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1984
135160 Views

Well, if this book doesn't make you want to tape over your laptop camera, we don't know what will.

1984 Summary
136167 Views

By the end of this video, you will be brainwashed. There's nothing you can do about it; we just wanted to let you know. We like to think we're bigg...

A Farewell to Arms
20538 Views

You might be hearing a chorus of farewells if you recommend A Farewell to Arms as the next read for your Fabulously Feisty Feminist Book Club.

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Of Mice and Men 107729 Views


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Description:

Break out the tissues. Of Mice and Men isn't an easy one to stomach.

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:07

Of Mice and Men, a la Shmoop:

00:11

With friends like George, who needs enemies? We've all seen things that look like they

00:19

don't belong together . . . . . . or couples that seem more than a little

00:25

odd . We may even look at our own parents . . .

00:29

. . . and wonder what the heck they ever saw in one another.

00:37

Same goes for friendships. George and Lennie, the two main characters

00:41

of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, are about as different as two friends could possibly

00:45

be . . . . . . but they've got each other's' backs.

00:51

They've travelled the country together . . . . . . worked together . . .

00:53

. . . and endured the hardships of the Great Depression together.

00:57

So, if they're such BFFs . . . . . . and George loves Lennie so much . . .

01:02

. . . how could he possibly bring himself to take his friend's life?

01:08

Well, he must have been furious when he heard about what Lennie had done to Curley's wife.

01:17

Maybe he reacted out of anger, seeing as how his own job and dreams of owning a farm were

01:21

circling the drain. Haven't we all had moments where our rage

01:25

gets the best of us? Maybe George just snapped.

01:33

It could easily be a simple case of temporary insanity.

01:37

Then again, maybe George thought Curley and his gang might be coming after him too . . .

01:45

. . . and killed his friend to make sure he couldn't make any more trouble for him.

01:52

We all know what it's like being friends with someone who gets us in trouble.

01:57

Maybe George just simply had enough. But here's another thought.

02:04

What if he took his friend's life because he did love him so much?

02:09

Lennie, who is mentally challenged, couldn't have understood the consequences of his actions.

02:20

George knew Curley's lynch mob was coming . . .

02:22

. . . and knew what they would do to his friend. Maybe he was trying to protect him the only

02:30

way he knew how. Telling Lennie of better times. Filling his

02:33

mind with happy thoughts, so when George pulls the trigger, his friend would leave the world

02:38

on his own terms. Doesn't that prove he cared about his friend?

02:58

Or was he only trying to make it easier on himself?

03:03

What's your verdict? Did George do the unthinkable to punish his

03:06

friend for ruining his life . . . . . . could it be that he really went off

03:09

the deep end. . . . . . or did he commit the ultimate act of

03:12

love by saving his friend from an angry lynch mob?

03:16

Shmoop amongst yourselves.

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