Of Mice and Men - Slim Flashcards
Main points for Slim
- God like
- Naturally born leader
- Powerful
- Realistic + practical
- Moral
God - Like:
* ‘Prince of the ranch’
* ‘Ageless’
* ‘God - like’
* His slow speech had overtones not of thought, but of understanding beyond thought’
Steinbeck elevates Slim to have immoral status
He represents the ideal man
Directly contrasts Boss + Curley -> anti - capitalism
Naturally born leader: ‘there was gravity in his manner and a quiet so profound that all talk stopped when he spoke’
He is in a higher position to other on the ranch
The workers respect him
Naturally born leader: ‘magesty’, ‘royalty’, ‘master’
Connotations of regality
Sense of power + authority
Naturally born leader: ‘friendly’
Slim’s power is effortless
Contrasts Boss + Curley who have artifical power
Naturally born leader: Context
Economic power of Boss + Curley = artificial
Capitalism is a violation of natural order = Slim should have highest position in society
Nepotism = power in wrong hands
Slim contrasts stereotypical image of ranch hands
Powerful: ** ‘jerkline skinner’, ‘master craftsmen’**
His power comes from his skill
Contrasts Candy = low skilled, disposable
Powerful: ‘I think you got your hand caught in a machine. If you don’t tell nobody what happened, we ain’t going to’
Slim’s power comes from his intelligence -> he uses Curley’s weakness of wanting reputation, to get what he wants
Powerful: Context
Worth in society was determined by your usefull to society (to make them profit)
Slim is lucky to have a permanent position on the ranch -> unusual during the Great Depression as work was scarce
Practical + Realistic: ‘I drowned four of ‘em right off
He kills the weakest of the puppies of his dog so that the strongest ones survive, and the dog wouldn’t be able to take care of them
His violent behaviour is justified through him achieving the greater good
Practical + Realistic: ‘You hadda, George.’
Slim tells George that him killing Lennie was rhe best choice, as the mental asylums would have tortured him worse
Practical + Realistic: Context
Social Darwinsim = people had power in society because they were born into a socially strong family
Slim considers Lennie -> Steinbeck criticises the society for not doing the same
In the society, there was little chance to do good, so the compromise was to do less evil
What does Steinbeck use the character of Slim for?
Express anti - capitalist beliefts
Emphasise cruelty of others
Promote ideas of what a man should be
