Differences in Intelligence - Of Mice and Men
Ellie Holtaway
Humanities 1
October 14, 2011
Mr. Tuazon
Differences in intelligence
According to Howard Gardener’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, everyone is smart in their own way. Some people are good at math or music, while others shine in areas like writing or physical strength. In the book Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, all of the characters have different intelligences from one another. George has strong Interpersonal, and Logical intelligences, while Lennie has strong Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligences. Everyone is smart in some way, and I believe that if others respect their friends individual intelligences, the world will get along better. There are many occasions in Of Mice and Men, where George helps Lennie using his interpersonal intelligences. Lennie also helps George by using his Bodily-Kinesthetic knowledge. Everyone should do their best to respect other people’s intelligences, so other people will respect theirs.
There were many times in the book Of Mice and Men, where George helps Lennie by using his Interpersonal Intelligence to help Lennie communicate. “...’Cause I want you to stay here with me,” (Steinbeck, 13) George knows that Lennie will have a hard time surviving on his own, so he chooses to help him because of his Interpersonal Intelligence. “...you get used to goin’ around with a guy an’ you can’t get rid of him,” (Steinbeck, 41) George is so used to being around other people, that he is worried to leave Lennie. Because of George’s Interpersonal Intelligence, he naturally likes to take care of people. Lennie should be grateful for the strong bond him and his friend George have.
Although it may seem like Lennie is just ‘stupid’, I believe he is actually very intelligent. Lennie is intelligent in areas like Bodily-Kinesthetic and Naturalistic. “...he’s sure a ---- of a good worker. Strong as a bull,” (Steinbeck, 22) Lennie uses his amazing Bodily-Kinesthetic talent to help George and him get a job at a ranch. Lennie can be a big help because of his strength, as long as George tells him what to do. “He can put up a four hundred pound bale,” (Steinbeck, 22) Even if Lennie doesn't have strong linguistic or mathematical intelligences, he has very strong Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence. George and Lennie can work together well if they recognize each other’s intelligence.
I believe that everyone should try their best to respect their peers’ individual intelligences, because then nobody will feel like they are ‘stupid’ or ‘dumb’ and everyone will feel smart. By recognizing each other’s talents, George and Lennie were able to successfully work together for may years. So, next time you find yourself thinking of others as ‘stupid’ remember that they have intelligences in other areas.
Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York: Penguin Group, 1937. Print.
Reflection:
1) What was your perspective about intelligence before we started this project?
2) How did this project challenge or evolve this original perspective?
3) According to this project, what are your main intelligences?
Before we began the multiple intelligence project, I thought that intelligence was mostly just shown by tests and school work. I also knew about 'book smart' and 'street smart', but I didn't know about all the other different kinds of intelligence people can have. Before the project, I thought only people who went to school and college were smart and now my opinions have changed throughout this project.
This project challenged my original ideas because I learned that there are more kinds of smarts than just book smart. I learned about Bodily-Kinesthetic, Naturalistic, Lodgical-Mathmatical, Visual-Spacial, Musical, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, and Linguistic. I learned that a everyone is smart in some way and that some people can have more than one intelligence.
According to this project, I am intelligent in Visual-Spacial, Lodgical-Mathmatical, Intrapersonal, and Naturalistic. According to this project, I have a lot of different intelligences. I learned through this project that whenever I see someone who I might not think of as 'smart' at first, that i should look deeper to see what intelligences they have.
1) What was your perspective about intelligence before we started this project?
2) How did this project challenge or evolve this original perspective?
3) According to this project, what are your main intelligences?
Before we began the multiple intelligence project, I thought that intelligence was mostly just shown by tests and school work. I also knew about 'book smart' and 'street smart', but I didn't know about all the other different kinds of intelligence people can have. Before the project, I thought only people who went to school and college were smart and now my opinions have changed throughout this project.
This project challenged my original ideas because I learned that there are more kinds of smarts than just book smart. I learned about Bodily-Kinesthetic, Naturalistic, Lodgical-Mathmatical, Visual-Spacial, Musical, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, and Linguistic. I learned that a everyone is smart in some way and that some people can have more than one intelligence.
According to this project, I am intelligent in Visual-Spacial, Lodgical-Mathmatical, Intrapersonal, and Naturalistic. According to this project, I have a lot of different intelligences. I learned through this project that whenever I see someone who I might not think of as 'smart' at first, that i should look deeper to see what intelligences they have.