Chapter themes
What is the biggest theme of this chapter?
Discrimination
Why is discrimination such a big topic in this novella?
It is a big topic because it shows how the Amercian dream isn't for everybody
Which characters are discriminated against in the novella?
The characters are the following. Curley's wife,Crooks, Candy and Lennie
Is Curley's wife aware that she is discriminated?
Curley's wife does realise that she is discriminated and treated differently by the men of the farm.
Was there a lot of discrimination in the USA during the 1930's
Yes, there was.
How did Crooks discriminate Lennie?
Crooks discriminated Lennie by making him believe that George was not coming back, which made him very sad and frustrated, because he couldn't tell if he was lying or not.
The American dream influences this novella by not giving the discriminated characters a chance to have their "happy ending".
Does Crooks feel discriminated?
Yes, he felt discriminated throughout chapter 4
How does Lennie feels when George goes to Susy's place?
Lennie feels alone and vulnerable.
Was Steinbeck aware of the discrimination happening in the USA during that time?
He was very aware of the discrimination happening, since he also worked at a farm, like the one of the novella.
How did Curley's wife threaten Crooks?
Curley's wife threatened Crooks by turning him into the KKK, and then by hanging him.
How did Curley's wife realised that Lennie was the one who broke Curley's hand?
She realised that Lennie was the one who injured Curley when she saw the bruises in his face.
Does Lennie realise that he is a victim of discrimination?
Lennie doesn't realise that he is being discriminated, but he knows that they treat him differently.
Why isn't crooks allowed in the bank house with everyone else?
Because of his race, people don't allow him to be near them.
Why did Steinbeck chose to portrait those issues in his book?
He chose to show how minorities were discriminated in his novella to spread awareness and educate people.
Why wasn't George with Lennie that night?
George was at Susy's place with the other men, that were on the farm.
Does George discriminates against the other characters?
George discriminated against a lot of characters. He ignored Crook's and Curley's wife's presence multiple times. He also treats Lennie like he is not capable of doing simple tasks by himself.
How do the men on the farm treat Curley's wife?
The men on the farm treat her poorly, they ignore her, they shame her, call her names and treat her like she is someone else's property.
Why does Lennie goes to Crook's room?
Because he saw his lights on and wanted company.
What are some other themes portaited in the novella
Loneliness and the American Dream
Why wasn't Lennie invited to Susy's place?
he was not invited because the men see him as a child and discriminate him because of it, by not including him in their plans
What does the other characters (Candy and Crooks) joining George and Lennie's dream symbolise?
It symbolises the unrealistic hope that the minorities group had of achieving the American Dream.
How did Candy's dog's death affect Candy?
The death of Candy's dog, affected Candy a lot. Because apart from him being his dog and knowing him for a long time, he felt like he was similar to the dog, since he is also old and considered useless by the other men on the farm.
Why is chapter 4 so important to the novella?
It is very important since it show us all the minorities present in the novella and the different ways that they are discriminated against and discriminate others.
Does Steinbeck believes in the American dream?
No, he doesn't believe that the American dream is something realistic or attainable for everyone, specially to marginalised groups.