1. Age, disability and vulnerability on the ranch
Steinbeck’s underdogs
Age, disability and vulnerability on the ranch
“The left all the weak ones here” (Curley’s wife, ch.4, p.87, referring to Lennie, Candy & Crooks) “… a nigger, an’ a dum-dum and a lousy ol’ sheep” p.89.

2. Steinbeck’s techniques and what they reveal:
How does Steinbeck present Lennie in this extract? P.70-1.
Key words:
Victim
Vulnerability
Passivity
Capacity for violence
Juxtaposition, stark contrast
Retreat, cowering
Steinbeck’s techniques and what they reveal:
Throughout the extract, characters are juxtaposed to reflect very different personalities (contrast). Lennie portrayed as a victim and Curley as a bully or aggressor.
Animal imagery/similes – reflects contrast in Lennie, innocent, passive, like a lamb compared to Curley – like a terrier, snappy, alert, picking on someone bigger.
Lennie is portrayed as slow and simple-minded through adverb “blankly”
Verbs – reflecting Lennie’s retreat and cowering. In contrast, the verbs used to describe Curley’s actions are deliberate, violent and unpleasantly onomatopoeic.
Animalistic imagery shows Lennie potential for violence ‘huge paws’ and to act under instinct, however, out of fear , he retreats.
Curley glared at him. His eyes slipped on past and lighted on Lennie; and Lennie was still smiling with delight at the memory of the ranch. Curley stepped over to Lennie like a terrier. “What the hell are you laughin’ at?” Lennie looked blankly at him. “Huh?” Then Curley’s rage exploded. “Come on, ya big bastard. Get up on your feet. No big son-of-a-bitch is gonna laugh at me. I’ll show ya who’s yella.” Lennie looked helplessly at George, and then he got up and tried to retreat. Curley was balanced and poised. He slashed at Lennie with his left, and then smashed down his nose with a right hand. Lennie gave a cry of terror. Blood welled from his nose. “George,” he cried, “make ‘um leave me alone, George.” He backed until he was against the wall, and Curley followed, slugging him in the face. Lennie’s hands remained at his sides; he was too frightened to defend himself. George was on his feet yelling, “Get him, Lennie. Don’t let him do it.” Lennie covered his face with his huge paws and bleated with terror. He cried “Make ‘um stop, George.” Then Curley attached his stomach and cut off his wind.

3. Steinbeck’s underdogs
Steinbeck draws our attention to society’s failure to look after its weakest individuals on the level of a human’s responsibility to another human.
How are these characters disadvantaged by society?
A: Crooks
B: Curley’s wife
C: Lennie
D: Candy
He is black.
He has intelligence and yet limited opportunities and resources.
Segregated from rest of workers – little chance to collaborate or improve himself
She’s a woman – only one in male-dominated environment
Has some borrowed authority as Curley’s wife but no real power
Had to marry Curley as choices so limited (in Depression, jobs prioritised for men)

4. Candy – elderly & disabled
Key points
Injured at work but only receives $250 for his injuries
Will be put out ‘on the county’ when he can’t do his job any more
American Dream is impossible for him
Roosevelt’s New Deal may be a step in the right direction, providing relief for some, but it’s not yet helping people like Candy
Dog is his only friend – extremely lonely and isolated. Dog used as a symbol for characters like Candy who are old/vulnerable/no longer useful to society.
Key quotations
Candy: “They’ll can me purty soon. Jus’ as soon as I can’t swamp out no bunk houses they’ll put me on the county.” p.68
Candy’s dog. Carlson on p.50: “Got no teeth. He’s all stiff with rheumatism. He ain’t no good to you, Candy. An’ he ain’t no good to himself. Why’n’t you shoot him, Candy?”

5. Lennie – “dumb” Key points
Lennie is extremely vulnerable to exploitation as he is simple-minded. He cannot make decisions for himself and is fortunate to have a friend like George to steer him well.
Lennie is another of Steinbeck’s underdogs who has no hope of achieving the American Dream. The ranch is a hostile environment for Lennie, fraught with threats to his livelihood (although these wouldn’t faze your ‘average’ ranch worker).
Although he is a strong and able-bodied worker, George worries that Lennie won’t get a job if the boss knows how dumb he is – reflecting prejudice in society.
No equality act to protect minority groups in terms of hiring and firing.
Lennie’s childlike innocence draws him to beauty (girl in Weed, C’s wife) and friendship (Crooks) but he has no concept of social boundaries and frequently gets into trouble.
Key quotations
George to Lennie p.6-7 “You jus’ stand there and don’t say nothing. If he finds out what a crazy bastard you are, we won’t get no job…”
P46 George to Slim “Course he ain’t mean. But he gets into trouble alla time because he’s so God damn dumb. Like what happened in Weed…”

6. Why are these characters important?
Ranch represents 1930s American society in microcosm: I use archetypal characters to represent different minority groups, e.g. a woman, black, disabled, elderly… and their problems
Importantly, as these characters reflect, society fails to look after its weakest elements. No welfare state at this point, no equal rights.
Reinforces human responsibility to look after each other – we see some of this but only at an individual level e.g. George caring for Lennie
Demonstrates that American Dream is a farce – even though the characters try hard to work together and achieve their Dream, I throw in many obstacles to prevent this from happening – just like life in 1930s America

7. Human responsibility
Steinbeck draws our attention to society’s failure to look after its weakest individuals on the level of a human’s responsibility to another human.
P.69 Candy to George “I ought to have shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to have let no stranger shoot my dog.” Mercy of fellow man each for the other compared to lack of compassion of the state.
P110 Slim to George “Suppose they lock him up an’ strap him down and put him in a cage. That ain’t no good George.”

8. Structure reflecting impossibility of the American Dream
Times are hard but Lennie and George remember their dream farm for escapism and to lift their spirits.
BELIEF IN THE DREAM
Candy will contribute
Crooks starts to believe in it
Slim covers for Lennie
Curley’s wife spoils it by threatening Crooks
Fight scene
Sycamore grove, about to start a new job
Uncertainty: introduction to Curley and Curley’s wife
Death of puppy; death of C.W.
Incident in Weed
TIME
George shoots Lennie