See If Vitamin C Is an Organic Compound

Yes, vitamin C is an organic compound. Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid or ascorbate, has the chemical formula C6H8O6. Because it is comprised of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms, vitamin C is classified as organic, whether or not it comes from a fruit, is made within an organism, or is synthesized in a laboratory. What Makes Vitamin C Organic In chemistry, the term organic refers to carbon chemistry. Basically, when you see carbon in a compounds molecular structure, this is a hint youre dealing with an organic molecule. However, simply containing carbon isnt sufficient, as some compounds (e.g., carbon dioxide) are inorganic. Basic organic compounds also contain hydrogen, in addition to carbon. Many also contain oxygen, nitrogen, and other elements, although these arent essential in order for a compound to be classed as organic. You may be surprised to learn vitamin C isnt just one specific compound, but rather, a group of related molecules called vitamers. The vitamers include ascorbic acid, the ascorbate salts, and oxidized forms of ascorbic acid, such as dehydroascorbic acid. In the human body, when one of these compounds is introduced, metabolism results in the presence of several forms of the molecule. The vitamers act primarily as cofactors in enzymatic reactions, including collagen synthesis, antioxidant activity, and wound-healing. The molecule is a stereoisomer, where the L-form is the one with biological activity. The D-enantiomer is not found in nature but can be synthesized in a lab. When given to animals that lack the ability to make their own vitamin C (such as humans), D-ascorbate has less cofactor activity, even though it is an equally potent antioxidant. Vitamin C From Pills Man-made or synthetic vitamin C is a crystalline white solid derived from the sugar dextrose (glucose). One method, the Reichstein process, is a combined microbial and chemical multi-step method of producing ascorbic acid from D-glucose. The other common method is a two-step fermentation process. Industrially synthesized ascorbic acid is chemically identical to vitamin C from a plant source, such as an orange. Plants typically synthesize vitamin C by enzymatic conversion of the sugars mannose or galactose into ascorbic acid. Although primates and a few other kinds of animals dont produce their own vitamin C, most animals do synthesize the compound and can be used as a source of the vitamin. So, organic in chemistry has nothing to do with whether a compound was derived from a plant or an industrial process. If the source material was a plant or animal, it doesnt matter whether the organism was grown using organic processes, such as free-range grazing, natural fertilizers, or no pesticides. If the compound contains carbon bonded to hydrogen, its organic. Is Vitamin C an antioxidant? A related question concerns whether or not vitamin C is an antioxidant. Regardless of whether its natural or synthetic and whether its the D-enantiomer or the L-enantiomer, vitamin C is an antioxidant. What this means is that ascorbic acid and the related vitamers are capable of inhibiting oxidation of other molecules. Vitamin C, like other antioxidants, acts by being oxidized itself. This means vitamin C is an example of a reducing agent.

Elie Wiesel Night Reflection - 1035 Words

The Holocaust is known for its vast dehumanization; nevertheless, history does not acknowledge the faith destroyed as a result. Elie Wiesel, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and author of the memoir Night, recounts his experiences telling his own story of faith being taken away from him. Wiesel, like many other Jews of this time, was taken from his home to Nazi-controlled concentration camps. Before his deportation, Wiesel’s faith used to be an eminent aspect of his life, describing himself as a child of the Talmud; however, the camps, Auschwitz, Buna, Gleiwitz, and Buchenwald, shatter all of his remaining faith. Wiesel’s writing conveys the idea that the less one is respected like a human being, the less one sees themselves and others as a†¦show more content†¦The experiences of Moshe foreshadow the way that the concentration camps will affect Wiesel and his future. Wiesel’s first major rebellion against his god transpires after he and his father are at Ausch witz, but his angst towards Him only gets stronger with time. After the veteran prisoners reveal the likely fate of ending up in the crematories Wiesel’s father whispers, â€Å"May His Name be blessed and magnified†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Wiesel 31). As a retort, Wiesel thinks, â€Å"For the first time, I felt revolt rise up in me. Why should I bless His name? The Eternal, Lord of the Universe, the All-Powerful and Terrible, was silent. What had I to thank him for?† (31). Him revolting towards his god reveals how he is beginning to doubt his faith and His power. Wiesel reflects on his first night writing†¦ Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, that turned my life into one long night seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the small faces of the children whose bodies I saw transformed into smoke under a silent sky. Never shall I forget those flames that consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget the nocturnal silence that deprived me for all eternity of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to ashes. Never shall I forget those things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never. (32) Wiesel describes him and the otherShow MoreRelatedElie Wiesel Night Reflection794 Words   |  4 PagesElie Wiesel was born in the Romanian town of Sighet. His parents came from Orthodox and Hasidic Jewish families. Both of hi parents died in the Nazi concentration camps, as did his younger sister; his two elder sister survived. After the war, Wiesel went an Orp hanage in France, studies at the Sorbonne, and became a journalist. The name of the book is call the Night. It were written in the 1955-1958. It also were written from South America, France. The book was published in Argentina, France. TheRead MoreThe Destruction Of The Holocaust1203 Words   |  5 Pagespreventing it. Elie Wiesel’s fulfilled his purpose of showing the heinous crimes of the Holocaust through the change of characterization of Elie before, during and after the events of Wiesel s 1940 memoir-Night. The Holocaust is remembered as a stain on history, where a massive genocide occurred. but we must also recognize the souls and personalities that were killed and burned. Wiesel trembling hands picked up these ashes, personifying their ebony remains into a young child-Elie. For every soulRead MoreThe Holocaust: Night by Elie Wiesel1635 Words   |  7 PagesJews were persecuted, tortured and slaughtered in concentration camps (â€Å"The Holocaust† 1). Night by Elie Wiesel is the powerful memoir of his experiences during the Holocaust. Night shows the tragedy of the Holocaust through the use literary devices, including the themes of loss of faith and cruelty toward other human beings, night as a symbol of suffering and fear, and the use of first person narrative. Night allows the reader to emotionally connect with the victims of the Holocaust, encourages themRead MoreNight, By Elie Wiesel1476 Words   |  6 PagesIn Night, by Elie Wiesel, one man tells his story of how he survived his terrible experience during the Holocaust. Wiesel takes you on a journey through his â€Å"night† of the Holocaust, and how he survived the world’s deadliest place, Auschwitz-Birkenau. Elie Wiesel will captivate you on his earth shattering journey th rough his endless night. Elie Wiesel’s book Night forces you to open your eyes to the real world by using; irony, diction, and repetition to prove that man does have the capability toRead MoreThe Inhumane Treatment Of The Holocaust1714 Words   |  7 Pagesmillion of these people being Jewish. Not only were millions murdered, but hundreds of thousands who survived the concentration camps were forever scarred by the dehumanizing events that they saw, committed, and lived through. In the novel â€Å"Night† by Elie Wiesel, Wiesel recounts the spine-chillingly horrific events of the Holocaust that affected him first-hand, in an attempt to make the reality of the Holocaust clear and understandable to those who could not believe it. What was arguably one of the worstRead MoreThe Death Of The Cattle Cars1610 Words   |  7 Pageswhich no one believed, helped to pass the time. The few days we lived here went by pleasantly enough, in peace. There were no longer questions of w ealth, of social distinction, and importance only people condemned to the same fate-still unknown† (Night 20). Elie and the others Jews from his community lose some of their innocence when placed on the train to go to the camps. Overall, nobody seemed to think they would actually be doing this and at first still had hope. After being forced on the train theyRead MoreNight by Elie Wiesel Essay1004 Words   |  5 PagesNight by Elie Wiesel Night is a memoir written by Elie Wiesel, a young Jewish boy, who tells of his experiences during the Holocaust. Elie is a deeply religious boy whose favorite activities are studying the Talmud and spending time at the Temple with his spiritual mentor, Moshe the Beadle. At an early age, Elie has a naive, yet strong faith in God. But this faith is tested when the Nazis moves him from his small town. Night begins in 1941, when Elie, is twelve years old. Having grown upRead MoreNight And Maus Reflection1343 Words   |  6 Pageskilled , many survived the Holocaust to tell their story . Some like Elie Wiesel, wrote their story from personal experience.Others like Vladek Spiegelman told told their story with the help of relatives. In Elie Wiesel’s story , he talks about how his life was before and during the Holocaust. In Vladeks story , by his son, Art, Spiegelman, was told through a series of interviews and a graphic novel. The authors of Night and Maus portray the Holocaust through survivor testimony , interviewsRead MoreNight And Dawn : The End And The Beginning Of A Day1667 Words   |  7 PagesNight and Dawn. The end and the beginning of a day. Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor, noted author and recipient of the Noble Peace Prize, writes of both the darkness of the Holocaust and of the dawn of its ending. While Night is Wiesel’s autobiographical tale of h is experiences during the Holocaust, both in his hometown and in the concentration camps, Dawn is a fictional tale of Elisha, an eighteen-year-old Holocaust survivor, who has joined the Jewish Resistance movement in Palestine. Both are storiesRead MoreElie Wiesel : A Resilient, Compassionate, Wise, And Intelligent Human Being Essay1380 Words   |  6 Pagescourageous, and wise? It’s hard to know how you would act during this circumstance, nevertheless to imagine this situation at all. However, Elie Wiesel was one to not only experience this horrible situation but survive it. Through his journey he stayed strong and courageous, even if he didn’t realize that is what he was doing at the time. In my opinion, Elie Wiesel was a resilient, compassionate, wise, and an intelligent human being. Of course, no one would have realized that they were being strong or

The Bean Trees Free Essays

In the book The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver, there is a young girl named Taylor who did not want to be like the typical girls from Kentucky. She wanted to go and get out of the small town. She got in her old beat up car and traveled throughout the United States, until she landed in Arizona. We will write a custom essay sample on The Bean Trees or any similar topic only for you Order Now When she was there she not only had to deal with herself, but she now had a little girl who she named Turtle. This was not her daughter; instead someone she barely knew handed her off to Taylor. Turtle was not your average toddler, she was what some people call retarded or slow, but Taylor did not even notice that, all she saw was a little girl in need of help. Even though Taylor could not give Turtle a life of riches, she knew she could at least do better than before. Throughout the rest of the book Taylor experiences many events that portray evil. â€Å"Turtle’s main goal in life, other than hanging on to things, seemed to be to pass unnoticed† (81). Turtle was a mentally slow child. When she was given to Taylor the woman said that her mother had died and that the little girl had no home. Taylor was just being a good person and taking Turtle, so that she could live in a better place. Once she had Turtle she took her back to the hotel and gave her a bath. When she did she realized that the black and blue marks on her body was not just dirt, but bruises. Taylor had grown up in a loving house with a loving mother who taught her the necessities of life. Seeing Turtle and beat up and scared broke Taylor’s heart. There was a cactus with bushy arms and a coat of yellow spines as thick as fur. A bird had built her nest in it. In and out she flew among the horrible spiny branches, never once hesitating. You just couldn’t imagine how she’d made a home in there† (130). Which makes Turtle’s new life, not glamorous, but a lot better than it could have been. Turtle was not the only person in Taylor’s life. There were two immigrants that were friends of hers they were Esperanza and Esteven. She knew that they were in the country illegally, but Taylor did not care. They were nice people who had been tortured in their life as well. The government had been trying to get them and everyone seemed to be very rude to them. â€Å"You can go and visit heaven. What? You see a room just like the first one, the same table, the same pot of stew, the same spoons as long as a sponge mop. But these people are all happy and fat† (113). Esteven meant that there is people will help you in heaven, but no one will help you in hell. He was influencing that he was in hell because someone had kidnapped his very own kid, and the government is out to get rid of them. This shows how their whole life they have been trying to run away from evil. Turtle was a very unlucky and lucky girl. She was unlucky in the sense that she had been abused and almost lost and kidnapped. She was in the park one day playing with Lou Ann’s child, when this scary man came up and was going to take her. Her babysitter put up her cane and scared the man away. Turtle did not just forget about it though. She went on not talking to anyone about anything, even Taylor. Taylor had always been very strong when hard or scary situations came upon them. In this case she was not, she was going crazy worried that Turtle would never talk again. She also started feeling sorry for herself, like she wasn’t good enough to be a mother to Turtle. She soon came to realize that she was the best life that Turtle could have right now. Eventually Turtle talked again but it she felt most comfortable with Taylor. Throughout this book there were many bad experiences that happened to Taylor. She found a sad little girl that was abandoned and bruised, friends that were in trouble with the government, and a new daughter that was almost kidnapped. Even throughout all of those hard times Taylor managed to not â€Å"freak out† she always looked at life in the positive eye. Taylor is a strong woman, and even though people have their weaknesses she was a great mother to Turtle. Out of all the evil in her life she made it look so simple to deal with. â€Å"†¦I was not the smartest or even particularly outstanding but I was there and staying out of trouble and I intended to finish† (3). Taylor was not the perfect mother or a perfect person, but she had a great heart and a great passion to do the right thing, and that she was amazing at. How to cite The Bean Trees, Essay examples

Mechanism Behind Cystine-Tellurite Blood Agar free essay sample

These tellurite-resistant bacteria reduce tellurite to its elemental less toxic form tellurium Te0 intracellularly. The result is the accumulation of black deposits inside the cell is due to either internal or periplasmic accumulation of Te. Tellurite toxicity results from its ability to act as a strong oxidizing agent over a variety of cell components. Tellurite could exert its toxicity through intracellular generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Tellurite inhibits the cellular response to oxidative stresses. To inhibit the growth of most normal bacterial inhabitants of the upper respiratory tract, including most species of Streptococcus and Staphylococcus, is to inhibit the growth of aerobic organisms through the presence of oxygen and high concentration of tellurite. Reactive oxygen species compounds such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide anion (O2-) and hydroxyl redical (OH-) are natural byproducts of the normal metabolism of oxygen that can be formed by exposure of cells to free-radical generating molecules like metals and metalloids. We will write a custom essay sample on Mechanism Behind Cystine-Tellurite Blood Agar or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page ROS compounds are generally very small molecules and are highly reactive due to the presence of unpaired valence shell electrons. Increase of ROS levels dramatically due to the action of tellurite will result in significant damage to cell structures. This situation is known as oxidative stress. Generally, harmful effects of reactive oxygen species on the cell are most often: 1. damage of DNA 2. oxidations of polydesaturated fatty acids in lipids 3. xidations of amino acids in proteins 4. oxidatively inactivate specific enzymes by oxidation of co-factors In aerobic organisms, the energy needed to fuel biological functions is produced in the mitochondria via the electron transport chain, in addition to energy reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced which have the potential to cause cellular damage. ROS can damage DNA, RNA, and proteins. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is converted from superoxide that leaks from the mitochondria. Within the bacterial cell, there is catalase and superoxide dismutase that help to minimize the damaging effects of hydrogen peroxide by converting it into oxygen and water, benign molecules, however this conversion is not 100% efficient, and residual peroxides persist in the cell. Thus, excessive amounts of can cause damage to the bacterial cell. The resistance of C. diphtheriae to tellurite increases approximately ten-fold when cells are grown under anaerobic conditions, which is presumably due to the cell’s inability to produce ROS products under oxygen deprivation conditions. Gram-positive bacteria have an intrinsic low-level resistance to TeO32? , while high-level resistance has been determined in certain gram-negative obligate aerobic photosynthetic species. The capacity of these bacteria to grow at the presence of high tellurite concentrations depends on two factors: a. Plasmids (such as IncHI, IncHII, and IncP plasmids) have genetic determinants that allows the adaption of tellurite-resistant organisms to survive. b. Chromosomal genes important for growth in the presence of K2TeO3 have been identified in a few species, but their role has not been clearly determined. Most gram-negative bacteria do not grow in the presence of tellurite because they do not have these plasmids and chromosomal genes to help in the adaption. Most tellurite toxicity takes place in an aerobic environment. The increasing level of resistance of an organism depends primarily on the absence of oxygen. References:

Mental Health in Acute Care Free Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Mental Health in Acute Care. Answer: NURS6055 I am mental health nurse and have done my graduation in mental health in acute care. I have more than one year of experience in mental health and acute care. Since from my childhood, I had immense urge to work for the people who are suffering from mental complications and that is the reason behind my enrolment in this course. The successful completion of the course helped me enrich my knowledge in mental health nursing. It also helped me understand that how proper management of symptoms is crucial in nursing care. I practise strictly in accordance with the professional standards ofNursing and Midwifery Board of Australia however; I am planning to enrich my skills as a mental health nurse via refining my communication skills and practise-based learning improvement. Two Personal Goals Enrich the skills in effective communication in order to attain proficiency verbal, non-verbal message, effective listening and responding. SMART Goal Specific I want to enrich my communication skills as it a crucial parameter for mental healthnursing Meaningful This goal is important because it will help to refine my skills as a nurse and at the same time will help me to connect with my patients more effectively Achievable I will enrol in a effective communication training crash course and will examine my senior registered nurses during the duty in order to study how they study Realistic I know I can achieve this because, Regular exposure to work along with training will help me attain faster proficiency Plus I am extremely determinant to excel in communication skills. Time Span 6 months Practise-based learning improvement via highlighting the personal strengths and deficiencies SMART Goal Specific This goal is important because it will help me to work on the deficiencies while helping me to attain refinement in my strength and this as a whole will help me to provide quality care to my patients, one of the important professional code of conduct ofNursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Meaningful This goal is important because it will help to refine my clinical nursing skills Achievable I will assist my seniors in providing quality treatment to patients Realistic I know I can achieve this because, regular exposure to work will help me attain enriched experience Time Span 1 year NURS6450 My main motivation behind undertaking the course of symptom management in clinical practise is to learn the ethics of appreciation extended towards supporting people in chronic symptoms management of mental health. This in turn goes with the professional code of conduct of Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia that states that nurse must value informed decision making. My belief of symptom management goes with importance of learning the theoretical perspectives of symptoms management while identifying the relationship between nursing response towards symptom management and client system outcomes. This learning connects with the ethical guidelines of Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia that states that nurse must value quality nursing care for all the patients. My two goals in this domain of nursing is to study more papers based on evidence based practice on patients experience on symptoms and to interact with in-patients on daily basis to ascertain their psychological perspectives on symptoms management. The main rationale behind these goals are: this will help me to ascertain patient perceptive towards pain or symptom management while implementing best possible practise based on evidenced based research. NURS6095 I choose to enrol in this course because I belief that a nurse must practise in a culturally competent manner and this exposure can only be achieved via participating in community based nursing interventions. My goals which I plan to achieve via participating in this practise is to attain excellence in understating the historical background of the aboriginals residing in Australia (Torres-Strait Islander) and my second goal is to increase my professional and personal capacity via working in collaboration with health care professionals and non-government service providers.

Yemen Developing A Country Essays - Republics, Western Asia, Yemen

Yemen: Developing A Country Yemen: A Focus on Development for the Oil and Tourism Industries Yemen, a third world country desperately trying to achieve 2nd or even 1st world status, is in the midst of turmoil and tribulation in trying to bail out their economy and increase their level of reform. Since 1995, the Yemeni government began to implement a large scale program of reform. The program was formulated in cooperation with the IMF and the World Bank and it is considered a liberal program aimed at making the market the dominant regulator of the economy (6. Mallakh, 241.) Unfortunately, the outcome of this reform is not encouraging even though 1995 and 1996 were nominally successful years for the program. Yemen's economy continues to operate under the auspices of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, with the government moving forward with the economic-reform package that was initiated in 1995 (6. Mallakh, 241.) In the conclusion of my first case study, I found that in order for Yemen to successfully reform economically, there was a definite need for for eign investment. Whereas this may prove to be true for a minute part of the economy, it fails to recognize the most blatant of truths: the Yemeni economy cannot survive without the counterbalance on the oil industry concerning the imports and exports. I. Yemeni oil production, Exploration and Foreign Investment 1. Oil Production Yemen's current oil output of about 350,000 bbl/d provides the country's main source of income. After a slight decline from 1995 to 1996, oil production is back on the increase. In 1996, output fell 5,000 bbl/d to 340,000 bbl/d, rebounding to 385,000 bbl/d in 1997. Yemen contains proven oil reserves of 4 billion barrels. Proven recoverable reserves of 1.7 billion barrels are concentrated in five areas: Marib-Jawf Block 18 (490 million barrels), Masila Block 14 (550 million barrels) in the south, the Jannab Block 5 (345 million barrels), and Iyad Block 4 (135 million barrels) in central Yemen. The Masila block is the country's most productive oil field at 200,000 bbl/d followed by Marib-Jawf at 140,000 bbl/d (4. USEIA) 2. Exploration and Bringing in Foreign Investment A. Exploration Exploration for additional reserves and new investments from foreign companies began to decline in 1994, due mainly to civil war between north and south Yemen, unattractive exploration and production contractual conditions, and the low success rate of hydrocarbon discoveries. However, exploration activity picked up again in 1997 after the civil war ended and the government started to offer more attractive contract terms. By mid 1997, approximately 20 exploration agreements were in force with foreign oil companies (4. USEIA) (5. E.I.U. p. 37-40.) B. Foreign Investment Projects In September 1997, Canada's TransGlobe Energy signed a MOU with Yemen's ministry of oil and mineral resources followed by a production sharing agreement (PSA) in December 1997 for the Dameis Block S1. Under the terms of the PSA, Transglobe will conduct a 3D seismic survey covering 60 square miles and drill three wells. This first exploration phase will take 22 years at a total cost of US$11 million. A second 22-year phase requires an additional 40 square miles of 3d seismic data and drilling three more wells. This second phase will cost another US$11 million. Block S1 was previously explored by Royal Dutch/Shell between 1990 and 1993. Meanwhile, another Canadian company, First Calgary Petroleum, signed a US$15 million deal for oil exploration in Yemen's southern province of Hadramaut. Two phases of exploration activities are expected, which will include drilling two wells as well as conducting 3D seismic surveys (2. Yemen Observer) 3. IMF Reform Package: Is it the answer? A.What is the IMF Reform package? The IMF program includes banking reform, privatization of state-run industries, major infrastructure investment, and reduction or elimination of government subsidies. Thus far, the economic situation has been improving in what is one of the world's poorest countries (3.IMF: Policy) B. Problems One of the main provisions in the IMF reform package calls for the government to reduce subsidies. The first two phases of reforms reduced subsidies on oil and electricity. Transportation fuel prices were doubled in March 1995, sparking violent protests especially in Aden. Prices for fuel, electricity, and water were increased again in January 1996; diesel prices increased between 40% and 60%.

Of Mice And Men By John Steinbeck Essays - English-language Films

Of Mice And Men By John Steinbeck CONFLICT Protagonist: The protagonist of the story is George. He is the kind-hearted ranch hand who is concerned about his friend Lennie and watches out for him. Antagonist: The antagonist of the story is George's trying to care for the handicapped Lennie. Because he has a giant's body and a child's mind, Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife; at the same time he kills the dream of owning a farm that has kept George and Lennie positive about the future Climax: The climax occurs when Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife. George knows that he can no longer save Lennie, for Curley will want revenge. Outcome: Of Mice and Men ends in tragedy. George feels compelled to mercifully kill his friend and companion, Lennie, in order to save him from a brutal death. The death of Lennie also marks the death of the beautiful dream they have been nurturing. Table of Contents MOOD The dominant mood of the story is that of expectation. This mood is developed through the dreams of the major characters. The other mood that prevails is premonitory, of impending doom. There are also other moods evoked through the actions of the characters reflecting sorrow, pity, and brutality. The novel ends on a tragic note. The mood at the end is definitely one of depression and frustration. Table of Contents PLOT (Synopsis) One evening, two men, on their way to a ranch, stop at a stream near the Salinas River. George, who is short and dark, leads the way. The person following him is Lennie, a giant of a man with huge arms. During their conversation by the stream, George repeatedly asks Lennie to keep his mouth shut on the ranch, suggesting that Lennie has some kind of problem. After supper and before going to sleep, the two of them talk about their dream to own a piece of land. The next day, George and Lennie travel to the ranch to start work. They are given two beds in the bunkhouse. Then Old Candy introduces them to almost everybody on the ranch. They meet the boss and the boss's son Curley, who is quite rude. They also meet Curley's wife when she comes looking for her husband. She wears heavy make-up and possesses a flirtatious attitude. George warns Lennie to behave his best around Curley and his wife. He also suggests that they should meet by the pool if anything unfortunate happens to either of them on the ranch. George and Lennie are assigned to work with Slim, who is sensible and 'civilized' and talks with authority. George finds Slim an understanding confidante, and a bond forms between the two of OF MICE AND MEN KEY LITERARY ELEMENTS SETTING This book is set in two places. It starts beside a stream, close to the Salinas River, a few miles South of Soledad. It then moves to a ranch, where the major part of the story is set. At the end of the novel, the setting comes back to where it started. George and Lennie are introduced by the stream. They are on their way to a near-by ranch. The surrounding land is thick in vegetation and has its own wild life. Men frequent it, as there are ash piles made by many fires and the limbs of the sycamore tree have been smoothed by the many men who have sat on it. The ranch, where the major part of the story takes place, appears isolated and lonely. It includes a ranch house, a bunkhouse where the ranch workers live, a barn, and a harness-room off the barn. Table of Contents CHARACTERS Major Characters George - the protagonist and main character of the book. He is a caring, compassionate, and understanding human being who dreams of owning his own piece of land. Lennie - the obedient friend of George. He has a child's mind and a giant's body. It is these contrasting qualities that cause him problems. Old Candy - one of the lonely ranch workers. He is a cripple, working as a 'Swamper'. Crooks - a black ranch hand. He is sensible and neat, with a mind of his own. He is a lonely character,