Of Mice and Men (2 questions)?

Question

I just have two questions left on my worksheet and I really need to go to bed, so can someone please help me?

1. What was John Steinbeck's purpose in using profanity and racial epithets in the book?

2. What exactly does the title refer to?

Answer 1

Steinbeck probably wanted to show the class difference between Curly and the work men, as well as the state of things in the Salinas area so that it was more real-sounding. It also helps to show the disparity among groups (white ranch workers and black ranch workers) having different statuses. He also wanted to show how vulgar the men could be in the ranch without women, so when Curly's wife comes tripping along, that's the kind of environment she's going into.

The title refers to the poem by Robert Burns:

The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men,

Gang aft agley,

An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,

For promis'd joy!

(The best laid schemes of Mice and Men

oft go awry,

And leave us nothing but grief and pain,

For promised joy!)

Answer 2

1 - his purpose is using such slurs was to show the reality of the time in such a workplace (the men would not have been politically correct, some of them would have been racist), it also makes the book/reading experience seem more real - his major use of dialogue makes the book feel more like a play, in which the words a character says helps the reader to establish their inner character.

2. - The title is taken from a Robbie Burns poem entitle 'To A Mouse', here is a link to it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_a_Mouse

Hope that helps :)

Answer 3

i help you

Answer 4

The title refers to a line in a poem by Robert Burn called "To a Mouse":

The best-laid plans of mice and men

often go awry