Monday, November 17, 2008

Of Mice & Men: Blog 6

Chapter 6 Response

Lennie, Lennie, Lennie, through all his mentally deficient moments, he's still the cutest little thing. &What makes it even worst is his feminine love for soft things. &The most weird one was the rabbit. Guys aren't supposed to like rabbits. Well, at least they're not in my opinion. Lennie, and his rabbits just was the funniest thing, ever. (.= Like a man that has such infatuation towards a dagg on animal is kind of creepy. Like, he may not want it to come off that way. But, boy does it portray that emotion. I thought it was so adorable how Lennie told himself, "I got to be good, or else I won't be able to tend the rabbits." The rabbits were like his motivation, his incentive. It gave him something to look forward to, something to smile about that. &That's something a lot of people in this world don't have. &It's cute how Lennie shows his emotions. Aunt Clara.. Ha! It's funny how Lennie in the beginning he couldn't remember Aunt Clara as Aunt Clara. He used a different name like This lady, or something. But, towards the end while he's daydreaming the thought of her yelling at him saying how good George is too him, he starts to recollect who she is. To Lennie she was just some lady, but towards the end she becomes Aunt Clara again.

Photo Shoot

It says to put a picture of a gigantic rabbit, but i don't think Lennie wants the rabbits he's gonna be tending to be the same size as himself..

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Of Mice & Men: Blog 4

Chapter 4 Response

Art Museum

-Sorry about the picture being so small. :(
I chose this picture because it indicates the main theme, loneliness. It's portraying what Curley's Wife, Lennie, and Crooks feel everyday of their lives. In the movie and book it seems as though it's all they ever really wanted.. They just wanted someone to talk to, to play with, to enlighten them. They wanted someone who could just be there. &This picture shows the loneliness, and being away from others. It shows how badly he or she wants someone to converse with.

Chapter 4 Written Response

In class we talked about how some people wouldn't be able to stomach the racism that Steinbeck's book brings, and that they would be more capable of enjoying the film if they did things Sinise's way, which more so focusing on the loneliness, rather than racism. But, another reason why Sinise chose to play up the loneliness is because there's still racism in this world. So I guess Sinise thought about the fact that who would want to see a film on racism? &How would the rates of my film be. So he thought of a different way, loneliness. Which totally makes sense once you actually stop to think about it.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Of Mice & Men: Blog 5

Chapter 5 Response

Lyrics Pertaining to a Sorrowful Death, Loneliness, or Prejudice:

(Verse 3)
“My nephew died in the car I bought
So I’m under the belief that it’s partly my fault
Close my eyes and squeeze, try to block that thought
Place any burden on me, but please, not that, Lord
Time don’t go back, it go forward
Can’t run from the pain, go towards it
Some things can’t be explained, what caused it?
Such a beautiful soul, so pure, sh*t
Gonna see you again, I’m sure of it
Till that time, little man, I’m nauseous
Your girlfriend’s pregnant, the lord’s gift
Almost lost my faith, that restored it
It’s like having your life restarted
Can’t wait for your child’s life to be a part of it
So now I’m child-like waiting for a gift to return
When I lost you, I lost it

(Chorus)
Lost one, let go to get one
Left one, lose some to win some (Colleek, I lost one)
Sorry, I’m a Champion
Colleek, you’re a champion
You lost one…”

The Lyrics: Lost One by Jay-Z(ft. Chrisette Michele)

Lyric Response:
I chose this song because it has a lot of similar meaning behind to "Of Mice & Men." In this verse it is talking about Sean Carter's (Jay-Z's) nephew dying in a car that he bought for him, and how he feels it's partially his fault. It also talks about how one day he'll see him later on in life. It also expresses how much he is a gift of god, and how much Jay-Z feels about him to right a song about it.

Written Response:

It seems like this chapter is based on the “blame game.” The majority of the characters are always blaming somebody for something. &The main person guilty of it is George. Every little thing that Lennie does is his fault, even if it wasn’t anything that bad. In all of the blaming, it’s really no ones fault. It’s kind of like things happen for a reason.. &I guess they surely did happen. Lennie can’t truly be blamed for anything he does. For one he is flickin’ mentally deficient. What do you really expect him to do? It ain’t like he’s gonna actually think about what he’s doing, and execute the thought. &Even though George knows he isn’t too bright, he still blames him harshly. For someone who has known Lennie for a while he should know Lennie’s disabilities, and abilities. The way George acts towards Lennie is as if he doesn’t even know him at all. It’s as if he’s avoiding the fact that he is disabled, and treating him like a normal human being, which I think is hurting him in the end. &Boy did he get hurt.. Curley’s wife asked for every little thing that she did. I know she’s so lonely, but if you know the rules abide by them, and bend them in a way that you please yourself, and your husband (hint-hint.) Don’t actually leave your house and go to the Barn, or other places on the ranch. That’s just asking for trouble. It’s only asking for trouble because 85% of the time she comes off as she knew Curley wouldn’t be in either of the areas she looked when she claimed to be looking for him. That’s total bull what she tried to pull. It may have worked on some of the characters but for me as a reader it surely ain’t working. Just like she couldn't make herself believe that Curley's hand got stuck in a machine. You as a wife should know where your husband is, and if you don’t you leave him be and wait ‘til he get home. ‘Cause you parading around in other peoples abodes is not even necessary. It ain’t like he moving or something, so why do you need to know where he is if you know he’s going to comeback home to you in the first place. So, what I infer from her actions is a major flirt, and or slut. She is just so pretentious while “looking for Curley” it’s not even funny how hard she tries. Curley.. What is he blamed for? That I’m not really sure, but he might be blamed for trying to act all tough towards George. Yeah, he was in the wrong and I bet that ‘til this day the actor that played Curley would say that Curley would not admit to his insipid actions, that he can be blamed for. Not to be repetitive or anything but the only thing that I can think George could be blamed for is being so harsh to Lennie knowing his disabilities. I go over not being repetitive 'cause I established this thought earlier when I was explaining what Lennie could be blamed for. No one is ever innocent, my dear. You may not be guilty, but sometimes your charged anyway. That's the thing that happens a lot in this book. You may not of done it willingfully or even did it all, but for some reason your guilty as charged. &There's no ands, ors, or buts about it. The book and the movie are like two different stories. The more, you pay close attention to the scenes and the pages you see differences. Like the last couple of pages in the book goes more in depth about how George killed Lennie, but it never goes over why. In the movie he just killed him and walked away with Slim, that's it, nothing else. Also the nigger situation the book goes more into the racist situation, while the movie excludes it and put more "umph" into the act of loneliness. Why is that? Well, I think you asking the wrong person. There are so many answers to that question, and the majority of them would all be wrong. But, what I think is that racism was still a little shaky back in 1992, and who would really want to waste there money on a movie based on racism? Something that some people still can't get over today. Yeah, we not slaves anymore, but there's truly more to it than it seems. Like Crooks freedom that he supposedly has isn't even there. It's like he's still a slave. He's always getting bossed around, and even though the book doesn't show an example of when the boss gets mad he lays all his anger on Crooks, it sure does inform us, though. &Even though they say these aren't slavery days think about it, if your black, and your boss is white, and you have white co-workers. You get bossed around, and one little screw-up and you could be fired, but the white folk they could do whatever the please as long as they get their jobs done, ain't that some bull. Either way you put it, demonstrate it, or see it. Crooks is still somewhat a slave. &By the way for this last part, NO RACISM INTENDED.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Of Mice & Men: Blog 3

Chapter 3 Response

Photo Shoot

Crooks:

In the third chapter of the book Steinbeck doesn't really give Crooks a description. He's just there to ask Slim about the warm tar for the mule's foot. So all we really no about Crooks is that he's a nigger, or a black man whichever way you choose to put it, that he works with the horses, and works in the barn. So right now in the chapter Crooks is pretty enigmatic.
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Whit:



Similar to Crooks, Slim doesn't have a description given by Steinbeck at all in this chapter. All Slim does is persuade George to check out Suzy's place. Other than that we have no idea what he looks like, so for now he's the "Mystery Man".
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Curley's Wife:



Steinbeck gives a specific description of Curley's wife. I chose Scarlet Johanson because her look portrays Curley's wife to the point where you have to do a double take. And even though in the movie it shows Curley's wife with blackish brownish kind of hair. Let's just imagine that Scarlet's hair is like that..
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Personal Response
Hey, Blog. Did you ever notice that it actually states where George and Lennie were born, but in the movie they don't establish that thought. I think that part of the chapter is essential to the story because the two characters explain how they move around and about to places because of Lennie's "trouble-making" habits. But to actually know where they started out makes more of an affect on you if you knew what place they're talking about, and where they are at that moment. It shows how much they've moved and how far they've come from. And how hard they strive to make their fifty, and roll out.
Wow, rabbits. I cannot believe a grown man would go on like that over a mouse, nevertheless a rabbit. That seems really.. Yeah, never mind. But, thinking of how he is mentally deficient it isn't a weird or funny. But, the fact that he's so into the rabbits. &Then puppies, I mean what does he not cherish? he loves these animals so much that when he tries to show love and compassion, they end up dead. I know that sounds terrifying, but isn't it the truth?

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Of Mice & Men: Blog 2

Chapter 2 Response


I chose to place a yellow bouquet of flowers because it symbolizes friendship. But in this case I'm using it to symbolize acquaintance.

In chapter two Lennie and George get better acquainted with the ranch and the people in it. Candy shows his hospitality towards the two by showing them around their bunk, where the boss stays, by informing them of what they were going to receive, and also explaining to them the other workers job-titles and personalities. After Candy shows George and Lennie where to reach the boss it isn't like a normal meet and greet. They get grilled at for being late, and not being able to do that mornings work. After all the anger is let out the confrontation transforms into a conversation. Also in this chapter Curley tries to act all "big and bad" towards Lennie. There are two other men in the room, but all that matters to Curley is the big guy that stands out in size just because he's smaller than them. George protects Lennie, as usual, while showing Curley that himself and Lennie aren't playing around.
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Photo Shoot

This owl symbolizes Candy. I chose an owl because they're known to be wise, like Candy. Candy is old, and wrinkled. He can barely work on the ranch anymore, but he tries. And even though he can't do much work on the ranch he still is very intelligent.
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This picture symbolizes what Curley wishes he could do to everyone bigger than him. He confronts Lennie in a way that is so treacherous that he might as well of done what's in the picture towards him.
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Slim is the leader, and everyone believes him because they know he's trustworthy. Slim's appearance is kind of like Curley's. He's small, yet older looking. To symbolize Slim I chose an elf because they can always be trusted to get Santa's presents into the sleigh in time for Christmas, and are also small.

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I chose Lucy from the sitcom 7th Heaven. Like Lucy, Carlson is someone with a great sense of humor, and is affable. They are both the kind of person that asks a question because he cares about the answer, not just to ask a question.

Friday, October 31, 2008

Of Mice & Men: Blog 1

Of Mice and Men
John Steinbeck
Jaleyah Davis
Pictures are used with things that portray that character.


John Steinbeck is a man known for his amazing skills in his literature. The way he defines the settings and meanings in a more artistic way, causes the reader to become enthusiastic about that section. It draws the reader in to learn more and more, and gradually develops their understanding.
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The setting of the story is very old school. It's no where near 21st century life. It is more like the intense racism days, and the days were whites over ruled blacks, regardless, things like that. Also, the setting is on a ranch in Salinas, California.
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George appears to be a tough guy, but on the inside you know he'll always feel that punch of guilt. He's also intelligent, but it doesn't come off in his appearance. He's also curses like a sailor whether it's necessary for emphasis or just to say it. He has a mind of his own and says whatever he feels regardless of who's around. He's not a snitch, and he takes care of Lennie as a brother. Even though he belittles him every chance he gets. So overall George is a Bully, but under all of his armor he has a heart of gold.. I picture George as a Gorilla.
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Lennie is mentally deficient, but behind all his dumbness he is an extremely strong and caring person. He may be very hesitant to harm someone in the beginning but in the end you will get hurt. And even though your hurt he won't notice it.. 'Cause he thinks he's just messing with you. Nothing plays out properly in his mind. He is somewhat contrite when it comes to him an his incidents. I picture Lennie as an elephant. I know it sounds stupid, but think about it. Elephants never forget anything, even though Lennie forgets somethings he still has a mental picture of the main piece of information. He will be so apologetic towards you because whatever he did is instilled in his mind and he feels a form of guilt.
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Chapter Review
In the book Of Mice and Men George was Lennie's caretaker. Lennie couldn't do anything without George's say so. That starts to tick Curley off. See the thing with Curley is that since he's a small guy he doesn't like big guys. So he judges Lennie by his appearance rather than his personality. So Lennie let's Curley throw him around a couple of times, but with George's vocal assistance Lennie gave him what he had coming. He practically broke his hand. To me that was the main part of the chapter.