Chapter 1:
Animal like innocence (Lennie) - zoomorphism
‘Dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws.’
‘Snorting into the water like a horse.’
Father figure of George
‘Lennie, for God'sake don’t drink so much.’
‘I got both of ‘em here. Think I’d let you carry your own work card?’
Reflection of shortage of jobs (Great Depression)
‘You jus’ stand there and don’t say nothing. If he finds out what a crazy bastard you
are, we won’t get no job.’
George is trying to cover up Lennie’s intellectual disability so that they won’t lose the
job)
Also reflected that there was no social care for the intellectually disabled people (lack
of safety net for the vulnerable)
Lennie relies and trusts in George (friendship)
‘Imitated George exactly.’
‘But not us! An’ why? Because…….because I got you to look after me, and you got
me to look after you, and that’s why.’
Mental break down of George
‘I could get along so easy and so nice if I didn’t have you on my tail. I could live so
easy and maybe have a girl.’
‘If I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an’ work, an’ no trouble.’
Loneliness
‘Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no
family. They don’t belong no place. They come to a ranch an’ work up a stake and
then they go inta town and blow their sake,’
Foreshadowing of last chapter
‘Well, look. Lennie—if you jus’ happen to get in trouble like you always done before, I
want you to come right here an’ hide in the brush.’
‘Hide in the brush till I come for you.’
Dream of Lennie and George:
Dream of owning farm -> symbol for hope for a better future (social instability)
‘We’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and
-’ ‘An’ live off the fatta the lan’
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, Chapter 2:
Prejudice and racism:
‘Ya see the stable buck’s a n*****’ (towards crooks)
‘Little skinner name of Smitty took after the n*****’ - crooks is poorly treated under
the threat of violence
‘b****’ (towards Curley’s wife- women didn’t have rights)
No social care for the elderly:
‘I ain’t got the poop no more.’
Physical strength of Lennie:
‘Strong as a bull.’
Loneliness:
‘Yeah. I had ’im ever since he was a pup.’ - main companion of Candy
Candy:
‘The swamper warmed to his gossip.’
Curley:
‘Won’t ever get canned ‘cause his old man’s the boss.’ - status
‘Curley’s like a lot of little guys. He hates big guys.’ - inferiority complex
‘Well what the hell was she doin?’ - contro”Slimlling over his wife
Curley’s wife:
‘She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the door frame so that her
body was thrown forward.’ - sexually starved (flirtatious)
Slim:
‘Hi, Good-lookin.’ - only character who doesn’t show discrimination towards Curley’s
wife or Crooks
‘Slim looked approvingly at George……. His tone was friendly.’ - supportive ideal
characteristic, George can confide in him.
Friendship is highly uncommon:
‘Ain’t many guys travel around together.’
Chapter 3:
Intellectually disabled:
‘He’s dumb as hell, but he ain’t crazy.’
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