English Literature: Of Mice and Men Analysis Chapter Four

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Where is this Chapter set? Explain.
In Crooks' room. It's completely separate from the bunk house - Crooks is kept apart from the white men.
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Talk about Crooks' segregation.
He is segregated from the other ranchers and he isn't welcome in the bunk house - "They say I stink" As a result he won't welcome the other ranchers into his room.
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Explain the quote from Crooks "It's just the talking. It's just bein' with another Guy. That's all"
At first Crooks doesn't understand why George would stay with Lennie but eventually he realises it's the companionship.
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What is Crooks rubbing "liniment' on his back a symbol of?
His suffering.
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How does Crooks' defensive attitude change?
He is defensive with Lennie at first saying he's "got no right" to be there. He's not used to having white people in his room, but he's "defeated" by Lennie's innocent and "disarming" smile and lets him in to talk.
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How does Crooks torment Lennie? Why?
By saying that George will leave him. Lennie is even lower in the social order than Crooks and this makes Crooks happy - he takes "pleasure" in his "torture" of Lennie
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What does Crooks have a copy of?
The "California civil code for 1905" - a book containing information about people's rights.
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What does the description of Crooks' copy of the code being "mauled" suggest? How is this reinforced in the scene?
Suggests it has been read a lot, which reminds us how important rights are to Crooks - he refers to them three times at the start of his conversation with Lennie.
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Explain why Crooks has lots of medicine bottles "both for himself and for the horses" over his bed which aren't kept separate.
Because Crooks himself doesn't see the difference between himself and the animals.
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Where is Crooks' room?
Just off the barn - right next to the horses.
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What are the horses a symbol of?
The fact Crooks is treated like an animal on the ranch.
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What are Crooks and Candy doing by joining in with the dream?
Desperately trying to escape their destinies of being fired from the ranch and having nothing to live off.
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Talk about Crooks, Candy and Lennie's different hopes about what they want to do on the farm.
Crooks says he'll work "like a son-of-a-*****" for nothing, Candy has an idea of making money out of the rabbits and Lennie dreams of living off the "fatta the Ian" and being chief rabbit-keeper.
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Which ambition is most surprising out of Lennie, Crooks and Candy? Why?
Crooks because offering to work hard for free make him see like a bit of a slave but for Crooks it isn't like this. On the dream farm he would have something money can't buy him - respect.
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What makes the reader know that the dream will probably never become a reality?
Because the characters who are doing the dreaming are the ones with the least power.
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Who are the three dreamers brought back into reality by? Talk about her entrance.
Curley's wife - her entrance is a shock, Steinbeck emphasises this by not introducing her. You know she's there when she starts speaking.
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Why does Curley's wife look down on the three men?
Because they're the weak ones.
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What names does she the three dreamers? Why?
Lennie = Dum Dum, Candy = Lousy ol' Sheep, Crooks = ****** - she is getting revenge for all the horrible things the men call her - like "tart", "*****" and "********"
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What is Crooks left with no doubts about?
That his position in society is well below that of a white woman.
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What does this quote from Curley's wife show? "Think I don't like to talk to somebody ever' once in a while?"
That she is lonely like the ranchers.
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What does the fact that a woman destroys the men's happiness suggest that Steinbeck is trying to portray?
Women in a negative way - but Curley's wife's meanness is the result of loneliness and isolation - the same problems that the ranchers have,
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Like Crooks teasing of Lennie, why does Curley's wife attack the three men?
Because it gives her power over them.
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What does Curley's wife's threat to Crooks suggest? ("I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny")
She's hinting that she could claim he ***** her, and he'd be found guilty because he's black.
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What does Steinbeck do despite Curley's Wife's unkindness? How does this affect the reader?
Steinbeck makes her a sympathetic character - we feel sorry for her because she is left at home while her husband is visiting a brothel.
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How is Curley's wife very similar to Lennie, Crooks and Candy?
Because she is also trapped in a life she hates and has a dream - she wants to be in the "pitchers" (movies)
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Why does Curley's wife believe that her dream can come true unlike the men?
She believes she is different because the men will waste their money on drink
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How does the ranch return to normal when the other men get back?
The black and white people become separated.
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What has caused Crooks to say that he doesn't want to be part of the dream anymore - "I didn' mean it. Jus' foolin'"
His encounter with Curley's wife - it has affected him badly.
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What is Crooks' putting "liniment" on his aching back an example of?
How the novel is cyclical - events and actions tend to get repeated - which gives the impression of the characters going round in circles - they never achieve their dreams.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Talk about Crooks' segregation.

Back

He is segregated from the other ranchers and he isn't welcome in the bunk house - "They say I stink" As a result he won't welcome the other ranchers into his room.

Card 3

Front

Explain the quote from Crooks "It's just the talking. It's just bein' with another Guy. That's all"

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What is Crooks rubbing "liniment' on his back a symbol of?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

How does Crooks' defensive attitude change?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
View more cards

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