...In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, George makes a heartbreaking decision by killing Lennie. George made the wrong choice in killing Lennie because if someone had to kill Lennie, it shouldn’t have been George since he had known him for a long time. George shouldn’t have to carry around the pain of knowing he killed his childhood best friend, he made the wrong choice by killing him because what Lennie did was an accident. One reason why George shouldn’t have killed Lennie is because he was Lennie’s childhood friend. One quote that backs up my reasoning is, “Well, I never seen one guy take so much trouble for another guy” (page 22 Steinbeck). The other workers have never seen anyone come to this ranch and be responsible for another guy. The...
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...The novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ based in the 1930s during The Great Depression revolves around the thought of ‘The American Dream’. Life during the Great Depression was very harsh and difficult for the American workers as they had to travel long distances to find suitable jobs. The author John Steinbeck describes the lives of two migrant workers travelling together in search for work. The American dream was the belief in freedom that allows American citizens to pursue their goals in life through hard work and bravery, this was seen to be the main factor that motivated most of the migrant workers to continue to find jobs and later on fulfil their own dream and live a happier life. In the book ‘Of Mice and Men’ Steinbeck has made the ranch a micro representation of the society of the time because it contains all the elements of society. George and Lennie’s only hope was to move around the country to achieve their dream due to The Great Depression, the dream was a typical American dream where there is a large piece of land with a small house and many different farm animals, throughout their travel George would usually use the their dream to control Lennie’s actions and behaviour. ‘Say’s I can’t tend no rabbits if I talk to you or anything.’ Steinbeck is trying to represent how society controls the people in it by showing that George has greater control over Lennie. George threatens to take away Lennie’s ability to get his dream, if he gets into trouble. However, if Lennie works hard...
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...John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, set in California during the Great Depression, depicts the desire for friendships and the American Dream, held by many different individuals. Throughout the novel many characters are introduced, and their conflicts ignite trouble. For instance, the main characters, George Milton, intelligent and irritable, and his companion, Lennie Small, hefty and senseless, are migrant workers who hope that one day they will acquire the American Dream. Lennie, being senseless, makes George have a difficult time trying to find a job because of Lennie’s wrongdoings. Withal, in the Bunkhouse, many conflicts arise as these migrant workers join the ranch. Steinbeck uses the lives of George and Lennie to demonstrate the...
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...Power— the Oxford Dictionary defines the term, “power”, as “the authority that is given or delegated to a person or body”. The novella Of Mice and Men is a book about a shared platonic friendship between two opposites named George Milton, a short yet clever man and Lennie Smalls, an unusually big man who is mentally disabled. The two of them travel together to Soledad, California to work as buckers and together they meet the memorable characters of the book. This novella written by John Steinbeck centers around one’s power and powerlessness and reveals that those who are powerless are, more often times than not, treated differently than their powerful counterparts. This theme is ever-present in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men through its characters’...
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...Essay Question Of Mice and Men is set in California during the 1930s. This is an important time in US history because it was the time of the Great Depression, which did not end until the start of the Second World War. During this period of failed businesses, harsh poverty and long-term unemployment, many migrant workers came to California from other parts of America in search of work. The ranch workers in the book are all examples of people who have been affected by the Great Depression, as most of them are itinerant worker. One of them being Slim, who I am to be analysing from the book, to see what contribution and importance he makes in this Novel. Personally in my opinion John Steinbeck’s description of Slim “prince of the ranch” is a good explanation of the character. I believe this as He's the consummate Western man: masterful, strong, fair-minded, practical, non-talkative, and exceptionally good at what he does. Slim lingers in the shadow of his overwhelming description throughout the novel. He serves as the fearless, decision-maker when conflicts arise among the workers and wins the confidence of George, offering advice, comfort, and quiet words of wisdom. Steinbeck from the start makes Slim above the other men and this is continuous throughout the whole novel till the end of the story. He is a God among men, and his word on any subject is law. When Slim agrees with Carlson that Candy’s dog needs to be shot Candy’s reaction shows how much authority Slim has. “Candy...
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...Throughout times of hardships, achieving one’s dream calls upon the need for friendship and hope. John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men uses the setting of the Great Depression of America in 1929 to convey the importance of dreams to keep oneself from falling into despair. The novel embodies the notion of friendships and emphasizes the importance of developing and maintaining strong relationships as a barrier to the oppressive and hostile world. To do this, Steinbeck utilizes a range of symbolic characters and explores the flawed nature of the American dream. By reinstating the power of relationships, exploring key characters of society through revolving around contextual influence, Steinbeck conveys the value of friendship, importance of dreams and attitudes to freedom The importance of human relationships, dreams and freedom is epitomized in the opening chapter where Steinbeck constructs` a strongly idealistic atmosphere as a location to introduce his two key characters. The land is described with poetic imagery of “golden foothill slopes” where “sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the pool”. This description lends contextual evidence of the Californian landscape and lives up to the naming of Soledad, which is a translation to loneliness, a large aspect during the Great Depression. The unspoilt scenery of purity and perfection is “beaten hard by tramps” when man decides to enter. This setting is particularly poignant as it foreshadows...
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...A girl takes a seat at a lunch table with many other people. Although surrounded by “friends”, she feels alone. Sadly, this is how many students in this day’s society feel. Loneliness can lead to many different health-related problems, including higher risk of heart attacks. Individuals often feel happier when they have a companion or friend. In John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men, the necessity for companionship and effects of loneliness is shown through the dialogue and actions of Crooks, Candy’s wife, and George. Crooks’ dialogue shows us the effects of solitude as seen by Steinbeck. Not allowed in the bunkhouse, Crooks must live out in the barn alone, woeful and isolated. Crooks states sadly, "They play cards in there, but I...
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...John Steinbeck’s novella “Of Mice and Men” was written the 1930s, during the great American Depression. He used the ranch as a microcosm to show society’s desensitisation to violence, the inhumane ways in which the marginalised were treated and the prevalent misogynistic attitudes. Steinbeck focused on lives of itinerant farmworkers who constantly searched for work. The economic crisis led to high unemployment rates and fierce competition for jobs. Many people were poverty stricken, violence became their ultimate source of escapism and a cheap source of entertainment thus creating a hostile environment. Steinbeck resigned from the prestigious Stanford University in order to gain insight of the hardships faced by peripatetic workers. His strong socialist views and empathy towards the marginalised inspired him to write this story. During his time on the farm, he witnessed a lot of violence. He based most of his characters on people he met; Lennie’s character was based on a man who killed a ranch foreman and stabbed his boss in the stomach with a pitchfork. One way Steinbeck portrays the importance of violence in the novel is through the way in which characters treat each other to determine status. When Curley is introduced in chapter two, he “glanced coldly” at George, his arms “gradually bent at the elbows” and his hands “closed into fists”. Curley “stiffened” and “went into a slight crouch” making Lennie “squirm” and “shift his feet nervously”. His actions...
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...OF MICE AND MEN John Steinbeck is an American novelist. He was born on the 27th of January 1902 in Salinas California and died in the 20th of December 1968 of heart disease and congestive heart failure at the age of 66. He was of German, Irish and English descent. He was a college dropout from Stanford University back in 1925 and was a manual laborer before he started to achieve his success as a writer. The story takes place in a stream near Salinas River and in the ranch it the Salinas Valley of Northern California during the Great Depression. During that time, there were massive lack of jobs and increasing number of workers. The population travelled from one place to another to seek employment. Steinbeck’s way of writing reflects his character. Steinbeck concentrates on revealing the characters and presents them directly to focus the reader’s attention of their quandary. Steinbeck is very clever on using stereotypes and has highlighted the importance of human issues, friendship, intellectual prowess, different racial background, social status and responsibility. For instance, he describes Lenny’s appearance as an animal – which Lennie really behaves and looks like. The meaning of Steinbeck’s story is about what it means to be a human being – in different aspects, how the society looks at you as an individual. Steinbeck is a master of description, and one of his many passions was the California landscape. The setting in this novel contains the "golden foothill slopes" and...
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...Relationships are the basis of human interaction and by far the most important in one’s life is friendship. The importance of friendship in one’s life is comparable by no other relationship. Friendship is pure, forgiving and devout. This idea of friendship is undoubtedly illustrated in John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men. In the novel, George and Lennie tirelessly work to have a piece of land to call their own, traveling across the country for work. They are both truly devoted to one another and unwaveringly care for one another, and have proven so multiple times throughout the novel. Another relationship that exhibits devotion is that of the main characters in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet are two faithful star-crossed...
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...NORTH AMERICAN FICTION BRIEF INTRODUCTION: Before starting our study of American Fiction we must understand what American Literature is in itself and which pieces of writing we can include within this label. It is believed that when a piece is written in North America, more precisely in the USA, it would automatically be given this epithet. But it should be taken into account that this idea is quite broad and doesn’t reflect the real essence of the term. However, there is also another definition that gathers this essence: American Literature is the one that represents the Americanism, the singularity of the USA philosophy and culture. This way, instead of focusing on who the author is, it is focused on the content of the writing. In that which concerns Fiction, the following documents are the ones considered as narrative: Speeches Letters Short Stories Essays Political Documents Sermons Novels Diaries 1 FIRST LITERARY EXPRESSIONS The first documents in which the idea of Americanism is very present are the Sermons. They respond to the strict Protestantism settled in the New Continent after the arrival of the Pilgrim Fathers and Puritans in the Mayflower (1620) and the Arabella (1630). They established a theocratic community whose main and only point of reference was the Bible. That is why the idea of the ‘city upon a hill’ is still very present in American mentality. As we all know...
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...SECOND DRAFT Contents Preamble Chapter 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Background Rationale Aims Interface with the Junior Secondary Curriculum Principles of Curriculum Design Chapter 2 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 1 Introduction Literature in English Curriculum Framework Strands and Learning Targets Learning Objectives Generic Skills Values and Attitudes Broad Learning Outcomes Chapter 3 5 7 9 10 11 11 13 Curriculum Planning 3.1 Planning a Balanced and Flexible Curriculum 3.2 Central Curriculum and School-based Curriculum Development 3.2.1 Integrating Classroom Learning and Independent Learning 3.2.2 Maximizing Learning Opportunities 3.2.3 Cross-curricular Planning 3.2.4 Building a Learning Community through Flexible Class Organization 3.3 Collaboration within the English Language Education KLA and Cross KLA Links 3.4 Time Allocation 3.5 Progression of Studies 3.6 Managing the Curriculum – Role of Curriculum Leaders Chapter 4 1 2 2 3 3 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 18 21 Learning and Teaching 4.1 Approaches to Learning and Teaching 4.1.1 Introductory Comments 4.1.2 Prose Fiction 4.1.3 Poetry i 21 21 23 32 SECOND DRAFT 4.1.4 Drama 4.1.5 Films 4.1.6 Literary Appreciation 4.1.7 Schools of Literary Criticism 4.2 Catering for Learner Diversity 4.3 Meaningful Homework 4.4 Role of Learners Chapter 5 41 45 52 69 71 72 73 74 Assessment 5.1 Guiding Principles 5.2 Internal Assessment 5.2.1 Formative Assessment 5.2.2 Summative Assessment 5.3 Public Assessment 5.3.1 Standards-referenced...
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...critical theory today critical theory today A Us e r - F r i e n d l y G u i d e S E C O N D E D I T I O N L O I S T Y S O N New York London Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business Routledge Taylor & Francis Group 270 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10016 Routledge Taylor & Francis Group 2 Park Square Milton Park, Abingdon Oxon OX14 4RN © 2006 by Lois Tyson Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business Printed in the United States of America on acid‑free paper 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 International Standard Book Number‑10: 0‑415‑97410‑0 (Softcover) 0‑415‑97409‑7 (Hardcover) International Standard Book Number‑13: 978‑0‑415‑97410‑3 (Softcover) 978‑0‑415‑97409‑7 (Hardcover) No part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced, transmitted, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publishers. Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Library of Congress Cataloging‑in‑Publication Data Tyson, Lois, 1950‑ Critical theory today : a user‑friendly guide / Lois Tyson.‑‑ 2nd ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0‑415‑97409‑7 (hb) ‑‑ ISBN 0‑415‑97410‑0 (pb) 1. Criticism...
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...Reading the Novel in English 1950–2000 i RTNA01 1 13/6/05, 5:28 PM READING THE NOVEL General Editor: Daniel R. Schwarz The aim of this series is to provide practical introductions to reading the novel in both the British and Irish, and the American traditions. Published Reading the Modern British and Irish Novel 1890–1930 Reading the Novel in English 1950–2000 Daniel R. Schwarz Brian W. Shaffer Forthcoming Reading the Eighteenth-Century Novel Paula R. Backscheider Reading the Nineteenth-Century Novel Harry E. Shaw and Alison Case Reading the American Novel 1780–1865 Shirley Samuels Reading the American Novel 1865–1914 G. R. Thompson Reading the Twentieth-Century American Novel James Phelan ii RTNA01 2 13/6/05, 5:28 PM Reading the Novel in English 1950–2000 Brian W. Shaffer iii RTNA01 3 13/6/05, 5:28 PM © 2006 by Brian W. Shaffer BLACKWELL PUBLISHING 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148-5020, USA 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK 550 Swanston Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia The right of Brian W. Shaffer to be identified as the Author of this Work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs, and...
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...CONTE NTS Introduction 1 WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT CEMETERIES: Survivorship Bias 2 DOES HARVARD MAKE YOU SMARTER?: Swimmer’s Body Illusion 3 WHY YOU SEE SHAPES IN THE CLOUDS: Clustering Illusion 4 IF 50 MILLION PEOPLE SAY SOMETHING FOOLISH, IT IS STILL FOOLISH: Social Proof 5 WHY YOU SHOULD FORGET THE PAST: Sunk Cost Fallacy 6 DON’T ACCEPT FREE DRINKS: Reciprocity 7 BEWARE THE ‘SPECIAL CASE’: Confirmation Bias (Part 1) 8 MURDER YOUR DARLINGS: Confirmation Bias (Part 2) 9 DON’T BOW TO AUTHORITY: Authority Bias 10 LEAVE YOUR SUPERMODEL FRIENDS AT HOME: Contrast Effect 11 WHY WE PREFER A WRONG MAP TO NO MAP AT ALL: Availability Bias 12 WHY ‘NO PAIN, NO GAIN’ SHOULD SET ALARM BELLS RINGING: The It’llGet-Worse-Before-It-Gets-Better Fallacy 13 EVEN TRUE STORIES ARE FAIRYTALES: Story Bias 14 WHY YOU SHOULD KEEP A DIARY: Hindsight Bias 15 WHY YOU SYSTEMATICALLY OVERESTIMATE YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES: Overconfidence Effect 16 DON’T TAKE NEWS ANCHORS SERIOUSLY: Chauffeur Knowledge 17 YOU CONTROL LESS THAN YOU THINK: Illusion of Control 18 NEVER PAY YOUR LAWYER BY THE HOUR: Incentive Super-Response Tendency 19 THE DUBIOUS EFFICACY OF DOCTORS, CONSULTANTS AND PSYCHOTHERAPISTS: Regression to Mean 20 NEVER JUDGE A DECISION BY ITS OUTCOME: Outcome Bias 21 LESS IS MORE: The Paradox of Choice 22 YOU LIKE ME, YOU REALLY REALLY LIKE ME: Liking Bias 23 DON’T CLING TO THINGS: Endowment Effect 24 THE INEVITABILITY OF UNLIKELY Events: Coincidence 25 THE CALAMITY OF CONFORMITY: Groupthink 26 WHY...
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