Themes, symbols, and motifs are valuable aspects of any literary work, and they add richness to stories. Part of the Common Core ELA standards is to introduce and explain these complex concepts. However, abstract ideas are often difficult for students to analyze without assistance. Using a storyboard, students can visually demonstrate their understanding of these concepts, and master analysis of literary elements. For best practices, see our supplementary article with specific lesson plan steps on setting up your classroom and activities to teach themes, symbols, and motifs.
In the classroom, students can track the rich symbolism Steinbeck uses throughout the novel.
Loneliness is a common theme in literature. Throughout this novel, each character experiences a type of loneliness or isolation. It is interesting to track this theme, and its implications, as the story progresses. Some characters suffer physical isolation or loneliness, such as Crooks, while others, like Curley’s wife, feel psychological isolation.
As migrant workers, bouncing from ranch to ranch, most men didn't keep long-lasting friendships. This is why the story idealizes George and Lennie’s friendship. Despite its unconventional nature, the theme that having someone is better than no one prevails.
Throughout the novel, Lennie reciting their dream makes it seem attainable. It never becomes a reality because of all that stands in their way, but the hope of it keeps the men alive. It gives them a reason to keep going, working, and saving.
In the novel, Lennie is obsessed with anything soft and fuzzy. He particularly fixates on rabbits because they "aren’t as little as mice", so cannot be killed as easily. The reader becomes more aware as the novel closes that tending rabbits is Lennie's ultimate dream. He knows that he will never obtain his dream, because he kills everything he touches.
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that identifies recurring themes in Of Mice and Men. Illustrate instances of each theme and write a short description below each cell.
Ask the students to read and analyze the story carefully and introduce them to the concept of themes and symbolism. Conduct a general discussion where students can talk and ask questions about the concept of themes and symbolism in general and make the discussion more context-specific when students start to get the gist of the idea. Help the students identify the main themes and symbols present in the story.
Guide the students to select passages that accentuate key themes and symbols in the story. Ask students to participate in close reading exercises where they must recognize the language, images, and details that support the development of these elements. Through this activity, students can also analyze the development of themes throughout the narrative.
Since themes are the central ideas present in the narrative, they directly impact and give meaning to the plot. Help the students analyze how the themes and symbols present in “Of Mice and Men” make the plot and the story more interesting and meaningful. Students can also reflect on questions such as “How would changing the themes change the plot of the story?”
Asking open-ended questions that explore the subtleties of themes and symbols should be encouraged for the students. For instance, "How does the portrayal of the dream farm change over the course of the novel?" Students can also share their own questions and add to the discussion.
Utilize a range of evaluation techniques, such as essays, presentations, or creative projects, to gauge how well students comprehend themes and symbols. Finish the discussion with reflecting exercises that let students think back on how their comprehension of themes and symbols has changed.
The main theme of the story centers on the struggles and goals of the marginalized during the Great Depression, delving into issues such as loneliness, chasing the American Dream, and the influence of social standards. Friendship is also another important theme mentioned in the story.
The bond between George and Lennie embodies the idea of friendship. It investigates the value of friendship in a world full of adversity and loneliness.
Mice and rabbits are examples of little creatures that represent vulnerability and the transience of dreams. The terrible things that happen in the novel are hinted at by Lennie's inadvertent damage to these animals.