OMAM Part 6

I was very disappointed with the way the book ended. I thought that Steinback could have made it at least a happy ending. Anyway, I thought that George may have shot Lennie because he wanted to keep his job and not be killed himself. this was really selfish. I noticed that George was so nice to Lennie before he killed him. "' No Lennie, I ain't mad. I never been mad, and I ain't now."' After, Slim convinced Geeorge that he had to shoot him and that it wasn't his fault. In my opinion, it was totally his fault. What would happen if your best friend killed you? I don't know about you, but I wouldn't be happy. If I were George, I just wouldn't do it.

What would you do? would you kill Lennie? Or what other choice would you make?

OMAM part 5 and 6

Part 5

In this part, Curley's wife finds Lennie upset that his puppy died. Curley's wife tells Lennie that she was offered a job being a actress. She was called a natural, and the man promised to write to her after he returned to Hollywood, though that letter never came. Curley's wife was thinking about the life she could have had, and comparing it to the pitiful life she was living. 

I believe that she confessed this to Lennie of all people is because he is someone who might understand her. All the other men on the ranch shun and think of her as a lower class. Lennie is someone who viewed as "lower class" because of his mental disability, and he is the only person on the ranch who wouldn't immediately turn her away.

After telling Lennie about her dream, Lennie tells her about George's plan. She calls him nuts, not believing him at first, then finds him to be a good man. She lets him feel her hair since he liked soft things. Lennie strokes it, then gets his fingers tangled. Scared, he hangs on to Curley's wife's hair and when she screams, he panics and kills her.

Part 6

Part6 was extremely surprising, with George shooting Lennie. The death of Candy's dog kind of foreshadowed this. Candy had to let someone he loved and treasured die just like George. But unlike Candy, George decided to do it himself, he did not allow a stranger kill his friend. Along with that reason, I believe that George also killed Lennie for a non-selfish reason. Lennie was obsessed with the rabbits and the idea owning them. But, if Lennie hadn't died, then he would have to sit in jail for a long period of time, wishing for rabbits. That would be very cruel on George's part, so to set Lennie free, the only thing George could do was kill him.  

OMAM Part 5 and 6

In the book, Curley's wife tried to flirt with Lennie, who didn't know what was happening. She knew she was messing with a dangerous yet innocent person who cannot control their strength, but she still tried. Curley's wife knew Lennie busted Curley's hand, but she still tried to be flirtatious with him. Even though I felt a little sorry for her, I still feel like she had it coming for her. For the first reason, she's a married woman. Not to mention, she's married to the boss's son. Even with that, she still decides to give everyone "the eye." The second reason is that she was trying to flirt with someone who can't seem to control their body or strength. Lennie accidentally kills mice and puppies just trying to be kind and petting them. I feel that was the same with Curley's wife. Because women were discriminated at that time, I categorized her into one of the animals Lennie had no intention to kill. She decided, "Feel right aroun' there an' see how soft it is." It was her choice. She died from what she decided to do.

In the next chapter, it shows how George killed Lennie with a gunshot where his head and spine met. Lennie died instantly. There was one realistic reason to kill Lennie, but I feel the rest were kind of selfish. The one good reason is that it spared Curley from killing George's close friend. Instead of Curley doing it, George killed his closest friend. I suppose that he was kind of "doing the honors' even though, to me, there was nothing honorable in killing a friend. I'm sure he must have some other little reasons, but this was the only "good" reason in killing Lennie. All the other reasons relate in one category, selfishness. One reason this was selfish was that George knew that he would have less "baggage" to take care of. Lennie was that extra baggage that George housed and took care of, although I feel that George just feels better with someone, even if that someone had a mental disability. George just needed someone to communicate with so he wouldn't be lonely. He knew he would have to get rid of Lennie sometime because, apparently, Lennie's "cons" were stronger than his "pros." Another reason that killing Lennie was selfish was that George knew that he could get a better job and earn more money by himself and while not taking care of a childish person. George wanted a better job and more money, even if it required killing his closest friend.

Do you feel bad for Curley's wife? Do you think that George killing Lennie was rational? What would you do when given Curley's wife of George's situation?

OMAM 5&6

At first I thought it was very cruel that George shot Lennie, but then I realized it was for the best because if George didn't shoot him Carlson would of, and Lennie was pretty dangerous regrading he killed his puppy by just hitting it and killed Curly's wife by just petting her hair. Even though Curley's wife was trying to get his attention, it was still his fault for falling for her ways to get attention. I found it funny how Curley's wife cared so much about her hair getting messed up that she was screaming when Lennie was telling her to stop. Lennie was holding her mouth closed because he didn't want George to hear which goes back to the topic that Lennie always needs George's approval and especially does not want to get in to trouble. It also goes back to the topic of Lennie not knowing his own strength, like when he crushed Curley's hand just trying to defend himself. I did find it sad when George shot Lennie because he had this big dream that he was talking about with George and how he wanted to runaway. Lennie was trying his hardest to fit in and get along at the ranch because he had a mental disability.  

OMAM Section 5 and 6

These two sections gave me a hand full of emotions. I was confused about why Curley's wife wanted attention from Lennie even though he was kind of dangerous. For example, when Lennie said "I like to pet things" and killed his puppy, she moved away because he was being creepy. Later though, she moved closer to him even though he killed his puppy and was angry at his dead puppy. She even offered to let Lennie touch and pet her hair. It was Lennie's fault she is dead but its also her fault because she liked the attention that much.

I was also angry that George shot Lennie. I know that George killed Lennie instantly and knew Lenni wouldn't survive in a mental institute but George had other other reasons he shot him. Lennie did put George threw all those tough times and George didn't want to give Curley the satisfaction of shooting Lennie but there was something else. George knew Lennie couldn't live without him even though Lennie threatened to runaway and hide in a cave. So George decided to give him a last talk of "the dream" then put the poor man out of his misery.

Do you think George had other reasons for shooting Lennie? Do you think Curley's wife craved attention so much, it killed her?

Sections 5&6 OMAM

Part 5

First off, I want to make a reference to one of my earlier posts where I predicted Lennie would die and I was right! Also, I just want to say I am really frustrated at myself for not having any compassion for Curley’s Wife until now. I feel guilty now that I know about her past. Anyway, it’s time to get down to business and in all serious, there is much to discuss that happened at the end of the book.

The paragraph about Curley’s Wife and her appearance after her death interested me and gave me a clear description of her.“And the meanness and the plannings and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face. She was very pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young. Now her rouged cheeks and her reddened lips made her seem alive and sleeping very lightly. The curls, tiny little sausages, were spread on the hay behind her head, and her lips were parted.” What is ironic is she seemed more alive and well when she was dead as opposed to when she was actually alive. Based on this description, I personally believe she looked more beautiful while she was dead and not trying to attract attention.

Part 6

My head is so confused at how not confused I am and just, oh my gosh, George shot Lennie! He definitely had to have some reason behind shooting Lennie and I have dug into the depths of my brain to find out why he killed Lennie. Overall, I believe George really wanted to get away from Lennie and he was selfish. George had to spend so much time taking care of Lennie when he could’ve been living his own life. George decided he needed a break from it all. We’ve seen many examples throughout the book where he was slightly selfish and left Lennie to stand up for himself when he wasn’t capable of it. He encouraged Lennie to fight against Curley and left Lennie alone while he went to town. These events led to George’s realization that Lennie could not manage on his own and the only way to get rid of Lennie was to kill him so, he did. I also noticed some foreshadowing of this event. I once made a statement that Lennie reminded me of a mouse and a quote in the book was, “Trouble with mice is you always kill ‘em.” George was Lennie in this scenario and Lennie was the mouse George ended up killing.” I also saw foreshadowing in the death of Candy’s dog. Candy said, “I ought to have shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn't ought to have let no stranger shoot my dog” In this case, Lennie symbolizes the dog and George resembles Candy. He was going to shoot Lennie himself, and not let Curley and the rest of their mob get to Lennie. My justification for George killing Lennie consists of him getting tired of taking care of Lennie and not wanting someone else to kill him. They were like family but George just couldn’t take care of him any longer.

OMAM 5&6

Wow, I have not blog posted in awhile! This chapter of OMAM was very intense and kind of saddening. Lennie never wanted to do any harm, but sometimes it feels like Lennie's strength is costly, since it seems like he has NO CONTROL over his strength. Lennie's strength is so costly that it brought the upsetting death of Curley's wife. After Lennie accidentally killed Curley's wife, we discovered an important piece of information. In pg 92&93 it says, "And the meanness and the plannings and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face. She was very pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young. Now her rouged cheeks and her reddened lips made her seem alive and sleeping very lightly." We find that Curley's wife is actually very pretty and that she was simple, which is another word for humble and modest. This is really ironic because these words are the exact OPPOSITE of Curley's wife's personality. Curley's wife likes to show off and when she is around the guys, she is always looking for attention. But we read that when all the meanness and wanting for attention was gone from her face, she appears to be simple, sweet and young. I really would've liked if the author could let us see Curley's wife before she got married, or this other side that is shown on her face. Do you think that Curley's wife would've acted differently if she wasn’t married and not on the farm?

OMAM Part 5-6

I think that Curly's wife and Lennie both confided in each other because, they trusted each other. They were both so similar and were going through almost the same problems. They both were easily distracted, and wanted to do their own thing. Lennie was always thinking about the moving, bunny dream. While Curly's wife was always flirting with other men, as she had a husband. Lennie and Curly's wife both had dreams. Lennie wanted rabbits, and Curly's wife wanted to be famous. They both had somebody who "owned them". Curly owned his wife, and George basically was Lennie's father. Curly's wife admits to Lennie, "I don' like Curly. He ain't a nice fella." After Curly's wife had shared her big secret with Lennie, he thought that he could trust her, so that's the reason why Lennie told her about the rabbits. Another reason Curly's wife confided in Lennie was because, she was extremely lonely, and Lennie actually listened to her. Curly's wife begins to trust Lennie so much, that she let him touch her hair, because she figured out he liked soft textures. Lennie didn't let go of her hair, and Curly's wife started freaking out. This obviously scared Lennie. He accidentally broke her neck, and eventually Curly's wife died. After she had died, the author described her "The meanness and the planning and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face. She was very pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young." This was ironic because, in reality Curly's wife wasn't innocent. She was rude to the men who worked there, and she flirted with some of them, all the while having a husband.

Parts 5 and 6

While reading Part 5 of "Of Mice and Men," I noticed how similar Lennie and Curley's wife were. This may have been a contributing factor in why they confided to each ther and why they were both killed.  I realized that Curley's wife got mad easily, like Lennie.  When Lennie said, "If George sees me talkin' to you he'll give me hell," Curley's wife's face grew angry and she fell into a tirade, asking why she doesn't have a right to talk to anyone.  We know from past examples, such as Lennie breaking Curley's hand, that Lennie could get angered easily as well.  Lennie and Curley's wife were also similar in that George had control over Lennie's life and what he did, just like Curley did not want his wife to talk to any other men, or do anything that he told her not to do.  Additionally, Lennie told Curley's wife, "Well, George says you'll get us in a mess."  George was also always telling Lennie that he would get them into a mess, like he had done before.  Another example of Lennie and Curley's wife's similarities is that they both had a dream.  Lennie's dream was to tend the rabbits at the property that he, Candy and George were going to buy.  Curley's wife's dream was to be an actress and be in the pictures.  Finally, Curley's wife said, "I don' like Curley.  He ain't a nice fella."  Similarly, Lennie did not like Curley either and was scared of him.  How similar Lennie and Curley's wife were may have been a contributing factor in why they began to trust each other, tell each other about their pasts, and eventually both got killed.
In Part 6, I believe that George killed Lennie for Lennie's own good.  When Lennie asked George to yell at him, and George began to yell at him, his voice was monotonous and he did not mean what he was saying.  Also, George said, "No Lennie, I ain't mad.  I never been mad an' I ain't now.  That's a thing I want you to know."  Additionally, George said to Lennie, "I want you to stay here with me." Because of these examples, I believe that George did not want to kill Lennie, but he knew that if he did not kill Lennie himself, he would be killed by someone who did not care about him, such as Curley.  In my opinion, George cared more about Lennie than himself, even though he did not show it at times.  Lennie and George were true friends.
I thoroughly enjoyed "Of Mice and Men," and if there is a sequel, I would love to read it!

WALSH - part 5 & 6 Qs

Part 5:

(REMEMBER: These questions are OPTIONAL; you can respond to them in a post, or just used them as direction for what to focus on while you read)

1. Lennie and Curley’s wife both confided in each other. What did she tell Lennie and why do you think she chose him to confess this too? What did he tell her and what event did this lead to?

2. Describe what Curley’s wife looked like once she died (p. 92-93). What is ironic about this description?

3. What question does Candy ask George, and what is his response? (address two important quotes here… one on p. 94 and the other on p. 95) WHY do you think George plans to become just like every other rancher, rather than live out the dream with Candy?

4. What is Curley’s motivation for going after Lennie? Use quotes to support your answer.

5. What lie does George tell Slim? Before reading part 6, what did this lie make you think about George’s plan? After reading part 6… WHY ___________________

Part 6:

1. Analyze Lennie’s hallucination. Use some quotes to support what you think it all means.

2. WHY DID GEORGE SHOOT LENNIE? (Use previous events, info, quotes to prove the foreshadowing AND the explanation for WHY he did it.)

3. Why did Steinbeck choose to have Carlson, of all characters, be the last one to speak in the novel? What significance do his words have? OR What theme do his words support? à “Now what the hell do ya suppose is eatin’ them two guys?”

Of Mice and Men: Part 5

Hanna Wurdack

This chapter was very intense. I learned many new things about Lennie. I am going to blog about the scene with Curley’s wife and Lennie.

This chapter really brought attention to Lennie and his control. His lack of body strength started out when he killed his pup. “He was so little. I was jus’ playin’ with him...an’ he made like he’s gonna bite me...an’ I made like I was gonna smack him...an’...an’ I done it. An’ then he was dead,” said Lennie. This quote really shows how when Lennie gets scared he acts in violence. Lennie got scared because the puppy almost bit him, so he defended himself. The only problem is, he cannot control his strength. When he defends himself, he cannot stop. Just like in the previous chapter, when Lennie crushed Curley’s hand. He was so scared. He acted in self defense, but he couldn’t control it. This foreshadowed what will happen with Curley’s wife. After the puppy incident Curley’s wife came to the barn. Of course, Curley’s wife just came in to try and trick Lennie. She started out talking about her life and how she was depressed and lonely. She was supposed to be a movie star, but she chose Curley instead. “Well, I ain’t told this to nobody before...I don’t like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella,” she said trying to trick him into her trap. But, all Lennie could think about was upsetting George for killing the pup. He needed to be able to tend the rabbits. Finally, Curley’s wife gets Lennie’s attention. She asks him why he likes bunnies so much, and he says,”I like to pet nice things.” She tries to seduce Lennie again by saying,’”Here----feel right here.” She took Lennie’s hand and put it on her head.” Lennie was amazed by her velvety hair,”Oh! That’s nice,” and he stroked harder.” Not wanting Lennie to mess up her hair, she yells. “Please don’t do that, George’ll be mad,” Lennie says to calm her down. “Lennie’s other hand closed on her mouth and nose.” “He shook her then, and he was angry with her...and her body flopped like a fish. And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck.” Lennie killed Curley’s wife in fear. He just wanted to pet her hair, like the puppy, then she yelled and scared him. Lennie used self defense, and he couldn’t control his stregnth.

If he can crush three things in a month, then what will he hurt next?

How will he control himself?

What kind of trouble will he be in?

Will Curley attempt to kill Lennie?

Will George help Lennie?

OMAM 4

In section 4 of ONAM, we learned a lot more about Crooks. Crooks is African-American and is not allowed to come in the bunk house or play cards with the rest of the workers. Crooks is very smart and reads a lot. In section 4, Crooks scares Lennie by telling him that George was hurt and not coming back. Lennie argued that George would never leave him. Later Crooks admits that George was not hurt and was coming back to explain to him how he feels because no on treats Crooks with respect. Crooks waas explaining to Lennie how he wasn't aloud in the house, could not play cards with the other works, and does not have many friends there because he was black. Lennie was very scared, but then Crooks explained that he just wanted Lennie to feel how he felt. He probably thought Lennie would believe him because at the beginning of the chapter he kept calling Lennie nuts. We also met Curley's wife a little more. When Candy told Curley's wife that Curley hurt his hand in the machine, Curley's wife did not believe him at all. Then she asked who did it to him. She was entreating Candy to tell her who broke Culrey's hand. Curley's wife was even being rude to Crooks. At the end of the chapter Crooks started to like Lennie and he called Lennie a nice fella.

Of Mice and Men Part 4

Overall, I thought that this part was interesting. Crooks finally came in to the book (for a big part) so it helped me complete my tracker.I decided to do this blog on why Crooks was "torturing" Lennie. 

      I think that he did this because he wamted to see how Lennie would react if he thought that George was actually gone. But when Lennie started to take him seriously though, he stopped and said, "'I was just supposin'. George ain't hurt. he's alright. He'll be back all right.'" I think that when Lennie started to believe him Lennie got worried and that scared Crooks.

   If I were Lennie, I would be really scared that my friend from birth could be dead or hurt. If I were Crooks, I would be surprised that Lennie cared that much about what happened to George.

      I think that Crooks won't do this to Lennie again, but maybe he will do it to someone else. I think that Lennie will realize that he is really dependent on George and that if anything would ever happen to him, he would need to look out for himself.

     I think that this is an example of symbolism because George is kind of like Lennie's dad in that he looks after Lennie and Lennie is so dependant on him.

       What do you think? What would you do if you were Crooks / Lennie?

      

Of Mice and Men Section 4

While Crooks' teasing seemed at first mean, I think that Crooks is preparing Lennie, in case George was to not return. He tells Lennie that George was not going to return, but when he sees that Lennie got all worked up, he stops and reassures Lennie that George would return.
I believe he did that because in case George wouldn't return one day, Lennie wouldn't end up like him. Crooks had two brothers to interact with when he was a child, but now, since he is a negro, he is not allowed to interact much with the other ranchers. He has to live in a separate area and has only his books. Crooks is miserable and lonely. He wants Lennie to believe that George isn't coming back so if it really does happen, Lennie wouldn't turn miserable like him.

OMAM Blog Post 4

Danielle Kain

2/9/16

OMAM Blog #4

     Throughout the section, there is many places that prove Curley's Wife feels lonely. In OMAM, Steinbeck often refers to loneliness in general with many characters, but the character I'll talk about in this post is Curley's Wife. “Well, I ain’t giving you no trouble. Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house alla time?” This was a quote said by Curley's Wife when she was talking to Crooks, Lennie, and Candy. I think she goes out to the ranch and asks for Curley because she gets lonely by herself in the house all day and just wants to talk to someone. It's her way of getting attention and entertainment. I also think another person who suffers from loneliness in this book is Crooks. When he was talking to Lennie, he said himslef "S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunk house and play rummy ‘cause you was black. How’d you like that? S’pose you had to sit out here an’ read books. Sure you could play horseshoes till it got dark, but then you got to read books. Books ain’t no good. A guy needs somebody—to be near him.” He then said “A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long’s he’s with you. I tell ya,” he cried, “I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick.” I think that Crooks has been suffering from loneliness for a long time and that Lennie is actually making him feel less lonely just by his presence. I predict that there will be more loneliness to come in this book.

What do you think, did Curley's wife and Crooks feel lonely? If so, why do you think they feel that way?

OMAM Part 4

In Part 4 of the book, I noticed Curley's wife having an alter ego when talking to the others and then talking to Lennie. She is discriminated against. Why is she playing on Lannie right now? What is so different? Maybe she wanted to pick on Lennie and see why he is so different. Maybe she decided to taunt him. After all, Lennie is a bit slower when talking and does whatever his brain tells him to. For example, when Crooks said, "S'pose George doesn't come back." Well for Lennie, he obviously wants George to come back, so he says, "No! George will come back. I know he will." Lennie tends to say whatever his brain tells him to. So now Curley's wife wants to play a little with him. She can tell that Lennie thinks she is a "looloo" and "purty." You can tell when her whole entire tone changes when she talks to Lennie. It's almost as if she's talking to a baby when she talks to him. It seems suspicious. She laughs with Lennie, and then all of the sudden she talks with scorn to Crooks. I don't like it. Poor Lennie, he falls for it every time.

Then, I also noticed the discrimination. Apparently now women are still above Negroes on the "power" line. So now on the very bottom I suspect it to be Crooks. When Curley's wife lashes out on the tree other men, she gets very mad. She goes on a tirade about how everyone else gets more rights and how she is ignored and is stuck to talk with the "weak links." Oddly enough, she is also technically a weak link. She says that they left the weak links here. That also includes her, right? They decided to leave her here. They could have taken her with them. Except they didn't, probably because she was a woman.

Then Candy lashed out. Candy decided that something had to be done about this rude lady. So he goes and says angrily, "I had enough. You ain't wanted here." Obviously this was different for Candy. After all, he is actually above the others because Lennie is disabled, Crooks is a Negro, and Curley's wife is a woman. Except what I'm getting at here is Curley's wife. Her answer is, "Baloney." She doesn't believe them when they tell her they were going to find some other land to live on. Most likely because she has seen many other men who have said the same thing, but they don't succeed. 

Back to the topic of discrimination. When Curley's wife then lashes out on Crooks, Crooks ducks back and hides. Then she threatened to hurt Crooks and Candy jumped in and said he would tell. Curley's wife doesn't care and says that she is at a higher level of authority than Candy, but she isn't. I actually conclude from Curley's wife that she was trying to pretend to have more authority than the rest of the people in Crook's barn when she doesn't.

What is ironic about Curley’s wife’s statement: “They left all the weak ones here.” – p. 77

What is ironic about Curley's wife's statment: "They left all the weak ones here."

Curley's wife's statement, "They left all the weak ones here,"  is ironic because during that time period women were considered weak and unimportant.  When she came in she acted like she was superior to them, but in reality  she was one of the least superior characters in the book.  When Curley's wife walked in the doorway she looked down on the men.  "She stood still in the door way, smiling a little at them, rubbing the nails of one hand with the thumb and the forefinger of the other.  And her eyes traveled from one face to another."  This quote shows how she not only talked like she was more important than Crooks, Lennie, and Candy, but she acted like it too.

What do you think about Curley's wife's statement?

Do you think it is ironic that she said that?

In section four, I focused on Crooks, an African American stable buck. He had deep black wrinkles, and his lips were a lighter brown than the rest of his body. In the beginning it seemed to me like Crooks wanted to keep his distance from others Towards the first part of this section, as Lennie enters Crooks room, Crooks frowns, and asks him to leave saying, "You got no right to come in my room. This here's my room. Nobody got any right in here but me." This tells me that Crooks isn't too social and would rather keep to himself. As I read on, I find that Crooks isn't too bad, and gives in to others fairly quick.I think the reason why Crooks keeps to himself is because, he is discriminated against on the farm. The men don't allow him to play cards with them, and he has to just sit and wait in his room. I feel that Crooks dislikes being unequal, so he just stays away. As I continued reading, Crooks began to torture Lennie. He repeatedly teased him by saying,"S'pose George went into town tonight and you never heard of him no more." I believe that Crooks is somewhat nice, but isn't careful enough around people's ideas or feelings. The book later reads that Crooks is devastated that he doesn't have anybody to share his life with, that he is forced to sit in his room while everyone is having fun playing games, because he is black. Crooks got extremely mad when Curly's wife came into his room and started flirting with them, but then acting like they were at fault.

Why do you think Crooks is somewhat mean and rude to others, especially whites?

What stood out about crooks?

   Crooks at first did not want people in his room and that surprised me because why would anyone want to be alone. When he explained how they treated him and how they kicked him out the bunk house I finally understood where he was coming from. He also was talking about how lonely he was all the time which honestly became annoying although we know why he is in such a bad disposition. It was ironic that he went into a tirade about his life of loneliness yet he told Lennie to get out at first. I believe that Steinbeck characterizes him like this because he needed to prove how badly African-Americans were treated by letting Crooks explain himself it came "first hand" by a black person. Black people suffered a lot and were discriminated against. Not only did Steinbeck make Crooks lonely but he used the views of white people on blacks. The mean things that the rest of them would say about him were awful especially Curley's wife. The use of language and the way Crooks acted brought to life the ways the black people were treated and what needed to change.

OMAM Section 4

Today I want to talk about Crooks. He stays to himself but he doesn't want to actually stay to himself. He wants to make friends and play cards but he's black so most people don't want to be friends with him or let him play cards. Crooks at first didn't want Lennie in the barn because it was his room but when Lennie was about to leave Crooks says "set down" (sit/settle down) and then they started talking. Also, when Curley's wife came in and Candy was standing up for himself, Crooks joined Candy but was yelled at. Curley's wife threatened about how easy it could be to get him hung. After that he just kept saying "yes ma'ma" and not saying a word. I would thin Crooks would be better than her because he has a name, could read and had Candy and Lennie stand up for him.

Curley's wife caused a lot of trouble with Candy, Lennie, and Crooks. For some reason though, she is very interested in Lennie. Maybe it's because he beat up Curley or just because he is so tall. When she started picking on Lennie, Lennie called out for George and even looked at Candy for help even though "he was fascinated". Curley's wife pieced together what happened to Curley and when Candy kept saying that both Lennie and Curley got beat up by machines, Curley's wife was sure what happened.

The book also foreshadowed a little by making Curley's wife say "I like machines". I predict that Curley's wife is going to get Lennie alone somehow and then keep hitting on him and Lennie won't understand whats happening. She will keep pestering him because she wants to "see what he's made of" and see how he beat Curley. Lennie won't understand and maybe take it the wrong way and some incident will happen.

Did you think Crooks had more power than Curley's wife? Did you notice foreshadowing? Do you think Curley's wife will get Lennie in trouble?

Part 4

In part 4, I noticed how similar George, Lennie, and Candy are.  Lennie, Candy, and, George all have the dream, motivation, and desire to buy their dream property and live a better life than what they have right now.  Lennie had always believed that their dream would come true.  When Candy told George that he would pay $350, George began to believe that their dream would come true.  It can be inferred that Candy believes in their dream, because he continuously talks about their property and even told Crooks and Curley's wife about their dream property.  Crooks said, "I seen hundreds of men come by on the road an' on the ranches, with their bindles on their back an' that same damn thing in their heads.  Hundreds of them.  They come, an' they quit an' go on; an' every damn one of 'em's got a little piece of land in his head.  An' never a God damn one of 'em ever gets it."  Later Candy replied to this by saying, "You God damn right we're gonna do it.  George says we are.  We got the money right now."
In addition to sharing motivation to buy their dream property, George, Lennie, and Candy seem to share a special bond.  These three men seem to stand up for each other and genuinely care about each other, unlike the other men on the ranch.  When Lennie thought that Crooks meant that somebody had hurt George, he walked dangerously towards Crooks and demanded, "Who hurt George?"  Lennie has lots of trust in George.  When Crooks was torturing Lennie with the thought of George leaving him, Lennie said, "George wun't go away and leave me.  I know George wun't do that." Candy also seems to care about George and Lennie.  He is willing to spend his money to buy a property that he will be sharing with George and Lennie.  When Candy was yelling at Curley's wife, he said, "An' we got fren's, that's what we got."  Unlike the other men on the ranch, Candy, Lennie and George seem to be friends.  If the three of them were not friends and unwilling to work together, none of them will get their dream property.  But because they are working together, they will be able to afford it.  George also is very caring.  He has not given up on Lennie and continues to take care of him.  Finally, George and Candy both act father-like towards Lennie.  George has taken care of Lennie, instead of just worrying about himself.  Additionally, when George was gone, Candy acted father-like by standing up for Lennie and protecting him.
George, Lennie, and Candy are caring and have motivation.  In part 5 and 6 of "Of Mice and Men," I believe that these traits will take them far.

Section 4 OMAM

In section I noticed and took note of Lennie's care for Lennie. When Crooks was asking Lennie about what he would do if George were to get hurt or not return from the where he was that night or if he were to abandon Lennie, one can see how frightened he became and he reassured himself that George would never do that. I wouldn't say that Lennie is protective of George because Lennie sees him as a father and a guardian or someone who is always there for him. I really saw the relationship between George and Lennie in this section.

I remember when I was about 6, I was so attached to my mom and if she was late coming home, or she would leave, I would get worried sick. I can see how Lennie feels, he almost attached to George and gets worried thinking about him leaving him.

I predict that Lennie is going to eventually have to let go of George. Do you agree?

Section 4 OMAM

   I was very intrigued by this section. We got to meet Crooks for the first time and there was a heated argument between Candy and Curley's wife. This whole section took place in Crooks's room. No one had ever been into his room until Lennie just showed up. When we first met Crooks he came off as a bit of a recluse and wasn't necessarily the nicest man. He was surprised when Lennie came but, at the same time he wanted people out of his room. He claimed, "This here's my room. Nobody got any right in here but me." I find it kind of interesting how Crooks always brings up that they have no right. I believe he makes statements that way because he also believes they have no right to discriminate black people just because of the color of their skin. Crooks and Lennie had a long conversation and Crooks confused and angered Lennie filling his head with thoughts that George might not come back. It turns out Crooks was actually a lonely man who just wanted company but had a hard way of showing it.

  I always knew the men on the ranch didn't like Curley's wife but, I did not expect Candy to speak up against her. In doing so, we the readers got a little more insight on the character Candy. "He said accusingly, 'You gotta husban'. You got no call foolin' aroun' with other guys causin' trouble.'" He also said, “I had enough,” he said angrily. “You ain’t wanted here. We told you you ain’t. An’ I tell ya, you got floozy idears about what us guys amounts to. You ain’t got sense enough in that chicken head to even see that we ain’t stiffs. S’pose you get us canned. S’pose you do. You think we’ll hit the highway an’ look for another lousy two-bit job like this. You don’t know that we got our own ranch to go to, an’ our own house. We ain’t got to stay here. We gotta house and chickens an’ fruit trees an’ a place a hunderd time prettier than this. An’ we got fren’s, that’s what we got. Maybe there was a time when we was scared of gettin’ canned, but we ain’t no more. We got our own lan’, and it’s ours, an’ we c’n go to it.” Candy was getting so fed up with Curley’s wife constantly tagging along and trying to seduce other workers on the ranch acting like they were nothing. I have to admit, I enjoyed seeing this side of Candy. He finally just let go of his anger and said what he felt. Candy also knew when to calm down and act rationally. He acted more rationally when he was defended Lennie. He spoke up for Lennie many times during this fight because he knew Curley’s wife was trying to get Lennie to admit he crushed Curley’s hand. Since George was not around, Candy kind of took over the role of a father by standing up for Lennie. In a sense, this fight really showed two new sides of Candy, the angry side, and the protective side.

WALSH Section 4 Qs

Part 4:

(REMEMBER: These questions are OPTIONAL; you can respond to them in a post, or just used them as direction for what to focus on while you read)

1. We finally get to know Crooks. What stood out to you or surprised you about him? With what intentions do you think Steinbeck deliberately characterized him?

2. “Crooks’ face lighted with pleasure in his torture [of Lennie]” – p. 71

At first this made me strongly dislike Crooks! BUT, after reading on, Steinbeck made it clear WHY Crooks was toying with Lennie about George not returning. Discuss your interpretations of this…

3. What is ironic about Curley’s wife’s statement: “They left all the weak ones here.” – p. 77

4. Curley’s wife reveals several times throughout her appearance in Section 4 that she is in the same exact state of mind as these men (i.e. LONELY) – where did we see evidence of this?

5. Some thoughts to discuss on the ending scene:

 - Why does Crooks change his mind about wanting in on their dream?

 - Why do you think Curley’s wife intends to get herself some rabbits?

 - How did Curley’s wife ultimately “win” the argument? 

Of Mice and Men: Part 4

Hanna Wurdack

This was a very different chapter. I this chapter I was very intrigued by the treatment of Crooks.

    This chapter started out by telling the readers where Crooks lived. He had his bunk in the harness room. It was a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn. The room was very small and his bed was a box of straw with blankets on top. In this chapter, Many of the men, including George went into town. Lennie, Candy, and Crooks stayed. Lennie came in the doorway of Crook's room because he saw his light on. He was simply trying to make friends, but Crooks right away started to accuse Lennie. "You got no right to come in my room. This here's my room. Nobody got any right in here...I ain't  wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain't wanted in my room," said Crooks to Lennie. Lennie responded,"Why ain't you wanted?" "Cause I'm black," says Crooks. Lennie just wants to simply make friends. While Lennie is with Crooks, Crooks tells him about his past, but all Lennie can think about are the puppies. When Lennie interrupts Crook's flashback he says,"How long you think it'll be before thos pups are old enough to pet." "This is just a nigger talkin', an' a busted black nigger. So it don't mean nothing, see?" says Crooks. You can see how lonely and depressed Crooks is. Then Crooks starts messing with Lennie, telling him that George isn't going to come back from town. This scares Lennie. "Crook's face lightened with pleasure in his torture." Crooks is so badly damaged. He wants to hurt a white person the way the whites hurt him. "You got George. You know he's goin' to come back. S'pose you didn't have anybody. S'pose you couldn't go in the bunk house and play rummy 'cause you was black," says Crooks. Crooks is so lonely and sad. Then Candy comes in Crook's room, looking for Lennie. Lennie and Candy discuss the "plan" or "dream." Crooks listens and interrupts,"...If you...guys would want a hand to work for nothing---just his keep, why an' lend a hand. I ain't so crippled. I can't work like a son-of-a-bitch if I want to." Crooks seems to want in on the dream, also. Maybe he thinks he can once be treated as an equal and make friends. Then Curley's wife interrupts. After Candy yells at Curley's wife for being a tart, Crooks says bravely,"I had enough. You got no rights comin' in a colored man's room. You got no rights messing around in here at all. Now you jus' get out, and get out quick. If you don't, I'm gonna ast the boss not to ever let you come in the barn no more." Crook's finally seems to have confidence after the "dream" talk. "Listen, Nigger. You know what I can do to you if you open you trap?" she scorns. Crooks is so demeaned by Curley's wife he falls back and acts respectful. Crooks is treated so badly, even though he's a person, too. He's lonely and has no friends and is treated like dirt. At the end Crooks is so mortified he says,"'Member what I said about hoein' and doin' odd jobs. Well, jus' forget it. I didn' mean it. Jus' foolin'. I wouldn' want to go no place like that." Crooks finally gets confidence after talking with Lennie and Candy about the "plan", but then Curley's wife brings him down.

   I made the connection that Crooks and Lennie aren't too different. They are both treated unequally and wrongly. Lennie and Crooks both need to find their independence. They need to learn to defend themselves and their pride. They are both different and treated unfairly for that.

Will things get better for Crooks?

Will Crooks join Candy, Lennie, and George's plan?

Will Crooks stand up for himself? If so, will he be punished?

I thought it was nice how much George looked up to Slim and trusted him. George told Slim why they left Weed and what Lennie did to the girl in the red dress. That's why I think that George was keeping Lennie away from the Curley's wife. But I also feel sad because no on eon the ranch likes Lennie. Crooks tod Slim that Lennie was messing around with the puppies, Curly just thinks he is stupid, and so does a lot more of the people. I think George and Slim will become good friends and eventually so will Lennie with them.

Of Mice and Men Section 3

I saw a lot of foreshadowing and symbolism in Section 3. According to page 39 and page 44, Steinbeck used the word "proudly" both when George was talking about Lennie and Candy is talking about his old dog, that obviously shows that Candy's old dog symbolize Lennie. When Carlson claims that he is going to kill Candy's old dog for him because his dog is too old and smelly, he thought that if Candy's dog stays alive, it is no good for both him self and everyone else, I am supersized that Slim actually agrees with him, I thought he is really nice, however, he agrees is still because he think that Candy's dog is living in pain right now because he is too old and he can't take care of him self, it is the same thing as Slim drown four of his puppies because he don't want them to starve to death, it is the same, Slim drown them because he love them, Candy agrees to let Carlson kill his dog is also because he love him, he don't want him to live in pain anymore. I have a bad feeling that Carlson or the boss might kill Lennie too because he brings too much trouble, but they didn't want to kill him because they love him, they might just want to get rid of him, and Lennie didn't seems to live in very much pain, he is young and strong, he still can be really useful to the ranch if he listen to them. Will the boss or Carlson try to kill him next? When Candy hear about Lennie and George's dream, he asked to join, George agree to let him join, but he don't want him to tall anybody about it. "When Candy spoke they both jumped as though they  had been caught doing something reprehensible." "George said quickly'Don't tell nobody about it. Just us three and nobody else. The be able to can us so we can't make no stake. Just go on like we was gonna buck barley the rest of our lives, then all of a sudden some day we'll go get our pay and cram outta here." I think they don't want people to know about their dream is that they want to recluse (ding!) from ranch and city, they don't want anyone to give them trouble or to stop them. From the fight, I see two sides, one side is Slam, Carlson, Candy, Lennie and George; another side is Curley and his wife. Will they fight again? What will happen to them? Will their dream come true?

OMAN Blog 3

George and Lennie's Dream

 In section three, George and Lennie's dream has a lot more detail than in the beginning of the book. They added their plan to achieve this goal in front of Candy. George and Lennie were so into it they probably didn't even notice Candy until he spoke. "When Candy spoke, they both jumped as though they had been caught doing something reprehensible,,, George was on guard immediately. I think George became on guard that quickly because he didn't want anyone else to know about the dream. Candy immediately wanted in and said that he'd even pay $350! The dream now can suddenly become possible, and soon. George and Lennie agree that Candy can join them and had a plan they could carry out so that their dream would come true within a month. I think that Candy wanted in on the dream because he said that he would be fired as soon as he could sweep (swamp) anymore. He said that he could work as long as he needed to on the property and that he would never get fired. If he were to get fired he said that "...want somebody to shoot me..." just like they did to his dog. He feels that if he were to get fired then he'd have no purpose and wouldn't be useful to anybody.

Treatment of George

I thought it was very funny that when George would talk good about Lennie he would also talk bad about him. Such as when he said " He ain't no cuckoo, he might be dumb as h**l but not a cuckoo". I thought it was sweet in a way that he was protecting him but I thought it was mean an unnecessary to state that he was mentally challenged. Then he George states " Course Lennie's a goddamn nuisance but you get used to goin around with a guy you can't get rid of". I think that was a mean way of him expressing his feelings saying that he truly did love Lennie yet he did not want to admit it so he held it under insults.

OMAM Section 3

Killing Candy's dog wasn't something that Carlson should have done. Even though he felt no pain, the dog was the only company Candy will probably have. He also raised the dog since the dog was a puppy and knew him for almost forever. It kind of disappoints me that Carlson, Slim, and George didn't even care about how Candy felt about his dog's death. Candy couldn't even look at George after Carlson took the dog outside. He just sat in his bed and looked at the bottom of the top bunk. After he heard the shot, he rolled over and looked at the wall, probably crying. Also, when Carlson was taking the dog, he grabbed the shovel right in front of Candy. It kind of seemed heartless because they cared but not really. I also loved how Lennie and George already are friends with everyone except Curley on the farm. George even shared some secrets with Slim and trusted him with them. If their friendship keeps getting better, they could hide a body together.


Did you think that killing Candy's dog was evil? Do you think something will happen to Slim's and George's relationship?

Section 3 OMAM

WOW! This section was long and it covered so many things. Poor Candy and the death of his dog, George and Lennie's dream, and Curley and Lennie's fight. These three events were all very significant and stood out to me as the top three events.

Let’s start with Candy and his dog. Carlson really wanted the dog to be gone on page 44 he claimed, “Well, I can’t stand him in here… That stink hangs around even after he’s gone.” I know the real reason behind Carlson complaining was either an excuse to get rid of the dog or he was jealous. He might’ve been jealous over the tight bond Candy and his dog shared but, he was too jealous to show it in any other way. He might get especially jealous of Lennie and George’s bond in particular since they have a connection like brothers whereas Candy and his dog had a “human-animal” connection. Maybe I’m right, maybe I’m wrong but that is what I believe.

The scene where we learned about the dream was a VERY significant scene. Lennie and George were discussing how nice their little life would be until Candy prodded his head into their conversation after listening and learning about their dream. They acted like they had just gotten caught doing something illegal and became scared. I believe they panicked because if they got caught sharing their plans, they might get “canned” or get kicked off the ranch if the Boss found out. I think Candy wanted in on the dream because he wanted to leave the ranch and he cares about George and Lennie. He has been on the ranch for a long time and his dog was kind of the string that kept him there. Now that his dog died, he wants to go live his life elsewhere. I also think Candy cares about Lennie and George because he has the money to help them pay for the ranch and he said since he was going to die soon, he’d leave his will to George and Lennie. “I’d make a will an’ leave my share to you guys in case I kick off, ‘cause I ain’t got no relatives or nothing.” This shows he really cares about them even though he’s only known them for a couple of days, he would still give them all of his money.

Finally, when Lennie and Curley had a fight, I was slightly in shock. I thought George was going to pull Lennie off of Curley and tell him to stop or they’d be in trouble but, he actually encouraged Lennie. “He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, ‘Get ‘im, Lennie!” In this scene, Lennie proved something else. He will listen and do EVERY SINGLE THING George tells him to.  “Suddenly Lennie let go of his hold. He crouched cowering against the wall. “You tol’ me to, George.” I know George has been like a father to Lennie, so Lennie tries to emulate *ding* his every move and word.

Do you agree with me on these events? Do you agree with me that Candy's dog was what tied him to the ranch? Do you think Candy really cares for Lennie and George? Is someone going to rat George, Lennie, and Candy's out? If so, who do you think it will be?

OMAM Part 3

I enjoyed part three of OMAM. I thought it was interesting that Carlson kept insisting that Candy's dog should be put down. Though he said that it was because it stank, I think it could also represent something else. I believe that it represents the survival of the fittest. In section two, Carlson suggested that Slim replace Candy's old dog with one of the fresh pups. This supports my belief because they're replacing a weaker organism with a stronger, more promising one. 

At first, Candy seemed to be affected greatly by the death of his dog, but I think that he eventually comes to realize that he was kind of like his dog too. Just like his dog, he was old and crippled. And just like his dog, he would soon be replaced by someone new on the ranch, someone who is physically capable of doing more labor than him.

Of Mice and Men part 3

               I enjoyed part three of OMAM. I thought that it was interesting that Carlson wanted to kill Candy's dog and kept suggesting it. I think that he did this because he knew that the old dog was suffering and was hurting inside. I think that he thought that it would also be useless to keep him alive because he couldn't see or eat, and also he smelled terrible. I could be wrong though, and maybe he likes to kill, but I don't think that that is the case. He seemed very anxious to get it over with, as shown on page 47. "'If you want me to, I'll put the old devil out of his misery right now and get it over with.'" Finally, Candy agreed to kill his dog after no one would "take his side." I think that shooting the dog might represent helping others because Carlson was trying to help the dog by putting an end to his pain. I think that Carlson wasn't trying to be mean, because in the story, he leads the dog out with kindness, saying "'Come boy. Come on boy.'" (this was found on page 48)  If I were Carlson, I would be debating what to do because on the one hand I wouldn't want the dog to suffer but on the other I wouldn't want to kill it.

           I think that the dog symbolizes life, even though he is dead. He symbolizes life to me because he had lived a full and happy life with Candy, and now he doesn't live in pain.


What would you do in Carlson's place? What do you think the dog represents? What would you do in Candy's place?

Part 3

Once again, I have continued to enjoy part three of "Of Mice and Men."  In part three we have learned much more about Lennie and George's dream.  Lennie asked George, "Tell about that place, George."  At first, George says, "I jus' tol' you, jus' las' night."  Eventually though, George begins to tell the story while Candy is listening.  "Well, it's ten acres," said George, "Got a little win'mill.  Got a little shack on it, an' a chicken run.  Got a kitchen, orchard, cherries, apples, peaches, 'cots, nuts, got a few berries.  They's a place for alfalfa and plenty water to flood it."  After starting to describe their dream home, George's hands stopped working with the playing cards and his voice grew warmer as he starting thinking about things he would build that he had when he was growing up.  Not only Lennie imagined this dream home with rabbits, George sat entranced with his own picture.  All of a sudden, Candy, who Lennie and George did not realize was listening, said, "You know where's a place like that?"  At first, George acted on guard and did not answer Candy's question.  But when Candy said, "S'pose I went in with you guys.  Tha's three hundred an' fifty bucks I'd put in."  This would mean that George and Lennie would only have to come up with 250 dollars to buy their dream property.  George says, "We was always gonna do it by ourselves."  After contemplating it though, George decides that the three of them would buy the property in a month.  The dream that George had never really believed in was actually coming true!  George, Lennie, and Candy decided that they would leave in one month, and that they would not tell anyone about their plan.
During Lennie and George's conversation, George said, "We'd belong there."  I think that George and Lennie's dream of moving to this property is what has kept them going.  I feel like I can relate to this because my dreams and hopes of doing well are what encourage me to try hard in whatever I do. George and Lennie have not belonged anywhere else that they have gone and are longing for a place to call home.
I think that Lennie is going to forget not to tell anyone about their plan.  When he spoils their plan, many other men will want to come with them.  I think that George, Lennie and Candy will have to escape from their work at night and flee to their dream property, a true place that they will be able to fit in and call home.  

Part 3: Of Mice and Men

By: Hanna Wurdack

 Part three of OMAM was very interesting. In this section I clearly noticed the dream, Candy's dog, and the fight. In part two I talked about the dog, Candy, foreshadowing and symbolism. I found Candy and his dog very interesting, so I have decided to blog about that again. 

 

On page 40 I observed how George described how he first came to the responsibility of Lennie. "I know his Aunt Clara. She took him when he was a baby and raised him up. When his Aunt Clara died, Lennie just come along with me out workin'. Got kinda used to each other after a little while," this quote showed how Lennie became George's companion. It seems they had known each other for a long time, and got used to each other's presences. '"God awmighty, that dog stinks. Get him outta here Candy!"' said Carlson. Candy replied,'"I been around him so much I never notice how he stinks."' This is kind of like how George (Candy) has been around Lennie (the dog) so much he doesn't notice his mental in capabilities, he just is used to dealing with them. Then Carlson explains to Candy that the dog is only suffering and that he should shoot him and give him peace. Why would Carlson mainly want to kill Candy's dog just because it smelled. Was it symbolic for the power totem pole, to just get rid of one more thing that wasn't important towards progress? Maybe it was because the dog didn't do anything except create problems? "No, I couldn't do that. I had 'im too long," replies Candy. George has known Lennie long also. Lennie and George are best friends and companions together, just like the dog and Candy. Even though the dog would be better of not alive, because he's so old and hurt, Candy still cannot bear to have him gone. After a lot of pressure from all the men telling him to just have Carlson shoot the dog, Candy finally gives in. I honestly have no idea why he agreed. The dog was his friend and they depended on one another. Even though he was old and better off dead, how could he let Carlson shoot his dog? After reading this section I connected George and Lennie to these two characters. Will George have to decide to have someone shoot Lennie because he'd be better off dead, just because he can't control his actions and is mentally disabled? This foreshadowing and symbolism had already become too intense, and then I got to the bottom of page 61. "I ought to have shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn't ought to have let no stranger shoot my dog," this made me think very hard. Will George eventually have to shoot Lennie?

  

When the author wrote, "George spoke proudly. Jus' tell Lennie what to do an' he'll do it if it don't

take no figuring. He can't think of nothing to do himself, but he sure can take orders." I think the

author also wrote "He (Candy) said proudly, "You wouldn't think it to look at him now, but he was

the best damn sheep dog I ever seen." to connect it back to what George was saying about Lennie.

They are both proud of their close friends. Lennie and Candy's dog both have something that makes

them different. Candy's dog is old, smells terrible, and doesn't work as well as he used to, while

Lennie is disabled and can't remember almost anything anyone tells him. But, both Lennie and

Candy's dog are loved by one person, and are guided by one person.

WALSH - Section 3 Qs

Part 3:

(REMEMBER: These questions are OPTIONAL; you can respond to them in a post, or just used them as direction for what to focus on while you read)

1. On p. 39 George spoke “proudly” of Lennie for the first time ever while talking to Slim. Later, on p. 44 Candy spoke proudly of his old dog as well. How are these two situations alike?

2. Beyond the smell, why do you think Carlson suggested shooting the dog? What might the dog itself, or the shooting of the dog, represent? Why do you think Candy eventually agreed to it?

3. Any time an author uses repetition, it is usually meaningful. Steinbeck has used the word ‘deliberate’ five times (so far) throughout the novel. Find the word on pages 22, 28, 42, 51, and 55 and see if you can find the significance.

4. We learned a LOT more detail about George & Lennie’s dream. But “when Candy spoke, they both jumped as though they had been caught doing something reprehensible…[and] George was on guard immediately.” WHY the panic??? And why do you think Candy wants “in” on the dream?

5. What is your reaction to the fight? (Bot the beginning of it and the end.) What characteristics were solidified about the many characters who were present during this debacle (Curley, George, Lennie, Carlson, Candy, Slim)?

OMAN 2

I thought it was ironic that Curley was short with curly hair and looked very nice, but was very mean and harsh to George and Lennie. Curley also had a very pretty wife who Lennie had a crush on. I also thought it was ironic how George was being rude about where he was staying, yet he was so desperate for a job with Lennie. I also thought George was being like a dad to Lennie because he stood up for him and said that he could do a lot of work when Curley did not trust him. George really believes in Lennie an I think he is scared to admit it because he wants to act tough. George was also upset with Lennie when Lennie talked.

Of Mice and Men Part 2

In section 2, one character that stood out to me was Curley. He was described as a thin young man with a brown face, brown eyes, and a head of tightly curled hair. He wore a work glove on his left hand, and, like the boss, he wore high-heeled boots. My first impression of him was positive. I saw him as a gentle young man who would have a commanding aura. But, I immediately was proven wrong.  Upon seeing Lennie and George, he stopped, and his gaze turned cold. His arms bent slightly at the elbows, his hands curled into fists, and he bent into a slight crouch, getting into some sort of fighting position. He insisted that Lennie would talk, and said "Well, nex' time you answer when you're  spoke to" before walking away. Based on what I learned, I think that Curley is more of a snarky character who is too full of himself. He seems very judgmental, sizing George and Lennie up before even really knowing them.

Contrary to my previous belief, perhaps Curley only acts they way he does because he is lonely. In the previous chapter, George said "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 stake, and the first thing you know they're poundin' their tail on some other ranch. They ain't got nothing to look ahead to." I believe that Curley is jealous of George and Lennie because of the bond they share, the bond that he wants to have with someone. He wants to share a special bond with someone so that he would stop being lonely, which is why he married his wife. Even though Curley seems to be a very unlikable character, I hope that he will be able to find a friend in the end.

OMAM Section 2 Blog

Danielle Kain

2/2/16

Section 2

     The character I decided to talk about is Curly. In the story, he is described as a thin, young man with a brown face, brown eyes, tightly curled hair, and he was also described as "scrappy". He was very suspicious of Lennie in the beginning because he was a big guy and this really upset George. "He hates big guys. He's all time picking scraps with big guys. Kind of like he's mad at 'em because he ain't a big guy." I think that Curly is jealous of big guys and wants them to feel small like he is. There is a mutual feeling of dislike between Curly and George. Curly really likes to pick fights with big guys because if he wins a fight then people congratulate him but if he gets hit then people say that the big guys should pick on somebody their own size. He uses guile when it comes to these fights and this makes George very cautious of him, especially when he's around Lennie.

Why do you guys think that Curly is mad at big guys for their size? Why do you think he likes to pick fights with big guys?

Of Mice and Men Section 2

I noticed in the book that Curley seemed to be brusque and kind of rude when he first came in to the story. "He glanced coldly at George, then at Lennie." This was said in the book when Curly walked in. "' Well, nex' time you answer when you are spoken to.'" This was said by Curley to both George and Lennie. The old man said that he had just been married a few weeks prior and he won't ever get in trouble because his father is the boss.
                  I think that Curley is so brusque because his wife is ill-mannered in many ways. "'She's purdy' said Lennie defensively. 'Yeah, and she's sure hidin' it. Bet she'd clear out for twenty bucks.'" This was part of a conversation between Lennie and George right as Curley's wife walked out of the room. George described her as a "rat trap."

         Most people think that Curley is mean and malicious, but what people don't realize that he does have a hard life with a really snotty wife. If I were him I don't know what I would do! Life as Curly would be really hard. Trying to have a mean wife and being the bosses son is a lot of pressure.
         
             I think that this forshadows that something is going to happen where Curley is going to need to stand up to his wife and his father.

What do you think? Do you think that Curley will stand up to his wife?

         

         

         

OMAM Section 2

I actually noticed Carlson more than the other people. He is described as a powerful, big-stomached man. When he first appeared in the story, he seemed to me as one of the minor people in the story, but still struck me as a somewhat mysterious and neutral person. For one, he first comes into the bunk room and stares. When someone first meets you and stares at you, it isn't comfortable. Imagine that, a powerful, big-stomached man meets you for the first time and stares at you. It doesn't seem very polite, but later he kindly says," Glad ta meet ya. My name's Carlson." Yet later, when introduced to Lennie and George's name, he kind of playfully teases Lennie for his name. He says that Lennie isn't really small even though his name is Lennie Small. Then he chuckles softly at his joke. He seems to get along well with Slim, though, so that's not bad because Slim is a good person. 

Carlson's actions and words don't quite match. His words are nice, but his first action of staring at them made him look suspicious of something. Then again, it is also rare back then for two people to be traveling and caring for each other. Even further, it is ironic that the big guy is submissive and listens to the smaller guy. The fact that the bigger guy is childish and the smaller guy is sharp and doesn't stare cowardly at the big guy. George, the smaller guy, gives orders and reprimands Lennie for forgetting. I feel that seeing this, Carlson is surprised and doesn't really know how to mask it. Would you stare at George and Lennie if it was strange in that time period? Which side do you think Carlson is on?

Just to answer my last question, I feel that Carlson is on the side of Lennie and George. He only does something rude at the beginning from, most likely being surprised. Then tries to cover up for that by making a joke. If Carlson is capable of being friendly and being friends with Slim, I think he would be capable of being a nice person. Really it could go either way.

OMAM Section 2

We meet most of the characters this chapter. I thought Slim seemed really nice and important, " There was a gravity in his manner and a quiet so profound that all talk stopped when he spoke." Slim was nice enough to welcome Lennie and George onto the farm and even hoped for them to be on his barley bagging team.
We also met Curley and his wife. Curley to me was a son of a bitch. I couldn't stand how he couldn't be fired because he was the boss's son and how he threatened to take on Lennie even though Lennie did nothing to him. I think he is annoying because he got no attention from his father who was always working with everyone on the farm so he wanted to fight to get attention or marry a hot woman. Even though I think Curley doesn't get that much attention from his father, he wants it from him so he is also a father's boy.
Speaking of woman, Curley's wife. She was a pretty girl who was more needy than Curley. She goes into Lennie's and George's room and goes into a pose trying to seduce either one or both of them. She then says in a seductiony voice "I'm lookin' for Curley." Of course, she wasn't looking for Curley, she was looking for attention or even a little action. I think since Lennie actually likes Curley's wife, she will seduce him while George is out bagging barley or something and Curley will find them.  Then Curley will fight Lennie, Lennie will beat Curley easily but since Curley doesn't want to disappoint his father he would say that Lennie lost and should get fired. Since Curley is the boss's son, Lennie will get fired but Curley's wife won't.
Carlson was a big stomach, powerful man who seemed to look like Lennie. He kept saying "Glad to meet ya" to both Lennie and George so he seemed sort of nice. He brought up the topic of puppies which I think was symbolism. The puppies (hopefully Lennie gets one) will represent young, vulnerable children which need help and Lennie and probably even George  will protect the puppies.


Did you notice symbolism? What do you think will happen with Curley's wife and Lennie?

Section 2 OMAM

    I have decided Slim is quite an interesting character. He is always described as a jerkline skinner. This means he is the lead mule-team driver. I learned Slim is a big man that is capable of much and is a leader on the ranch which is displayed on page 34 it said, “He looked kindly at the two in the bunkhouse.” Everyone else on the ranch besides Candy greeted George and Lennie sternly and in a slightly mean fashion. Slim greeted them kindly which shows he is a kind man. Slim is dressed like all of the other workers with blue jeans and a denim jacket. But, even though he is of authority, he doesn’t wear high-heeled boots. He doesn’t need boots to be show his authority, his whole essence speaks authority. Slim is not rough and gruff like some of the other owners/leaders on the plantation. I believe another reason he doesn’t wear high-heeled boots is to prove that he isn’t just someone who looks down on you, and he doesn’t need boots to show he is powerful. I learned that Slim is caring… especially for animals. “She slang her pups last night. Nine of ‘em. I drowned four of ‘em right off. She couldn’t feed that many.” He cares about Lulu and her pups so it was either kill four of them or make all of them starve to death. I believe Slim will be a character that looks out for Lennie and George since they are newbies just like George looks out for Lennie. They probably won’t have the same brotherly bond but, I have a prediction that Slim is going to save them from Curley and his wrath. Slim is definitely the leader of the ranch but, he is also kind and caring.

Do you believe Slim will stand up for Lennie and George? Do you think he is pretending to be kind? How do you think Lennie and George will get along with Slim?