| “Slim turned on the… electric light. Instantly the table was brilliant with light” | Slim brings goodness. Even the fact that Slim turned on the light shows this |
| “George spoke proudly” | It really highlight the almost father-son relationship between George and Lennie. |
| “Slim moved back slightly so the light was not on his face” | Slim observes people, wishing to understand. He is an observer, rather than a participant in the action. |
| “He wanted to talk [to Slim]” | George’s desire to speak demonstrates his craving for human interaction and friendship, something that Steinbeck presents as an important aspect of the American Dream. George wants the steady companionship of friends and reveals the inner hope of many people that is often overlooked and unrealized.Although he has Lennie, George cannot treat Lennie as an equal because Lennie is mentally disabled and unable to carry on the kind of meaningful conversation that George wants. |
| “Used to play jokes on ‘im” | George’s confidence may have been boosted by the fact that Lennie is less intelligent. This could suggest to the reader that George used to be quite shallow. |
| “George’s voice was taking on the tone of confession” | We know that George is quite a closed person, and this shows that he is finally opening up to someone (as Lennie is not developed enough to have a deep conversation). It is likely a display of Slim’s calm and welcoming demeanour acting as a form of therapy for George. I feel George is able to tell his “confession” to Slim as with his “God-like eyes”, the conversation is similar to a sinner confessing his sins to a priest, without fear of judgement. George has probably been carrying the guilt from this incident for a while now, and to have a chance to tell someone, George is relieved to finally be able to get it of his chest, as if a weight has lifted off his shoulders. George feels bad that he used his superiority over Lennie in a destructive way. |
| “He ain’t no good to you, Candy… Why’n’t you shoot him?” | A reflection of what happens to people when they outlive their usefulness in this harsh society.Metaphor for society’s impression of Lennie and George’s relationship: Lennie doesn’t appear to be useful to George in a way that other people like Carlson can understand. |
| “Slim’s opinions were law” | He is the highest authority on the ranch, and his words are never questioned |
| “”I’d put the gun right there.” He pointed with his toe” | Carlson pointing “with his toe” highlights how insensitive he is. |
| “I wrote a letter. Wonder if they put it in the book!’ But it wasn’t there.”Until…”Got it right in the book.” | The story about Bills letter on the magazine is a symbol for a dream becoming true. Referencing to American Dream, even though it is hard and unexpected, if you stay hopeful, you will end up reaching your dream. At this point in the book it increases our hope that all will end well. After all, even this small success story massively raised the morale of the men. |
| “Take a shovel” | Here shows that Carlson has no empathy or emotion, and is oblivious to others feelings. Carlson did not think of burying the dog after he had shot it and has to be reminded by Slim to take a shovel.Perhaps Carlson has some depth to him after all. There is a theory that suggests that he fought in the First World War – which would explain why he did not think to bury the dog – and it would have difficult for him to acquire a German Luger – perhaps he took it off of a dying German solider. |
| “Mr Slim” | Crooks calls Slim ‘Mr Slim’ because he is black and in the 1930’s black people didn’t have the same rights as whites |
| “Sure, Crooks” | Slim calls Crooks by his real name and does not use the racist slur. |
| “crazy bastard” | Just a few pages ago, George was explaining that Lennie might not be smart but he’s not crazy. Here he contradicts that earlier message, possibly to unite himself with the other ranch hands. |
| “Aunt Clara?” | George’s aunts name (Clara) and this Clara from the bar could be the same for a reason. Perhaps it is Steinbeck hinting to his readers that Lennie’s aunt Clara was not particularly nice, just as being a brothel owner, no matter how much the boys compliment “Old Suzy’s place”, holds connotations of a person being ‘not particularly nice’. Furthermore, Lennie only remembers what he loves (The rabbits, livin’ off the fatta the land) and forgets what he hates (George pushing him into the lake, what happened in Weed etc) But just forgetting what he doesn’t love doesn’t account for all of why Lennie would forget his own Aunt. Therefore there is the possibility that Lennie’s and his Aunt did not actually get on very well. |
| “We’d belong there” | That’s all they both really want. To belong and own something that is theirs and theirs alone that nobody else can harm or get in the way of. |
| “S’pose I went with you guys?” | George and Lennie’s farm is like a retirement plan for Candy, somewhere he can go and live until he dies. No one will only see him for his disability or age, and he likes the thought of being self-reliant, instead of relying on the ranch for a home and income. |
| George begins to realise that, perhaps, they really could buy the plot of land | “Reverently” and “wonder” are both religious connotations implying that the American dream would take a miracle to obtain. |
| “They li’ble to can us so we can’t make no stake” | Shows how cruel the society was at the time – the men would have been so cruel and jealous of each other that they would have done anything to stop another person’s success. |
| “I shouldn’t ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog.” | Lennie is described as George’s “Terrier” early onCandy regrets the fact that the dog’s last moments were with Carlson, who didn’t care for him, rather than spending it with him. This foreshadows and is proleptic of George shooting Lennie at the end. Through the use of the structural echoes, George is inspired by Candy’s remorse to kill Lennie himself and not let the others get to him, who would cause him more harm. |
| “Candy joined the [verbal] attack [on Curly] with joy” | Perhaps “with joy” indicates that Candy is happy to finally see Curley be put ‘in his place’. The fact that everyone is telling Curley exactly what they think of him, also shows how Curley does not have as much respect as he claims or views himself to have. Even Carlson – the typical isolated migrant worker – stands up for Slim, which emphasizes that Slim “don’t need wear no high-heeled boots” as he has natural respect from the ranch workers. |
| “Curley was balanced and poised” | The description of Curley juxtaposes his violent actions, and in turn, reflects the cruel nature of those who had power in 1930s America. It seems to suggest the routine practice of discrimination of those who are disadvantaged in society. |
| “Lennie covered his face with his huge paws and bleated with terror” | This quote is also another moment where Steinbeck uses animal imagery to describe Lennie; his hands are again described as “huge paws”, making his seem like a dangerous bear, but simultaneously he “bleated” in fear, which evokes imagery of a helpless sheep or lamb.This shows the reader that despite his size (he should be expected to beat Curley up easily), Lennie’s mental disability means that he is instead reduced to a defenceless, bleating lamb-like figure. |
| “Curley was flopping like a fish on a line” | Matches with the fact that Lennie is described as a bear |
Of Mice and Men Quotes Chapter 3
April 25, 2020