Novel Reaction: Thinking Forward

What topic or theme that we have touched on during this unit has "hit home" with you the most?  Which theme or topic has a personal connection for you?  Which did you find most captivating or interesting to discuss and investigate during this unit?  Select a topic/theme from the list above that peaks your interest, and, in this week's blog response, discuss why you find it fascinating, which moment in the story you think about when reflecting on this theme, and how this theme is relevant in today's world.

           The topic that Really "hits home" with me is the loneliness theme in the novel.  I think it hits home with me the most because how every single person in this story is lonely in their own ways and Steinbeck explains in detail why and how all these characters are lonely, its a,little depressing . but thne you get to see how each character deals with their isolation.

 the most interesting topic to talk about in this unit was  the question "is Steinbeck a racist" I liked talking about that because we would find these things in the book that made Steinbeck seems racist, but then we analyzed  and found what he really meant by using these things. It was like decoding a hidden message it was really fun!

Individual vs. Community,

 I  find this theme the most interesting because  in this chapter you see the farm community band up together to go find and kill Lennie, I thought it was interesting because they could get together and do something terrible but they cant band together for something good and something that can benefit everyone. People still do that in todays society with is sad because it shows how much society did not change but 

I watched the move if you guys want to it here 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST5eRRweNHo

Chapter 5 notes

 Chapter 5 notes


      In chapter 5 you begin with Lennie killing the dog that he had petted way to hard. you can notice how frantic he is about hiding it from George. I think he is frantically trying to hide the dog because if George finds out about him stroking the dog to hard he may not let tend to the rabbits in their "dream farm".

Then Curleys wife dies,guess how. Lennie pets her hair to hard and BREAKS HER NECK!!! now he has to hid the dead body from the farm people too.

He remembers George's instruction about where to go in case things get bad (to the bush under the tree) . So he goes, taking the dead puppy with him.

When candy goes into the barn and sees Curleys wife dead he runs and finds George to try and find what to do. Now they don't know if they should turn Lennie in or tell Curley because in both instances he will be bullied and abused. 

then they make a plan to try to get Lennie out of trouble, Curley believes it but Slim guesses it mightive been Lennie judgeing him on past instances

 so everyone goes searching for Lennie to kill him and George has to search to even though he doesn't want to

A portrait of racism

At the end of chapter 4 candy stands up for crooks after curleys wife disrepects him,this shows that candy thought the crooks didn't deserve disrespect because he was black.

another form of racism found in chapter 4 is the fact that Crooks sleeps in a barn alone, because he is black they want him to be segregated from the white people.

Investigating Themes in Of Mice and Men

Investigating Themes in Of Mice and Men

2.)  What kind of relationship do George and Lennie have?  Is their relationship a friendship?  How does this relationship express Steinbeck’s position on the individual versus the community? 

I think Lennie and George have a follower and leader relationship. Maybe like older brother and younger brother, or even bear and a cub, George obviously being the older one while Lennie is the younger. One is following the other most of the time.

           

 I wouldn't call it a friendship,I would they are forced to be with each other, but then again     they also need each other

i think it shows that they need eachother to survive in the community.

Picturing the history behind of mice and men

"For a moment the place was lifeless, and then two men emerged from the path and came into the opening by the green pool.
     They had walked in single file down the path, and even in the open one stayed behind the other. Both were dressed in denim trousers and in denim coats with brass buttons. Both wore black, shapeless hats and both carried tight blanket rolls slung over their shoulders. The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features. Every part of him was defined: small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose. Behind him walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. His arms did not swing at his sides, but hung loosely.
     The first man stopped short in the clearing, and the follower nearly ran over him. He took off his hat and wiped the sweat-band with his forefinger and snapped the moisture off. His huge companion dropped his blankets and flung himself." (1.2-4)

I think I Can connect this quote to the picture of the man walking alone down the highway road.I believe they mightn't been looking for  work and when they had found it he jus in amazement as if he had juts found the gates of heaven, I think you can also kinda compare this to the picture of the 15 year old and his grandma. I think you can compare those because they have travelling companions and i think traveling companions is probabliy a common thing back then because everyone was looking for a new job so it wouldn't be unusual to see your best friend looking with you