Animals and Creatures in “Of Mice and Men”

REDLennie’s

relationships with animals

YELLOWAnimals in

nature – by the pool, in the

brush

ORANGEWorking

animals on the ranch BLUE

Candy’s dog

GREENDescriptions of

Lennie comparing him to animals

ANIMALS AND

CREATURES

To a MouseOn turning up her nest with a plough

But Mousie, thou art no thy lane,

In proving foresight may be vain:

The best laid schemes o' mice an‘men

Gang aft agley,

An' lea'e us nought but grief an‘ pain,

For promis'd joy!

But Mouse, you are not alone,

In proving foresight may be vain:

The best laid schemes of mice and men

Go often askew,

And leaves us nothing but grief and pain,

For promised joy!

Robert Burns, 1785

Extract from…

What relevance do you think Burns’ poem has to the

novella?

The ‘best laid plans’ or dreams of the characters show us the harsh

reality of 1930’s California….

What does each character dream of?

Analyse the dreams of each character…..

• George and Lennie (pg. 85-86)

• Candy (pg. 88)

• Crooks (pg. 102, pg. 106)

• Curley’s Wife (pg.125)

What do they tell us about the character and the novella’s historical setting?

• America has always been seen as the Land of Opportunity, partly because immigrants from Europe saw it as a place of freedom, a place to begin a new life, a place for real possibilities and wealth for all.

• This belief in America as a country where ordinary people could create a better life for themselves is often referred to as ….

The American Dream!

Is it achievable in Steinbeck’s view?