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John steinbeck themes in writing
John steinbeck themes in writing
John steinbeck common themes
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Holding a shotgun aimed at its head, tears in his eyes as he finally pulls the trigger and puts his old sheepdog out of its misery. It may seem cruel, but it’s really just for the dog’s benefit,. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck looks at a similar theme to this scenario of doing the hard things to ultimately benefit the “dog.” Friends George and Lennie after being run out of the questionably sounding town of Weed start new jobs on a ranch as they try and make their dream of owning their own bit of land with rabbits come true. Lennie however suffers a heartbreaking end when George has to shoot him so he won’t have to suffer at the hands of an angry entourage. The book focuses on the relationship of George and Lennie since they prove such an …show more content…
“‘What mouse George? I ain’t got no mouse.’ George held out his hand. ‘Come on. Give it to me. You ain’t putting nothing over.’ Lennie hesitated, backed away, looked wildly at the brush line as though he contemplated running for his freedom. George said coldly, ´You gonna give me that mouse or do I have to sock you?´ (pg 8).¨ George is like an older brother here because he is caring and authoritative but not afraid to use force to get what he wants. Lenne acts like a child and he uses simple tactics a child would to try and convince George to let him keep the mouse. ¨I used to have a hell of a lot of fun with him ‘im. Used to play jokes on ‘im ‘cause he was too dumb to take care of ‘imself. But he was too dumb even to know he had a joke played on him. I had fun...Why he’d do any damn thing I tol’ him (pg 40).” George enjoyed playing tricks on his dumber “younger brother” like an older brother would. Lennie is obedient of George as well as gullible like a typical younger brother. “George’s hands stopped working with the cards. His voice was growing warmer…(pg 57-8).” Even if Lennie annoys him sometimes, he still loves what he has with him: their shared dream. Lennie is excitable like a child when he hears George talk about it and it serves as a brotherly bonding experience. George and Lennie’s dynamic is much like that of an older and younger brother through their …show more content…
“I’ll tell George I foun’ it dead...But he’ll know. George always knows. He’ll say, ‘You done it. Don’t try to put nothing over me.’ An’ he’ll say, ‘Now jus’ for that you don’t get to tend no rabbits! (pg 85).” Lennie considers hiding his mistakes so he won’t be scolded. Lennie knows that he can’t get away with anything when it comes to George since he knows when Lennie is lying all the time. “If you think George gonna let you tend rabbits, you’re crazier’n usual. He ain’t. He’s gonna beat hell outta you with a stick, that’s what he’s gonna do...George won’t do nothing like that. I’ve knew George since--I forget when--and he ain’t never raised his han’ to me with a stick. He’s nice to me. He ain’t gonna be mean. (pg 102)” Lennie’s fears are that he will face the consequence of his action and be hit by George. Lennie knows however that George loves him so he wouldn’t abuse him at least. “‘No,’ said George. ‘No Lennie. I ain’t mad. I never been mad an’ I ain’t now. That’s a thing I want ya to know.’ (pg 106)” George tries to comfort lennie by telling the standard parent thing of ‘I’m not mad at you.’ George makes sure Lennie knows one last time he cares for him before he has to hurt him. George holds a parental position over Lennie in the last chapters of the
Of Mice and Men - George and Lennie seem to have a very close friendship throughout the story. Of Mice and Men George and Lennie seem to have a very close friendship throughout the story. This is strange because they are completely different from each other mentally, as well as physically. The author tells us that George is a small, quick and defined man. He is the leader of the two men and makes all the plans.
Due to child like qualities, Lennie is a person which would be easy prey and a vulnerable person. Lennie is a vulnerable person who is quite dumb. His has an obsession for touching soft thing and this will often lead him in to trouble. But poor Lennie is an innocent person who means no harm to anybody. When he and Curley get into a fight Lennie is too shocked to do any thing. He tries to be innocent but, when told to by George grabs Curley’s fist and crushes it. George is Lennie’s best friend and Lennie does every thing he tells him to do as demonstrated in the fight with “But you tol...
In this book George is constantly taking care of Lennie and is always reassuring him that they will have their own land and be able to tend the rabbits. George doesn’t actually believe in this dream which shows how he is willing to say anything to make Lennie happy. Also, George is constantly bringing up how easy his life would be without Lennie, he said "God almighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could get a job a work, an no trouble (12). This quote shows how George is aware that Lennie is holding him back from making more money but how he choices to stay with him because they have a genuine friendship. George takes his parental figure role seriously and would never leave him.
The physical symbiosis of George and Lennie is beneficial to Lennie but detrimental to George. Although George used to hurt Lennie, Lennie now needs George to bail him out of trouble. Lennie also profits because he needs a person to tell him what to do. “He can’t think of nothing to do himself, but he sure can take orders” (39). Lennie is “a hell of a good worker”(22) and able to “put up a four-hundred pound bale” (22) but is likely to get himself in trouble without George’s protective influence. George likes Lennie but would be better off without him because “you (Lennie) can’t keep a job and you lose me ever’ job I get” (11). Lennie hinders George while George helps Lennie.
In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck discusses Lennie, George, and Crooks. In this book Steinbeck wants the reader to understand how life was portrayed in American society back in the day. Steinbeck wants the reader to understand how people were treated differently because of their race and by their mental state. Steinbeck wants the reader to understand how the mindset of Lennie, George, and Crooks affects the story. Steinbeck wants the reader to understand why Lennie was always mistreated and why George was there to take care of him. Steinbeck wants the reader to understand why George answers for Lennie and why he tells Lennie what to do because Lennie could not do anything on his own without getting into trouble or messing something up. Steinbeck wanted to show the reader how African Americans were treated back then by putting Crooks into the mix. Steinbeck wants the reader to understand that Crooks was left out of activities and other things in the book because of his race and because of his crooked back.
chance I get I’ll give you a pup” (p14) then he gets George to re tell
Candy was an old swamper, and was missing one hand, his dog was just like him, very old and in poor shape. The poor old dog was blind, deaf, had no teeth and everyone complained about it smelling horrible, “we can’t sleep with him stinkin’ around here. (Steinbeck:47) All the farm hands believe that killing the dog was in the favor of the dog’s own good.
The author makes use of naturalism and presents Lennie as a human beast. Lennie possesses the body of a bear, but his actions are similar to those of a dog. He is able bodied but feeble minded. The combination of the preceding traits and his fondness of petting make him responsible for many murders. He has a nebulous and robust physical description. He possesses the mind of a child who requires supervision. George, the security of petting soft things, and a dream farm represent the meat and potatoes of his life. Lennie faces the mechanism of natural selection like any other animal.
How does John Steinbeck use the character George to illustrate aspects of 1930s American society?
Lennie thinks of George as his only friend, his guardian, someone who he can trust and depend on, someone who had accepted him for who he is despite his childlike tendencies. Every time he did something wrong, his only thoughts would be of George’s disapproval. “I did a real bad thing. I shouldn’t have done that. George’ll be mad at me.
“Of Mice and Men”, by John Steinbeck is a novel about the hardships of life and the importance of having other people around. The story is of two men trying to survive with one another in a world full of loneliness; their relationship is quite rare and strange. Lennie, a large bear, has a mental disability which causes him to be in a childlike state. George, a much smaller and more competent man takes care of both of them. Although they work for others on ranches, their dream is to get by on their own and live off the land. However, Lennie’s state causes conflict as they travel from job to job. Steinbeck uses clever ways in his novel to develop his theme and characters as the story progresses; both of these elements also help create a large
George, a character in Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck was “small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features. Every part of him was defined: small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose.” (Steinbeck, Pg.2) George was Caucasian and it looked as if he had stepped out of an old movie containing drifters, better known as migrant workers. Although physically George was very small, he had complete control over his companion Lennie, the way a father controls a son.
Lennie was not very smart and couldn't do much by himself. He had to be told what to do or he wouldn't do anything at all. He fits all the profiles for a retarded person. He doesn't have any self-control. When he starts to panic he gets out of control and even kills Curly's wife because she starts to scream. Lennie loves animals and can't stop talking about them. He always says that when they get their own place that he wants lots of rabbits, his favorite animal. To him George is like his father figure, since Lennie never really had any parents. He is easily amused and panics quickly.
George cares a lot about Lennie and makes sure that he doesn't have to worry about anything. Even though Lennie is mentally ill George doesn't abandon him, but takes him everywhere. Though Lennie can't really do anything to help them with money wise George still lets Lennie tend the rabbits at there dream ranch. Lennie likes touching soft things and goes too far whenever he pets something soft and George knows that so he doesn't let him touch any of the animals on the ranch or on the way to the ranch but it is all out of care for Lennie. George also doesn't want Lennie to kill any more animals too. George also sometimes uses Lennie to his advantage. He uses him like a shield since Lennie is strong, enormous, and masculine and George is small and the brains of the duo. George doesn't have what it takes to defend himself so he uses Lennie to do so like the time when Curley picked on Lennie he told Lennie to get him even though he knew Lennie could kill him. All the things George does is like any father towards his son, Lennie, so their relationship not any ordinary best friend relationship. It is actually more than
The famed nurses study from Harvard found “Not having a close friend is as detrimental to your health as smoking.” Lennie and George’s friendship is necessary to keep the better for each other. Throughout the story, Lennie and George need each other and look out for one another no matter what. Lennie and George’s friendship and journey throughout the story symbolizes the struggles to achieve the American dream. Steinbeck, in the story Of Mice and Men, combines characterization and symbolism to prove friends do whats best for eachother.