OMaM context Flashcards
type of book
novella
When was the book first published?
1937
where is the novella set and what is the meaning?
- in soledad
- stands for loneliness/solitude in Spanish
when is the novella set
in the Great Depression
what was the Great Depression?
period of significant poverty and unemployment across the USA
what did Steinbeck do when he was a teenager?
spent time working on ranches near his home and this had a big impact on his writing. His experience of working with farm labourers and his interest in their lives is clearly evident in Of Mice and Men
what was the dust bowl?
drought and dust storms swept across several states in mid-west America.
effects of the dust bowl
resulted in crops being very poor in these areas, which was coupled with falling prices for food
where did many farmers migrate to for work?
California
why would dreams and hopes help in the GD for itinerant workers?
it would give them a sense of safety and independence.
how many black Americans were unemployed by the end of 1932
50%
what happened to black Americans in some cities in the northern states?
white people called for black people to be fired from their jobs due to unemployment in the white communities.
what does Crooks’ character reflect about the GD?
reflects the discrimination that many black Americans had to endure during this period in the USA.
Where does the title of the book originate from?
a poem by Scottish poet Robbie Burns in the 18th century.
what is the American dream?
a philosophy or ethos in American society and culture that says every American citizen has the right to, and can achieve freedom, prosperity, independence and success
Curleys wife’s dream
freedom and a life of fame
George and Lennie’s dream
own land and freedom + independence
Crooks’ dream
social acceptance
what does Steinbeck argue about the American dream?
that its a myth and a false promise that can never come true
Robert Burns’s poem ‘To a mouse’ ideas
This poem, from 1785, includes the line ‘The best laid plans of mice often go awry’. Meaning that however hard we try to work at something and succeed, sometimes, it all just goes wrong. We can plan, and work, and try, but often it would end in failure. So by calling his novel ‘Of Mice and Men’, Steinbeck shows us the futile nature of dreams and hopes
how many people were unemployed during the GD?
1/3 of the workforce was unemployed
how many people migrated to California?
half a million
