What social injustices did Steinbeck want to express? Was it the moral dilemma of euthanasia? Gender inequality? Discrimination against mentally challenged? What do you think?

[Victoria]

What social injustices did Steinbeck want to express? Was it the moral dilemma of euthanasia? Gender inequality? Discrimination against mentally challenged? What do you think?

[JenRY]

I think he was trying to point to the plight of migrant workers during the Depression. These guys were isolated and lonely. An important part of George and Lennie's relationship was the idea of mutual care. None of the other guys had that and I think that the idea of loneliness was one of the main themes of the novel. Candy was physically disabled, Crooks was black and physically disabled, Curley's wife was a woman, Lennie was mentally disabled, Slim and George were both isolated from the other workers and Curley was a bully.

[Meghan]

I believe that while many things went on in the novel, Steinbeck's main focus was on the migrants as a whole and how they were being generalized and mistreated.

[Geoffrey]

How about the lack of social mobility for those at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder?

[Christine]

All the things mentioned and more. I always think about the hopelessness and futility of the Great Depression. Also, racial discrimination, age discrimination, bullying.

[Marta]

Geoffrey wrote: "How about the lack of social mobility for those at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder?"

I agree. He touches on socialism v.s. individualism. George often talks about how he and Lennie are different and will grt farther because they are looking out for eachother and not just themselves.

This idea is reiterated as George and Lennie's dream seems to become within reach as Candy and Crooks make decisions to join in the venture to ensure fair opportunity to the aging handyman and the isolated handyman.

[Sam]

I'm not quite sure which if any of those were the particular point he was trying to make, but the mere fact that in 100 hundred pages he was able to get all of us to bring up all of those injustices and still be discussing them today is awesome.

[Renae]

I would say the plight of those challenged in the world. Perhaps we can say disabled by circumstances which ultimately reflect on how one interacts withe the world and the outcomes of those interactions.

[Renae]

Shmendrick wrote: "I think he was trying to point to the plight of migrant workers during the Depression. These guys were isolated and lonely. An important part of George and Lennie's relationship was the idea of mut..."

So all suffered from a disability whether it was physical or societal.