Of Mice And Men

Question 1

Effect of race:

Answer 1

In depression black people suffered just as bad

No work

Racism common

Living conditions bad, could not live in white areas

Question 2

What was American dream?

Answer 2

America seen as land of opportunity

Immigrants from Europe saw it as a place of freedom, a new life, wealth for all

Could create a better life

Question 3

What happened on Tuesday October 29th:

Answer 3

Shareholders panicked and record 16 million shares were sold

Thousands of people lost huge sums of money as share prices fell far below prices paid for shares

Question 4

What were consequences of the Great Depression:

Answer 4

High unemployment

Poverty

Low profits

Deflation

Lost opportunity of personal advancement

Question 5

Dust bowl:

Answer 5

Series of destructive wind and dust storms that struck the US during 1930s

Storms damaged about 20 million hectares of land due to a drought that occurred and too much livestock

Intensified effect of depression

Many people left jobless and homeless

Tens of thousands of families had to abandon their farms, and many migrated to California

Question 6

California:

Answer 6

Steinbeck born in Salinas, California - setting of MAM

Migrants pinned hopes on finding work in California

Climate good for agriculture

Due to depression and dust bowl storms, the labour pool was vastly disproportionate to jobs available

Question 7

Migrant farm workers:

Answer 7

Travel from job to job

They were exploited and poorly paid

Accommodation basic, uncomfortable and no sign of anything personal or homely

Workers shared dream that they would escape hard lives by earning enough money to buy own land

Workers lived mostly in isolation

No jobs for those that were to old

Could be hired and fired at will of employer - no rights

Question 8

John Steinbeck:

Answer 8

Worked as migrant worker himself - understood what their life was like

Said theme of the novel was ‘try to understand each other’

Question 9

Women in 1930s:

Answer 9

Seen as possessions

Low status

Few opportunities

Patriarchal society

Question 10

Hierachy:

Answer 10

More men than jobs so those at top could take advantage of those lower down the scale

Bosses could pick and choose from job market

No system of looking after the vulnerable in society

Question 11

Foreshadowing:

Answer 11

Giving the reader hints as to what will occur

Question 12

Marginalisation:

Answer 12

Relegate to the fringes, make seem unimportant

Question 13

Cyclical structure:

Answer 13

Returning to events

Question 14

Futile:

Answer 14

Having no useful result, therefore the dreams in novel can be described as futile

Question 15

Inevitable:

Answer 15

Outcome is impossible to avoid

Question 16

Protagonist:

Answer 16

Central character (George and Lennie)

Question 17

Tragic hero:

Answer 17

Strong hope or wish to achieve something, but limitations hold him back (George is the tragic hero, and Lennie is the limitation)

Question 18

What does the character of George represent:

Answer 18

Represents ordinary migrant workers

Represents those who care for marginalised in society

Reveals the loneliness of migrant workers and need for friendships

Represents practical man as well as ‘dreamer’

Question 19

What does the character of Lennie represent:

Answer 19

Represents how those with mental difficulties are treated

Highlights how cruel others can be towards the marginalised

Represents how hard life was for ordinary migrant workers

Represents the American dream and it’s futility

Question 20

What does the character of Curley’s wife represent:

Answer 20

Represents the negative effects of patriarchal society - especially women’s lack of status

Represents women trapped in loveless, unhappy marriages

Represents marginalised, vulnerable and lonely

Represents failure of dreams