Of Mice And Men - Context Flashcards
What was Steinbecks aim with the book?
To promote understanding in a non judgmental way
What was the American Dream?
Belief people could create a better life for themselves and that America was the land of opportunity
What happened during the stock market crash
Share prices dropped rapidly on October 24th 1929 and 16 million shares were sold, resulted in low profits and the lost opportunity of personal advancement
25% unemployed
Devastation
Life of migrant workers
Traveled from job to job, poor pay
Basic accommodation, nothing homely
Shared dream of living off the fatta the land
Lived in isolation, protective, no family
No rights, easily fired
Land of opportunity becomes ironic
Women
Lennie and George running from trouble with woman
George thinks women are bad news and that their sexuality entices men
Women have no place in Steinbecks idealised vision of a world structures around the brotherly bonds of men
How did Steinbeck bring himself into contact with the kind of working men in OMAM?
He undertook a series of manual jobs to support himself, one being a farm labourer on ranches in Northern California
Effect of race
- racism was common in south
- living conditions in cities were bad, can’t live in white areas
The dust bowl
Destructive wind and dust storms
Storms
Migration to more prosperous areas eg. South California
California
Climate good for agriculture
Land of opportunity
Why did prices drop
After the Great War, less exports, prices dropped, lower wages
Effect of race
- racism was common in south
- living conditions in cities were bad, can’t live in white areas
The dust bowl
Destructive wind and dust storms
Storms damaged 20 million hectares of land
Had to abandon farms and migrate to California
California
Land of opportunity
Not enough jobs, machines were being used, less labour
Mule drivers more skill then bucking barley
Working class
Land as a symbol of class consciousness
Steinbeck shows men obsession with dream to create sympathy by showing futility
Empathise with migrant workers having no stability
Roaring 20s
Prosperity
Over production
Trade credit, bought things on loan
