English 2

Of Mice and Men

Themes/Symbols/Foreshadowing

Themes:

1.  The American Dream (the impossibility of) – the wish for untarnished ______and for the ______to follow one’s own desires:

A. George and Lennie – “to live ______”

Eventually made impossible because of ______.

B. Candy and Crooks – both latched on to ______; Crooks once told George that “Nobody never gets to ______and nobody never gets no ______.” Eventually, however, he hopes to

______.

C. Curley’s wife – dreamt of being a ______or ______; made impossible by her ______. She also desired to be in a fulfilling ______; made impossible because Curley wouldn’t let her ______.

2.  Loneliness and Companionship:

A. George – constantly playing ______in the bunkhouse (symbolizing his true feelings of ______). Also, in the beginning, tells Lennie that the life of a ranch hand is among the loneliest of lives because, ______

______

George finds companionship in/with ______.

B. Lennie – lonely because he’s ______from the other men. He finds companionship in/with ______, ______(including the mouse, his puppy, and the rabbits), and ______, all of which (except George) eventually lead to ______.

C. Candy – lonely because he no longer feels ______on the ranch. He finds companionship in/with ______, ______, and his ______.

D. Crooks – feels lonely because he is segregated due to his ______(he lives by himself in the ______, is not allowed in the ______

______, and can’t go to town with ______. He finds companionship with ______and ______(when they come into his room and tell him about their dream)

3.  Strengths and Weaknesses (physical and mental):

A. Lennie – physical strength = ______for George and Lennie; it also = ______for the mouse, puppy, and Curley’s wife. Lennie’s weakness is ______.

B. Curley – strengths include him being a ______and the ______. He uses these strengths to ______the other men and to compensate for his weakness ______

______.

C.  Curley’s Wife – her main strength is her ______, which she uses to gain attention from the other men. Her weaknesses include her unfulfilling ______and the lack of ______she receives from her husband and the other men.

Symbols:

1.  George and Lennie’s Farm – symbolizes the their ______. The farm is a place where they can be ______to live as they desire, ______of other people, and self-______. In general, the farm symbolizes everyone’s dream to be successful and independent.

2.  Lennie’s Puppy – symbolizes the victory of ______over ______(because Lennie killed it). It also symbolizes ______strength (George) over ______strength (Lennie). Lennie, despite his physical dominance was ______by ______who represents ______strength.

3.  Candy’s Dog – symbolizes Lennie in that they soon meet the same fate, ______. Neither one was no longer useful, purposeful. The dog also represents the fate awaiting anyone who has outlived his/her ______in life (due to age, disability, etc.). It also shows that, in the end, sentimental attachment means nothing.

Foreshadowing:

1.  The death of the mouse foreshadowed ______(strength over weakness).

2.  The incident in Weed foreshadowed ______

3.  The death of Candy’s dog foreshadowed ______

(George felt obligated to be the one to kill ______, so that he didn’t have the regret that ______did for not shooting ______).