Steinbeck Figurative Language

964 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: What is the idea of john steinbeck doing loneliness in his novel

John Steinbeck’s use of figurative language and local color in Cannery Row, Sweet Thursday and Of Mice and Men show his growth as a writer and highlight the reoccurring theme of loneliness and ostracism. The time gap in between these books show that Steinbeck grows as he experiences more throughout his life. Steinbeck’s novels are always set in California due to his extensive knowledge of the area since he has lived in the area his entire life. In all of his works the characters use parts of speech and actions that are customary to that area. Steinbeck’s personal life affects the themes of his writing significantly. In 1934 and 1935 Steinbeck lost both his mother and father, which made him view the world in a much darker outlook. Then in 1937, Of Mice and Men was published which revealed his negative outlook by ultimately having George kill Lennie in the end, proving that the loneliness would overwhelm George much like the loneliness that Steinbeck was dealing with in his personal life. In 1945 an unhappy Steinbeck, who supposedly had everything he could have ever wanted, moved out of his dream house in Monterey and never returned there again. That same year Cannery Row was published which also portrays a feeling of loneliness through Doc. Steinbeck’s writing suffered after the lose of his close friend Ed Ricketts in 1948, which effected his writing of Sweet Thursday because Ricketts was the model for the main character Doc. Steinbeck’s theme of loneliness continued in this novel. In the beginning of Sweet Thursday Mack is lonely because everyone has went off to war except for himself. Then Suzy shows up in town with not a single family member or friend. Also Joe Elegant is isolated because he is “different” from Mack and the bo... ... middle of paper ... ...so uses a generous amount of figurative language to portray Slim. Slim is depicted using a metaphor as, “a jerkline skinner, the prince of the ranch”. Slim is also said to have hands that are, “large and lean, were as delicate in their action as those of a temple dancer.” Which is expressed through the practice of a simile. George also describes Lennie, using a simile, as, “jes’ like a kid”. Steinbeck also practices dialect familiar with the area and time through a metaphor by having George say, “Me an’ Lennie gonna roll up a stake.” This means to save up some money. The puppy that dies because of Lennie petting it is a symbol of Curley’s wife who also dies subsequently of Lennie petting her hair. The water snake at the end of the story is representational in nature as it glides “smoothly up the pool” by foreshadowing the evil that is impending upon Lennie’s fate.

Show More
Related

  • John Steinbeck's East of Eden - Good Versus Evil

    976 Words  | 2 Pages

    Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath, The Moon is Down, Cannery Row, East of Eden, Of Mice and Men. New York: Heinemann/Octopus, 1979. pp.475 - 896.

    Read More

  • The Divided-Duality of Cannery Row

    898 Words  | 2 Pages

    As John Steinbeck publishes “Cannery Row” in 1945, the same year when World War II ends, some scholars claim that his book somehow relates to the war. The novel is one of the most admirable modern-American narratives of the 20th and 21st century. It is set during the Great Depression in Monterey, California. The entire story is attached to a sensitively complex ecosystem that creates different approaches for the reader. The system is so fragile that one’s mistake can be the town’s last. Steinbeck depicts unique characters like Mack and the boys (who will stand as one character and/or group), Doc, and Lee Chong. Although there are many themes that can be extracted from these characters, the theme that arises the most is the isolation of the individual as it can be split into two different categories, the psychological and the physical.

    Read More

  • The Blindness on John Stienbeck´s Of Mice and Men

    545 Words  | 2 Pages

    Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is a novel about loneliness and the American Dream. This book takes place during the Great Depression. It was very difficult for people to survive during this time period. A lot of people hardly survived let alone had the necessities they needed to keep relationships healthy. Of Mice of Men has a common theme of disappointment. All the characters struggle with their unaccomplished dreams. The migrant workers, stable buck, swamper, and the other men on the ranch had an unsettled disappointment of where they were at in their lives. George and Lennie, two newcomers to the ranch, aren’t like the other guys. They have each other and they are the not loneliest people in the world. Lennie has a dream though he wants to own a farm with plenty of crops and animals one day. The only problem is his blind curiosity of people and things around him. George wasn’t justified for killing Lennie because Lennie was innocent and never got the chance to find out what he did wrong.

    Read More

  • Themes in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men

    1108 Words  | 3 Pages

    John Steinbeck, an American novelist, is well-known for his familiar themes of depression and loneliness. He uses these themes throughout a majority of his novels. These themes come from his childhood and growing up during the stock market crash. A reader can see his depiction of his childhood era. In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck shows the prominent themes of loneliness, the need for relationships, and the loss of dreams in the 1930s through the novels’ character.

    Read More

  • Imagery In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

    844 Words  | 2 Pages

    One of the similes is the following: "He's jes' like a kid, ain't he,"(104). At the ranch, Slim, a jerkline skinner and George talk about Lennie and how strong he is. Slim is the one who says that Lennie is like a kid, which is true. Although Lennie may be an adult just like his brother George, he behaves similar to a child. One could know this because of Lennie's passion for rabbits, his inability to stay out of trouble, and his inability to think before doing. Today, he would be diagnosed with a mental disorder, but that was a different story during the 1930s. Nobody knew why people behaved like Lennie did. The only solution they would have come up with was the idea of throwing him into a mental asylum. Because of his childish behavior, he is unable to think for himself. Therefore, he is not to be blamed for his immature behavior. But Curley did not know that, and Lennie had to go through suffering that he did not even deserve. John Steinbeck uses this quote to explain the cruelty of life inside somebody, even though he does not deserve it. The relates to how people feel pity for those who are diagnosed with a mental

    Read More

  • Theme Of Dreams In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

    1148 Words  | 3 Pages

    When Lennie and George encounter Slim, another ranch hand, they automatically respect him and react positively towards him. “This was Slim, the jerkline skinner. His hatchet face was ageless. He might have been thirty-five or fifty. His ear heard more than was said to him, and his slow speech had overtones not of thought, but of understanding beyond thought. His hands, large and lean, were as delicate in their action as those of a temple dancer.” (Steinbeck, 33-34) Slim is the noblest of the ranch as the only character who seems to be at peace with his circumstances and his life. The other characters view slim as wise and respectable man and often go to him for guidance, as the only person who has achieved what he wants in life.

    Read More

  • Skill and Craftsmanship in the Works of Steinbeck

    1543 Words  | 4 Pages

    Throughout Cannery Row, Of Mice and Men, The Red Pony and The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck professes his admiration for the man who displays skill and craftsmanship in his work. A man who does his job exceedingly well is, by extension in Steinbeck's works, a hero who is satisfied in doing his best in affection for his craft - a direct contrast to the multitude of humans who are merely unsuccessful and unhappy dreamers.

    Read More

  • Of Mice and Men

    1567 Words  | 4 Pages

    I have been analysing the novella ‘Of Mice and men’ by John Steinbeck, which was published in 1937. Steinbeck wrote the novel based on his own experiences as a bindle stiff in the 1920’s, around the same time when the great Wall Street crash happened, causing an immense depression in America. Throughout the novel he uses a recurring theme of loneliness in his writing, which may have reflected his own experiences at this time. This is evident in his writing by the way he describes the characters, setting and language in the novel.

    Read More

  • The Life of John Steinbeck

    1522 Words  | 4 Pages

    John Steinbeck (1902-1968) was an award winning American author who published novels, short stories, screenplays, and travel narratives. Steinbeck’s highly detailed and in-depth writing style contributed to him producing emotionally moving works of literature. Focusing on the cruelty and hopelessness of the world, Steinbeck can be accredited as a naturalistic writer as he exemplified these ideas in many of his works. Growing up in a fertile valley, Steinbeck “developed a deep appreciation for the environment” (Shillinglaw); fueling his desire to accurately portray the struggles of everyday life. John Steinbeck’s Tortilla Flat uses naturalistic literary philosophy to examine how heredity, environment, and circumstance influence the lives of human beings.

    Read More

  • of mice and men...theme of lonliness in the book

    558 Words  | 2 Pages

    Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck, is a book that can be analyzed and broken down into a vast majority of themes. One of the predominant themes found in this book is loneliness. Many characters in this book are affected by loneliness and they all demonstrate it in one way or another throughout the book. Examples of these characters are Curley’s Wife, Crooks, and Candy.

    Read More

  • Steinbeck's Choice of Language in Of Mice and Men

    685 Words  | 2 Pages

    Steinbeck's Choice of Language in Of Mice and Men Introduction = == == == ==

    Read More

  • Loneliness In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

    1117 Words  | 3 Pages

    In his novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck depicts the essential loneliness of California ranch life in the 1930s. He illustrates how people are driven to find companionship. There were so many moments of loneliness and sadness throughout the novel, including many deaths. Following the deaths, they were very unexpected making the novel more intense and latch onto it more.

    Read More

  • Of Mice and Men, 3 Characters with Loneliness

    406 Words  | 1 Pages

    Loneliness is the sadness resulting from being forsaken or abandoned. John Steinbeck brought up the theme of loneliness in many characters in Of Mice and Men. Crooks, Curley?s wife, and Candy expressed the theme of loneliness in many different forms throughout the story. Early in the novella George said, life working as ranch hands is on the loneliness lives to live, for these people finding friendship seems to be impossible.

    Read More

  • The Loneliness Of mice and Men

    401 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the touching and gripping tale of John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, he explains many themes throughout the books. One of the major themes is loneliness, which is shown throughout many different characters, for example, Curley’s wife, the stable buck (Crooks), and Lennie.

    Read More

  • Friendship in Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men"

    774 Words  | 2 Pages

    "Were born alone we live alone die alone. Only through love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that were not alone” Orson Welles. In this novel, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck focuses on the loneliness of California ranch life in the 1930’s. One of the most important things in the life is to have a friend, without friends people will suffer from loneliness like in this novel, not everyone in the novel has the same connection and special friendship like George and Lennie’s. Of Mice and Men is the story about lonely men who travel from ranch to ranch not really communicating with other ranch hands. Candy, Crooks and Curley’s wife all were lonely and dealt with their loneliness in different ways.

    Read More

More about Steinbeck Figurative Language

Open Document