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck in Of Mice and Men uses George to illustrate the truth about friendship. Throughout the course of the novel, George and Lennie share a bond unlike the other characters and are nearly inseparable, but Lennie constantly seems to put George at his wit's end and even forces him to take the ultimate measure to ensure that Lennie does not suffer for his own actions. Near the end of Chapter 5, Lennie has accidentally broke Curley's wife's neck, resulting the inhabitants of the ranch to begin a lynch mob to go after Lennie. George unwillingly goes with them, much to his own dismay. George even feeds them false information, telling the mob that Lennie went South. Even when his own skin could have been on the line, George still tried to save his more simple-minded friend. This shows the truth behind real friendship in being willing to sacrifice everything to save your friends.
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck in Of Mice and Men uses Lennie to illustrate sacrifice. Lennie has stayed with George and vice versa for a long time. In chapter one, Lennie tells George that he will leave him if it will make George happy. He would sacrifice everything that he has with George(his brotherhood, friendship) if it would help George's trip to the farm. George is the one person who understands and assists Lennie. In chapter 1, Lennie suggests, "If you don't want me, you only jus' got to say so, and I'll go off in those hills right there-right up in those hills and live by myself'. Lennie would leave his one source of support if it would please George. It makes sense that Lennie would sacrifice anything he feels is best for George, even if that includes leaving George forever.
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck in Of Mice and Men uses Candy to illustrate truth about camaraderie. After Candy's dog was taken away from him and shot by Carlson, Candy realized he had no future plan and also he had nobody by his side. Everybody in this book seems to be looking for some greater future, and that is what keeps them going. When Candy hears George and Lennie talking about their dream place where they can have everything they want, Candy has hope that maybe he can have a greater future and latches on to George and Lennie's dream. He then creates a bond between them three because they are always talking about and agreeing on what they can do with their dream place, "I ain't much good, but I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some" (OFMAM, pg. 59). They have a mutual friendship over a common goal and that is why Candy specifically illustrates camaraderie because of him becoming friends with George and Lennie to get this dream place.
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck in Of Mice and Men uses Lennie to illustrate truth about friendship. Lennie is seen making new friends in this book. He reaches out to the outcasts because he is an outcast himself. Friendship is when two people care who about each other have a special bond. Lennie is childlike making it easy for him to make friends. For instance, he finds Crooks in the barn and instantly becomes friends. Lennie doesn't even think about the racial difference, while Crooks does. Lennie's friendship has no boundaries and he has a way of softening people. By befriending Crooks and Candy he makes them feel welcome even though nobody else cares about them.
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck in Of Mice and Men uses George to illustrate the truth about sacrifice. George sacrafices almost everything when he made the choice to stand by Lennie. Lennie's disabilities has shaped George into a parent like figure, and caused him to loose more then he has gained in their journey together. They move from place to place running from Lennie's past, leaving everything behind, in search of happiness and stability. When they finally found a place where they could start fresh, and their future looked bright Lennie manages to change the plans once again and here is where George made his greatest sacrafice:"He--would of went south. We come from the north so he would of went south." What felt like their last chance George puts his future on the line when he protects Lennie by withholding his location. If Curley were to find out George had lied then Lennie would no longer be the only one they were hunting for. George put it all on the line to insure his friends safety and didn't think twice. John Steinbeck in Of Mice and Men uses George to illustrate the truth about sacrifice especially when he puts his life on line to insure the safety of a friend.
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck in "Of Mice and Men" uses Lennie to illustrate trust in friendship. "One day a bunch of guys was standin' around up on the Sacramento River... I turns to Lennie and says, 'Jump in'. An' he jumps. Couldn't swim a stroke. He damn near drowned before we could get him. An' he was so damn nice to me for pulli' him out." (Steinbeck 40). This shows how trusting Lennie is. He has complete faith in George to the point that he would jump in a river just because George asked him to. He also sticks up for George whenever his loyalty is called into question. When anyone proposes that George might leave or take advantage of Lennie he gets defensive and strong in his friendship with George and harshly advocates him. Steinbeck displays this trait through Lennie unwavering and unflinching belief in George and everything he says or does.
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck in Mice of Men uses Candy to illustrate truth about camaraderie. Candy starts to spend more time with Lennie and George in chapter 3 because the other men on the farm take way Candy's basic rights in away. They do this by basically forcing Candy in to killing his dog. By them doing that it gives Candy a way to be shown that Lennie and George are different and befriend them and then them telling him about there dream. Candy really likes the idea of the dream because after the other men kill his dog because he became no longer useful it made him think about what they will do with his once they are done being sympathetic about him loosing his hand. This is shown on page 60 ""They'll can me purty soon. jus' as soon as I can't swamp out no bunk houses they'll put me on the county. Maybe if I give you guys my money, you'll let me hoe in the garden even after I ain't no good at it. An' I'll wash dishes an' little chicken stuff like that. But I'll be on our own place, an' I'll be let to work on our own place." he said miserably," You seen what they done to my dog tonight? They says he wasn't no good to himself nor nobody else. When they can me here I wisht somebody'd shoot me. But they won't do nothing like that. I won't have no place to go, an' I can't get no more jobs. I'll have thirty dollars more comin', time you guys is ready to quit."".
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck in Of Mice and Men uses Lennie to illustrate truth about family. Though the dictionary says that family means a group consisting of parents and children living together in a household, today this concept come to mean a group of people held together by a special bond of love, trust, and loyalty. The quote that best demonstrates the friendship between Lennie and George is about ketchup. "I was only foolin', George. I don't want no ketchup. I wouldn't eat no ketchup if it was right here beside me." "If it was here, you could have some." "But I wouldn't eat none, George. I'd leave it all for you. You could cover your beans with it and I wouldn't touch none of it." This demonstrates how strong of friends they are because Lennie may not be able to look out for George, but he does what he can for his friend—like give him all the imaginary ketchup. Another example of this is the way that George has had multiple times to get up and walk away, but he stays with Lennie. He loves Lennie. They share a special bond, a camaraderie, if you will about their dream. They not only share the same dream of a farm and rabbits and alfalfa, but they share a relationship with each other composed of trust, love, and loyalty.
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck in "The Pearl" uses Kino to illustrate concern about family. In the beginning of the book the reader can tell that Kino greatly values family and their family's traditions, as he continues to sing the songs of his relatives. But, as the story goes on and Kino gains values other than family, it turns him into something he is not, ""No," he said. "I will fight this thing. I will win over it. We will have our chance...No one will take our good fortune from us."" (The Pearl, page 57) From this quote one could gather that because of the pearl, Kino is no longer interested in keeping relationships with his family or remembering the values of his relatives. Now he is solely interested in making money off of the pearl. Also, when Kino says that no one will take our good fortune away the reader can tell he has lost sight of what is important to him because his good fortune should be his family, instead of the pearl and it's money. I believe Steinbeck makes this point to represent that family should come before everything else, and if it doesn't you will face terrible consequences.
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck in Of Mice and Men uses George to illustrate conflict about the sacrifice he has to make. George shows empathy towards Lennie after Lennie kills Curley's wife when George said "I'm not going to let them hurt." George almost knew earlier that something was going to happen in between Lennie and Curley's wife, so he told Lennie to stay away from her. But Lennie can't really do things for himself so of course he starts talking to her and that leads to her death. George wants to find Lennie and keep him away from getting hurt and put him away somewhere, where he can not hurt anyone more. He knows that Lennie did not kill her on purpose and wants to help the most he can with lennie
ReplyDelete^^"I'm not going to let them hurt him."
DeleteAnd I forgot the period after lennie.
John Steinbeck in Of Mice and Men uses George to illustrate sacrifice and friendship that is demonstrated by his relationship he has with Lennie. George has looked after lennie ever since their aunt died. He has sacrificed his time and money to make sure he 's okay. Even when Lennie killed curly's wife George said "I'm not goning them hurt him". George is a loyal Friend.
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck in"Of Mice and Men" uses Lennie to illustrate the conflict between humanity, and nature. Lennie being nature ,and every other character is humanity. Lennie is this huge, innocent creature, that doesn't know much, and all other characters are harsh and destructive. Lennie smiled with this bruised mouth. "I didn't want no trouble," he said. He walked toward the door, but just before he came to it, he turned back. "George?"
ReplyDelete"What you want?" "I can still tend the rabbits, George?" "Sure. You ain't done nothing wrong." "I di'n't mean no harm, George." (3.268-272)
In John Stienbecks "Of Mice and Men" He uses Lennie as a big part of the book to show many things. Lennie shows a nature vs humanity conflict, George and Lennie show how George sacrifices himself for Lennie and many other things. Lennie is very different in the way that he is mentally handicapped. George may use him to help him work because Lennie is very big and hard working, but George also looks out for Lennie and helps him get by. Lennie is very unknowing of what is going on, he plays with dead mice, kills Curleys' wife, and many other things.
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