Monday 22nd March

Of Mice and Men – The DreamS.C.:• I can analyse George and Lennie

through their ‘dream’.

Our first introduction to the ‘Dream Farm’ – p.15-16

1. Steinbeck indicates that this conversation has happened many times before.

a. Find three quotations from this section that show this.b. What is the significance of this?

2. George’s mood changes through the extract. Show how Steinbeck presents this. Why does he present it like this? (look closely at the adverbs)

3. What do Lennie’s contributions and interruptions tell us about his character?

4. George uses lots of colloquial language, specific to an itinerant worker. Explain what the following terms mean:

“work up a stake” “blow their stake”“get the jack” “poundin’ their tail”

5. How does this section of the novel tie in with your knowledge of the American Dream?

a. Are George and Lennie’s plans realistic or romantic? How does Steinbeck give us a clue about this?

The Dream Farm: A Reality? P64-68

• Remind yourself of what George has previously told Lennie about “how it’s gonna be” on their farm (p.15-16).

Analyse how this time the story is different. You should consider:– Candy’s behaviour and involvement– Lennie’s responses– The appealing images that George

evokes– How Steinbeck creates a feeling of

excitement about the plan becoming a reality

• George “watched him suspiciously” – not keen to involve 3rd party – trust

• Changes to “reverently”• Candy offers £ - the one obstacle G & L have - also offers guarantees• Lennie keen – no awareness of trust being broken – naïve• Candy offers counter arguments to all of George’s concerns• Lennie suggests his aggressiveness when cats are mentioned in

terms of killing rabbits• George develops the story to another level “if a fren’ come long, why

we’d have an extra bunk, an’ we’d say, ‘Why don’t you spen’ the night?’”

• The way that George speaks contrasts harshly to the first time we hear about the dream in chapter 1. “snapped”, “I ain’t got time for no more”

• Adverbs demonstrate excitement – “excitedly”, “eagerly”, “thoughtfully”, “reverently”, “nervously”

• Candy refers to the death of his dog and the loss of his hand to secure further empathy and seal the deal.

• “They all sat still, all bemused by the beauty of the thing, each mind was popped into the future when this lovely thing should come about.”

Dreams

Who else has dreams in the novel?• P.84-94 - Crooks’ barn• P.99-100 - Curley’s wife• P.108 – Candy’s dream dies with

Curley’s wife• P.118-9 - The last dream story