Liam Di Chiro's Theme-Tracker for Of Mice and Men by Liam Di Chiro https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM Let's pool our knowledge about the 4 main themes in this novella en-us 2018-09-11 15:24:54 UTC 2026-01-29 08:56:29 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Bigthunderstorm.png Dreams: a double-edged sword? liamdichiro https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/279920130 In Of Mice and Men, dreams, hopes, and plans are the very foundation of what makes life worth living, but they are also double-edged. What does this mean?
 
The word "dream" is never used in the book in reference to anything like a hope or aspiration.
The characters never regard their hopes as impossible things to
fulfill. Instead, they see them as concrete and realistic plans.

GEORGE said, "O.K. Someday—we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and ...." (Steinbeck, ##)
]]> 2018-09-11 15:24:54 UTC https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/279920130 Racism, sexism, ageism: just parts of our human nature? liamdichiro https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/279920131 Of Mice and Men deals with many of America’s age-old, hot-button issues, including sexism, racism, ageism, and discrimination against those with disabilities. Most importantly, this prejudice isn’t ever explicitly noted or fought against – those who are discriminated against accept the prejudice against them as a way of life. 
 
Prejudice is a fact of life on the ranch because it was a fact of life everywhere in America at
that time.
 
Crooks said darkly, "Guys don’t come into a colored man’s room very much." (Steinbeck, ##)
]]> 2018-09-11 15:24:54 UTC https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/279920131 Slim talks about ageism liamdichiro https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/279920132 Slim said, "dgfsfvgfewirvgfiewgfeiurvgfiegfiegfvgfiugeiub vrr vervwe" (Steinbeck, 71-72).
Slim is saying that old people are isolated and don't deserve a full life. ]]> 2018-09-11 15:24:54 UTC https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/279920132 Which to choose? Friendship or Isolation... liamdichiro https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/279920134 In this novella, George and Lennie represent THE ideal male friendship.  They don’t talk about how they feel about each other or why they should stay loyal – they just stand by each other, and that’s that. 

In contrast, everyone else is isolated from one another.  Everyone seems to get along quite well together by talking about how isolated they are, even though the men on the ranch are constantly together and chatting.

Although they are always together, George and Lennie are isolated from the rest of the world. Friendship is a negative relationship in the novella; every time any character gets close to any other, something goes wrong. 
 
LENNIE exclaimed, "But I wouldn’t eat none, George. I’d leave it all for you. You could cover your beans
with it and I wouldn’t touch none of it." (Steinbeck, 93-95)

VS.  

LENNIE whined, "If you don’ want me I can go off in the hills an’ find a cave. I can go away any time." (Steinbeck, ##)
]]> 2018-09-11 15:24:54 UTC https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/279920134 The American Dream: a reality or an illusion? liamdichiro https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/279920135 Of Mice and Men captures the feel of rural America during the Depression. Different outlooks are presented: 
--the never-will-be starlet trying to make it to Hollywood, 
--the isolated black man born and raised in California, 
--a ranch full of men that like to go to whorehouses, play pool, and drink away their earnings
 --men that are constantly bouncing from job to job just shy of making ends meet. 

The America of Of Mice and Men is populated with dreamers who are constantly struggling to achieve their dreams.
 
This novella argues that there is no single America. Rather, there are many different groups
(women, blacks, farm workers, farm owners), each with their own unique struggle.
 
Quote:
GEORGE complained, "…If I was bright, if I was even a little bit smart, I’d have my own little place, an’ I’d be bringin’ in my own crops, ‘stead of doin’ all the work and not getting what comes up outa the ground." (Steinbeck, ##)
 
]]> 2018-09-11 15:24:54 UTC https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/279920135 Ketchup And Cat House Ambition liamdichiro https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/279922182 George said ''I could take fifty bucks and go into town and get whatever I want. Why i could stay in a cat house all night.''
(Steinbeck, 29)
This quote shows that this is Georges dream but he let it go because it was unattainable.]]> 2018-09-11 15:28:12 UTC https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/279922182 Im Just Gonna Sit By The Fire liamdichiro https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/279923366 George said, ''(...) We'll have a big vegetable patch and a rabbit hutch and chickens...''
(Steinback 33)]]> 2018-09-11 15:30:08 UTC https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/279923366 I'm Giving You My Ketchup liamdichiro https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/279924072 Lennie said, ''If it was here, you could have some. But i wouldn't eat none, George. I'd it all for you.  You could cover your beans with it and I wouldn't touch none of it 
(Steinbeck 30)]]> 2018-09-11 15:31:20 UTC https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/279924072 Tarts And N****rs liamdichiro https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/280816114 Candy said, '' 'Well, I think Candy's married a tart.' Curley said, 'Where the hell is that God damn n****r.' 
(Steinbeck 50)]]> 2018-09-13 13:28:35 UTC https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/280816114 George and Lennie's Dream liamdichiro https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/284194351 George said, ''We'd jus' live there. We'd belong there. There wouldn't be no more runnin' round the country and gettin' fed by a Jap cook. No, sir, we'd have our own place where we belonged and not sleep in no bunk house.''
(Steinbeck, 63)
This is a representation of the American Dream meaning that they will be owners of their own land and they wont have to a boss. Plus they will keep all the money to themselves making them more rich then if they work for someone.]]> 2018-09-21 01:38:08 UTC https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/284194351 Geore, Lennie, Candy hopes liamdichiro https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/284195655 They fell into a silence. They looked at on another, amazed. This thing they had never really believed in was coming true. George said reverently, ''Jesus Christ! I bet we could swing her.'' His eyes were full of wonder.
(Steinbeck, 66)
This quote is Georges and Lennie's hopes for their life when they get enough money for it. This shows how they every moment of work is for that dream and that is their perfect life.
]]> 2018-09-21 01:46:21 UTC https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/284195655 The group vs Curley liamdichiro https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/284197278 Curley whirled on Carlson. ''You keep outta this les' you wanna step outside.'' Carlson laughed. ''You God damn punk,'' he said. ''You tried to throw a scare into Slim, an' you couldn't make it stick. Slim throwed a scare inta you. You're yella as a frog belly. I don't care if you're the best welter in the country. You come for me, an' I'll kick your God damn head off.''
(Steinbeck 68)
This shows how everyone rather isolate themselves from Curley then to be friendly with him because of the fact that he always tries to pick a fight with everyone.]]> 2018-09-21 01:56:30 UTC https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/284197278 Curley's wife is racist liamdichiro https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/284198653 Curley's wife said, ''Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny.''
(Steinbeck, 89)
This shows how Curley's truly thinks about Crooks and how she has threatened him more than once before by the way he reacted. Crooks often says that because he is a person of colour that he gets treated poorly.]]> 2018-09-21 02:03:48 UTC https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/284198653 Curley's wife doesnt belong here. liamdichiro https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/287712212 Curley's wife said, ''Went out to the Riverside Dance Palace with him. He says he was gonna put me in the movies. Says i was a natural. Soon's he got back to Hollywood he was gona write to me about it. (...) I never got that letter.
(Steinbeck 124)
This shows how Curley's wife wanted to be an actress and she thought she could've became one and had a career after her night with that guy. But in reality the guy was lying and since Curley's wife doesn't realize that, she will forever think she can become one and leave her farm life.]]> 2018-10-01 16:16:15 UTC https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/287712212 George and Lennie's last conversation liamdichiro https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/287719979 George said, ''We'll have a cow', said George, 'An' we'll have maybe a pig an' chickens... an' down the flat we'll have a ... little piece alfalfa ---' 'For the rabbits,' Lennie Shouted. 'For the rabbits, ' George repeated.
(Steinbeck 146) 
This shows how right before George will kill Lennie, he lets him die peacefully with the thought of their American Dream in his head. This makes it that much harder for George to go though with killing him.]]> 2018-10-01 16:27:11 UTC https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/287719979 Carlson has no one. liamdichiro https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/287724534 Carlson says, ''Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin' them two guys?''. 
(Steinbeck 149)
This shows that when Carlson says this that he honestly has no idea why George is devastated meaning that carlson doesn't understand what it is to care for someone and everyone to him is just a stranger. 

]]> 2018-10-01 16:34:23 UTC https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/287724534 Aunt Clara is mean to Lennie. liamdichiro https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/287726932 Aunt Clara said, '' All the time he coulda had such a good time if it wasn't for you.''
(Steinbeck 142)
This shows how even Lennies own Aunt discrimantes him since he has disabilities and shows that just because he has disabilities she made him leave from her house and didnt allow him to live with her.]]> 2018-10-01 16:38:19 UTC https://padlet.com/liamdichiro/dichiroOMAM/wish/287726932