Quotes From 'Of Mice And Men'

Chapter 1

Quote: “The women knew it was all right, and the watching children knew it was all right. Women and children knew deep in themselves that no misfortune was too great to bear if their men were whole.” (Steinbeck 7) 36 words

Response: The women and children know that they'll be fine as long as the men are fine. The men are the ones who know what to do serious situations. They protect their family from harm and feed them. If the men didn’t know what to do in their current situation with the crops, them and their family would not be able to survive. They would break down and not be ‘whole’ to comfort their family. That’s why the the women and children believe that as long as the men are okay, they will be okay as well. 96 words

Summary:

Maybe it's just the way folks is. Maybe we been whippin’ the hell out of ourselves for nothin’.’…Before I knowed it, I was sayin’ out loud, ‘The hell with it! There ain’t no sin and there ain’t no virtue. There’s just stuff people do. It’s all part of the same thing. And some of the things folks do is nice, and some ain’t nice, but that's as far as any man got a right to say.’” (Steinbeck 31-32) 84 words

Response: This shows how Casy’s guilt for his past actions influences his disbelief on the Christian concept of sin. Casy’s previous sexual relationships with women he helped were things he did out of temptation. He believes things he did and what other people do are not necessarily sins. They’re just times in their lives people do out of temptation. People are who they are and are all one. Casy controverts the existence of virtue and looks back on his past actions. 80 words

Summary: Shortly after Tom got off the truck, he picks up a turtle along the way home. Later, when he stopped to rest at a tree, he sees Jim Casy. Casy explains to him why he is not a preacher anymore and has nowhere to go.

Chapter

Farmers want to start a new life in California but they do not comprehend how a good car they need. Car salesman exploit almost penniless buyers for their ignorance in this issue. The fact that they were so desperate to trade mules in their current time shows how unaware they are to keeping up with the times. They cannot start a new life without accepting advancements.

Summary:

Chapter 8

Quote: “ ‘I got thinkin’ how we was holy when we was one thing, an’ mankin’ was holy when it was one thing. An’ it on’y got unholy when one mis’able little fella got the bit in his teeth an’ run off his own way, kickin’ an’ draggin’ an’ fightin’. Fella like that bust the holi-ness. But when they’re all workin’ together, not one fella for another fella, but one fella kind of harnessed to the whole shebang—that’s right, that’s holy.’ ” (Steinbeck 79) 79 words

Response: Jim Casy believes that everyone as a whole is holy. When a group of people work together for a goal that they believe in, it’s holy. They all act like they’re one person, not just a group of people fighting for a cause. One person fighting for the greater good. When one person out of the group acts on their own and journeys on a path that differs theirs, it becomes unholy. It creates tension from within.