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Characters of mice and men
What did john steinbeck think about racial discrimination
Characters of mice and men
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Imagery is shown through two hallucinations that Lennie has before the end of the book. He has just escaped the ranch because of the accidentally killing of Curley's wife. Lennie also realizes that George will not let him tend rabbits on a farm, which was the desire that he wanted the most. After all George said, "But you ain't gonna get in no trouble, because if you do, I won't let you tend the rabbits" (65). Constantly throughout the book, Lennie pesters George about taking care of rabbits on a farm of their own; tending rabbits was Lennie's dream. As he hides near the river where he and George stayed the night before going to the ranch, Lennie begins seeing his Aunt Clara. But Aunt Clara was speaking in Lennie's voice. She begins to blame …show more content…
George's dream is to have a ranch of his own and Lennie's dream is to have, as mentioned earlier, a farm filled with rabbits. Lennie's hope for his dream is influenced whenever George starts describing his dream farm in explicit detail, such as how the fields are going to look, what animals they will own, what the daily routine will be etc. This farm symbolizes happiness and salvation, especially for Lennie, since he understands that the farm is his ticket to getting rabbits. In fact, the reason why he forgets George's orders is because he cannot stop thinking about his rabbits. A farm has basically become Lennie's version of heaven. This relates to how people always long for something to the point of where it becomes like heaven, a place where happiness lasts forever. Unfortunately, the rabbits symbolize false hope. For instance, Lennie holds a dead mouse and a dead puppy all for the same reason: he killed them. His love for petting soft creatures only causes trouble for himself. So if he owns a lot of rabbits, it is more than likely that they will all die because of Lennie. The rabbits, to Lennie, are things that seem like they will bring him true happiness, when they only create more sorrow. In other words, the rabbits symbolize sorrow disguised as salvation because in the end, Lennie goes suffers all because of his love for soft things. This is able to teach readers how dreams in the past …show more content…
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
Peter Lisca’s analysis on “Motif and Pattern in Of Mice and Men” clarifies that Steinbeck’s misunderstood usage of symbols, actions, and language convey motifs and patterns that connects the beginning of the book to the end. Lisca implies that the first and primary usage of symbolism was the area near the river where the story initiated and ended. He insinuates that the cave that Lennie mentioned twice and the river George ordered Lennie to visit when in danger symbolizes as “a safe place” and innocence while becoming “translated into terms possible in the real world” (Lisca 1). In addition, Lisca also advocates that the rabbits serve as symbols to dramatize Lennie’s devotion for his safe place, but also to “define the basis of what desire on a very low level” (Lisca 2).
why Lennie and George Travel together and is not very understanding. Although you never find
In the novel, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck chooses to use many different and unique symbols in order to help develop characters and to foreshadow upcoming events. The symbols used in this story give it a more effective message and provide a better understanding to what Steinbeck has intended to convey. He uses many different forms of symbolism, some which are objects while some are actual human relationships, in order to make the story more realistic and to give it a more insightful approach.
From the introduction it seems that Lennie is more excited than George about the vision. George is easily unhappy about “them rabbits” (Page 5) it makes you think the George thinks this whole dream is a foolish idea. This will get more difficult as we get to understand that George might actually be as thrilled about the dream as Lennie is; it seems George is actually more vigilant about his eagerness, given that he is more mature and weary of things than his friend. The last paragraph of the book explores a deep friendship that has not been revealed in the novella, this part of the book also brings emotions for the characters and even the readers. In the last few pages of the novella you start to release the dream actually doesn’t become a reality as sadly Lennie will be shot by George. “I thought you were mad at me George.” (Page 120) “No, Lennie. I ain’t mad. I never been mad an’ I ain’t now. That’s a thing I want ya to know.” (Page 120) George knows that the only way to make Lennie happy before he gets shot is to retell the dream about tending the rabbits and also telling him
In California, two friends travel together to attempt to achieve their life long dream of owning their own farm. As they are traveling, they encounter situations that affect their future plans. During the Great Depression, George and Lennie, the main characters, begin searching for work to pay for their dream. As they search for work, George notices that Lennie can’t control his own strength. When they find work, they face many problems on the job especially with the bosses son, Curley. In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck uses Foreshadowing as a unifying device to reveal future events that may occur later in the story.
Lennie’s illness was seen as common and nothing to take concern over, which pertains to the vague yet soft sympathy from George whom “babysits” Lennie. George was an older brother to Lennie in a sense, helping him to get through life without any mishaps. However for George, Lennie’s illness determined their income and job status. In several incidences, Lennie overreacted in certain situations causing them to lose or leave their job spontaneously. At different points in the book, George became frustrated with Lennie: “You can't keep a job and you lose me ever' job I get. Jus' keep me shovin' all over the country all the time. An' that ain't the worst. You get in trouble. You do bad things and I got to get you out” (Steinbeck 12). This showed the overall frustration yet compassion towards Lennie, however extreme concern. According to Lennie, when he killed the puppy he said: “Why do you got to get killed, you ain’t as little as mice I didn’t bounce you hard” (Steinbeck 85). This really brought out the fact that Lennie’s illness was not to be tempered with, as he really couldn’t ever contemplate the harsh, unintentional things he’s done. When George and Lennie arrive at their new job, tension rises in the book and the author brings out that possible aspect of Lennie unintentionally doing something wrong which in turn would cause them to lose their job--or
When you’re first introduced to a character you can depict their role within the story, but sometimes they can portray a much larger meaning. Many characters in numerous stories can be considered allegories due to author trying to show a bigger picture. Such as the story Of Mice and Men. This John Steinbeck novella can be viewed as an allegory due to the characters being able to embody certain groups in society. Three characters that symbolize a particular group are Curley’s wife, George, and Lennie.
George and Lennie need each other to achieve their dream of their own farm with rabbits to tend. Lennie could not take care of his rabbits or even survive without George.
The 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.
George and Lennie have to continue to move around the country looking for work until Lennie screws up again. The instability of work only makes it that much harder for them to complete their dream of a farm of their own. Candy’s participation in the dream of the farm upgrades the dream into a possible reality. As the tending of rabbits comes closer to happening fate curses them with the accidental death of Curley’s wife. The end of their wishful thinking is summed up by Candy’s question on page 104, “Then-it’s all off?”
This theme is beautifully suggested by how Steinbeck organized the sequences of his novel. He starts off his story with a calm environment, introducing the two main characters. Then he quickly builds up to the climax of his story using figurative language, such as foreshadowing and imagery. After creating a big commotion, Steinbeck suddenly shifts his story back to the same soft setting that he used in the beginning of his novel. Steinbeck began the novel with the line “A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green.” (1,) and he began his last chapter with a similar line. By doing this, Steinbeck shows his readers that peace will be found again after a time of
After Lennie made the mistake of asking for ketchup, a luxury they can’t afford, George erupts. When he has finally calmed down, Lennie asks for George to tell him about their dream:“‘Tell me-like you done before.’ ‘Tell you what?’ ‘About the rabbits.” Lennie feels secure when he hears George tell him about their little house. Their dream is like a mother’s heartbeat to a newborn. It is always there when he is in need of comfort. Later on, when they have gotten their job, Lennie meets Curley. In an effort to fight back as Curley attacks him, Lennie grabs his hand and annihilates it. On his way to get cleaned up Lennie turns back to look at George and ask him, “I can still tend the rabbits, George?” The small responsibility of taking care of rabbits means the world to him. He thinks that because he protected himself, George would take away his privilege to nurture the little BB bunnies. That was all that mattered, everything in his life was just leading up to the bunnies. When he kills the puppy Slim gave him, again, his thoughts immediately turn towards the bunnies: “Now I won’t get to tend the rabbits. Now he won’t let me.” This time though, instead of comfort, these thoughts bring him misery. Everything thing he wanted in life (mostly) was taken away in one simple
a better way of life - but something always seems to get in the way of
Linguistic value such as figurative language and poetry is displayed magnificently throughout the novel. Poetry is an element of linguistic value that appeals to readers of all ages. Steinbeck uses poetry in his works of writing as ways to provide vivid imagery and create distinct moods. As he was describing the scenery around the area where George and Lennie were, Steinbeck used poetry to emphasize the mood in this story amazingly when he wrote, “There is a path through the willows and among the sycamores, a path beaten hard by boys coming down from the ranches to swim in the deep pool, and beaten hard by the tramps who come wearily down from the highway in the evening to jungle-up near water.” (1). Steinbeck used poetry in this sentence
The dog displays Lennie’s death and Candy’s dog shares the same death and have people wanting to kill them to get rid of the problems they are causing to others. The dog symbolizes his death by getting killed with the same weapon which is the Lugger. The rabbits shows the pureness in Lennie by Lennie wanting to protect that part in him and the rabbits representing as a shoulder angel after he killed Curley’s wife and ran away. The pureness are shown through the rabbits by Lennie making sure that he will kill any cats that harms the rabbits which means that he wants to secure the goodness he still has. The cats displays the bad and viciousness in Lennie by claiming to kill the cats for killing the rabbits he thinks he is going to have and both the cats and Lennie share the same animal that cats kill. The animals resembling the sides that Lennie has in him and his death is shown through Candy’s dog, the pure innocence in him through the rabbit, the bad and monstrous side in Lennie are shown through the cat in the conversation that he had with