Power, Justice, and Culpability: Of Mice and Men and The Central Park Five

Lesson 4
icon/ela/white

ELA

Unit 3

9th Grade

Lesson 4 of 30

Objective


Analyze how Steinbeck develops social hierarchies on the ranch and introduces tension into the story. 

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck  pp. 17 – 37 — Chapter 2

Fishtank Plus

Unlock features to optimize your prep time, plan engaging lessons, and monitor student progress.

Target Task


Discussion & Writing Prompt

How does Steinbeck’s use of naming in this chapter reflect the power dynamics on the ranch? Provide specific examples from the chapter and carefully explain your thinking.

Criteria for Success

  • Identifies that names are a way of acknowledging someone as an individual.
  • Identifies that the only Black character —later named "Crooks"— is referred to only by his job and by racist slurs.
  • Identifies that the only female character is not given a name, but is instead referenced only by her role as "wife" to Curley and by sexist slurs.
  • Identifies that all the white men in the text are given specific names. 
  • May also identify: Candy, who is disabled and old, is not given a name until the very end of the chapter.

Sample Response

Create a free account or sign in to view Sample Response

Key Questions


Close Read Questions

  • How does Candy's ("the old man") description of the boss on pages 19–20 develop the reader's understanding of the relationship between race and power? Provide specific evidence from these pages and carefully explain your thinking. 

  • How does the appearance of Curley develop tension in the story? What words and phrases does Steinbeck use to foreshadow future events? Provide specific evidence from the text and carefully explain your thinking.

  • How does the appearance of Curley's wife develop tension in the story? What words and phrases does Steinbeck use to foreshadow future events? Provide specific evidence from the text and carefully explain your thinking.

Vocabulary


Literary Terms

foreshadowing

a subtle warning or indication of a future event in a text;  a "hint" the author provides the reader that something (usually bad) is going to happen.

Text-based

pugnacious

adj.

eager to fight; aggressive and combative

derogatory

adj.

showing a critical or disrespectful attitude

Notes


Characters use the N-word in today's reading. Additionally, there are words used in misogynistic ways in today's reading. The N-word also appears in the homework reading for Chapter 3, as does a derogatory term for a Japanese person (57) and a disabled person (45).

Homework


  • Book: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck  pp. 38 – 65 — Chapter 34

While reading, answer the following questions.

  • What happened with the girl in Weed?

  • What does Lennie try to bring back with him into the bunkhouse?

  • What does Carlson want to do with Curley's dog? Why?

  • What happens between Lennie and Curley at the end of this chapter?

  • Why does Curley agree not to tell anyone the truth of what happened?

  • In what way is Lennie's interaction with Curley similar to what happened with the girl in Weed?

Annotation Focus

Note lines of dialogue and passages in the text that help reveal different aspects of characters and their relationships with one another.

Enhanced Lesson Plan

Fishtank Plus Content

Bring your most engaging lessons to life with comprehensive instructional guidance, detailed pacing, supports to meet every student's needs, and resources to strengthen your lesson planning and delivery.

Standards


  • RL.9-10.3 — Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
  • RL.9-10.5 — Analyze how an author's choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.

Supporting Standards

L.9-10.1
L.9-10.6
RL.9-10.1
RL.9-10.2
RL.9-10.4
RL.9-10.10
SL.9-10.1
SL.9-10.6
W.9-10.1
W.9-10.9
icon/arrow/right/large copy

Lesson 3

icon/arrow/right/large

Lesson 5

Lesson Map

A7CB09C2-D12F-4F55-80DB-37298FF0A765

Request a Demo

See all of the features of Fishtank in action and begin the conversation about adoption.

Learn more about Fishtank Learning School Adoption.

Contact Information

School Information

What courses are you interested in?

ELA

Math

Are you interested in onboarding professional learning for your teachers and instructional leaders?

Yes

No

Any other information you would like to provide about your school?

Effective Instruction Made Easy

Effective Instruction Made Easy

Access rigorous, relevant, and adaptable ELA lesson plans for free