Of Mice and Men : Background information

 

Background information on John Steinbeck , Of Mice and Men , The Great Depression, The Dust Bowl, migrant workers. 

1. John Steinbeck : 

1. When and where was he born ?
   
   
   
2. Cite three of his major works.

3. What did he receive in 1962?
4. What sort of stories did he write? 
5. What is his style considered like?                
6. After having found information on JS, try to hidden word activity attached.

2.“Of Mice and Men”:

1. Where or who does the novel take its title from? 
2. What does the poem talk about?
3. What can you expect in term of story after having heard about the poem?
   
   
   
4. Who directed the film “Of Mice and Men” in 1992? 
5. Who are the main actors in this film ?

3. The Great Depression: 

1. What happened in 1929?

2. What was the unemployment rate in 1932 in the US?
3. What consequences did it have on the Americans?

4. What were “soup kitchens”? Have you heard about anything similar in our country?

5. What did F.D. Roosevelt launch? When?
6. Did the crisis affect the US only?
7. How and when did it come to an end? 

4. The Dust Bowl:

1. What areas were hit by the Dust Bowl? Name the states.

2. What was The Dust Bowl? Why “The Dust Bowl”?
3.  In what way did it affect California?

5. California: 

1. 
   Where did Steinbeck's novels take place? 
2. What sort of setting (=décor, contexte) does Steinbeck portray in his books?
3. What is the weather like in California? What is the landscape like? (colours)

6. Migrant workers: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw1AZkvdC8k

1. Who was Dorothea Lange ?
2. Why was her work important?

3. What reality did she describe?

(http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/lange/)