Research Connections to "Of Mice and Men"

       The setting of "Of Mice and Men" really connects and relates to The Great Depression. During The Great Depression, Farmers working on their crops didn't have enough money so they had to abandon their crops which leads a lot of unsold goods.", companies struggled to make money and many did not have jobs. George and Lennie were apparently fired from their last job and had to abandon that ranch and were due work on a different ranch. They also didn't have a lot of money with them, they only had ten dollars and cans full of beans. "After 1935, America started to get back on its feet. There were programs and institutions that helped people get their life back together after The Great Depression." George and Lennie have been dreaming about their dream life on a ranch like having a little house, a couple of acres, some cows and pigs, and a vegetable patch. They are determined to have their dream life and to work hard towards it. Even though the chapters from 1-3 don't make it certain that they will be able to reach their goal, it makes it clear that they've been working towards getting their lives back together and to get back on their feet.

       Lennie, as it says in the book, isn't that bright of a person and seems to have to be directed most of the time which kind of points out that Lennie may have an intellectual disability (mental retardation). "The person would be slower to learn other skills like acting around other people". In chapter two, when Curley went into their cabin/room, he kept pressuring Lennie to talk and answer his questions. Lennie didn't know how to act around him so he just kept quiet and had George to do the talking. "The person will have more trouble learning and becoming an independent person depends on how big the disability." Lennie also seems to be slow in learning on what to do, he's not very quick on making decisions so George usually has to instruct him on his actions. Lennie also doesn't does not have much confidence in himself as an independent person, even though his size may seem intimidating, he's mostly dependent on George. The book describes Lennie as a dumb, not bright, and clueless person, that causes a nuisance most of the time, but that he's also a hard worker who never has the means to harm anyone or anything.