Edexcel IGCSE Quote Bank- Of Mice and Men
GEORGE:
Restless eyes and sharp, strong features" Meaning: Darwinian - nimble and cunning like a
fox, emphasises through sibilance. Weaker than Lennie but more intellectually adept. He is
established as a foil to Lennie - intellectually superior but highly influenced by prejudice
which makes him eventually succumb to the bunkhouse.
"Both wore black, shapeless hats" Meaning: The shapelessness of their hats symbolises the
shapelessness of their destiny, emphasised through alliteration. This also emphasises the
tough brutal life of being a migrant worker.
"One stayed behind the other" Meaning: Darwinian hierarchy - George is more dominant
than Lennie. George must lead. Frames the relationship between Lennie and George
"I want you to come… an' hide in the brush" Meaning: this foreshadows the eventual death
of Lennie. The novel's cyclical structure is reinforced as it begins with George and Lennie by
the bush and ends with them at the bush. This cyclical structure is symbolic of the cyclical
pattern of migrant workers' lives - they are trapped in a vicious cycle they are unable to
escape.
"Guys like us… are the loneliest guys in the world" Meaning: This shows the impossibility of
the American Dream for migrant, ranch workers. This links to the theme of loneliness -
during the 1930 Depression Era many people felt alienated and isolated.
"Get 'im Lennie" Meaning: George exercises paternal control over Lennie. Darwinian:
George can't survive without Lennie's brute strength, but Lennie can't survive the predatory
ranch environment without George's shrewdness.
"We're going to get the jack together… we're going to have a little house" Meaning:
Brotherhood - repetition of 'we're' shows brotherhood between George and Lennie.
American Dream & Destiny - 'little house' is symbolic of the migrant aspiration to build a
home based on hard work. Unlike many migrant workers who get trapped in a nihilistic
(meaninglessness) cycle of poverty and work, George and Lennie plan to escape it.
"I ain't mad. I never been mad"
Meaning: This shows George is compassionate towards Lennie - he reassures Lennie like a
father. This illustrates the brotherhood between the two - George is Lennie's brother's
keeper, goes against Capitalistic view of being interested in someone out of selfish motives.
"He was business-like" Meaning: Death of the American Dream - George is described in a
Capitalistic way as distancing himself from Lennie as he knows he will soon kill him and their
dreams will be shattered. Loneliness: George will sink into the migrant labourer fate of
loneliness. Darwinian - George has evolved into being a Capitalist man and he was the 'fitter'
, of the two - he had to discard Lennie, who is unable to keep up in this new world of
Capitalism.
"George raised the gun… to the back of Lennie's head. The hand shook violently..." Meaning:
Death of the American Dream and Brotherhood - killing Lennie is a symbol of the death of
their American Dream. Killing Lennie removes meaning from George's life - it becomes
nihilistic, he is just another lonely ranch worker without any paternalistic ties.
"They looked at one another, amazed. This thing they had never really believed in was
coming true." Meaning: American Dream - it is within the reach of George, Lennie and
Candy. This shows the power of brotherhood - the migrant labourers were weaker as they
were always separate however they are united here which empowers them to make their
dreams a reality.
Lennie:
"Large, pale eyes... wide, sloping shoulders" Meaning: Darwinism - he is described as a less
evolved, ape-like figure. He appears to embody the Darwinian idea of the lesser evolved
chimp from which humans developed. Lennie is a foil to George - he is more powerful but
less intellectually adept.
"A bear drags his paws" / "Lennie like a terrier" Meaning: Darwinian animalistic imagery
describes Lennie as a vast creature which is unaware of its own strength. This foreshadows
how he is ill-adapted to the predatory environment of the bunkhouse.
"We could live offa the fatta the lan'" Meaning: American Dream (manifest destiny) - Lennie
sees the dream of living on a ranch as simple as just finding some land, building a home and
living on it. He does not understand the harsh realities of farm life.
"I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you" Meaning: Brotherhood and
Loneliness - Lennie and George go against the predominant idea that ranch workers were
lonely. They were able to have a familial bond - many lacked this
during Depression-era USA. Darwinian - both do not realise that without each other, they
cannot survive alone thus they selfishly need each other as a 'tribe' to survive.
"I don' like this, George" Meaning: Darwinian environment of the bunkhouse is picked up by
Lennie, almost like a sixth sense. This is something he possesses that George can't see. This
foreshadows how their dream is destroyed in this ranch.
"Why aint you wanted?" Meaning: Prejudice and Jim Crow Laws - Lennie's simple question
to Crooks cuts to the heart of USA's segregation problem. Steinbeck ironically uses his
simple logic to show how foolish the Jim Crow system is basing a country's treatment on
something as simple as skin colour.
"I thought you was mad at me" Meaning: Brotherhood - Lennie is like a child who is afraid of
punishment from George. George is a foil to Lennie here - Lennie is unable to understand
the gravity of his actions and he diminutively alludes to it.
GEORGE:
Restless eyes and sharp, strong features" Meaning: Darwinian - nimble and cunning like a
fox, emphasises through sibilance. Weaker than Lennie but more intellectually adept. He is
established as a foil to Lennie - intellectually superior but highly influenced by prejudice
which makes him eventually succumb to the bunkhouse.
"Both wore black, shapeless hats" Meaning: The shapelessness of their hats symbolises the
shapelessness of their destiny, emphasised through alliteration. This also emphasises the
tough brutal life of being a migrant worker.
"One stayed behind the other" Meaning: Darwinian hierarchy - George is more dominant
than Lennie. George must lead. Frames the relationship between Lennie and George
"I want you to come… an' hide in the brush" Meaning: this foreshadows the eventual death
of Lennie. The novel's cyclical structure is reinforced as it begins with George and Lennie by
the bush and ends with them at the bush. This cyclical structure is symbolic of the cyclical
pattern of migrant workers' lives - they are trapped in a vicious cycle they are unable to
escape.
"Guys like us… are the loneliest guys in the world" Meaning: This shows the impossibility of
the American Dream for migrant, ranch workers. This links to the theme of loneliness -
during the 1930 Depression Era many people felt alienated and isolated.
"Get 'im Lennie" Meaning: George exercises paternal control over Lennie. Darwinian:
George can't survive without Lennie's brute strength, but Lennie can't survive the predatory
ranch environment without George's shrewdness.
"We're going to get the jack together… we're going to have a little house" Meaning:
Brotherhood - repetition of 'we're' shows brotherhood between George and Lennie.
American Dream & Destiny - 'little house' is symbolic of the migrant aspiration to build a
home based on hard work. Unlike many migrant workers who get trapped in a nihilistic
(meaninglessness) cycle of poverty and work, George and Lennie plan to escape it.
"I ain't mad. I never been mad"
Meaning: This shows George is compassionate towards Lennie - he reassures Lennie like a
father. This illustrates the brotherhood between the two - George is Lennie's brother's
keeper, goes against Capitalistic view of being interested in someone out of selfish motives.
"He was business-like" Meaning: Death of the American Dream - George is described in a
Capitalistic way as distancing himself from Lennie as he knows he will soon kill him and their
dreams will be shattered. Loneliness: George will sink into the migrant labourer fate of
loneliness. Darwinian - George has evolved into being a Capitalist man and he was the 'fitter'
, of the two - he had to discard Lennie, who is unable to keep up in this new world of
Capitalism.
"George raised the gun… to the back of Lennie's head. The hand shook violently..." Meaning:
Death of the American Dream and Brotherhood - killing Lennie is a symbol of the death of
their American Dream. Killing Lennie removes meaning from George's life - it becomes
nihilistic, he is just another lonely ranch worker without any paternalistic ties.
"They looked at one another, amazed. This thing they had never really believed in was
coming true." Meaning: American Dream - it is within the reach of George, Lennie and
Candy. This shows the power of brotherhood - the migrant labourers were weaker as they
were always separate however they are united here which empowers them to make their
dreams a reality.
Lennie:
"Large, pale eyes... wide, sloping shoulders" Meaning: Darwinism - he is described as a less
evolved, ape-like figure. He appears to embody the Darwinian idea of the lesser evolved
chimp from which humans developed. Lennie is a foil to George - he is more powerful but
less intellectually adept.
"A bear drags his paws" / "Lennie like a terrier" Meaning: Darwinian animalistic imagery
describes Lennie as a vast creature which is unaware of its own strength. This foreshadows
how he is ill-adapted to the predatory environment of the bunkhouse.
"We could live offa the fatta the lan'" Meaning: American Dream (manifest destiny) - Lennie
sees the dream of living on a ranch as simple as just finding some land, building a home and
living on it. He does not understand the harsh realities of farm life.
"I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you" Meaning: Brotherhood and
Loneliness - Lennie and George go against the predominant idea that ranch workers were
lonely. They were able to have a familial bond - many lacked this
during Depression-era USA. Darwinian - both do not realise that without each other, they
cannot survive alone thus they selfishly need each other as a 'tribe' to survive.
"I don' like this, George" Meaning: Darwinian environment of the bunkhouse is picked up by
Lennie, almost like a sixth sense. This is something he possesses that George can't see. This
foreshadows how their dream is destroyed in this ranch.
"Why aint you wanted?" Meaning: Prejudice and Jim Crow Laws - Lennie's simple question
to Crooks cuts to the heart of USA's segregation problem. Steinbeck ironically uses his
simple logic to show how foolish the Jim Crow system is basing a country's treatment on
something as simple as skin colour.
"I thought you was mad at me" Meaning: Brotherhood - Lennie is like a child who is afraid of
punishment from George. George is a foil to Lennie here - Lennie is unable to understand
the gravity of his actions and he diminutively alludes to it.
