Discussion Questions for Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck: SPL August -- 2010, Lecture notes of Engineering Science and Technology

Download Discussion Questions for Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck: SPL August -- 2010 and more Lecture notes Engineering Science and Technology in PDF only on Docsity! Southfield Public Library Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Discussion questions used at SPL August -- 2010 1. This book is 70 years old -- How well has it held up? Had you read this before? Seen the movie? If not, were you able to predict what would happen? 2. What did you think of Steinbeck’s writing style? How would you describe it? Was it readable to you? Too much dialect? Does that help with the flavor of the story – does it add a type of personality? 3. What do you think some of the themes of this book were? Friendship. Isolation. Poverty. Dreams. Alienation. The lot of workers. The need for a home. Oppression. Impairment – both physical and psychological. Do they holdup yet? 4. What are some of the conflicts in the book? 5. What did you think of the friendship between George and Lenny? Why did George take care of Lenny the way he did? How would you describe Lennie? George? Was Lennie a dangerous character? What did the others think of their friendship? Was it one they envied? 6. Were Lenny & George’s dream of owning their own farm really feasible? Why was it important that they have that dream? Can people survive without them? Why did Candy latch on to their dream? Do you think they would have let Crook in on the plan if he had asked? Why did the story of the farm keep getting repeated? 7. How were women portrayed in this book? We met Curley’s wife, read about Lenny’s mother, the girl in the soft red dress, read about the prostitutes. Were women out of place in this world of men? 8. Why did Curly’s wife act the way she did? What do you think she was trying to do by hanging around the men in the bunkhouse? Why didn’t she have a name? 9. Did you have sympathy for the characters? Which ones evoked the most? The least? 10. Which characters stayed the same and which changed over the course of this story? Why didn’t Lenny change? How did George change? 11. There was lots of foreshadowing in this book -- did that help or hinder the story for you? 12. Can you justify what George did to Lennie at the end of the book? How would you compare the shooting of Lennie with the shooting of Candy’s dog? 13. Of Mice and Men has a controversial history. It has been repeatedly banned by school boards. Why might this book have been banned? Is such an action justified? 14. What do you think the title represents? Did you know it was based on a line from a poem by Robert Burns . . . To A Mouse? (printed out at the end of this kit) Southfield Public Library Of Mice and Men To A Mouse - Burns' Original Poem Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim'rous beastie, O, what a panic's in thy breastie! Thou need na start awa sae hasty Wi bickering brattle! I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee, Wi' murdering pattle. I'm truly sorry man's dominion Has broken Nature's social union, An' justifies that ill opinion Which makes thee startle At me, thy poor, earth born companion An' fellow mortal! I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve; What then? poor beastie, thou maun live! A daimen icker in a thrave 'S a sma' request; I'll get a blessin wi' the lave, An' never miss't. Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin! It's silly wa's the win's are strewin! An' naething, now, to big a new ane, O' foggage green! An' bleak December's win's ensuin, Baith snell an' keen! Thou saw the fields laid bare an' waste, An' weary winter comin fast, An' cozie here, beneath the blast, Thou thought to dwell, Till crash! the cruel coulter past Out thro' thy cell. That wee bit heap o' leaves an' stibble, Has cost thee monie a weary nibble! Now thou's turned out, for a' thy trouble, But house or hald, To thole the winter's sleety dribble, An' cranreuch cauld. But Mousie, thou art no thy lane, In proving foresight may be vain: The best laid schemes o' mice an' men Gang aft agley, An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain, For promis'd joy! Still thou are blest, compared wi' me! The present only toucheth thee: But och! I backward cast my e'e, On prospects drear! An' forward, tho' I canna see, I guess an' fear! The Standard English Version Small, sleek, cowering, timorous beast, Oh, what panic is in your breast! You need not start away so hasty With a hurrying scamper! I would be loath to run and chase you, With a murderous spade! I'm truly sorry that Man's dominion Has broken Nature's social union, And justifies that ill opinion Which makes you startled At me, your poor, earth-born companion And fellow mortal! I doubt not that you may steal; So what? Poor beast, you must live! An odd ear from twenty four sheaves of corn is a small request: I'll get a blessing with the rest, And never miss it! Your tiny housie, too, is in ruin! Its feeble walls the winds are strewing! And nothing now, from which to build a new one Of foliage green! And bleak December's winds ensuing Both bitter and keen! You saw the fields laid bare and wasted And weary Winter coming fast, And cosy here, beneath the blast, You thought to dwell, Until crash! the cruel plow passed Right through your cell. That tiny heap of leaves and stubble (grain stalks) Has cost you many a weary nibble! Now you are turned out for your trouble Without house or home (belongings), To endure the Winter's sleety dribble, and frosty cold. But Mousie, you are not alone In proving that foresight may be vain: The best laid schemes (plans) of mice and men Go oft astray (oft go awry) And leave us nothing but grief and pain Instead of promised joy! Still, you are blessed, compared with me! Only this moment touches you: But oh! I backward cast my eye On prospects turned to sadness! And though forward I cannot see, I guess and fear!