1. Context To understand the context in which the novel is set. To explore the American Dream

2. 1)List all the words you would associate with this image (e.g. desolate). 2)When and where do you think this photograph was taken? Explain your reasons.

3. The American Depression What research did you find for home learning? Let’s brainstorm the context of the novel. What do we learn here about life in 1930s America from the YouTube video? 1930s America

4. The Novel: Historical Background Following the collapse of the New York Wall Street stock market in 1929, the US entered a prolonged period of economic depression from which it emerged only with the onset of the Second World War in 1939. During this period of failed businesses, harsh poverty and long-term unemployment, hordes of migrant workers came to California from other parts of America in search of work. In the ‘dust bowls’ of the south-west (mainly in the states of Oklahoma and Arkansas), a series of droughts and failed crops added to the migration west. Men, mostly travelling alone, migrated from ranch to ranch on short-term, poorly paid contracts, this being the only type of work available to them. George & Lennie are workers such as this and the characters personify the commonplace ‘American dream.’

5. Following on from the Wall Street crash, but not entirely caused by it, there is a major economic depression in America and elsewhere. The 1930s are years of mass unemployment, particularly in agriculture (with small farmers suffering particularly badly and losing their land when they are unable to repay the money they borrowed to buy it) and the traditional ‘heavy’ industries of coal, iron and steel. Many businesses, including several thousand banks, go bust. There is a cycle of depression: as one company goes bust and its workers become unemployed, it causes other businesses - that relied on that company or its workers for its income - to go bust. When banks go bust those who have deposited their savings in that bank lose them. This starts another cycle as savers in other banks try to withdraw their savings, causing those banks to collapse. There is nothing like unemployment benefit or housing benefit, and no free national health system (some people had private health insurance, which increased during the 1930s). If you lose your job, you often lose your home and the whole family ends up on the streets. Many such families end up in living in cardboard shantytowns which become known as ‘Hoovervilles’. During the 1930s more women enter the workforce: but that is because they are much cheaper than men, with their average wage being 50% that of the average male wage. As an antidote to the depression popular entertainment, especially the movies, continues to grow. Going to the movies provides people with a short period when they could forget their troubles. The 1930s: the Great Depression

6. Read the text: ‘Dustbowl Dance’Dustbowl Dance 1.What is this text about? 2.What factual information can you infer about the place and era that this text seems to be based on? Why? 3.Does the text seem positive or negative to you? In what way? 4.What does this add to our understanding of 1930s America?

7. Dream What does the word ‘dream’ mean to you? On one hand, dreams are something that happen in our subconscious when we are asleep. These may reflect events or emotions in our life. However, dreams are also hopes for the future which we plan for and aspire to consciously. These may be realistic or far fetched. Why do we have the second type of dream? What function do they play in our lives?

8. The American Dream The American Dream is the idea that everyone in the United States has the chance to achieve success and prosperity. It is a social ideal set out in the American Declaration of Independence, 4 th July, 1776. It states that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” Dreams are central to the social ideal of millions of Americans and despite the hardships and grinding poverty of the Great Depression George and Lennie cling on to their dream of a better life.

9. Demonstrating Knowledge 1.Complete the Context Matching Exercise. 2.Look back at chapter 1. In your own words, describe George and Lennie’s dream. 3.How does this relate to the American dream? Explain your ideas in full using the contextual information that we have been discussing this lesson.

10. Consolidation Why is context important? With your partner, discuss and then try to sum up what you believe you have learned about the context of the novel so far.

11. Home Learning Complete a task from the Salads & Rice section of your takeaway menu. Due: Lesson 6