Love In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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Of Mice and Men is a novel written by John Steinbeck in 1937. It is based during the Great Depression, which was a time where many Americans moved around the country searching for jobs. Many of those Americans were similar to the characters in Of Mice and Men and migrated around the country, finding works on farms and ranches. Life was hard for them. In this story about two Americans looking for jobs, a major theme is being explored, that we must take responsibility for those we love. Steinbeck explores this theme through his use of the plot, which includes foreshadowing and characterization. Steinbeck explores the theme that we must take responsibility for those we love through the plot where Carlson shoots Candy’s dog. Candy is closely …show more content…

George and Lennie are characterised as best friends while sharing a parent-child relationship. Once George finds out that Lennie kills Curley’s wife, he learns from Candy that Curley will definitely kill him. At this point, George most likely decides that Lennie is not good for this world as he is too dangerous and likely to murder innocent people. George eventually decides to let Lennie die but he has to kill Lennie instead of letting Curley to kill him, which is confirmed when George steals Carlson’s gun. George chooses to kill Lennie because Candy teaches him that he should be responsible for the person he loves, in this case, Lennie, or in Candy’s case, his dog, as Candy put it “I shouldn't ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog" (30). During the final conversation before Lennie dies, George engages Lennie in a friendly conversation while planning to kill Lennie behind his back to save Lennie from suffering and also leaves Lennie’s last impression of George a wonderful one, this emphasises that George cares deeply for Lennie. In the final moment, George struggled to kill Lennie, as Steinbeck writes: “George’s hand shook violently, but his face set and his hand steadied” (53), but he knows that he has to do it so “he pulled the trigger (53)” right before Curley and the others arrive. This moment is the most important in the story as this is the

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