Themes

“Fame and fortune is everyones dream. When reading John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men I noticed the theme of having the ideal American Dream comes up more than once. A lot of the characters often wonder what life would be like if they had a family, fortune, and even fame.

First, there’s the idea of having a family. George, and Lennie are often seen as brothers, or even cousins as George once said, but they would seem more like a family if they had a permanent home. It’s George’s dream to buy his own little farm, for himself and Lennie. When reading this book, they even invited Candy to join them because of his old age. Lennie is obsessed with tending with the rabbits, and possibly getting his own dog. George on the other hand will have a garden and basically run things. With their money all put together they desire a better life for themselves.

Alongside the ideal of family, fortune is also a theme of this great novel. The boss, for example still makes money regardless of being in a depression. When readers first meet him, he comes off as “bossy” because George and Lennie are a day late, and he needed work to be done. George explains that the bus driver was too lazy to drive them all the way, but is interrupted when the boss tells him he doesn’t give a damn. The only thing the boss is good for, is giving food, shelter and pay . His main priority is do the work, so you can make me money, no matter what it takes.

Fame, at times we all want it, believe it or not! A character in the book that probably wanted it more than anyone was in fact Curly’s wife. Being the only women on a ranch must get lonely at times, and all she wanted was someone to talk to. The guys see her as promiscuous, but in all honestly she just wanted a friend. She got a chance to have a friend when she talked to Lennie about her dreams. Lennie being the first person she ever told, she explained how she wanted to become a movie star, and a guy she met was going to make that happen. Being so naïve she believed him and it never happened. Because her dream of being a famous movie star never happened she’s stuck at a ranch being married to Curly. Maybe if her dream could’ve come true, she may actually have an identity!

Basically, Of Mice and Men is a novel about the American Dream which everyone wants. Money family and even fame. If you ever want to expand your horizons and read something very intelligent, read this book. It has a lot of drama and teaches you life lessons at the same time.

Of Mice And Men Motifs

A motif of, Of Mice and Men is the feel of loneliness and the need for companionship from a few of the characters in this book. The characters that has this feeling the most is Curly’s wife, George, and Candy, who all, first start out with a companion but is soon found in loneliness.Even though she is married to Curly, Curly’s wife is lonely. Curly is very cruel to her and is always out fighting to prove his manhood, so she is very lonely. Curly is always telling her to back into the house and then leaving her alone for hours.While Curly'ss wife is lonely, Candy is also lonely. Candy once had a dog who was his companion but, then the men decided that the dogwas too old. So, they shot Candy's dog. After the dog was shot Candy became reclusive and therefore became lonely.George is another character who is lonely. George traveled everywhere with Lennie, even Lennie says, " George and I go everywhere together." But at the end of the book George shots Lennie, so sadly George is then left alone.In, conclusion there were a lot of motifs in the story "Of Mice and Men". But the chararcter that has this feeling the most is Curly's Wife, George, and Candy.

Of Mice And Men Symbols (Grade)

You see symbols everyday but what are symbols and were do you find them? Most peoples response would be something like the signs on doors and signs you see in the street that tells you what to do with just showing a picture. However, symbols have a deeper meaning than the ones we see everyday, for example symbols in the book Of Mice and Men. The symbols in the book are not seen visually like most symbols. They are things, places, or even people that represent things in life. Three symbols in Of Mice and Men that I recognized are a farm, Curlys Wife, and Candy's dog.

Now, Everyone has a dream that they wish to come true. In Of Mice and Men Lennie, George, and Candy had a dream to own their own farm one day. The dream farm is a symbol. Its a symbol of peace and, success. To have their own farm meant that they would not have to deal with anyone else but them selves. They would be at peace in there own little harmony. Success would come from the ideal of being on their own. Being able to work for themselves, and not anybody else.

The next symbol I recognized is Curlies Wife. In the book she comes off as a very permiscuos girl who throws herself at every man she comes across. If you think about, its kind of like alot of young girls today. She meets a man who she thinks she loves and gives up all her hopes and dreams to be with him and in the long run she finally figures out that she isnt at all happy with the outcome of her life. However, she wasnt permiscuous at all, she was simply a lonely young girl seeking attention. When she couldnt get it from her husband she looked for it in anyone she cam across. When people actualyy gave her the time to talk instead of judging her, I noticed she simply wanted someone to talk to, and someone to care about her.

I even recognized a pet in the book as a symbol. Old man Candy's dog is a symbol. The dog is old, and helpless.The dog was stmelly and seemed as if he was going to fall out and die any minute. The men that knew Candy and his dog, figured that they should take the dog out of his misery. Candy being old his self, hesitated about this. But, eventually considered it. Candy's dog represents death and, the sadness of being useless. Since the dog was useless they killed him. Sadly thats how society looks at ederly. Old, useless, and smelly with no purpose. Also the dog could represent dreams that die. You try so hard for something but evetually it gets old and useless so you just forget about it.

After I finished reading Of Mice and Men I realized that life is full of symbols, much more than the signs we see in our everyday lives. Symbols can be people, a place, even a pet. Many Books do not have visual symbols, but things or places that represent as a symbol with meaning. This book was filled with symbols that represent peace, sucess, hope, oppurtunity, and even death.

Week 5 of service learning

This week Ms. Klose read us a letter from an email she received. A man is trying to create a DVD, video, or TV broadcasting about different groups participating in the Fundred Dollar bill project. The man wants to feature us in his media he is producing about the project. I was excited that he wants to feature us in it, but I think we should have a meeting discussing what we are going to say first because I'm still not completely sure about our exact goal and intentions of what were doing. I understand what were doing, however I don't understand how creating fundred dollars are going to help produce funds to help Katrina victims. She also told us that she got a printing company to provide us with the fundred dollars free of printing. We just have to come up with the big green paper, it will be a very difficult printing process.

Week 4 Of Service Learning

This week Fundred Dollar Bill group is trying to get donations from printer and banner companies. We are contacting banner companies so we could have banners to let other fundred dollar participants in the city know that we re also participating. The banner will hang outside our school. We need donations from printing companies so we can have the correct color ink for the fundred dollar bills. In order to complete this task we had to write a letter to a printing company that will be willing to give us free printing, or even printing at a low price. Not all of the group really wrote a letter, some started and never finished because honestly not all of us actually understand in depth what exactly we are suppose to be doing in this project. However we managed to get one good letter by putting together all different letters in the group to create one good one. Next week we will found out if they are willing to help or if we have to keep searching for more printing companies.

Week 3 of Service Learning

In service learning Ms. Klose took us to the library to get on the computers and do some research. We had to look up companies that would give us free printing and places that could donate oil for our project. We also had to look up ways to hold the oil. Also we had to look up different locations in Philly were we could set up the shop so people could come screate their fundred dollar bills. There wasn't much time to do this, especially because we werent on task the whole time. However I Look forward to next week so I can continue my research and write my letters to different companies.

Week 2 Of Service Learning

This week we talked about what exactly we were going to be doing and our goal. Our goal is to create 10,000 which is equivalent to 1,000,000 dollars. We are going to be going to different locations with fundred dollar bills and let people create their own to help Katrina victims and support the rebuild of New Orleans and help make the environment safe for the residents. She also told us about the background of this nation wide project. We talked about ways to get donations to help provide us with oil, free printing, and all the materials needed. We also came up with ways to get the materials we need to complete our task. We are going to go to different locations to see if they will donate oil. Also we are going to write letters to different people to see if they could donate money or free printing for the fundred dollar bills.

Week 1 Service Learning

Friday was the first service learning meeting with Mrs.Klose. It was very interesting to see the photographs that Mrs.Klose took in New Orleans of the Katrina after math. She showed us the rebuilded parts of New Orleans first and than the parts that are still not fixed and look the same. It was very emotional to see this because many people lost everything and still had nothing after all this time. The homeless, the dead, the destroyed homes, and the broken hearts. Mrs.Klose showed us the part of New Orleans that was hit the most, this broke my heart. The houses were destroyed and there were many different marks on the houses that represented how many people died there. It was very sad. One house actually had buried a grandmother and a little grandaughter that died in the house in those exact spots. It was very sad. She also showed us the levies that broke and led the way for the tragedy. To me it seemed that they new it would happen because of the condition of that Levi. Even though they rebuild it, it doesn't even seem like it would with hold another tragedy like that. I really think people could be doing more for the Katrina victims because even after all these years later there are still many distraught families with nothing. Seeing the houses marked with how many bodies found in them brought tears to my eyes. In many houses the whole family was found dead. Imagine all the people that still haven't gotten back on their feet. The ones who live under the bridge, the ones lost, the ones who haven't found their families, the ones that lost their loved ones and all the places that have not been rebuild. This gives me inspiration to help them and help them grow.

Of Mice and Men Quiz

1. In your opinion what did Candy's Dog represent?

In my opinion Candy's dog represents many thing. The dog represents dreams dying. Once your dream was young fresh and exciting. But after fighting for it for so long and you never achieve it its old and useless. Its like someone just shot your dreams in the back of the head and kilt all your hopes.

2.Why do you think the Arthur choose to make Lennie the way he is?

I think the author choose to make Lennie big and slow because it represents something. It represents all the people in the world with a handicap that are discriminated against.

3. Was Linnie from Native son and Bigger From Native Son anything alike?

They were very different. Linnie was kind of slow but he was happy the way he was. The littlest things in life was what really matted in life.Linnie never changed the way he acted for any one. He was not scared to be his self. But with bigger he was very confused with his life. He changed the way he acted for certain people and he acted like h e was tougher then he really was. Kind of like Curly.

4.Do you think Curlies Wife was promiscuous or lonely?

Her problem with herself is that she could have been way better then what she is living now. She feels as though she can’t do anything. She can’t even talk to any other males, only Curly. She is very lonely and she just wants to live a better life and be able to have enough freedom to talk to others without Curly saying something. I don't think she was very promiscuous, just lonely.

5. What was the turning point of this novel?

I believe that the turning point of the novel was when George shot Linnie in his head. That was the turning point of the novel for me because it was shocking. I could not believe it. I was in total shock. In a way I think George was doing his self a favor because he did not want anybody to hurt Linnie but it was so sad because he had to do it. After all they had been through together.

6. What were some of the motives behind killing the dog?

Carlson's motives behind killing the dog was the fact that the dog was old and useless and he could not move.

7. What factors would you change if you could rewrite the story?

If I had a chance to rewrite the story I would change the act that George killed Lennie. I would have just let them run away again. However it would take away the whole moral of the book also if he doesn't get killed, especially by Lennie.

8. If you were told to compare yourself to one character who would it be?why?

If I had to choose i guess it would be Curlies wife. She is a young girl who is confused and seeks any attention she can get from males because she really doesn't have any friends or family. I myself am kind of the opposite. If i am feeling lonely I look for friends or family instead of males.

9. Why was Curly so Mean ?

Curly could have been this way for many reasons. He was the smallest person on the ranch. He always felt that he had something to prove due to his small stature. He could have felt that the world was always agianst him. He wanted the bigger men to fear him. He flaunted the fact that he had a wife, and money. He wanted everyone to feel as though they were inferrior to him.

10. . What are some of the problems of George and Lennie’s relationship?

George can’t really have fun because he have to take care of Lennie and make sure he doesn’t get into trouble. It was like having a child you have to give hem your full attention and George didn’t like that idea that much.

News Aricle

Richard Wright has done it again! A young black man in Chicago life spins out of control and is full of hiding, hopelessness, and fear after he kills a young white women in a moment of panic. It eventually leads to more crime and a series of convictions. This is the story line of his new controversial book, "Native Son".  There is no other book in the history of African American literature quite like this that sends such a radical message. This book is controversial because it shows a BLACK man having enough courage to not only kill a white women, but try to get money for it by sending a letter to the girls rich father. Richard write creates a character, Bigger Thomas and shows the depiction in the first scene when Bigger kills a rat. Bigger wins the battle against a rat that terrorized his family and it made him feel power, just like when he kills Mary. Killing gives Bigger Thomas power and he no longer feels fear. But how long will that feeling last when he faces another battle and nearly looses his dignity. 

 

Chapter Analysis

No privacy, Hard life:Pg.4-6 

In the book one, part one: A lower class African American family cramped in a small apartment with no privacy. While the family is getting ready a violent rat disturbs them. Bigger a young black man and the main character fights the rat and is bitten in the process. But the family has a joyful relief when Bigger kills the rat.

Analysis:

To me this chapter represents the oppression and poverty this family is faced with everyday. The rat is a symbol of poverty, death , depression , and sadness. After Bigger kills the rat relief from the family shows that maybe they could live another day or even that things could get better.

Cover up Fight: pg. 36-41 

In this chapter we see Bigger in his daily interactions with his friends. We also see the kind of life he leads, him and friends were planning to rob a man as the always had done before. It was different this time, they were doing it on the "white side" of the neighborhood to a white man. But Bigger becomes angry with one of his friends because, the boy was a few minutes late. He starts a fight with him and than walks away from the whole situation. Even there plan to rob the white man.

Analysis: 

The fight seemed to be like a distraction for Bigger to get out of what they were about to do. I felt that Bigger was fearful of this particular robbery, because even though he had done this before it was never a white man outside of his neighborhood. So they fight could get him out of it without anybody calling him a punk. 

Confusion, pg. 62-79

  In this chapter Bigger Thomas has his first job with the Dalton's which is to take Mary to the university for a lecture.  When Bigger goes to take her he finds out that it was just a cover up story to go meet a boy, Jan.  They drive around and Jan asked to drive and he winds up driving. All three of them were cramped in the front seat and Bigger felt very uncomfortable because Mary body was close to his and touching him. He had never been that close to a white women before. They wind up going to get something to eat, and getting drunk. Bigger felt uncomfortable again because it was not often that a black man would eat with white people, let alone drink off the same beer bottle. After Dinner Bigger drives Jan and Mary around a park while they are in the back seat making out. Eventually Bigger drops Jan off and took Mary back home drunk.

Analysis: This chapter was to show the discrimination in Chicago during that time. Bigger Thomas was feeling very uncomfortable the whole time because Jan and Mary treated him different than any other White ever treated him. Jan extends his hand out to Bigger for a hand shake and bigger was reluctant because it was against the law for a white and black to shake hands. He was also uncomfortable in the car because Mary was so close to him that there bodies were touching and during this time it was unusual for a black man to touch a white woman in any way and not be accused of rape. Finally the incident at the restaurant were Mary and Jan asked Bigger to join them at dinner. Black and whites were not supposed to eat together in public places. Richard wrights purpose for this chapter was to use Biggers confusion about these situations to show what the discrimination was like in the 30's.

Service Learning Ideas

This year for service learning I want to do tutoring like last year because I enjoyed it and I like working with kids. This is important because a lot of student are falling behind in school, not because there stupid but the teachers aren't able to give them the attention they need. Public schools are very big and it is very hard for for one teacher to be able to teach and keep the class in order. Last year the teachers were very grateful for our assistance and hopefully we were helpful to the students. If I cant do tutoring than I would like to volunteer at the nursing homes and help the elderly.

NHD Reflection

For this year National History Day I choose to do Fashion in the 1920's with Charniece, Judith and Marquicha. We choose to do a performance. I learned many interesting things about this topic. I learned that the change in women's fashion during this time occurred because women were trying to make fashion statements. The statement that they were trying to make they were equal to men therefore should be able to were whatever they please as proof to show there independence. This is the time women were fighting for independence and equality. Women didn't start to feel this way until after world war I because during this time women had to take on the jobs of the men while they were off at war. When the war ended and men returned the women got a sense of power and didn't want to go back to the way things were. The fashion ideas came from oversees because the women that worked as nurses over seas witnessed how differently were treated over there and influenced them to try to do the same. Also famous movie stars had the greatest impact on the new fashion. It was very challenging trying to fit all of our information into our scripts, especially because the more information we found there was a whole new outlook on our project. Therefore our thesis statement and script were changed multiple time. However it was a success because we made it to the next round! Personally I enjoyed National History Day This year. I think I enjoyed it this year because I choose a topic that I was interested in. I also enjoyed it because I did a performance and it was more engaging. I am happy that it over because I was falling behind in my classes at school, but I'm also happy that we made it to the next round. That means we have a lot of work to do to improve our project so we can go even further.

Bloom Taxonomy Questions

Knowledge

1.How many people are living in the small apartment with Bigger?
There are 4 people living in the apartment, Bigger, Vera, Buddy, and Ma.

Comprehension

2.What do you think would have happened if Bigger and the gang robbed Old Blum?
If Bigger and the gang robbed Old Blum I think they would have gotten caught because Gus would have done something wrong since he was so nervous and they would end up in jail?

Application

3. What questions would you ask Bigger if you were Mr. Dalton after Mary went missing?
If I was Mr. Dalton I would want to know everything Mary and Jan did that night, every place they went, how much they drank, what they talked about and what time they got back.

Analysis

4. What was the turning point for Bigger when he didn’t feel “fear” anymore?
I think that the turning point for bigger is after he killed Mary because he felt power for the first time. I believe he felt power because not only did he kill someone but also he killed a white woman and no one would think a black man would have the courage to do that.


Synthesis

5. What would you have done different than Bigger when he brought Mary home that night and killed?

The night Bigger killed Mary I would have done everything different. When Mrs. Dalton came into the room I think the whole thing could have been avoided simply by telling Mrs. Dalton the truth. He could have just said that Mary was out with Jan and she got drunk and couldn’t make it up the stairs by herself so he carried her to the room. I think Mrs. Dalton would have understood and everything would have been ok. Since Bigger decided different he created more problems for himslef because when they found out Bigger was in Marys room not only would he be acused of murder but they would acuse him of rape. Not just any rape, raping a white woman.

Evaluation

6. How would you have handled the situation when Bigger found out Mary was dead?
I would have handled the situation different from bigger in many ways. First I would not have tried to hide her body in the furnace and cut her head off so it would fit. I think this whole situation could have been avoided if bigger would have just admitted that it was an accident. He would still have gotten in trouble but not as much trouble as trying to hide it and get money for it. I also would not have told Bessie because now he got another person involved and her life was now over because if they got caught she was apart of it also. It also wasn’t a good idea to try and say she was kidnapped and get money for it because I think that he would have got caught anyway because they would either involve the police or when they went to drop off the money they would have someone watching to see who picks up the money. Basically, I think Bigger handled the situation all wrong and dug himself into a big whole that will ruin his life.

Teenage Fears

NHD Links

1920's Fahion and Music
Where Women Worked During World War I
Flapper Fashion 1920s
C20th Fashion History

Bibliography

1.(December 12, 2007). Timeline. Women’s History Month. http://www.history.com/minisite.do?content_type=Minisite_Generic&content_type_id=933&display_order=4&mini_id=1286

2.Roosevelt, Eleanor, (June 12, 1995). Selected Writing of Eleanor Roosevelt. http://womenshistory.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=womenshistory&cdn=education&tm=371&f=00&tt=14&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//newdeal.feri.org/er/er10.htm

3. Imbornoni, Ann-Marie, ( Dec 20) Women’s Rights Movement in the U.S http://www.infoplease.com/spot/womenstimeline1.html

4.Liddington, Jill. Rebel Girls: How Votes for Women Changed Edwardian Live.

5. Nelson, Carolyn, C. Literature of the Women’s Suffrage Compaign in England

6. Arthur, Max. Forgotten Voices of the Great War: A New History of WWI in the Words of the Men and Women who were there

7. Clark, Amanda, (1986). London: B.T. Batsford Ltd, 1986
http://www.englandattraction.com/1920s-fashion.html

8. (2001-2007). Fashion Era.com.
http://www.fashion-era.com/flapper_fashion_1920s.htm

9. Thesander, Marianne. The Feminine Ideal. Rathbone Reaktion books Ltd. Place, London WIP IDE, UK 1997.

10. http://www.hairarchives.com/private/1920s.htm
The Bob 
by Michael Warner
Music Courtesy of Bill Edwards*
11.http://www.hairfinder.com/hairstyling/1920.htm
1920's Hairstyles Penny Williams – Stylist ©Hairfinder.com

12.http://www.1920-30.com/fashion/hairstyles/1920s-hairstyles.html 1920's Hairstyling and Design -
Copyright Rights © 2005 1920-30.com All Rights Reserved

Geometry

NHD Topic Essay

Topic Essay


How did fashion help women gain there independence after the revolutionary war? When you think about women gaining independence most likely fashion does not come to mind. However fashion played a major roll for women gaining independence. This was the starting point for the women of the United States of America slowly but surely gain there independence.
During the revolutionary war while the men were off fighting, the women were left back at home with no choice but to step up and take on the roles of the men in order to survive and provide for their families. Since women were playing the part as men they finally began to wear the pants in the household, literally. In these days it was tradition for women to wear long dresses that covered the ankles. It was unheard of for a woman to wear pants. It was considered a crime for women to expose themselves. This was the starting point of a long journey for women on the path of gaining independence. Soon after the war more and more women started to wear pants and shorter dresses exposing their ankles. Women were even supposed to wear long plastic dresses as swimsuits. There has been many court cases where women were being arrested for the way they dressed, simply showing their ankle. How ever this did not stop them and they continued on fighting for independence, even through fashion.
I choose this topic because I thought it would be a unique way to show how women gained independence. Women have done so many things on the path of gaining independence; however it has never been looked at through a fashion point of view. The way women dress today has definitely changed compared to the traditional women from back then. This topic relates to this years National History Day theme because the conflict would be women not being able to express their self freely by wearing what they wanted and the compromise being women taking a stand for what they believed in and slowly beginning to gain their independence simply by the way they dressed.