Reading Rhetorically
Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. 1937. New York City: Triangle Book, 1937.
Quote or Summary
*Be sure to include page #’s or
parenthetical citation if using a source
other than the text.
“What’s your name?”
“George Milton.” (Steinbeck
41).
“I’m George Milton. This here’s
Lennie Small.”
“Glad ta meet ya,” Carlson said
again. “He ain’t very small.” He
chuckled softly at his joke.
“Ain’t small at all,” he repeated.
(Steinbeck 64)
AP English Language
Paraphrase or Summarize
*Include at least five (5) paraphrases.
The boss asks George what his
name was; George replies that
his name is George Milton.
George introduces himself and
Lennie Small to Carlson.
Carlson jokes that Lennie’s last
name is in stark contrast to his
physical appearance, for Lennie
is no small man.
Rhetorical Device or
Strategy/ Literary
Elements
*Label ALL the devices/strategies
the writer employs
George’s last name,
Milton, is an allusion to the
author of Paradise Lost,
John Milton.
This is an example of
paradox.
Jon-Michael Poff
Commentary
*Explain the effect of the device (connotations
or associations)
*Explain how the device connects to the
meaning of the passage or to the author’s
purpose
Paradise Lost is a story
concerning the fall of man—Adam
and Eve sinned against God and
were consequently kicked out of
the Garden of Eden. This story,
also found in the book of Genesis
in the Bible, shares many
similarities with Steinbeck’s novel.
Similarities include the actions of
imperfect humans, the presence
of temptation, and the
consequences of doing sinful
things. The author uses the
allusion to help the audience
relate to a familiar story.
Lennie’s last name, Small, seems
unfitting, because Lennie is a very
large man. This irony about
Lennie is much deeper: many
things in his life are paradoxical.
He works much harder than any
other laborer, yet he is mentally
retarded. His strength is great, yet
he desires the simple things in life
—soft things and animals. He is
Jon-Michael Poff

“A few miles south of Soledad,
the Salinas River drops in close
to the hillside banks and runs
deep and green.” (Steinbeck 7)
“The deep green pool of the
Salinas River was still in the
late afternoon.” (Steinbeck
172)
“I seen the guys that go around
on the ranches alone. That
ain’t no good. They don’t have
fun.” (Steinbeck 73)
“I said what stake you got in this
guy? You takin’ his pay away
from him?”
“No, ‘course I ain’t. Why ya
think I’m sellin’ him out?”
“Well, I never seen one guy
take so much trouble for
another guy. I just like to know
what your interest is.”
(Steinbeck 43)
AP English Language
The Salinas River, which is a
short distance from the town of
Soledad, runs close to hills and
is deep and green.
Towards evening, the deep
green Salinas River is still.
While George describes his
relationship with Lennie to Slim,
George admits how lonely,
boring lives ranch hands lead
without a partner.
The boss asks George why he
answers for Lennie. He thinks
that George takes Lennie’s pay
away from him. George
honestly denies taking Lennie’s
money and asks the boss why
he thinks George would do
that? The boss believes
money is the motive because
George takes on a lot of trouble
This is an example of artful
syntax.
This is an example of
pathos.
This is an example of
repetition.
the underdog—the one the
readers feel sorry for and root for
—yet he is the cause of so much
trouble.
The first and last scenes of the
book occur in the same place—on
the banks of the Salinas River.
The circular pattern of syntax
mirrors the circular pattern of
ranch hands. Men strive to
become bigger than themselves,
achieve wealth, seek a better life,
yet in the end, they are still lonely
men. The plot comes full circle.
While most ranch hands don’t
travel from job to job with a
companion, George has Lennie,
and Lennie has George. The
audience feels a sense of sadness
for the ranch hands. They have
no friends and have no fun.
Steinbeck uses this example to
illuminate the greater picture—all
human suffering. This novel
exposes the cruel, grueling life of
ranch hands, and this example
only adds to their anguish.
The boss, Curley, and Slim all ask
George about his relations with
Lennie. They find it unusual for
two ranch hands to travel together.
The repetition of this question
reinforces that the life of ranch
hands are lonely and rootless.
This relates to Steinbeck’s overall
purpose for writing the novel: to
expose the cruelty that humans
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“What the hell are you getting’
into it for?”
“We travel together,” said
George coldy.
“Oh, so it’s that way.”
(Steinbeck 48)
“Funny how you an’ him string
along together.” It was Slim’s
calm invitation to confidence.
“What’s funny about it?”
George demanded defensively.
“Oh, I dunno. Hardly none of
the guys ever travel together.”
(Steinbeck 71)
“Well, it’s ten acres,” said
George. “Got a little win’mill.
Got a little shack on it an’ a
chicken run.” (Steinbeck 100)
Lennie said softly, “We could
live offa the fatta the lan’.”
“We’d jus’ live there. We’d
belong there.” (Steinbeck 101)
“S’pose he took a powder and
just ain’t coming back. What’ll
you do then?” (Steinbeck 124)
“They’ll take ya to the booby
hatch. They’ll tie ya up with a
collar, like a dog.” (Steinbeck
126)
AP English Language
for Lennie.
Curley asks George why he
answers for Lennie. George
replies that he and Lennie travel
together. Curley implies that
they have sexual relations.
Slim kindly states how it is
unusual that Lennie and
George travel together. George
asks why Slim finds that funny.
Slim replies that guys usually
don’t travel together.
George describes the house
that he and Lennie desire to
own. It has a windmill, a shack,
and a chicken run.
Lennie wishes that one day
they could live off of the fat of
the land—live somewhere
where they belonged.
Crooks asks Lennie what would
happen if George went away.
He knows Lennie depends
upon George.
Crooks tells Lennie that they
would take Lennie to an asylum
and tie him up like a dog.
are forced to endure. Curley’s
insinuation that George and
Lennie have a sexual relationship
shows that Curley is a vulgar and
cruel man. Slim’s inquiry shows
that traveling with a companion
might help the ranch hands to
overcome loneliness.
This is an example of a Lennie and George are just like
connection made by the Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby.
author to another book. In The Great Gatsby, the featured
characters live in excess;
however, in Of Mice and Men, the
featured characters live in dirt
poor conditions. No matter their
social or economic status, people
still can’t achieve their dream.
Both stories contribute to the
impossibility of the American
dream.
Within this quotation are Colloquialism illustrates the men’s
examples of colloquial lack of education. Their whole
diction and regional lives have been devoted to work,
dialect. with little or no education.
Steinbeck uses this to bring to
light the larger problems in society
at the time. The ranch hands’
rustic dialect reflects the setting of
the book and the lack of schooling
Jon-Michael Poff

“Curley’s wife lay on her back,
and she was half covered with
hay.” (Steinbeck 160)
“As happens sometimes, a
moment settled and hovered
and remained for much more
than a moment. And sound
stopped and movement
stopped for much, much more
than a moment.”
A water snake glided smoothly
up the pool, twisting its
periscope head from side to
side; and it swam the length of
the pool and came to the legs of
a motionless heron that stood in
AP English Language
After Lennie accidentally broken This is an example of
her neck, Curley’s wife laid in passive voice.
the hay on her back.
The time following Curley’s
wife’s murder seemed to stand
still, to remain, to linger.
A water snake swam through
the pool of water, turning its
head from one side to the other.
It swam near a heron, which
quickly plucked the snake out of
the water and swallowed it.
for the workers. Perhaps
Steinbeck is pushing for reform in
the realm of education as well.
Curley’s wife is now dead—lifeless
and helpless. This intentional use
of passive voice allows Steinbeck
to communicate her weakness
and powerlessness. In this time
period—the early 1900’s—women
were second-class citizens.
Steinbeck points out the plight of
women of this time—they were
subordinate to their male
counterpart. Curley’s wife is never
mentioned by name within the
book. The effect of leaving her
nameless also highlights the rights
and expectations of women.
Essentially, they were to be of no
use to society.
Within this quotation are Polysyndeton mimics the setting.
examples of polysyndeton Using “and” allows the sentence to
and repetition. move at a slower pace and allows
the audience to absorb the
shocking event. Just as the
sentence seems to continue, so
does the “moment.” The repetition
of “more than a moment” conveys
the seriousness and length of the
time following Curley’s wife’s
death.
This is an example of The quote alludes to the snake in
allusion, symbolism, and the Garden of Eden. In Genesis,
foreshadowing. the snake is the source of evil; the
audience knows that something
bad is about to happen. Also, just
as the heron unsuspectingly
Jon-Michael Poff
the shallows. A silent head and
beak lanced down and plucked
it out by the head, and the beak
swallowed the little snake while
its tail waved frantically.
(Steinbeck 172)
AP English Language
seized the snake from the water,
George will also unsuspectingly
shoot Lennie. Lennie will be just
as clueless about his imminent
death as the snake was. The
snake’s death foreshadows
Lennie’s death and prepares the
reader for a devastating event
soon to happen.
Jon-Michael Poff