OMM Context

Question 1

The Great Depression

Answer 1

• The novel is set during the Great Depression, a period of severe economic downturn in the United States following the stock market crash of 1929.
• Millions of Americans lost their jobs, homes, and savings, leading to widespread poverty and instability.
• This economic backdrop highlights the struggles of the characters as they seek work and stability.

Question 2

Migrant workers

Answer 2

• The story focuses on itinerant laborers, who traveled from place to place in search of temporary agricultural work.
• Migrant workers faced harsh conditions, low pay, and little job security, reflecting the broader challenges of working-class individuals during this time.

Question 3

The dust bowl

Answer 3

• The Dust Bowl, a series of devastating dust storms caused by severe drought and poor agricultural practices, compounded the challenges for farmers in the Midwest.
• Many families, especially from states like Oklahoma, migrated west to California in search of better opportunities, often finding disappointment.

Question 4

The American dream

Answer 4

• The novel explores the idea of the American Dream—the hope for a better future, personal freedom, and ownership of land.
• Characters like George and Lennie cling to this dream, but the harsh realities of their lives highlight its elusiveness.

Question 5

Isolation and loneliness

Answer 5

• Themes of loneliness and isolation are central to the novel, reflecting the emotional toll of economic hardship and transient lifestyles.
• Characters like Crooks, Curley’s wife, and Candy experience profound alienation due to race, gender, or disability.

Question 6

Social inequality and prejudice

Answer 6

• Steinbeck delves into issues of racism, sexism, and ableism, showing how marginalized individuals faced systemic discrimination.
• Crooks, as an African American stable hand, and Curley’s wife, as a woman in a male-dominated environment, exemplify this.

Question 7

Survival and morality

Answer 7

• The novel presents a grim view of survival during desperate times, where moral compromises are often necessary to endure.
• Themes of sacrifice and the complexity of human relationships are explored through George and Lennie’s bond.

Question 8

What is the poem: “To a Mouse”

Answer 8

• In the poem, Burns recounts an incident where a farmer (the speaker) accidentally destroys a mouse’s nest while plowing a field.
• The poem reflects on the shared vulnerability of all living creatures and the fragile nature of plans, whether human or animal.

Question 9

Famous line from “To a Mouse”

Answer 9

“The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”

Question 10

Connection of poem to novel

Answer 10

• The line encapsulates the core theme of Of Mice and Men: the fragility of dreams and the inevitability of failure in the face of uncontrollable forces.
• George and Lennie’s dream of owning a piece of land and living “off the fatta the lan’” reflects one of these “best-laid plans” that ultimately “go awry.”