george Flashcards
quote to prove George is loyal
“I want you to stay with me, Lennie”
quote to prove George is pessimistic (believe that the worst will happen)
“I think I knowed from the the very first. I think I knowed we’d never do her”
quote to prove George is caring
“I ain’t gonna let ‘em hurt Lennie”
Power dynamics are clearly established the the first description of Geroge and Lennie
“First man”
“Follower”
-Geoge is a leader, Lennie depends on him
George REPRIMANS lennie like a father scolding a child
“Don’t drink so much…you gonna be sick”
-Although his temper is tested, he clearly has Lennies interests in mind
George realises the moral duty that comes with power
“I ain’t done nothing like that no more”
George fullfils his moral duty of looking after Lennie
“Lennie ain’t mean”
“Live of the fatta the lan”
-soothes lennie with their dream
How is Lennies murder seen as a merciful killing
He would otheriwse be savegely killed by Curley or sent to a mental asylum where he would be treated like an animal
Significance of the sacramento river
Conotations of a sacrament / a sacred event which implies that it is significant. George realises the moral duty that comes with power
CONTEXT: George is a symbol of human compassion and contrasts the society he lives in
‘rugged individualism’ meant that every man was for himself. George learned that with power comes great responsibility but other people like landownders fail to do the same thing by exploiting migrant workers
George agression juxtaposes his paternal role, which makes the reader call his character into question
“You crazy bastard”
Georges’s insensitivity reveals how burdened he feels
“When i think of the crazy time I’d have without you, I go nuts”
- Although he is CALLOUS in these moments, he never really strays from protecting Lennie
- These outburst reveal the sacrifice George makes at the extent of his happiness
George controls Lennie through fear
“Please don’t do that. George’ll be mad”
- INSTILLED fear results in her death
How were those in mental health viewed in society?
A burdern: Those with mental disabilities in the 1930’s were often segregated from society by admitting them to mental asylums. George’s poor treatment of Lennie mirrors how the metaly ill were viewd as a burden to society
What was the education of mental health issues like?
People didn’t understand mental ilnesses. Many treatments such as lobotomy, did more harm than good. Although not as extreme, George’s attempt to control Lennie through fear is another example of the little understanding society has on the metaly ill and how to correctly care for them.
Might George enjoy having power over Lennie?
Stretches his hand out “imperiously” and snaps “his fingers sharply” when trying to get the mouse from lennie
imperious - (arrogant and domineering)
George gets companiship from Lennie
“I got you to look after me and you got me to look after you”
-Refrain that Lennie memorises (interdependency)
Deep down Geoge is lonley
Foreshadows the solitary life ahead of him
“Solitaire”
-George is describes as repeatedly playing the card game
Why did people treat eachother with so much hostility?
High demand for work created a competitive / hostile envoronment. Rather than their hardships being a unitying factor it set them against eachother in the name of self-interest / survival. No one cared for one another, only themselves
Why couldn’t workers settle down to have a family?
The TRANSIENT lifestyle made it impossible to settle down
George is a dreamer
“Living offa the fatta the lan”
-wants to be SELF-SUFFICIENT and control his own fate
What does George sharing his dream tell us about his personality?
George goes against the grain of the self-interested ETHOS of the migrant worker
Robert Burns famous quote
The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry
George isn’t that beliving in the dream
they only have “ten bucks” between them despite making a hundred in a total month
George is mysogynistic
-“Tramp”
-“Bitch”
-“rattrap”
-“poison”
-“jailbait”
instant dislike based on very little interaction
CONTEXT: Georges CONTEMPT for women is due to his transitent life
contempt - (the feeling that a person or a thing is worthless or beneath consideration)
It’s possible that George has very little experience with women so he may feel threatened by Curley’s wife, who challenges the BINARY steryotypes of women
Steinbeck highlights the impossible situation of women
George dreams of staing in a “cat house” all night and potentially visits “Old Susy’s place”
-pure and domesticated / sexual objects
