The Great Depression
12
• What kinds of things do you associate with the word “depression?” What do you know about the “Great Depression?” When was it? Where was it? What happened? Do you think/know any family members were alive during that time?
description
What kinds of things do you associate with the word “depression?” What do you know about the “Great Depression?” When was it? Where was it? What happened? Do you think/know any family members were alive during that time?. The Great Depression. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of The Great Depression
• What kinds of things do you associate with the word “depression?” What do you know about the “Great Depression?” When was it? Where was it? What happened? Do you think/know any family members were alive during that time?
The Great Depression• Severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding
World War II (1939-1945).• Began with the stock market crash of October 29, 1929 (Black
Tuesday) in the U.S., but quickly spread to almost every country in the world.
• Longest, deepest, most widespread depression of the 20th century
• Personal income, tax revenue, profits and prices dropped• International trade dropped• Unemployment rose to 25%
– Now around 10%• Construction/industry suffered• Farming suffered as crop prices fell
Dust Bowl/Dirty Thirties1930-1936
• Severe dust storm• Severe drought, poor
farming techniques• Huge, black dust
storms– “Black Blizzards”
• 100,000,000 acres– TX, OK, NM, CO, KN
Migrant Workers• Forced out of
homes/lives• Displaced • Traveled away from
Dust Bowl• Forced into manual
labor at very low wages
• George and Lennie
Modern Comparison?
• Hurricane Katrina
Allusion: an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning
explicitly; an indirect or passing reference• Poet Robert Burns
– “The best-laid schemes o’ mice and men gang aft agley.”
– “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go astray.”• What does this mean? Why is Burn comparing
mice and men? How are they similar?• Why might this allusion be appropriate for a
novel set in the Great Depression?
For homework: Write a one paragraph typed response to the following question: • What do mice, rabbits and puppies have in
common? What references are made to mice, rabbits or dogs in the title and chapter 1 of the novel? What do each of these animals represent?
Do Now: 23 February 2011(after the quiz)
• What functions to dreams serve for people? Compare and contrast Esperanza’s dream with George and Lennie’s dream.
2 March 2011: Do Now
Why does George remain friends with Lennie? What reasons does he give Slim and others for their friendship? What other factors may be at play in motivating George to continue this friendship?
7 March 2011
• Do you agree with George’s decision to kill Lennie at the end of the novel? Why or why not? What motivated him to do this?
• How does Lennie’s death compare to that of Candy’s dog?
