The Power Struggle in Of Mice and Men Steinbeck Of Mice and Men Essays

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The Power Struggle in Of Mice and Men In the book Of Mice and Men, by George Stienback, I think that the ranch is all in a constant power struggle, and no one seems to ever come out on top. It seems like some people have a natural aura of power around them and some do not. George seems to have natural power. he is always commanding Lennie, and the people at the ranch all have some respect for him, especially Lennie. "'...they aint got nothin' to look ahead to.'. . . Lennie was delighted 'that's it- that's it. Now tell how it is with us'" This quote shows that George has complete control of how Lennie feels, and just by saying a few words he has made Lennie happy and elated. Just as George has a natural aura of power and everyone on the ranch respects him, Lennie has a different kind of power. Everyone fears Lennie because of his size and his incredible strength. But without George, Lennie seems to have no idea what to do with himself, and he just sits around with no one to tell him what to do. The only thought that Lennie seems to have when he is not around George are that George had better be ok. "'George gonna come back.' Lennie reassured himself in a frightened voice." Lennie seems to be afraid even to think without George's consent. He is afriad that George will "give him hell" even when George is not there. Slim seems to have the most power on the entire ranch. He seems to have a great aura of power and he is very modest, and that seems to make him even more powerful. In the book it says that "Slim's opinion is law" and that he "didn't need to wear high-heeled boots with spurs to say that he wasn't a working man." Slim seems to have the most power on the ranch. He doesn't even know it. The constant power struggle on the ranch is what makes the ranch such a hectic place to be. and no one ever seems to come out on top.

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