lennie Flashcards
what animals are Lennie compared to in the first chapter? (4)
lumbers along like a bear
drinks from the pool “like a horse”
holds onto his mouse “like a terrier”
‘Lennie dabbled his paw into the water’
Steinbeck wants us to know that Lennie is wild, strong, vulnerable and unpredictable
how are dreams represented as fantasy?
George says that the rabbits on the dream farm would be “Red and blue and green”
quotes to suggest George is fed up of Lennie (3)
“I could eat any place I want”
“drink a gallon of whiskey”
“stay in a cat house all night”
quote to suggest Lennie is childlike
George’s voice becomes “deeper” and he repeats his words “rhythmily” like he is reciting a nursery rhyme to comfort / entertain lennie like a father does to a child
quote to suggest Lennie is strong
“strong as a bull”
Lennie is dependent
Lennie looks at George helplessly for “instruction”
-What happend when George isn’t around?
Lennie is a follower
“follower”
Lennie is presented as a victim even when he is in the wrong
“George ain’t gonna let me tend no rabbits now”
-incapable of understanding the world around him and the consequences of his actions
Lennie is dangerous like a lion
“Lennie”
-means of lions strength
-symbol of great physical strength
Lennie has a stong outward appearance but is fragile inside
“Lennie covered his face with his huge paws and bleated with terror”
- Paws - big like a bear bear
- Lamb - sacraficial animal - forshadows his death / innocence
Lennie is loyal
“like a terrier who doesn’t want to bring a ball to its master”
Significance of Lennie Small’s surname
-Ironic since he is not small
-symbol of the little power he has in society
-symbol of his little mental capability
Lennie is an outsider, even to George
“Jesus Christ you’re a crazy bastard”
-repetition of derogatory terms
Lennie is part of the outsiders
“A nigger an’ a dum dum and a lousy ol’ sheep”
Lennie is a tragic character
“Of Mice and Men”
- Allusion to Robert Burns poem - ‘To a mouse’
Cylical structure
