Context: Of Mice and Men
Influences on His Life
Contextual Influence on the Novella
George and Lennie's Relationship
In 1902 Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California
The Great Depression
Working as a ‘bindlestiff’ (A lonely worker who moves from ranch to ranch looking for work)
His mother was interested in literature and influenced him
He had to deal with the dust storms that gave ‘The Dust Bowl’ it's name
The Great Depression
The stock market crash of 1929 was the event that caused the Great Depression
The Great Depression left around 15 million or 24.9% of Americans out of work
The Dust Bowl
The Dust Bowl was given it’s name when dust storms devastated California
Crops and livestock were killed off during this period, leaving California a ‘Dust Bowl’
Due to crop and livestock loss, farmers lost business and eventually went broke
People known as ‘bindlestiffs’ are considered to be the loneliest people in the world
Lennie is simple-minded, and after his Aunt died George felt the need to look after Lennie, to guide him along when no one else would
We know this when George says: “Guys like us that work on ranches are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They got no place” (Pg 15)
George and Lennie are different though because they have each other, they stray away from the stereotype of the ‘bindlestiff’ because they aren't lonely
George feels that Lennie holds him back from achieving his goal, but he doesn’t want to be left alone when he is looking for work
When George makes the decision to kill Lennie after he has lost them another job it is implied that George will be forever lonely from then on
Lennie's Behaviour
In the novella it is implied that Lennie is mentally handicapped
During the 1930’s, the time that the novella is set in, people with disabilities, like Lennie, weren’t accepted into jobs because they couldn’t work as well as able people
Lennie is told repeatedly by George to keep quiet and that George will do the talking
Fortunately, in recent years people who have disabilities are helped with systems like support units, and pensions.