1857563
Description
Mind Map by Brad Hegarty, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Brad Hegarty
almost 10 years ago
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Of Mice and Men:
Background
- The Depression
- On October 29 1929, millions of dollars were wiped out in an event that became known
as the Wall Street Crash. It led to the Depression in America which crippled the country
from 1930 - 1936. People lost their life savings when firms and banks went bust, and 12 -
15 million men and women - one third of America's population - were unemployed. There
was then no dole to fall back on, so food was short and the unemployed in cities couldn't
pay their rent. Some ended up in settlements called 'Hoovervilles' (after the US president
of the time, Herbert C Hoover), in shanties made from old packing cases and corrugated
iron. A song about an unemployed man meeting an old friend he has fought alongside in
the First World War and asking him for a dime (the price of a cup of coffee) summed up
the national mood.
- On October 29 1929, millions of dollars were wiped out in an event that became known
as the Wall Street Crash. It led to the Depression in America which crippled the country
from 1930 - 1936. People lost their life savings when firms and banks went bust, and 12 -
15 million men and women - one third of America's population - were unemployed. There
was then no dole to fall back on, so food was short and the unemployed in cities couldn't
pay their rent. Some ended up in settlements called 'Hoovervilles' (after the US president
of the time, Herbert C Hoover), in shanties made from old packing cases and corrugated
iron. A song about an unemployed man meeting an old friend he has fought alongside in
the First World War and asking him for a dime (the price of a cup of coffee) summed up
the national mood.
- Migrant Farmers
- Added to the man-made financial problems were natural ones. A series of
droughts in southern mid-western states like Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas
led to failed harvests and dried-up land. Farmers were forced to move off
their land: they couldn't repay the bank-loans which had helped buy the
farms and had to sell what they owned to pay their debts. Many economic
migrants headed west to 'Golden' California, thinking there would be land
going spare, but the Californians turned many back, fearing they would be
over-run. The refuges had nowhere to go back to, so they set up home in
huge camps in the California valleys - living in shacks of cardboard and old
metal - and sought work as casual farmhands.
- Added to the man-made financial problems were natural ones. A series of
droughts in southern mid-western states like Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas
led to failed harvests and dried-up land. Farmers were forced to move off
their land: they couldn't repay the bank-loans which had helped buy the
farms and had to sell what they owned to pay their debts. Many economic
migrants headed west to 'Golden' California, thinking there would be land
going spare, but the Californians turned many back, fearing they would be
over-run. The refuges had nowhere to go back to, so they set up home in
huge camps in the California valleys - living in shacks of cardboard and old
metal - and sought work as casual farmhands.
- Ranch Hands
- Against this background, ranch hands like George and Lennie were lucky
to have work. Ranch hands were grateful for at least a bunk-house to
live in and to have food provided, even though the pay was low. Think
about how the men agree to hush-up the fight between Curley and
Lennie and claim that Curley got his hand caught in a machine: they
know that Lennie and George would be fired if the boss came to hear of
it, and then Lennie and George could be left with nothing.
- Against this background, ranch hands like George and Lennie were lucky
to have work. Ranch hands were grateful for at least a bunk-house to
live in and to have food provided, even though the pay was low. Think
about how the men agree to hush-up the fight between Curley and
Lennie and claim that Curley got his hand caught in a machine: they
know that Lennie and George would be fired if the boss came to hear of
it, and then Lennie and George could be left with nothing.
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