After reading chapter 4 (pages 66-83), determine importance. Think about what you have read in the book so far (not just chapter 4!) related to intolerance/prejudice, dreams/plans, and the characters.
Answer two of the questions below. First, copy down the lines from the text (include the page number!). Then, in 2+ sentences, explain why it is important to the plot, characters, etc.
- Where do you see instances of intolerance and/or prejudice?
- Where do you see dreams/plans that the characters have for their lives?
- What important information is revealed about the characters?
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1. Instances of intolerance and/or prejudice:
"Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny." (page 81)
This is important because it shows how a woman (Curley's wife) can stand up to someone, albeit a slave. This gives Curley's wife a sense of power, and she continues display this power when she turns to speak to Candy and Lennie, the weakest of the rest of the men, who are easy to manipulate.
2. Dreams/plans:
"About them rabbits," he insisted. Cand smiled. "I got it figured out. We can make some money on them rabbits if we go about it right." (page 75)
This is important because these plans for a better life give Candy and Lennie hope. Even Crooks is affected by their hope. Lennie relies on his hope, the chance to tend for the rabbits is what drives him to work, as well as pleasing George.
Intolerance/Prejudice text:
"'Cause I'm black. They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me." (Page 68)
This is important to the characters because it shows some of the feeling the characters have towards each other. The text is an example of some of the strains that characters have to deal with and gives Crooks a more complete character.
Dreams/plans Text:
"An' have rabbits. Go on, George! Tell about what we're gonna have in the garden and about the rabbits in the cages and about the rain in the winter and the stove, and how thick the cream is on the milk like you can hardly cut it." (Page 14)
This text is important because it reveals the motivations of Lennie and George. This gives the reader a better vision of the characters. The characters motivations are important to the plot because it dictates the actions that they will take later in the book.
1. Instances of tolerance and/or prejudice:
"Listen, Nigger. You know what I can do if you open up your trap?"(page80)
This is important because it shows how prejudice white people were to blacks back in that time period. The cruelty of threatening someone with their life for speaking is horrendous.
2.Dreams/plans:
"Well, it's ten acres. Got a little win'mill. Got a little shacko it, an' a chicken run. Got a kitchen, orchard, cherries, apples, peaches, 'cots, nuts, got a few berries."(page57)
This is important because it shows that George and Lennie have plans for the future. They have a wonderful dream that Lennie loves hearing over and over again. Lennie dreams of the time when he can pet those rabbits to his heart extents.
Intolerance/Prejudice text:
"'Cause I'm black. They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me." (Page 68)
This is important because it shows how racist people were back then. It also shows how the diffrent races fell twords each other. The black didn't like the whites, and the whites didn't like the blacks. As he said in the text i stink to yall, but yall stink to me. Now you are see both sides of races and how they fell.
Dreams/plans:
"About them rabbits," he insisted. Candy smiled. "I got it figured out. We can make some money on them rabbits if we go about it right."
"But i get to tend 'em," Lennie broke in. "George says i get to tend 'em. He promised.
This is important because, it is Candy,Lennie,and George's dream to own their own land. An George promising Lennie rabbits and saying he can take care of them will make Lennie work harder so he can hurry and get his rabbits. If Lennie works harder it will also make George happy because that means that they are a step closer to getting the land they want oh so badly.
Dreams/plans:
"Me an' Lennie an' George. We gonna have a dog an' rabbits an' chickens. We're gonna have green corn an' maybe a cow or a goat."
(pg. 76)
This is important because it shows what George, Lennie, and Candy are plannning to do. It also shows that they all believe it is a very realistic dream and they haven't given up hope on it. This text helps us to see how close some of the characters have grown.
Intolerance/Prejudice:
"Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny." (pg. 81)
This instance of racial intolerance is important because it gives us an idea of the time period. Even though Crooks was a hard-working man who rarely overstepped his boundaries, he could be killed in an instant without questioning because of the color of his skin. Crooks' spirit is broken after this and he learns to "keep his place." It shows the power whites had over blacks back then.
1. Instances of intolerance and/or prejudice:
"This is just a nigger talkin', an' a busted-back nigger. So it don't mean nothing...." (page 71)
This is important to the story because it shows how life really was like then. The people then were very racist but it was just a part of life, and so that is important to the background of the story.
2.Dreams/plans:
"'George says we're gonna have alfalfa for the rabits.' 'What rabbits?' 'We're gonna have rabbits an' a berry patch.'"
This is important to the story because it keeps Lennie going. If he thinks he will have something he really wants, he may not give up. Also, this has been his dream since the beginning of the story and makes Lennie want to please George so he can get his dream.
"O.K. Someday-We're gona get the jack together amd we're gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an' a cow and some pigs and-"
"An' like off the fatta of the lan'," Lennie Shouted.
"An' have rabbits..." (page 14)
Lennie and George are always talking and dreaming about this,they even get more people on this idea with them. Sadly they never acheived their dreams.
"Well, you (Crook) keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny."
Curley's wife appeared as a nice and sweet woman, but now she is being just as intolerant as the most of the men. Even though she is a women, she is still imposing power on the Crook, and he shrinks away into the shadows.
Instance of intolerance and/or prejudice:
"'Listen, Nigger,' she said. 'You know what I can do to you if you open your trap?' ... I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny.'" (80-81)
This example of racial intolerance is important to character development, furthering the personalities of both Crooks and Curley's wife. This quotation also creates another conflict within the story, adding to the plot, and helps establish the time period.
Dreams/Plans of the characters:
"[George:] 'An' it'd be our own, an' nobody could can us. If we don't like a guy we can say, 'Get the hell out,' and by God he's got to do it. An' if a fren' come along, why we'd have an extra bunk, an' we'd say, 'Why don't you spen' the night?' an' by God he would.'"
This passage shows the reader the dreams and plans of George, and, in conjuction, of Lennie. It reveals George's longing for a home and those he could share it with (yet another example of loneliness, the story's central theme).
1.Where do you see instances of intolerance/prejudice.
"The white kids used to come and play at our place, an'sometimes I went to play with them, and some of them was pretty nice. My ol' man didn't like that. I never knew till long later why he did't like that. But I know now." (pg.70)
This shows how segregation and prejudice starts at an early age, before the kid even knows why he isn't allowed to play with the other kids. It also shows how people change as they get older. Crookes started out very accepting when he was young, but now he is so bitter that he doesn't want to associate with whites.
Second half coming soon
1. Instances of intolerance and/or prejudice:
"Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny."(page 81)
This is important to the story, because it shows how terrifying the time period is that Lennie and George live in. It shows how much power can be held over Crooks, and not only is he subject to threats he is not allowed in the other boys' cabin.
2. Dreams/plans:
"Sure they all want it. Everybody wants a little bit of land, not much. Jus' som'thin' that was his. Somethin' he could live on and there couldn't nobody throw him off of it. I never had none."
This shows how they live for the day they can work on their own land. All the time they spend working for other people's land is all building up to the day they will work for themselves. Crooks says he is willing to work for free just in order to call a peice of the land his. He tells them everyone shares a common dream but no one ever gets it.
Prejudice is shown manny time in the book. like when curly's wife says to Crooks, "i could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny." (page 81) She threatens to get crooks hung. And because of the time period nobody would believe crooks.
Dreams are on of the main themes in this story. but crooks doesn't think they can get the land they dream of. "i seen too many guys with land in their head. they never get none under their hand." Everybody dreams of having there own land. nobody ever saves enough money though.
2. Dreams/plans:
"All but old Candy. He just sets in the bunk house sharpening his pencil and sharpening and figuring." (page 69)
Dreams and plans are used in this section of the story as the characters set plans for their lives. Candy tries to figure out how the three men will make money on their land. He is also figuring out how Lennie will be able to keep rabbits and still make a profit. Candy is realizing how close he is to having a place of his own.
3. Important Information:
"'Bout the rabbits." (page 69)
This is yet another time that Lennie mensions his dream of having a place of his own and having rabbits. This shows that this is one of his serious dreams Lennie has.
Dreams/Plans: "Oh, George! I been figurin' and figurin'. I got it doped out how we can even make some money on them rabbits."
This shows that George is finally talking to someone about putting his dreams into action. He talked to Candy about getting some rabbits and land, that they could own and tend.
Important info: "...Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land. It's jus' in their head." -Crooks
This shows that Crooks is a bit bitter about other people's ambitions. It makes me think that something happened (possibly prejudice) that made him give up his dreams, whatever they were.
Intolerance and/or prejudice:
Crooks' face lighted with pleasur in his torture. "Nobody can't tell what a guy'll do," he observed calmly. "Le's say he wants to come back and can't. S'pose he gets killed or hurt so he can't come back."(page 71)
This is important because it shows how Crooks feels about white people. He realized when he grew up why blacks hated whites so much and now hates them as well even though he used to play with nice white kids when he was younger. He doesn't like the whites being anywhere near his room so when Lennie came around he desides to torture his mind by telling him all this, "George is gonna leave you" crap.
Dreams/Plans:
"Damn right. We got most of it. Just a little bit more to get. Have it all in one month. George got the land all picked out, too."-Lennie(page 76)
This is important cause it explains the plans and dreams that they have. It also shows that Lennie really wants this land and the rabbits that will be on it. He is willing to do anything at this time so that the three of them can get the land and he can tend to the rabbits.
1. Instance of Intolerance or prejudice:
"Why ain't you wanted?" Lennie asked.
"'Cause I'm black. THey play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me." (page 68)
This is important because it gives the reader an insight into how prejude played a role in people's relationships as well as in life in general during the time period when the book takes place. It also shows how the blacks who were being treated unfairly felt.
Dreams/Plans:
George stood up. "We'll do her," he said. "We'll fix up that little old place an' we'll go live there." He sat down again. They all sat still, all bemused by the beauty of the thing, each mind was popped into the future when this lovely thing should come about. (page 60)
This shows the reader that men who bucked barley for a living or did a job similar to that were not happy with just working for their entire lives with no benefits. They wanted to do their own work, grow their own food, and live how they pleased. In this passage you can see the excitment of the men when they realize that such a life is actually possible for them to obtain.
1. Intolerance/prejudice:
"Cause I'm black. They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black. The say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me." (page 68)
This quote helps visualize the time period. Black people are generally not treated that way now. It also tells us a little about Crooks, he is tired of being treated like a lesser individual.
2. Dreams/plans:
"It ain't no lie. We're gonna do it. Gonna get a little place an' live on the fatta the lan'." (page 69)
This is the idea that keeps Lennie 'going'. He trusts George because he looks after him and keeps him safe. This is his dream that he wants to come true even though it is seemingly impossible due to his actions.
1. Intolerance/Prejudice:
"You know what I can do to you if you open your trap?"(pg. 80)
This is important to the story because it reminds the reader of the horrible prejudices of the time period in which the story takes place. It also helps develop the character of Curly's wife.
2.Dreams/Plans
"...an' he's gonna let me tend the rabbits." (also pg. 80)
This shows Lennie's aspirations of taking care of rabbits with George. It shows his optimistic outlook by his ability to remember what good things he think will come for him.
1. Dreams/Plans:
"...That money's in the bank. Me an' Lennie an' George. We gonna have a room to ourself. We're gonna have a dog an' rabbits an' chickens.."
The importance of this is the vision that George, Lennie, and Candy have. They are so convinced that it will become reality that they don't factor in anything that can go wrong. Even Crooks begins to believe that it is possible after flat-out disagreeing that it was worth thinking about.
2. Info. on Characters:
"Well, I ain't giving you no trouble. Think I don't like to talk to somebody ever' once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house alla time?"
This burst of emotion from Curley's wife displays how oppressed she is by marriage and how desperate she is to satisfy basic needs. Previous, she tried to talk to the men and left when it was hinted that she wasn't wanted, but this is a turning point from which she is not turning back. Now, Curley's wife will just try harder to prove them wrong and to prove to herself that she isn't a total failure.
instances of intolerance/prejudice:
"She turned on him in scorn. 'listen nigger,' she said. 'you know what I can do to you if you open your trap?'"
This is important to the characters because it displays the hierarchy of the ranch. Curley's wife beleives that she has power over Crooks because of his ethnicity, even though she is a woman and would normally not be given the opportunity to feel this power.
dreams/plans of characters:
dreams/plans:
"Candy cried, ' Sure they all want it. Everybody wants a little bit of land, not much...We're gonna have green corn an' maybe a cow or a goat.' He stopped, overwhelmed with his picture."
This is important to the characters, and not only Candy, George, and Lennie. All of the men who work on the ranch, as mentioned above, wish they could haave a ranch of their own, and sleep in thier own place.
2.Dreams/plans:
"The rabbits we're gonna get, and I get to tend 'em"...."It ain't no lie. We're gonna do it. Gonna get a little place an' live on the fatta the land'."(Page 69)
This scene is important to the story because it shows that George and Lennie are really going to strive after getting a house. The quote mainly says George and Lennie will finally do something good with there lives and the quote changes the inlook of the reader.
1. Intolerance/prejudice:
"Listen Nigger, you know what I can do to you if you open your trap?" She goes on the say," ...keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree..."
This show importance to the plot because it states the time period and shows that anyone, even a girl can say it. Curley's wife even says it twice! Women could even talk back to males, if they were black.
1.Tolerance/Prejudice:
"Listen, Nigger. You know what I can do to you if you open your trap?" (Page 80)
This quote portreys how the characacters feel about black people. Saying things like this makes Curley's wife feel stronger because she makes him feel weaker.
2. Dreams/plans:
"I got it doped out how we can even make some money on them rabbits." (page 83)
The importance of this quote is that is shows what keeps Lennie going. Even though George is mean to him sometimes, the thought of the rabbits always keeps him motivated to keep going.
1. Instances of intolerance and/or prejudice:
"This is just a nigger talkin', an' a busted-back nigger. So it don't mean nothing...." (page 71)
This is important to the story because it shows how differently people were treated. The people were very racist and made very rude comments to each other. It is very signicant to the background of the story.
2. Where do you see dreams/plans that the characters have for their lives:
"We'll do her," he said. "We'll fix up that little old place an' we'll go live there." He sat down again. They all sat still, all bemused by the beauty of the thing, each mind was popped into the future when this lovely thing should come about. (page 60)
This shows that men really do have big hopes and dreams in life. Not all of them have just given up. They actually want to go out and do their own things, not always be bossed around by other people.
2.Dreams/plans
"...If you...guys would want a hand to work for nothing-just his keep, why I'd come an' lend a hand."
This shows that even Crooks dreams of having land of his own, even though he kept saying that they would never be able to do it.
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