Perfect Life

Dreams are the fundaments of life. We, as humans, are constantly striving to achieve our goals and ambitions. As for me, I am unsure of what I truly want out of life at the moment. Such as everyone I have small goals but when it comes to the long run I am completely lost. Such as everyone, I have my own list of ambitions and dreams I one day hope to accomplish. A life unlike the one I live in now seems hard to imagine, and harder to imagine are my ideals in this other life. I am aware that at one point, I will have to live a different life but for now all I have is vague outlines of possibility. I hope to one day live in a family and a stationary home.

A perfect life for me would be one that I am able to live in all happiness. One that would cause minimal trouble. For everyone dreams are different, and they change as we change ourselves. Some things are achievable and some are not. However; I think finding true happiness is a common goal that is shared by all human-kind since over the years we have proven to be a greedy species.

Character Foils: Slim

"He might of been thirty-five or fifty"

-This quote shows that Slim might have look old but his working ability is much like a younger person because he is such a good worker

"His tone was friendly. It invited confidence without demanding it"

-This quote shows that Slim is a good person to be around with because he can make people feel good around them and have confidence by using his words but not using violence.

"He was capable of killing a fly on the wheeler's butt with a bull whip without touching the mute"

-This quote shows that Slim is a hard worker of his job and that people uses him as a role model to be such skillful in their own profession

Character Analysis: Curley's Wife

"Oh!" She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward.

- The quote explains how Curley's wife was being a flirt to the two gentlemen; George and Lennie. She posed herself in a way that makes Lennie sort of like Curley's wife.

"If he ain't, I guess I better look someplace else," she said playfully

- It shows that Curley's wife didn't really care if Curley was there or not because she said it in like a jokey kind of way. It shows that Curley has no interest if Curley was their or not, and that she was just having fun joking around.

She smiled archly and twitched her body. "Nobody can't blame a person for looking," she said

- The quote tells that many men has looked at her in a flirty way and that she can't blame those that had for being beautiful. It shows that she is bragging about her looks in a way when she moves her body "she smiled archly and twitched her body"

My Bedroom Description

Cluttered photographs and tattered notes cling to white washed walls, smudged slightly by the occasional fingerprint. The blinds filter strips of sunlight only a single bed against one wall. The sheets tangled into a messy bundle of assorted stuffed animals and plumped cushions. A blue ornate shelf stands on one side of the bed. Filled with the small collections from childhood memories and small momentums of various countries and friends. Chipped paint covers the desk standing against the opposite wall. Once again, cluttered with the loose leaf papers and school books of daily life.

In the beginning of the second section of the book, a description of the Lennie and George's bedroom is written. From just a few, plain sentences a picture is painted and thoroughly described of the barren living quarters. If i were to live in such an empty room that didn't feel homy at all i would not enjoy it. The room that these two men must now live in says something about their current situation since they are unable to afford or live in a proper house that provides them with more then the bare necessities of life.

The room that George and Lennie (along with six other men) shared is extremely different to the one that I currently have.

Of Mice and Men-Section 1 Review

The first section of this novella changed my perspective of the book. I thought it would be a quick uncomplicated story but already, after reading the first chapter, I see that I was incorrect in assuming this. The story has already arisen many questions and the differences between these two main characters took me by surprise.

The two men are complete opposites of each other. While one has a large, burly structure the other is of small frame and quick on his feet. One is a little soft in the head and requires the utmost encouragement to think for even a few seconds, the other is constantly fretting and cautiously thinking over every slight detail. One of them is Lennie, the other is George. It seems that they both share a common wish: to get enough money before settling down on a farm surrounded by rabbits and various other pets. So far, though, it seems as if Lennie is more fixated on the rabbits while George is thinking more in the long run and even hoping to one day settle down with a marital partner.

Personally I found what we have read Of Mice and Men so far to be good and contrary to my earlier opinion, a story with a more complex plot line. However, I dislike the suspense and curiosity that arises, although I suppose that is the main aspect that makes this a good story. I have numerous questions from this section of the book. I am curious as to why Lennie and George are as close as they are. I would also like to know if there is anything particularly wrong with Lennie since at times he seems a little too childish. Lastly, I am anxious to find out if they both survive the next ordeal with Lennie’s forever failing memory.

Of Mice and Men

            Considering I have not yet read this book by John Steinbeck my general idea of the plot along with the characters is extremely vague. Seeing that it is meant to be one of the books written in the year 1937, my expectations have been set quite high. So far I gather that the book is based on the story of two men and the friendship they share over the years of life. Since, it is set in the great depression the enduring of labor and political turmoil is most likely included in the book. 

           From the back of the book I am guessing it is a slightly sad book of two men wanting to live a small peaceful life on a farm in the middle of nowhere. However, their plans get shattered constantly by intrusion after intrusion, and perhaps a romance for one of these men that comes close to destroying this life long friendship. 

California History 1937

1937, two years before World War 2 began, America was already living with rising unemployment, hunger and child mortality. The Great Depression had started and the majority of people were living in the midst of poverty due to this economic crash. Many families, most of which were immigrants, were put out of work or had to send their children into factories to work long hours just to put food on the table. These poverty stricken families mostly lived in one roomed apartments, sometimes cramming more then nine people into these cramped living quarters.

During the Great Depression, on December 10, 1937, California was dealt an especially hard blow. One of the main rivers in California, the North Yuba river flooded one of the towns along the banks. What little these people had was swiped away. Food. Homes. Everything. The whole town was left in a wrecked wasteland trying to piece together whatever they could in their washed away, penniless lives.

A huge drought hit the middle-western states and refugees from the 'dust bowl' flooded into California causing overpopulation in already densely populated area.

Overall the entire United States was affected by the Great Depression, but, California was affected by flooding, indirectly by drought and by the usual poverty.

Sources:
http://www.kentuckymine.org/sierran/Sierran%20Winter%202008.pdf
http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist8/ok.html