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Analysis of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men
986 Words2 Pages
Analysis of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck's novel, "Of Mice And Men", is a skilfully structured novel that uses parallels, contrasts, foreshadowing, motifs and symbols to emphasise the numerous themes the novel is based on. The story is set during the American depression and focuses on two migrant American labourers. George looks after his immensely strong but stupid friend, Lennie. The two men both dream that one-day they will own their own land and work only for themselves, but Lennie's lack of understanding of his own strength and the cruel world in which he lives brings him unwanted trouble. Steinbeck is a master of using parallels and foreshadowing. At the beginning of the book the reader is introduced to an incident in Weed, in which Lennie, not understanding that he was doing wrong, grabbed a woman's dress. As a result of this Lennie and George are chased out of Weed. This foreshadows and is in parallel with Lennie accidentally killing Curley's wife. The incident in Weed as with the killing of Curley's wife was caused by Lennie's child-like love of soft materials. In Weed Lennie's refusal to let go of a woman's dress was caused by the woman panicking, which in turn caused him to panic. This event and Lennie accidentally killing his pup (this again was caused by Lennie not knowing his own strength) foreshadow and parallel Lennie killing Curley's wife. Lennie again killed accidentally, by breaking her neck when she panicked after he refused to let go of her hair. Parallels are used here to emphasise certain themes such as the predatory nature of human existence (a frequent strong theme throughout the boo... ... middle of paper ... ...obert Burn's poem - "To A Mouse" which is based on a similar theme to "Of Mice And Men" in that even the best laid plans will bring nothing but grief and pain: "But Mousie, thou art no thy lane, In proving foresight may be vain: The best-laid schemes o'mice an'men Gang aft agley, An' lea'e us nought but grief and pain, For promis'd joy." The death of Lennie at the end of the novel awakens George to this as well as the impossibility of the American dream a common motif, symbol and theme throughout the story. John Steinbeck's novel, "Of Mice And Men," is an ingenious piece of work in which his simple use of dialogue and skilful use of parallels, contrasts, motifs and symbols emphasise the numerous themes that can be related to real life so the reader can relate to and understand the story.
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Themes in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men
1108 Words | 3 PagesA friendship is not all they have together, Lennie and George have dreams. Lennie and George have worked up the idea of owning their own piece of land together. Lennie wants to tend the rabbits (Steinbeck 11) and George just wants to be his own boss (Steinbeck 14). The only problem with their dream is that it is unrealistic. They cannot buy land to tend and just go days without tending it because they do not want to. Like many traveling farm hands during the 1930s, George and Lennie think they could work up enough money to buy their own place and not give a “hoot” about anyone but their selves. Although their dream is unattaina...
Epilogue To John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men
605 Words | 2 PagesOne week after Lennie's death, George sits in the dark corner of a bar. The room is all but empty and dead silent. All the windows are shut, through the small openings come beams of dull light that barely illuminate the room. George stares at his glass with an expressionless face, but a heavy sadness in his eyes. The bartender comes towards him and asks if he would like something else to drink.
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762 Words | 2 PagesBoth “To a Mouse” and Of Mice and Men are very interesting and intriguing well-developed works by two distinctly different authors. The authors have different writing styles, as well as different ways of formatting their works. However, they share the same message. This message is that no matter what one does to prepare, they should always have a Plan B. Things can and often do go awry. By comparing both subjects, the reader can gain a better understanding of the similarities and differences between the two. They also learn precisely why the inquisitive author Steinbeck found inspiration in Burns’ detailed and symbolic poem.
John Steinbeck's Influence On Of Mice And Men
711 Words | 2 PagesThe quote that inspired John Steinbeck was the best laid schemes often go off track can be seen in the novel of Mice and Men. When Curley's wife met a man in her childhood that offered her to be an actress but the chance went away and she later died. Then Curley wanted to be a professional boxer but the dream never happened and he became a farmer then got his hand broken for trying to be tough. George and Lennie were going to buy a farm to live off the fat of the land then Lennie had to get in trouble and George had to give up the dream and kill Lennie for what he had done.
Summary Of John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men
1849 Words | 4 PagesIn the exposition of the book, George and Lennie are sitting on a river bed a few miles south of Soledad beside the Salinas River. Lennie is a large, lumbering, childlike man with a mild mental disability. Because of this he relies on George for guidance and protection. Lennie is gentle and kind, but nevertheless, he does not understand his own strength and his love of petting soft things, such as small animals, dresses, and people’s hair, later leads to disaster. George was a small and wiry man who travels with and cares for Lennie. George’s behavior is motivated by the desire to protect Lennie with the hopes of delivering them both to the farm of their dreams someday. The author, John Steinbeck describes how the river was warm and on one side of the river, the “golden foothill slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains.” On the other side of the river, there are trees that line the riverbed. Steinbeck describes how the trees were “willows fresh and green” during the spring time and “sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the pool.” In the first chapter of the book, he describes how peaceful the place is that Lennie and George end up staying for a night. In the beginning of the book, Lennie asks George to talk to him about the dream that
Exploring Friendship and Human Nature in 'Of Mice and Men'
450 Words | 1 PagesThe book, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck may have many themes present in the book. However, I think that there is only two. Those two themes are friendship and human nature. These two subjects play a recurring role throughout the whole book to make it what it really is.
Summary Of John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men
1038 Words | 3 PagesTragedy in life can be used to demonstrate the ultimate display of compassion and love, which truly demonstrates the qualities of men. In life people create attachments and bonds, craving companionship over isolated individualism. There is a endless cycle and chain of events that cause the annihilation of bounds which leads to tragedies bringing sadness. In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck focuses the reader 's attention on the bond between two individuals George and Lennie, who are running from past experiences trying to start anew chasing their American Dream unaware of what 's lurking ahead. Through craftsmanship, nature, transnational connections, evocative imagery, and symbolism, Steinbeck exhibits the cyclic journey in life, in which Lennie
Of Mice And Men
612 Words | 2 PagesIn the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck brings out the themes of Lonliness and companionship, and strengths and weaknesses through the actions, and quotations of the characters. Irony and foreshadowing play a large roll on how the story ends. Lennie and his habit of killing things not on purpose, but he is a victim of his own strength. George trying to pretend that his feelings for Lennie mean nothing. The entire novel is repetitive in themes and expressed views.
Of Mice And Men
1098 Words | 3 PagesThe daily struggle of the working class, fear of loneliness and the reality of putting all your energy into plans that fail are the different themes relating to John Steinbeck's novel, "Of Mice and Men". The characters depicted by the author are individuals who are constantly facing one obstacle after another. The book illustrates different conflicts such as man versus society, man versus man, man versus himself and idealism versus reality. The book's backdrop is set in the Salinas, California during the depression. The two main characters include two men, George and Lennie. Supportive characters include a few ranch hands, Candy, Crooks, Curly, Slim and Carlson.
Of Mice and Men and Steinbeck’s Life
2032 Words | 5 Pages"If an author does not have at least one great popular success, he or she may well be ignored by the media, but if he or she is constantly popular, then the critics become suspicious of the writer's serious intentions" (Benson Introduction). What do critics from the literary world have to say about Steinbeck's writings? Critics have much to say, both positive and negative. What link exists between Steinbeck and his writings? Perhaps the most noteworthy biographical link between Steinbeck and his writings is that he was born and came to maturity in the Salinas Valley. In this area of California, bounded on the north and south by the Pajaro and Jolon valleys on the west and east by the Pacific Ocean and the Gabilan Mountains, Steinbeck found the materials for his fiction (Tedlock 3). John Steinbeck's agricultural upbringing in the California area vibrantly shines through in the settings and story lines of the majority of his works.
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832 Words | 2 PagesIn 1935, his novel Tortilla Flat established him as a popular and critical success but unfortunately his parents died before he achieved his first success.
Conflict In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men
748 Words | 2 PagesAfter Lennie gets into the debacle with Curley’s wife, he runs to the oasis described at the beginning of the book. George fears the men will tear Lennie apart and murder him. He also knew he would be institutionalized, or “caged” if he survived the attack. He had the moral clarity that let him see that killing Lennie was the best thing for him. When George kills Lennie, it’s a kind of mercy killing.
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162 Words | 1 PagesOnce upon a time a naive man named Bob was accumulating a bunch of candy. He was stupid enough to adorn his gingerbread house with candy. The ruinous mice ate all his candy. The disconsolate man set out to get back his candy and kill the mice. He blundered around until he stumbled to a river, so Bob decided that this was a good place to rest for the night. The next day the sleep deprived man was captured by the mice. He woke up face to face with a odious mouse. Bob struggled indignantly against the rough hemp rope. The mice rasped and drowned on and on about mice being superior to all other animals, meanwhile Bob slowly untied the rope that bound him. Suddenly he was free moving slowly he grabbed a stick. When the mouse turned his back on him
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523 Words | 2 PagesThe evening sun was disappearing from the valley. A cool breeze rushed through the leaves of the trees as birds danced to the sound of silence. The calm, bright blue Salinas River swayed back and forth, bumping into the grayish rocks. Grass sprouted as they were being fed. The barn was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. No more yelling, no more galloping horses, just the sound of lungs inhaling and exhaling.
Steinbeck and His Techniques for Success in "Of Mice and Men"
919 Words | 2 PagesThere is only one way an author can get their readers to cry, laugh, and love or just enjoy their master pieces. That one way is through the uses of literary devices such as similes, metaphors and personification. These are the small things that brings the author`s thoughts and ideas alive. The author`s ability to use literary devices through the book helps in direct characterization and lets readers get a better understanding of Lennie and George, the two main characters Of Mice and Men. It also helps in keeping readers thinking on their feet and constantly questioning George and Lennie`s next move while in Salinas, California. John Steinbeck, in his novel Of Mice and Men, makes use of similes and foreshadowing to keep readers in touch with the characters and at the edge of their seats throughout the story.
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