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The two central characters in Of Mice and Men are George Milton and Lennie Small, two migrant field workers searching for farm work in southern California during the 1930s. When the book begins, George and Lennie have just arrived at a new ranch; there, George and Lennie—and, through them, the readers—meet a fascinating cast of characters.

Lennie Small

A vocabulary list featuring 'Of Mice and Men'. Here are 100 key words for understanding John Steinbeck’s 1937 tragic novel 'Of Mice and Men' - set during the Great Depression in California. Feb 03, 2020 In addition to the bucket trick, there are some natural remedies you can use to prevent or deter mice. There are several scents that are said to keep mice at bay since they have a strong sense of smell. You can try dousing cotton balls with peppermint oil and leave them near spots you think mice are getting in. Because the BBC documentary that I plan to show my students today references the protagonists in Of Mice and Men, I have drawn very rudimentary depictions of George and Lennie on the whiteboard, as well as an equally rudimentary map of California, in order to help my students visualize the characters and the setting (George, Lennie, and Salinas). I point these out to my students before we. 2 days ago Wild mice become sexually mature at only six weeks of age. Litters usually contain up to eight baby mice, and females can reproduce up to eight times each year. One pair of breeding mice can produce up to 64 direct descendants a year, and meanwhile all of their descendants can begin reproducing within six weeks.

Lennie Small is a large, gentle-hearted migrant worker who has a mental disability. He relies on George Milton, his lifelong friend and fellow migrant worker, for guidance and safety. In George's presence, Lennie defers to his authoritative friend, but when George is not around, Lennie speaks more freely. Sometimes, he lets slip information that George told him to keep secret, like their plan to buy a plot of land.

Lennie loves touching anything soft, from fabric to a mouse's fur to a woman's hair. He is a classic gentle giant, never seeking to cause harm, but his physical power unintentionally leads to destruction. We learn from George that he and Lennie had to leave their last farm because Lennie couldn’t refrain from touching a woman’s dress and was ultimately accused of rape. When Lennie receives a puppy as a gift from one of the other field workers, he accidentally kills it by petting it too strongly. Lennie's inability to rein in his physical strength leads to trouble for both men, most notably when he accidentally kills Curley's wife.

George Milton

George Milton is both a domineering leader and a loyal protector of Lennie. The two men grew up together, but George exerts greater authority in the friendship because of Lennie's dependence.

George and Lennie frequently talk about getting land of their own. Lennie seems to take this plan very seriously, but George's commitment is less clear. For example, rather than saving money to buy land in the future, George blows his savings in one night while carousing at a bar.

George sometimes complains about his care-taking role, but he is clearly committed to looking out for Lennie. However, his reasoning is never clearly explained. It may be that George stays with Lennie because the relationship gives him a sense of authority when his life otherwise lacks self-determination. He also likely takes comfort in Lennie’s familiarity, as the two men travel regularly and never stake much of a claim anywhere.

After Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife, George chooses to kill Lennie. The decision is an act of mercy to spare his friend from suffering at the hands of the other field workers.

Curley

Curley is the aggressive, short-statured son of the ranch owner. He struts around the farm authoritatively and is rumored to be a former Golden Gloves boxer. Curley constantly picks fights, especially with Lennie; one such fight leads to Lennie crushing Curley's hand.

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Curley wears a glove on one of his hands at all times. The other workers claim the glove is filled with lotion to keep his hand delicate for his wife. Curley is, in fact, very jealous and protective of his wife, and he frequently fears she is flirting with the other workers. After Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife, Curley leads the other workers on a murderous hunt for the newcomer.

Candy

Candy is an aging ranch handyman who lost one of his hands years ago in an accident. As a result of both his disability and his age, Candy worries about his future on the farm. When Lennie reveals that he and George are planning to buy land of their own, Candy feels he has received a stroke of luck, and he offers up $350 in order to join them. Candy, like Lennie, genuinely believes in this plan, and as a result he is sympathetic towards George and Lennie throughout the novella, even going so far as to help George delay the hunt for Lennie following Curley’s wife’s death.

Crooks

Crooks, who got his nickname because of his misshapen back, is a stable hand and the sole African American worker on the ranch. Because of his race, Crooks is disallowed from living in the barn with the other workers. Crooks is bitter and cynical, but nevertheless gets along well with Lennie, who doesn't share the other workers' racism.

Even though George has sworn him to secrecy, Lennie tells Crooks that he and George are planning to buy land. Crooks expresses deep skepticism. He tells Lennie that he’s heard all sorts of people talk about all sorts of plans, but that none of them ever actually happened.

Later in the same scene, Curley's wife approaches the two men, chatting flirtatiously. When Crooks asks her to leave, Curley's wife hurls racial epithets at him and says that she could have him lynched. The incident is humiliating to Crooks, who then has to apologize to Curley’s wife in front of Lennie and Candy despite being the wronged party.

Curley’s Wife

Curley's wife is a young, pretty woman whose name is never mentioned in the novella. Her husband, Curley, is jealous and distrustful, and he frequently snaps at her. She has a sweet side, demonstrated when she tells Lennie about her childhood dreams of movie stardom, as well as a cruel streak, as evidenced by the racist verbal attack she launches at Crooks. Curley's wife precipitates the book’s climax by asking Lennie to stroke her hair, whereupon Lennie inadvertently kills her. Curley's wife is less developed than other characters, and she seems to serve mostly to drive the plot forward and stir up conflict.

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Cohan, Quentin. 'Of Mice and Men' Characters: Descriptions and Significance.' ThoughtCo, Jan. 29, 2020, thoughtco.com/of-mice-and-men-characters-4582969.Cohan, Quentin. (2020, January 29). 'Of Mice and Men' Characters: Descriptions and Significance. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/of-mice-and-men-characters-4582969Cohan, Quentin. 'Of Mice and Men' Characters: Descriptions and Significance.' ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/of-mice-and-men-characters-4582969 (accessed January 24, 2021).
House mouse (Mus musculus)

A mouse, plural mice, is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (Mus musculus). Mice are also popular as pets. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are locally common. They are known to invade homes for food and shelter.

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Mice are classified under the order Rodentia. Typical mice are classified in the genus Mus.

Mice are typically distinguished from rats by their size. Generally, when someone discovers a smaller muroid rodent, its common name includes the term mouse. If it is larger, the name includes the term rat. The common terms rat and mouse are not taxonomically specific. Scientifically, the term mouse is not confined to members of Mus for example, but also applies to species from other genera such as the deer mouse, Peromyscus.

Domestic mice sold as pets often differ substantially in size from the common house mouse. This is attributable to breeding and different conditions in the wild. The best-known strain of mouse is the white lab mouse. It has more uniform traits that are appropriate to its use in research.

Cats, wild dogs, foxes, birds of prey, snakes and even certain kinds of arthropods have been known to prey heavily upon mice. Despite this, mice populations remain plentiful. Due to its remarkable adaptability to almost any environment, the mouse is one of the most successful mammalian genera living on Earth today.

In certain contexts, mice can be considered vermin. Vermin are a major source of crop damage,[1] as they are known to cause structural damage and spread disease. Mice spread disease through their feces and are often carriers of parasites.[2] In North America, breathing dust that has come in contact with mouse excrement has been linked to hantavirus, which may lead to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS).

Primarily nocturnal[3] animals, mice compensate for their poor eyesight with a keen sense of hearing. They depend on their sense of smell to locate food and avoid predators.[4]

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In the wild, mice are known to build intricate burrows. These burrows have long entrances and are equipped with escape tunnels. In at least one species, the architectural design of a burrow is a genetic trait.[5]

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Types of animals known as mice

The most common mice are murines, in the same clade as common rats. They are murids, along with gerbils and other close relatives.

  • order Dasyuromorphia
    • marsupial mice, smaller species of Dasyuridae
  • order Rodentia
    • suborder Castorimorpha
      • family Heteromyidae
        • Kangaroo mouse, genus Microdipodops
        • Pocket mouse, tribe Perognathinae
        • Spiny pocket mouse, genus Heteromys
    • suborder Anomaluromorpha
      • family Anomaluridae
    • suborder Myomorpha
      • family Cricetidae
        • Brush mouse, Peromyscus boylii
        • American Harvest mouse, genus Reithrodontomys
      • family Muridae
        • typical mice, the genus Mus
        • Field mice, genus Apodemus
          • Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus
          • Yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis
        • Eurasian Harvest mouse, genus Micromys

Laboratory mice

Mice are common experimental animals in laboratory research of biology and psychology fields primarily because they are mammals, and also because they share a high degree of homology with humans. They are the most commonly used mammalianmodel organism, more common than rats. The mouse genome has been sequenced, and virtually all mouse genes have human homologs. The mouse has approximately 2.7 billion base pairs and 20 pairs of chromosomes.[6]They can also be manipulated in ways that are illegal with humans, although animal rights activists often object. A knockout mouse is a genetically modified mouse that has had one or more of its genes made inoperable through a gene knockout.

Reasons for common selection of mice are that they are small and inexpensive, have a widely varied diet, are easily maintained, and can reproduce quickly. Several generations of mice can be observed in a relatively short time. Mice are generally very docile if raised from birth and given sufficient human contact. However, certain strains have been known to be quite temperamental.

Emotions

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology have confirmed that mice have a range of facial expressions. They used machine vision to spot familiar human emotions like pleasure, disgust, nausea, pain, and fear.[7][8][9]

As pets

Pet mice

Many people buy mice as companion pets. They can be playful, loving and can grow used to being handled. Like pet rats, pet mice should not be left unsupervised outside as they have many natural predators, including (but not limited to) birds, snakes, lizards, cats, and dogs. Male mice tend to have a stronger odor than the females. However, mice are careful groomers and as pets they never need bathing. Well looked-after mice can make ideal pets. Some common mouse care products are:

  • Cage – Usually a hamster or gerbilcage, but a variety of special mouse cages are now available. Most should have a secure door.[10]
  • Food – Special pelleted and seed-based food is available. Mice can generally eat most rodent food (for rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, etc.)
  • Bedding – Usually made of hardwood pulp, such as aspen, sometimes from shredded, uninkedpaper or recycled virgin wood pulp. Using corn husk bedding is avoided because it promotes Aspergillusfungus, and can grow mold once it gets wet, which is rough on their feet.

Diet

In nature, mice are largely herbivores, consuming any kind of fruit or grain from plants.[11] However, mice adapt well to urban areas and are known for eating almost all types of food scraps. In captivity, mice are commonly fed commercial pelleted mouse diet. These diets are nutritionally complete, but they still need a large variety of vegetables.

Mice do not have a special appetite for cheese. They will only eat cheese for lack of better options.[12]

As food

'Pinkie' mice for sale as reptile food

Mice are a staple in the diet of many small carnivores. Humans have eaten mice since prehistoric times. In Victorian Britain, fried mice were still given to children as a folk remedy for bed-wetting;[13] while Jared Diamond reports creamed mice being used in England as a dietary supplement during WW II rationing.[14] Mice are a delicacy throughout eastern Zambia and northern Malawi,[15] where they are a seasonal source of protein. Field rat is a popular food in Vietnam and neighboring countries.[16] In many countries, however, mouse is no longer a food item.

Prescribed cures in Ancient Egypt included mice as medicine.[17] In Ancient Egypt, when infants were ill, mice were eaten as treatment by their mothers.[18][19] It was believed that mouse eating by the mother would help heal the baby who was ill.[20][21][22][23][24]

In various countries mice are used as food[25] for pets such as snakes, lizards, frogs, tarantulas and birds of prey, and many pet stores carry mice for this purpose.

Common terms used to refer to different ages/sizes of mice when sold for pet food are 'pinkies', 'fuzzies', 'crawlers', 'hoppers', and 'adults'.[26] Pinkies are newborn mice that have not yet grown fur; fuzzies have some fur but are not very mobile; hoppers have a full coat of hair and are fully mobile but are smaller than adult mice. Mice without fur are easier for the animal to consume; however, mice with fur may be more convincing as animal feed.[citation needed] These terms are also used to refer to the various growth stages of rats (see Fancy rat).

How To Get Rid Of Mice

See also

  • Musophobia (fear of mice)
  • Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum, and Phooey, mice who orbited the Moon 75 times in 1972 on Apollo 17

References

  1. ^Meerburg BG, Singleton GR, Leirs H (2009). 'The Year of the Rat ends: time to fight hunger!'. Pest Manag Sci. 65 (4): 351–2. doi:10.1002/ps.1718. PMID19206089.
  2. ^Meerburg BG, Singleton GR, Kijlstra A (2009). 'Rodent-borne diseases and their risks for public health'. Crit Rev Microbiol. 35 (3): 221–70. doi:10.1080/10408410902989837. PMID19548807.
  3. ^Behney, W. H. (1 January 1936). 'Nocturnal Explorations of the Forest Deer-Mouse'. Journal of Mammalogy. 17 (3): 225–230. doi:10.2307/1374418. JSTOR1374418.
  4. ^'Mice : The Humane Society of the United States'. Archived from the original on 22 January 2010. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  5. ^Weber, Jesse N.; Peterson, Brant K.; Hoekstra, Hopi E. (17 January 2013). 'Discrete genetic modules are responsible for complex burrow evolution in Peromyscus mice'. Nature. 493 (7432): 402–405. Bibcode:2013Natur.493..402W. doi:10.1038/nature11816. PMID23325221.
  6. ^'2002 Release: Draft Sequence of Mouse Genome'. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  7. ^'The facial expressions of mice'. Max-Planck-Gesellschaft. 2 April 2020.
  8. ^'The face of a mouse reveals its emotions: study'. Phys.org. 2 April 2020.
  9. ^'Mice have facial expressions, AI finds'(Video). Amaze Lab. 3 April 2020.
  10. ^Sharon L. Vanderlip (2001). Mice: Everything About History, Care, Nutrition, Handling, and Behavior. Barron's Educational Series. pp. 38–. ISBN978-0-7641-1812-8. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  11. ^'Mouse Info'. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  12. ^'Do mice really love cheese?'. HowStuffWorks. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  13. ^Flora Thompson, Lark Rise to Candleford (Oxford 1949) p. 504
  14. ^J Diamond, The World until Yesterday (Penguin 2012) p. 314
  15. ^Tembo, Mwizenge S. 'Mice as a Delicacy: the Significance of Mice in the Diet of the Tumbuka People of Eastern Zambia'. Archived from the original on 23 June 2008. Retrieved 13 August 2008.
  16. ^Gorman, James (19 June 2020). 'Wildlife Trade Spreads Coronaviruses as Animals Get to Market'. The New York Times.
  17. ^'BBC – History – Ancient History in depth: Health Hazards and Cures in Ancient Egypt'. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  18. ^Hart, George (1 May 2001). What life was like. Time Life Books. p. 40. ISBN978-0-7370-1007-7.
  19. ^Encyc of Discovery Science and History. Fog City Press. 1 September 2002. p. 320. ISBN978-1-876778-92-7.
  20. ^'Tour Egypt :: Egypt: A Carefree Childhood in Ancient Egypt'. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  21. ^Shuter, Jane (2003). The Egyptians. Raintree. p. 10. ISBN978-0-7398-6440-1.
  22. ^Fontanel, Béatrice; D'Harcourt, Claire (1997). Babies: history, art, and folklore. Harry N. Abrams. p. 64.
  23. ^Colón, A. R.; Colón, P. A. (1999). Nurturing Children: A History of Pediatrics. Greenwood Press. p. 20. ISBN978-0-313-31080-5.
  24. ^Blum, Richard H.; Blum, Eva Marie (1970). The Dangerous Hour: The Lore of Crisis and Mystery in Rural Greece. Scribner. p. 336.
  25. ^Food – Frozen mice & ratsArchived 10 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Canberra Exotic Pets / reptilesinc.com.au, accessed 14 November 2009
  26. ^'South Florida's True Rodent Professionals'. Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. Retrieved 29 May 2009.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mice.
  • Fancy Mice: extensive information about breeding mice and keeping them as pets
  • History of the mouse (with focus on their use in genetics studies)
  • Mouse tracks: How to identify mouse tracks

Of Mice & Men

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