Essential Questions:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
What is friendship?
Can a friends be as close as siblings?
Is loneliness dangerous to human beings?
What is a home?
Is there a difference between a house and a home?
Is it important for humans to have home?
Is killing another human being ever justifiable?
What is love?
How do misjudgements and misunderstandings of others impact interactions amongst
people?
What causes isolation?
How does poverty affect human relationships?
Is it possible to be surrounded by others and still feel lonely?
Who defines happiness?
Is having enough to “get by” all one really needs to be happy?
Does everyone have a place in society?
Is it okay for certain people to have “power” over others?
What makes a goal a dream?
Why does George stay with Lennie?
How are George and Lennie foils of one another?
How does Steinbeck bring to light issues of racism and sexism in Of Mice and Men?
Why is Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men considered one of the best examples of
foreshadowing in modern literature?
Was George justified in killing Lennie?
What is at the root of violence?
Is “mercy killing” an oxymoron?
Which character is misunderstood the most?
Which character is the loneliest?
Are the other characters’ opinions about Curley’s wife accurate? How is she
misunderstood?
Should a person’s mental disabilities factor into the consequences meted out for his/her
behavior?
Is hope dangerous? Is it necessary? Is it unavoidable?
Companion Texts and Videos
“John Steinbeck Biography” - text and video
http://www.biography.com/people/john-steinbeck-9493358
“To a Mouse” by Robert Burns
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173072
“Me up at does” by e.e. cummings
http://readalittlepoetry.wordpress.com/2007/08/07/me-up-at-does-by-e-e-cummings/
“Hope is a thing with feathers” by Emily Dickinson
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/171619
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck - copies in the book room
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse - narrative poems - 2 copies in the library
“Johnny Bear” by John Steinback
http://archive.org/details/JohnSteinbeckReadstheSnakejohnnyBear
“Do What You Love” by Tony Hawk http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?
storyId=5568583
“A Duty to Family, Heritage, and Country by Ying http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?
storyId=5552257
“Warren Hill Execution Stayed...” - The Guardian U.K.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/23/warren-hill-execution-stayed-georgia
“Why was Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck banned?” - Suite 101
http://suite101.com/article/why-was-of-mice-and-men-by-john-steinbeck-banned-a277448
“Pennhurst Memorial and Preservation Alliance” (treatment of people with mental handicaps in
the 1920s)
http://www.preservepennhurst.org/default.aspx?pg=36
Video: Stories from the Great Depression
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpfY8kh5lUw
Video: The Dust Bowl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ7FvFKQPCE
Related Activities/Assignments
The Friendship Challenge
Challenge: What if one of your best friends needed you, how far would you go to help? What
would you be willing to do for a friend? -would you lie for a friend if it meant no one would get
hurt? Would you lie even if it meant someone might? Would you steal for a friend? Run away
with a friend? Kill for a friend? Kill a friend?
Please include the following details in your written response:
1. Identify how far you would go for a friend
2. Paint the picture of the situation (use precise word choice and imagery explaining how the
situation looks)
3. Defend your position(identify, then convince your audience)-explain why you would be
willing to take such a step to help a friend (build ethos and provide logos)
4. Identify and then dispute (argue against) any possible consequences (build your ethos)
The Trial of George Milton
Is George Milton guilty?
Pretend that you are either George's defense lawyer or the prosecuting attorney at his trial. Is
he guilty of homicide or is this a case of killing for a greater purpose?
Other requirements:
You must utilize at least five (5) legal terms in your team’s argument. Please get them from the
following website and underline them when you use them. Please note: If you do not underline
them, they will not count. Each team’s argument should include at least 8 specific points,
combining your new legal knowledge and detailed supports from the text. These should be
written in complete sentences, please. http://dictionary.law.com/Default.aspx?letter=A
Focus not only on the actions of George, but his thoughts. This will help make either argument
stronger.
Arguments will be delivered in front of an impartial judge.
The team with the best argument will be able to skip law school and will be given $250,000 per
year jobs at a local law firm.