Of Mice and Men Section 1

Please choose one of the following questions to answer. Please be as thorough as possible in your answer. You then must respond to at least of your classmates in order to demonstrate that you have read their posts.

1. What is the setting of the novel and what specific details does Steinbeck give his readers? Why do you think he focuses on these details? What mood or sentiments (feelings) is he trying to portray in his characterization of the place where the story begins? If you were directing it as a play and only could afford a few props, which do you think would be absolutely essential? Why? What do they portray, represent, or accomplish in the section?

2. Choose two specific quotations, descriptions or actions involving or regarding Lennie and tell me how they show his character. Then, choose two specific quotations, descriptions or actions that involve or regard George and tell me how they show his character. Based on this section, why do you think are friends. What makes the friendship work?

Two Boys and a Girl

Compare this story to the other Tobias Wolff stories we have read. How are they similar? In what ways do they differ? If you were to draw a triangle and then place each character on each axis of the triangle, where you would you place them? What would each axis stand for? In other words, consider the triangular relationships between the characters in the Tobias Wolff short stories and decide how the relationships between the three are similar. You must use all of the characters in your answer. Make sure you provide examples or quotes to support your answers.

You might choose to format your answer in the following way.

I think, that Talbot from “Smokers”, Mary Ann from “Two Boys and a Girl,” and Clarke from “Flyboys” would all share the same axis of the triangle because __________________________________________________________________________________. For example when _____________________________________________________________________.
I think that the other axis would be shared by ___________________ from _________________________, _________________ from __________________, and ________________ from ___________________, because _____________________________________________________________________________________. For example, _________________________________________________________________________. Finally I think that ___________________ from _________________________, _________________ from __________________, and ________________ from ___________________, are similar because _____________________________________________________________________________________. For example, _______________________________________________________________________.