2. Of Mice and Men

3. He was born in Salinas, California in 1902. He lived and worked in California. He worked on a dredging crew or in a sugar plant to get money for college although he never completed a degree. He met hoboes, fruit-pickers and migrant workers through his work. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962 His best known novels include: The Grapes of Wrath, The Pearl, East of Eden, Tortilla Flat and The Red Pony He died in 1968 Biography

4. Steinbeck’s America

7. ‘The ancient commission of the writer has not changed. He is charged with exposing our many grievous faults and failures, with dredging up to the light our dark and dangerous dreams for the purpose of improvement.’ ‘Man himself has become our greatest hazard and our only hope. So that today, Saint John the Apostle may well be paraphrased: In the end is the word, and the word is man, and the word is with man.’ From: John Steinbeck’s Nobel Prize acceptance speech 1962

8. The Roaring Twenties $ movie Gin

9. Coolidge: ‘America’s business is business

10. BUT……

11. Great Depression Most severe economic downturn in American history Began with the Stock Market crash of 29 October 1929 Lasted until the start of American involvement in World War II Unemployment rose to 30% 50% of commercial banks failed Crop prices fell by 50% Over-production led to unemployment Hunger, despair, poverty, homelessness – millions of Americans had their lives destroyed

18. New Deal The New Deal was Franklin Roosevelt’s response to the Great Depression One of the movements was the establishment of a modern Welfare State while preserving the capitalist system Women, blacks and other minorities gained little from the New Deal The effects of the Depression were exacerbated (made worse) by the ecological disaster of the Dust Bowl which caused many to migrate to California in search of the American Dream – the promised land and wealth

19. The American Dream

20. The Reality

26. The Book Of Mice and Men was originally called Something That Happened. When Steinbeck first thought of the idea for the book he intended it to be for children. Steinbeck told a friend that he was experimenting with a new 'dramatic form'. In May 1936 he had a written manuscript - but his puppy (a setter called Toby) ate it! He said of the book: "It is an experiment and I don't know how successful it will be.".

28. Topics Friendship and Loneliness Power Dreams

29. Themes It is important to have human relationships Loneliness has an impact on human lives Social inequities exist during the great depression Dreams don’t always match up to reality Innocence is often an excuse for bad behavior Only the strong survive With loyalty, comes sacrifice

30. Essential Question Why do we need dreams?