No doubt, the novel has been a depressing journey, but the students have done well to analyze it in some depth. We've looked at the symbol of the rabbits as representation of the American Dream and the hope for something better during the rough times of the depression. Students also picked up on the language used to describe Lennie.... He's often depicted, like Crooks, as less than human and even as animal. In addition, students have discussed the importance of the setting, and the contrasts Steinback uses to create irony. He sometimes provides beautiful depiction of landscapes, farm life and nature, especially at the start of his chapters, then creates a sharp contrast to his dream like portraits with the hopeless and tragic characters involved in the plot.
We are concluding the book this week and the students will be writing a literary analysis on the subject of loneliness. I look forward to reading them.
Thanks,
Mr. Pimentel