Introduction to Of Mice and Men

In answer to Nolan's question:

 From the Online Etymology Dictionary:

hobo (n.) 1889, Western U.S., of unknown origin. Barnhart compares early 19c. English dialectal hawbuck "lout, clumsy fellow, country bumpkin." Or possibly from ho, boy, a workers' call on late 19c. western U.S. railroads. Facetious formation hobohemia, "community or life of hobos," is from 1923 (see bohemian).

Of Mice and Men:
Blogwork due in JE #41/left and right on Tuesday, Jan. 22

In order to prepare for our unit on John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men, please complete the webquest below so you'll have a sense of the historical context of the book.  Answer the questions associated with each website in your journal.  If you can't access a video, click the link. to answer

Please email me if you notice any errors or have any problems. Thanks!  

Please write all your responses the to questions below in JE #41 left and right.

1. "Mass Exodus from the Plains" 

Read the article (click on link). Respond to the bulleted items in complete sentences. You don't have to copy the questions.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/dustbowl-mass-exodus-plains/

• What does "exodus" mean?
• Describe the "bum brigade."
• How much was rent for a tar-paper shack? 
• What's the name of the novel by John Steinbeck mentioned in this article?
• Describe how the migrant workers were received when they reached California.
• What were two of the nicknames these migrant workers from other states were called?
• Read this article for more information (optional):  http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe30s/water_06.html

2. Surviving the Dust Bowl (documentary):

Watch both videos below (Chapters 2 and 3 of the video, Surviving the Dust Bowl.). 
If you can't play the videos here, click on this link to watch the whole film.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/dustbowl/player/

After watching the videos, respond to the prompt below:

• It's 1936. You've lost the family farm due to severe dust storms. Will you stay and tried to rebuild your life, or will you join the thousands of others packing up for California? Why (or why not)? Write in first person, either as the parent of this family or a child in the family. Please write at least 150 words. If you like, you can write as if you were writing a letter to a friend in another state not affected by the dust storms.

Chapter 2: 


Chapter 3: 

Watch Surviving the Dust Bowl on PBS. See more from American Experience.

Watch Surviving the Dust Bowl on PBS. See more from American Experience.

3. Dorothea Lange (click on link)
Read this article:  http://www.myhero.com/go/hero.asp?hero=d_lange
Respond to the bulleted items in complete sentences. You don't have to copy the questions. 

• Who was Dorothea Lange, and what effect did her Dust Bowl photographs have on the people she photographed? 
• Click on this link to one of her most famous photos:  http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe30s/water_06.html
• The large image is her iconic photo, "Migrant Mother."
• Make a quick, brief sketch of the photo. 
• Click on the text right below the picture. A box should pop up with information about Florence Thompson, the subject of the photo. Read "biography" and list three facts about her life. See if you're able to listen to her interview. You need Quicktime.

4. Woody Guthrie
Explore this site for your answers to these questions:
http://www.woodyguthrie.org/biography/biography1.htm

• What's Woody's  musical connection to the Dust Bowl?
• Click on several dates on the timeline. On each page, in the upper right corner, there's a song by Woody. Listen to three songs, and list their titles.

This is one of the two existing film clips of Woody Guthrie singing.

5  Riding the Rails
If you missed any of the video in class, here it is. 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/rails/player/