Of Mice and Men - Lifestyle of the Average Itinerant...

Diverse Cultures - English Coursework What have you learnt about the of 1930’s, as depicted by Steinbeck in â€Å"Of Mice and Men?† The Great Depression was a worldwide economic breakdown. It was the largest and most important economic depression in modern history; it began in the United States on Black Tuesday with the Wall Street crash of October 1929 and rapidly spread worldwide. It lasted about a decade, ending in the early 1940s. Poverty stricken, life became a struggle to survive. Banks, stores, and factories were closed and left millions of people redundant and hopeless. With limited options, many men left their families and travelled a lonely road in search of work. The novel â€Å"Of Mice and Men† is a reflection of the suffering†¦show more content†¦All their material possessions could fit in a â€Å"bindle† and had to sleep outside without the protection of a warm sheltered home. The reader also learns that the men who work on the ranches are ‘the loneliest guys in the world.’ They have no family - the men had to leave them behind in search of work. They have no home – they are left to sleep like animals. They go to ranches, work, get paid then ‘blow all their stake’ on alcohol and visit cathouses. Although this may be fun, the effect of alcohol and meaningless experiences could made the men feel even more empty and alone. George and Lennie are different because they have each other. Their friendship is important because they have some one who is there for them, who cares about them unlike the other guys who could â€Å"get lynched† and no one would care. They also have a dream - the dream is important because it means that they have something to look forward to and take their mind of their current situation. Steinbeck’s description of the bunkhouse shows the harsh living conditions of itinerant workers through the strong prison imagery. The bunkhouse was very plain with ‘whitewashed walls and the floor unpainted’ it was also very cramped with eight bunks in one room much like a prison, where several men share a room. â€Å"Small, square windows† and a â€Å"solid door with a wooden latch†, the lexis â€Å"latch† suggests they were caged like prisoners. They had no proper furniture, a makeshift ‘apple box’ for a shelf to keepShow MoreRelatedOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagescontribute to our understanding of organizations. Professor Tomas Mà ¼llern, Jà ¶nkà ¶ping International Business School, Sweden . McAuley, Duberley and Johnson’s Organizational Theory takes you on a joyful ride through the developments of one of the great enigmas of our time – How should we understand the organization? Jan Ole Similà ¤, Assistant Professor, Nord-Trà ¸ndelag University College, Norway I really enjoyed this new text and I am sure my students will enjoy it, too. It combines rigorous theoretical