...book ‘Of Mice and Men’ is a great representation of the values and beliefs of the 1930’s. It was well known that there was a lack in woman rights and importance, people were in a state during this period due to the Great Depression, and people had a lack of understanding towards the mentally disabled. John Steinbeck recognises this and displays it throughout the book therefore making him worthy of running a series on. In his book, the character George shoots his mentally disabled best friend Lennie as he thinks it is what had to be done due to the Sheriff being after Lennie, the lack of understanding people had for Lennie and knowing what would happen to Lennie if he was put in a mental institution. George did what was right according to the morals and beliefs in the 1930’s. During the 1930s, the values of the era were very different to nowadays. There was a lack of equality in gender, race and wealth and what you had very much defined who you were. People with mental problems were seen as freaks and dealt with in a way we see as wrong in today’s society. Women’s roles in society were also very different to now. Women didn’t need to know anything; they just had to be pretty and the perfect image of a wife therefore being a housemaid with an unimportant opinion on anything. Anything a woman said of the 1930’s was insignificant simply because she was female and all she was there for was cooking, cleaning and various other household chores. Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’ tells...
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...Since the beginning of time, gender roles have been a topic brought up in arguments. Women in Of Mice and Men are treated like property. This shows how much women were disrespected and misunderstood. The roles of what women are expected to do in their jobs and in society were not the same as men. Everything from how they were treated in the workplace to how they were expected to act and look was just completely different. A woman’s life seemed to be just more difficult than a man's life. A woman's life and a man’s life in the 1930’s was very stereotypical and very different. Around this time, women were expected to play the role of being a housewife. Woman had goals and dreams, but they couldn't be accomplished because they had to stay home. The evolution of gender roles over the past century have changed enormously. Around the 1930’s/1940 or the Great Depression, when Of Mice and Men takes place women's rights were very slim.Women had very different behavioral expectancies than their men counterparts. While most men went to work, the women stayed home which was not much different than before. However, women often felt as though their role in the home had been enhanced, and it typically did not negatively affect their feelings . Men had to work really hard for money, because women were expected to stay at home and play the roles of housewives. “Nother time I met a guy an’he was in pitchers . . . he said he was gonna put me in the movies. Says I was a natural. Soon’s he got...
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...presents Curley’s Wife in novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ 1930’s America was the time of the Great Depression; there was lack of jobs and the lives of many families were destroyed as a result of severe poverty. Men would travel the roads searching for any work which could provide them with the means to live. These men were migrant workers and in Of Mice and Men, George and Lennie are two such men on a ranch. Curley’s wife is the only woman on the ranch and the fact that she has no name symbolises the discrimination suffered by women in the 1930’s. During this time few women worked and therefore had little independence and instead relied on the support of their families or husbands. The first impression of Curley’s wife is profoundly negative. Candy describes her as a “tart” an suggests she is promiscuous, “she got the eye” and is disrespectful towards her husband even though she’s only been married two weeks. This leads the villain to believe she has been unfaithful and is the villain of the novel. However, Candy also says “Curley says he’s keepin’ that hand soft for his wife” could suggest that Curley sees her as a purely sexual object and takes advantage of her, without regard for romance, equality or respect. Because of Curley’s authority over the other workers his attitude and opinion towards his wife will influence the other men, creating generally biased opinions of her. This relates to the power of men at the time – Steinbeck is showing how men had the upper hand even if, like Candy...
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...Curley’s Wife is a character that is always mistreated, misunderstood, and viewed negatively for things that aren’t in her control in the story Of Mice and Men. Firstly, she feels very lonely. She feels lonely, because no one is willing to talk to her. Of Mice and Men states, “Curley’s wife came around the end of the last stall. She came very quietly, so that Lennie didn’t see her” (86). Although she was able to get Lennie to talk to her, she was so desperate and lonely that she had to sneak up on him just so that she could even have a conversation with him. Also, people are scared to be around Curley’s Wife. People are scared to be around her, because of Curley. Curley is her husband and the son of the ranch owner, so he tries to start fights...
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...Eager 1 Tabitha Eager Ms. Kazlauskus FHE 5 17 December 2013 Isolation Longing and loneliness can be overwhelming even when surrounded by other people. In Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men, he illustrates how the alienating actions of the migrant field workers cause the characters to become isolated and withdrawn, leading to desperation and extreme loneliness. Steinbeck’s story takes place in the depression era 1920s when racial discrimination and discrimination against the mentally challenged was more of a norm than an exception to the rule. Characters in this novel such as Crooks and George share the same longing and desire to not feel so alone and misunderstood. Each have been alienated by those around them for the differences they can not control; the color of their skin, how they choose to live their lives and the secrets that they covet, that alienation has led to isolation and the inevitable loneliness that follows. Crooks is the black stable hand that is caring, empathetic and intellectually sharp, however he has grown defensive and bitter from the years of segregation. In the 1920s being black meant that you were not treated as equal. Crooks was not permitted to bunk, eat or generally socialize with the other field workers. Steinbeck depicts this when Lennie enters Crooks’ room one evening “smil[ing] helplessly in an attempt to make friends” as his giant body filled the door (Steinbeck 68). From years of being shoved aside Crooks had built up a wall of defense, he responded...
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...In John Steinbeck’s Novel, Of Mice and Men, the character, Curley’s Wife, is a misunderstood woman, as were most women during The Great Depression. Everyone is basically judging her like people judge a book by its cover, which leads to her acting out in ways to get attention because the loneliness and depression is eating away at her. Curley’s wife may seem like there is nothing to her. Some might think she just stands for a promiscuous person, but that is the thing. So many people judge before they really think or get to know a person. Yes, Curley’s wife does act like what people see her as sometimes, but she has reasons as to why she acts this way. During the Great Depression, women were treated as objects, or should I say sex objects. Curley’s wife is a prime example of what women had to do to get some attention during this time. Desperation drove them to become these dolls in society who would do anything to feel the least bit of love....
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...In the novel “Of Mice and Men,” which was written by John steinbeck, a huge inequality is shown between men and women through Curley’s wife. His wife is a victim to the world filled with power hungry, “machista” men. Curley’s wife is both, misunderstood and lonely. She does not have anyone to be around and talk to besides her controlling husband. Her description in the novel, which took place during the “Dust Bowl,” significantly demonstrates that women’s roles were insignificant and “non-existent” compared to men’s. Curley’s wife reveals the roles women had because she was awfully lonely, she was not able to do anything out of her own consent, and she was horribly judged by others whenever she attempted to make a “move.” Curley’s wife’s loneliness is shown throughout the novel as she attempts to go out of her home, walk around the ranch, and talk to some of the guys. She is the only female in the ranch, which makes her feel weaker and lonelier. Her desire for companionship is shown towards the end of the novel when she tells Lennie, “I never get to talk to nobody. I get awfully lonely” (Steinbeck 86). She shows that she finds it unfair that she is very lonely, while the men can all talk to each other. Curley’s wife is lonely because her husband does not allow her to speak to anyone; She has to do as he says....
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...On a literal level, Of Mice and Men is about two friends looking for work during the Great Depression; however, like most pieces of literature, this story delves much deeper than simply what is seen on the surface. Each setting serves as a major role in George and Lennie’s lives whether the place itself is real or imaginary. Steinbeck communicates Lennie’s true character by subtly comparing and associating him with multiple animals. The description of the pool in the first paragraph of the novel symbolizes a sanctuary for George and Lennie, far away from any kind of society. The pool consists of “warm water” and “yellow sands,” best of all, there are no “scary things” for Lennie. In the beginning, this pool is a refuge, an escape when everything goes wrong. This is why George tells Lennie to meet him back there if anything were to happen like what happened in Weed. At the end of the novel, this sanctuary is where George makes everything right. This place of safety will be where Lennie goes to his own sanctuary....
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...Of Mice and Men Essay ‘Of Mice and Men’ was written by John Steinbeck in 1937, the same time as the great depression. In ‘Of Mice and Men’, Steinbeck presents Curley’s Wife in a variety of different ways. In the novella Curley’s Wife is seen as a villainess. Curley’s Wife is also seen as someone who craves attention which leads to the novellas tragic ending. Steinbeck could also be showing society’s view of how women should behave. In the 1930s women were one of two roles- a ‘tart’ or a ‘mother’ in the both cases they are presented as serving a purpose for men- either to give the man sexual pleasure or to provide a family. Steinbeck presents Curley’s Wife in many ways in the novella. Firstly he presents her through the male gaze as a tart and we see this through Candy’s description of her. Steinbeck’s use of description states that she is ‘heavily’ made up and she exhibits extremely flirtatious behaviour. Although this could be because how restricted women were at the time. Curley’s Wife did not have children so she may have been automatically put into the category of a ‘tart’. Curley’s Wife also never had a positive female role model because of her bad relationship with her mother. Throughout the novella the reader’s view of Curley’s Wife changes from her being a ‘tart’ to a lonely figure that just wants attention. Steinbeck also presents her as a victim of prejudice and sexism as the reader’s perceptions change as her character develops but the male view of Curley’s Wife...
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...‘Curley’s Wife is stupid and dangerous. Discuss’ In the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck, the character of Curley’s Wife shows an array of different personal qualities, emotions, needs, and desires- all of which lead her to her inevitable demise. These include stupidity and danger, but also innocence and mentality. Steinbeck portrays her as an attractive, attention-seeking young woman who grew up too fast; she gave up on her dreams to become a neglected housewife who endures sexism on a daily basis. With no-one to confide in, she becomes a flirtatious weapon, a threat to the ranch’s labourers, resulting in a vicious circle that ends only when she dies. Is she futile and dangerous? Or deep and manipulating? Curley’s Wife is smart enough to use her physical appearance to her advantage, yet stupid enough to let men take advantage of her. She’s innocent enough to believe she could be a movie star, but fatal enough to exploit Lennie and delude others. She is frequently referred to as “jailbait” and a “rat-trap” by the other characters, proving that, despite her efforts to associate with them, they will never respect her and instead view her as no more than a sexual object. By showing how the other characters treat her, and how Curley’s Wife reacts to this abuse, you could argue that Steinbeck was very ahead of his time, and unusually aware of issues such as sexism that penetrated 20th Century America. Male characters, including Candy and George, have no moral value...
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...Unit 1 Title: Flowers for Algernon Suggested Time: 5-7 days (45 minutes per day) Common Core ELA Standards: RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.3; W8.1, W8.4, W8.9; SL8.1; L.8.1, L.8.2 [Additional Tasks: RI8.8, RI8.9] Teacher Instructions Preparing for Teaching 1. Read the Big Ideas and Key Understandings and the Synopsis. Please do not read this to the students. This is a description for teachers about the big ideas and key understanding that students should take away after completing this task. Big Ideas and Key Understandings: * Students should work through the idea that different levels of intelligence, emotional and intellectual, lead to different types of interactions with people and society. * Students should evaluate moral/ethical decisions of characters. Synopsis A mentally challenged man is presented with an opportunity to have an operation that will triple his intelligence. The story chronicles the journey that he takes as his intelligence progresses and regresses. 2. Read the entire selection, keeping in mind the Big Ideas and Key Understandings. 3. Re-read the text while noting the stopping points for the Text Dependent Questions and teaching Tier II/academic vocabulary. During Teaching 1. Anticipatory Set: Discuss the following questions with students to guide deeper understanding of the main themes of the story: What is intelligence? Can a person ever be too smart? What is meant by the saying “ignorance is bliss”? 2. Students read the...
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...Republic of the Philippines Laguna State Polytechnic University San Pablo City Campus College of Arts and Sciences Bachelor of Science in Psychology Submitted to: Ms. Evangeline Dia Understanding Aggression Handed on February 5, 2014 By: Camille L. Quicho Student no. 11-00131 Psychology (BS), 2nd semester CONTENTS 1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………1 2 What is Aggression………………………………………………………………2 3 Disorders linked from Aggression……………………………………….. ~1~ 1- INTRODUCTION Psychologists classify aggression as instrumental and hostile. Instrumental aggression is aggressive behavior intended to achieve a goal. It is not necessarily intended to hurt another person. For example, a soccer player who knocks a teammate down as they both run to stop the ball from reaching the opposing team's goalpost is not trying to hurt the teammate. Hostile aggression, onthe other hand, is aggressive behavior whose only purpose is to hurt someone.Hostile aggression includes physical or verbal assault and other antisocialbehaviors. Most studies of aggression are geared toward hostile aggression. There are several forms of self-control training, which teaches people to control their own anger and aggression by making verbal statements in which the person tells him/herself to respond to anger and arousal by thinking first and then using less aggressive behavior. Self-control training includes rational restructuring, cognitive self-instruction, and stress inoculation. Self-control...
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...‘Romeo and Juliet/Catrin/Follower’ Controlled Assessment: Examining Shakespeare’s ideologies on parental influence and the impact on modern/Elizabethan audiences: Examine the way Shakespeare presents the relationship between Juliet and her parents. By Tiffanie Gould, 10x1 The iconic tragedy written by the world’s most honoured writer William Shakespeare, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is a title the world is familiar with. Its impact on modern society is impeccable, whether related to love, tragedy or both moral and academic education, the modern media adopts its philosophy. Shakespeare is trying to educate, and the ever-pending battle is the matter of character vs. society; relationships differ even today between parent and child, and the way it may be interpreted is affected by women’s role in society in Elizabethan England and how the audience’s perspective of prejudice and patriarchy. Shakespeare explores emotions and allows adjustments in the relationship in an attempt to drop the audience’s jaws open in eras of both old and new. In this assessment, I will examine just how the way Shakespeare presents the relationship between Juliet and Lord/Lady Capulet with supported evidence. Lord Capulet: the very wealthy patriarch of the Capulet family and empire, probably just as important, the husband of Lady Capulet, the uncle of Tybalt, potential father-in-law of Count Paris, legitimate (but unknowingly) the father-in-law of Romeo Montague… and the father of Juliet Capulet-Montague....
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...‘Romeo and Juliet/Catrin/Follower’ Controlled Assessment: Examining Shakespeare’s ideologies on parental influence and the impact on modern/Elizabethan audiences: Examine the way Shakespeare presents the relationship between Juliet and her parents. By Tiffanie Gould, 10x1 The iconic tragedy written by the world’s most honoured writer William Shakespeare, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is a title the world is familiar with. Its impact on modern society is impeccable, whether related to love, tragedy or both moral and academic education, the modern media adopts its philosophy. Shakespeare is trying to educate, and the ever-pending battle is the matter of character vs. society; relationships differ even today between parent and child, and the way it may be interpreted is affected by women’s role in society in Elizabethan England and how the audience’s perspective of prejudice and patriarchy. Shakespeare explores emotions and allows adjustments in the relationship in an attempt to drop the audience’s jaws open in eras of both old and new. In this assessment, I will examine just how the way Shakespeare presents the relationship between Juliet and Lord/Lady Capulet with supported evidence. Lord Capulet: the very wealthy patriarch of the Capulet family and empire, probably just as important, the husband of Lady Capulet, the uncle of Tybalt, potential father-in-law of Count Paris, legitimate (but unknowingly) the father-in-law of Romeo Montague… and the father of Juliet Capulet-Montague....
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...A Confession 1 A Confession by Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy I I was baptized and brought up in the Orthodox Christian faith. I was taught it in childhood and throughout my boyhood and youth. But when I abandoned the second course of the university at the age of eighteen I no longer believed any of the things I had been taught. Judging by certain memories, I never seriously believed them, but had merely relied on what I was taught and on what was professed by the grown-up people around me, and that reliance was very unstable. I remember that before I was eleven a grammar school pupil, Vladimir Milyutin (long since dead), visited us one Sunday and announced as the latest novelty a discovery made at his school. This discovery was that there is no God and that all we are taught about Him is a mere invention (this was in 1838). I remember how interested my elder brothers were in this information. They called me to their council and we all, I remember, became very animated, and accepted it as something very interesting and quite possible. I remember also that when my elder brother, Dmitriy, who was then at the university, suddenly, in the passionate way natural to him, devoted himself to religion and began to attend all the Church services, to fast and to lead a pure and moral life, we all -- even our elders -- unceasingly held him up to ridicule and for some unknown reason called him "Noah". I remember that Musin-Pushkin, the then Curator of Kazan University, when inviting us to...
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