8th January 2014
GCSE English: 'Of Mice and Men' Analysis - Dreams
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Handling themes:
· Use the theme as a key word. Start and end the essay with it and ensure that it appears in every paragraph of your essay.
· An essay on dreams would probably be best structured around characters
Dreams / hopes / aspirations
· Title of novel connects to an ode by Robert Burns ('To a mouse') – "the plans “of mice and men” often come to nothing". Immediate suggestion is the futility of dreams / ambitions.
· The book starts with a dream-like setting: idyllic, harmonious. When the humans intrude and disrupt, is Steinbeck suggesting that man is doomed to destroy dreams? (Note that same setting becomes scene of Lennie’s death at end.)
· American Dream: the notion that America was a land of opportunity, where anything could be achieved was prevalent at start of 20th century but deepening Depression seemed to prove it false. Lennie and George have their own version of this dream (so is it similarly ill-fated?).....
· Lennie & George: dream of independence, living off “the fatta the lan’”. This dream has concrete imagery in George’s head (“fat iron stove”) and in Lennie’s it is embodied in his “rabbits”. The unreal nature of this dream is perhaps hinted at in Lennie’s notion of multi-coloured rabbits. It cannot survive Lennie’s death. Other characters express cynicism about such aspirations: (“nobody never gets no land” “nuts” Crooks).
· Candy however shares this dream (as does, briefly Crooks himself) showing how universal and powerful this dream was.
· Curley’s wife: represents a more modern, superficial dream, of fame in “pitchers” (reflecting her craving for attention). It is naive, shown by her belief in the man who promised to help; materialistic – wants “nice clothes”.
· Minor characters harbour dreams: Whit with his comments about the magazine. The poverty and limitations of their lives means that dreams are essential.
· Use the theme as a key word. Start and end the essay with it and ensure that it appears in every paragraph of your essay.
· An essay on dreams would probably be best structured around characters
Dreams / hopes / aspirations
· Title of novel connects to an ode by Robert Burns ('To a mouse') – "the plans “of mice and men” often come to nothing". Immediate suggestion is the futility of dreams / ambitions.
· The book starts with a dream-like setting: idyllic, harmonious. When the humans intrude and disrupt, is Steinbeck suggesting that man is doomed to destroy dreams? (Note that same setting becomes scene of Lennie’s death at end.)
· American Dream: the notion that America was a land of opportunity, where anything could be achieved was prevalent at start of 20th century but deepening Depression seemed to prove it false. Lennie and George have their own version of this dream (so is it similarly ill-fated?).....
· Lennie & George: dream of independence, living off “the fatta the lan’”. This dream has concrete imagery in George’s head (“fat iron stove”) and in Lennie’s it is embodied in his “rabbits”. The unreal nature of this dream is perhaps hinted at in Lennie’s notion of multi-coloured rabbits. It cannot survive Lennie’s death. Other characters express cynicism about such aspirations: (“nobody never gets no land” “nuts” Crooks).
· Candy however shares this dream (as does, briefly Crooks himself) showing how universal and powerful this dream was.
· Curley’s wife: represents a more modern, superficial dream, of fame in “pitchers” (reflecting her craving for attention). It is naive, shown by her belief in the man who promised to help; materialistic – wants “nice clothes”.
· Minor characters harbour dreams: Whit with his comments about the magazine. The poverty and limitations of their lives means that dreams are essential.
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