Background
The author of Of Mice & Men.
John Steinbeck
"The sycamore leaves whispered in a little night breeze" (16).
George explains Lennie’s problem to everyone by saying
Lennie was kicked in the head by a horse
George and Lennie are late for their first day of work because
the bus driver let them off too far away
Another name for Local Color is
Regionalism
John Steinbeck was born in this city.
Salinas, CA
Slowly, like a terrier who doesn't want to bring a ball to its master, Lennie approached, drew back, approached again" (9).
simile
Candy, the old swamper, characterizes Curley’s Wife as
a tart
If Lennie got in trouble, he had instructions to
hide in the brush by the river
A character who changes over the course of a story is called a
dynamic character
Steinbeck part-time work as a youth.
Ranch hand
“At about ten o'clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows, and in and out of the beam flies shot like rushing stars" (17-18).
simile
How does Curley wear to set himself apart from the other men?
wears high-heeled boots
What does Lennie do with the mouse he is carrying in his pocket?
He accidentally crushes it to death petting it.
Characters in realistic literature, should be
Reasonable and relatable
The story reflects the feeling of this historic time period.
The Great Depression
"He was a jerkline skinner, prince of the ranch" (33).
metaphor
Who is the most respected of the work crew?
Slim who is serious and good at his work
Why did they have to leave the last farm in Weeds?
Lennie wouldn’t let go of a girl’s pretty dress.
Those who look at objects or places with a sense of admiration or longing, becoming emotionally attached can be said to be
Sentimental
Steinbeck focuses on the historical significance of this specific group of people within Of Mice & Men.
It represents the transient lifestyle of migrant workers.
When Steinbeck tells us that Lennie likes to pet things, he is using the technique of
foreshadowing
Lennie and George were very close. The saying they used to show this was:
“I got you, ‘n’ you got me.”
Lennie’s favorite saying about the dream was
“We’ll live off the fatta the lan’.”
Narrators in regionalistic literature are often
Educated outsiders