Of Mice and Men

Historical Context for “Of Mice and Men”

„Of Mice and Men “ is extremely well known and many read it in school ( even though I didn ’ thyroxine ). To appreciate this book it ’ south quite important to understand the context of the time it was written in, which is what I want to write about in my review.

The history is dim-witted and tells about two displaced migrant ranch workers, who move from place to place in California in search of new job opportunities in 1937. George is Lennie ‘s defender and best friend. Lennie is

Historical Context for “Of Mice and Men”

„Of Mice and Men“ is extremely well known and many read it in school (even though I didn’t). To appreciate this book it’s quite important to understand the context of the time it was written in, which is what I want to write about in my review.

The story is simple and tells about two displaced migrant ranch workers, who move from place to place in California in search of new job opportunities in 1937. George is Lennie’s guardian and best friend. Lennie is mentally disabled, childlike. He then accidentally kills a woman and George shoots him out of mercy, ahead of the people hunting Lennie down.

The History of Migrant Farmers in California

California Migrant Workers during the Great Depression

After World War I, economic and ecological forces brought many rural poor and migrant agricultural workers from the Great Plains states, such as Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas, to California. Following the war, a recession led to a drop in the market price of farm crops, which meant that farmers were forced to produce more goods in order to earn the same amount of money. To meet this demand for increased productivity, many farmers bought more land and invested in expensive agricultural equipment, which plunged them into debt. The Great Depression of 1929 made matters worse. Banks foreclosed on mortgages and collect debts. Unable to pay, many farmers lost their property and were forced to find other work. Doing so proved difficult, since the nation’s unemployment rate had skyrocketed, peaking at nearly 25% percent in 1933. The increase in farming activity caused the soil to erode. This erosion, together with a seven-year drought that began in 1931, turned fertile grasslands into desertlike regions (Dust Bowls). Hundred of thousands of farmers headed for California. Those migrant workers were called “Okies” because although they came from different states, twenty percent of the farmers were originally from Oklahoma. California farmers and natives met the migrants with scorn, increasing their dislocation and poverty even more.

The Great Depression

People who lost their homes often lived in shanty towns, nicknamed ‘Hoovervilles’ as a dig at President Hoover, who many felt had abandoned them

“Of Mice and Men” is set in the 1930s against the backdrop of the Great Depression. Amongst the worst effected were the agricultural workers of the American West, many of whom were left homeless and wandering for work. California’s farmers, landowners, and bankers were partly to blame for the migrants suffering, due to their deliberate exploitation of the cheap labor provided by the migrant workers. The novel partly exposes the role that the cruelty and indifference of landowners played in the suffering of homeless workers like George and Lennie. The novel illustrates how working-class people possess little meaningful freedom and are often held captive by their circumstances. They are victims of a society that idealizes the American Dream, but doesn’t give people many options for achieving it.

Hooverville in Central Park During The Great Depression

Mental Disability in the 1930s

In the 1930s Amerika people with mental disabilities were despised by the majority of society. Abnormal behavior and low levels of economic productivity were thought of as a burden, similarly to people of minorities leading to racism. The mentally disabled were usually placed by, or removed from, their families as infants and housed in large professional institutions. Many of these facilities were self-sufficient, through the labour of the residents themselves. Heavy tranquilization and assembly line methods of support were the norm. Services were provided based on the relative ease to the provider, not based on the needs of the individual. The 1930’s ideology also shows in the societal common thought, that the “feeble-minded” – shouldn’t be allowed to have children and should be sterilized. Mental illness—its social impact, treatment, and management—is also closely tied to issues of criminal justice and the question of capital punishment. Even today mental disabilities are a critical topics when it comes to imprisonment and capital punishment in the US and not an excluding factor.

George is highly protective of Lennie despite his mental disability, because he wants him to have a chance in life. For instance, George tells Lennie not to talk at the job interview because he is well aware of society’s views and would rather Lennie prove his ability first and show work ethic. But despite George‘s best efforts, he ultimately fails. The reader is confronted with the harsh reality for the disabled of the time. Steinbeck makes a clear statement to society in the 1930s: “the only option is for Lennie to be put down, just as the dog was put down”.

Workers rights until the 1970s

Nixon signing The Occupational Safety and Health Act 1970

It wasn‘t until the 1970s, that “The Occupational Safety and Health Act” was introduced, a law that enforced workplace health and safety standards in the US. Consequently there were minimal health and safety regulations in 1930s California. Farmers frequently used dangerous machinery, were poorly trained, and often suffered severe accidents. Deaths and severe disabilities were common and compensation barely offered. People with disabilities were socially outcasted, similar to the elderly and unproductive. Abnormal behavior and low levels of economic productivity were thought of as a burden to society. Anything “abnormal” or different such as disability was ridiculed or feared and thematized in “freak shows”.

Candy is an old farm worker who lost his hand in a work accident and is just paid $250 by the boss, or five months’ wages, while working on the ranch. He is aware that he very soon will be fired to his inability to work as productively and efficiently as other farm workers on the ranch. To Lennie and his mental disability the same thing applies.

“Guys like us got nothing to look ahead to.”

I can imagine the impact and importance of the novel in 1937. But the writing is extremely simple, it is structured around dialogue written in the slang of migrant laborers during the Great Depression, mirroring the uneducated language of that time. That makes it rather hard for me to fully appreciate, even though I know that he used it as a stylistic device. Still I can appreciate it for it‘s choice of topics, even though I don‘t like it much in a literary sense. „Of Mice and Men “ is extremely well known and many read it in school ( even though I didn ’ metric ton ). To appreciate this record it ’ randomness quite authoritative to understand the context of the prison term it was written in, which is what I want to write about in my review.The fib is childlike and tells about two displaced migrant ranch workers, who move from place to place in California in research of newfangled job opportunities in 1937. George is Lennie ‘s defender and best ally. Lennie is mentally disabled, childlike. He then incidentally kills a charwoman and George shoots him out of clemency, ahead of the people hunting Lennie down.After World War I, economic and ecological forces brought many rural hapless and migrant agricultural workers from the Great Plains states, such as Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas, to California. Following the war, a recession led to a drop in the grocery store monetary value of farm crops, which meant that farmers were forced to produce more goods in order to earn the same come of money. To meet this demand for increase productiveness, many farmers bought more domain and invested in expensive agricultural equipment, which plunged them into debt. The great Depression of 1929 made matters worse. Banks foreclosed on mortgages and collect debts. unable to pay, many farmers lost their property and were forced to find other work. Doing thus proved difficult, since the nation ’ second unemployment rate had skyrocketed, peaking at closely 25 % percentage in 1933. The increase in farming activity caused the dirt to erode. This erosion, together with a seven-year drought that began in 1931, turned prolific grasslands into desertlike regions ( Dust Bowls ). Hundred of thousands of farmers headed for California. Those migrant workers were called “ Okies ” because although they came from different states, twenty percentage of the farmers were in the first place from Oklahoma. California farmers and natives met the migrants with contempt, increasing their dislocation and poverty even more. “ Of Mice and Men ” is set in the 1930s against the backdrop of the Great Depression. Amongst the worst effected were the agricultural workers of the american West, many of whom were left homeless and wandering for work. California ’ randomness farmers, landowners, and bankers were partially to blame for the migrants suffer, due to their consider exploitation of the cheap labor provided by the migrant workers. The novel partially exposes the function that the cruelty and indifference of landowners played in the suffer of homeless workers like George and Lennie. The fresh illustrates how propertyless people posse short meaningful exemption and are much held captive by their circumstances. They are victims of a society that idealizes the american english Dream, but doesn ’ thymine give people many options for achieving it.In the 1930s Amerika people with mental disabilities were despised by the majority of club. Abnormal demeanor and low levels of economic productivity were thought of as a load, similarly to people of minorities leading to racism. The mentally disable were normally placed by, or removed from, their families as infants and housed in large professional institutions. many of these facilities were self-sufficient, through the labor of the residents themselves. Heavy tranquilization and forum argumentation methods of defend were the average. Services were provided based on the relative still to the provider, not based on the needs of the individual. The 1930 ‘s political orientation besides shows in the social common think, that the “ feeble-minded ” – should n’t be allowed to have children and should be sterilized. genial illness—its social impact, treatment, and management—is besides close tied to issues of criminal department of justice and the question of capital punishment. even today mental disabilities are a critical topics when it comes to imprisonment and capital punishment in the US and not an excluding factor.George is highly protective of Lennie despite his mental disability, because he wants him to have a chance in animation. For example, George tells Lennie not to talk at the caper interview because he is well mindful of company ‘s views and would rather Lennie prove his ability inaugural and show study ethic. But despite George ‘ s best efforts, he ultimately fails. The reader is confronted with the harsh reality for the disabled of the time. Steinbeck makes a clear up statement to company in the 1930s : “ the only option is for Lennie to be put down, fair as the pawl was put down ” .It wasn ‘ thyroxine until the 1970s, that “ The Occupational Safety and Health Act ” was introduced, a law that enforced workplace health and safety standards in the US. consequently there were minimal health and safety regulations in 1930s California. Farmers frequently used dangerous machinery, were ailing trained, and much suffered hard accidents. Deaths and hard disabilities were common and compensation barely offered. People with disabilities were socially outcasted, exchangeable to the aged and unproductive. abnormal behavior and low levels of economic productiveness were thought of as a load to society. Anything “ abnormal ” or different such as disability was ridiculed or feared and thematized in “ addict shows ” .Candy is an old farm worker who lost his hired hand in a work accident and is just paid $ 250 by the bos, or five months ‘ wages, while working on the ranch. He is mindful that he very soon will be fired to his inability to work as productively and efficiently as other grow workers on the ranch. To Lennie and his mental disability the same thing applies.I can imagine the impact and importance of the novel in 1937. But the write is highly simple, it is structured around dialogue written in the slang of migrant laborers during the Great Depression, mirroring the uneducated speech of that time. That makes it preferably intemperate for me to fully appreciate, even though I know that he used it as a stylistic device. still I can appreciate it for it ‘ south choice of topics, evening though I don ‘ thymine like it a lot in a literary sense.