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Symbolism essay mice and men
How did Steinbeck develop the characters in mice and men
Analysis of John Steinbeck
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Published in 1937, ‘Of Mice and Men’ is an affectionate novella, set on a ranch in Salinas Valley in California during the 1930’s, a very densely male populated, compact and tenacious structure of setting, revolving around single locations and prolonged timing, makes the novella seem almost as if it were set as a play. This was done purposely to fulfil the perspective of representing each character like a play, introducing their tone, words and actions. The story stipulates the harsh life of two ordinary men, Lennie small and George Milton, who find themselves scouring the country for as little as $50 a month as migrant farm labourers. Based on Steinbeck’s own experiences, he was able to project them in his prize winning novel. Nevertheless established as fictional, the story is delved in its past historical events. Steinbeck reproduces the times of the ‘Great Depression’ rather effectively in his novel, exposing how all men live a peripatetic and nomadic life, invariably searching for work wherever possible in order to survive keep afloat.
Steinbeck introduces the idea of loneliness and men who work on ranches living temporary lives, with no aim in life. Steinbeck uses the setting to convey these ideas and does this in Third-person omniscient view. This deliberate constrain of insider information was possibly a result of Steinbeck’s intention to allow the story to be more of a play than a novella. In plays, the audience have insight on only what the actors are saying and doing – they do not posses access to their thoughts. Foreshadowing that the narrator of this novella is omniscient, but to a rather limited degree. In my opinion Steinbeck illustrates the story in methods from which the narrator enables the reader to access th...
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... Men employs a very particular type of realism called "naturalism," Naturalist novels often explore the world as a place where you have to fight to survive in a life that has no morality. It is not unusual for naturalist novels to end in degradation and despair. In my opinion Curley's wife does deserve a certain amount of sympathy, an unfortunate constricted woman, unable to escape the bounds of her limited options in life and desperately searching for a way out. She has endured absolute depression, being totally alone with no family of any sort except for a husband, and is neglected throughout the story. Summarising all of the above, I believe that Steinbeck wanted to mirror precisely the times he experienced in his time, and some of which was shown through the portrayal of Curley’s Wife, inevitably making the reader feel undeniable sympathy for her character.
However, Curley’s wife isn’t really a tramp, she is just looking for someone to talk to because she is always alone and because she doesn't like her husband. We can see how Curley’s wife feels about Curley on page 78 of Of Mice and Men, where John Steinbeck writes that, “ “Sure I gotta husban’. You all seen him. Swell guy, ain’t he? Spends all his time sayin’ what he’s gonna do to the guys he don’t like, and he don't like nobody. Think I’m gonna stay in that two-by-four house and listen how Curley’s gonna lead with his left twict, and then bring in the ol’ right cross?” ,” Here, we can see how much Curley’s wife dislikes her husband because he is always talking about fighting with someone and also because he apparently can’t get along with anyone. Curley’s wife also expresses throughout the novel that she is so lonely that she will talk to anyone, even Lennie, Crooks, and Candy who are outcasts, and who she describes as “bindle stiffs”. On page 78, John Steinbeck writes that, “She was breathless with indignation, “Sat’day night. Ever’body out doin’ som’pin’. Ever’body! An’ what am I doin’? Standin’ here talkin’ to a bunch of bindle stiffs-a nigger an’ a dum-dum and a lousy ol’ sheep-an’ likin’ it because they ain’t nobody else.”” To sum it up, Curley’s wife feels like she’s hit rock-bottom because she is so lonesome to the point where she is
excited one. He now has hope of doing something and it came from the "dream
Warren French writes, “The world just hasn’t been made right, so that dreams are the only things that can keep men going.” Agree or disagree with this statement.
The daily struggle of the working class, fear of loneliness and the reality of putting all your energy into plans that fail are the different themes relating to John Steinbeck's novel, "Of Mice and Men". The characters depicted by the author are individuals who are constantly facing one obstacle after another. The book illustrates different conflicts such as man versus society, man versus man, man versus himself and idealism versus reality. The book's backdrop is set in the Salinas, California during the depression. The two main characters include two men, George and Lennie. Supportive characters include a few ranch hands, Candy, Crooks, Curly, Slim and Carlson.
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.
The novel Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, is about two ranch hands, George and Lennie. George is a small, smart-witted man, while Lennie is a large, mentally- handicapped man. They are trying to raise enough money to buy their own ranch, by working as ranch hands. During the setting of the story, they are at a ranch whose owner’s name is Curley. It is in this setting that the novel reveals that the main theme is death and loss.
images he leaves the reader with is George and Slim walking off as Curly says “ Now
Of Mice and Men is a novel written by John Steinbeck. It is set in California during the great depression. The story follows two ranch hands who travel together and are very poor. Throughout the novel we witness many different philosophical references. Many different types of characters from this novel are reused in today’s society. Steinbeck also writes eloquently about the many different emotions, aspirations, and dreams of man.
Scarseth argues that “Readers may object to the book’s presentation of low class characters, vulgar language, scenes suggestive of improper sexual conduct, and an implied criticism of the social system. . . Furthermore, these features are necessary in the book.” Scarseth continues to argue that they are “accurate, precise reporting,” because they represented the time, place and environment of the era in which the novella was penned. Written in 1937, Of Mice and Men is the story of two migrant workers who came to California to fulfill their dreams. While the intentions of these two men seemed noble, they were unable to achieve the goal of purchasing land for a myriad of reasons. The first and most difficult challenge they faced was the effect of The Great Depression. Like many of...
During the Great Depression, many migrant workers were not able to form friendships and relationships in their unstable work. This is shown clearly in the book of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. The book is about two men that travel together and face many conflicts. Many of the people they meet believe George is taking advantage of Lennie as it was unusual for two people to travel together. Through characterization of Candy, Crooks, and Curley’s wife, Steinbeck portrays how loneliness negatively impacts humans.
In conclusion I believe that Curley’s Wife is a very significant character in the novella because she represents the stereotypical woman and they way she acted, and was treated leads me to feel great sympathy for her despite her flirtatious demeanour. Steinbeck is very successful in creating sympathy throughout her character change and he presents her in this way to prove that the majority of women went through similar situations. This leads us to sympathise with all people society deem to be ‘inferior’ and we can even apply this lesson to today’s society.
Curley’s Wife, who persistently talked with every man on the ranch besides her husband, displays how sexism is portrayed on the ranch. Steinbeck proves this by showing a differing view towards women in the time period that the book was written, because, as Carleson states, “Why’n’t you tell her to stay the hell home where she belongs?” (Steinbeck, 62). Carleson is exemplifying just a small fraction of the negative
Loneliness, something every human wants to avoid. The setting of the story takes place in Soledad, California during the great depression era. Lennie is isolated for being mentally ill, Crooks is isolated because of his race, And Curley’s Wife because of how she acts. Imagine being discriminated against because of your ethnicity; or being the only woman on a ranch, stuck in a loveless marriage, when all you really want is someone to talk to. In “Of Mice and Men”, John Steinbeck portrays loneliness in Lennie, Crooks, and Curley’s Wife, leaving the readers wondering about the unrealistic reality of the American dream. Lennie is described as a strong man though he is not in control of his strength. He is simple-minded and acts as he is a little kid in a man's body.
And now there ain’t a colored man on this ranch an’ there’s just one family in Soledad.’...‘If I say something, why it’s just a nigger sayin’ it’” (70). Crooks never had anybody but himself who understood his troubles as a black man in today’s society. He did not like to speak much because people would not take him seriously. Another example of Steinbeck showing loneliness through characters is Curley’s wife. Curley, the boss’ son, is married to woman who remains nameless throughout the novella because she is a women living in the Dustbowl Era, where women are seen as property and are owned by their husbands. She is only allowed to talk to Curley, since there are no other women on the ranch for her to talk to, so when she walks into the barn and sees Lennie sitting there, she tries to talk to him. After his negligence to speak to her,she tries to get sympathy by complaining “‘Wha’s the matter with me?’... ‘Ain’t I got a right to talk to nobody? Whatta they think I am, anyways?’” (87). Curley’s wife felt like she was seen as
”’I’m lookin’ for Curley,’ she said,” (Steinbeck 31), “’You seen a girl around here?’ he demanded angrily,” (37). Here it shows the reader that Curley and wife are never together in the same room at the same time. “’Any you boys seen Curley?’” (76), once again Curley’s wife is looking for Curley. “’Why can’t I talk to you? I never get to talk nobody. I get awful.’” (86), here Curley’s wife says herself that she is lonely. Although Curley’s wife lives on a ranch filled with workers, none of them want to talk to her when she comes by. This and her never being with Curly causes her to visit the workers who are all men, giving her the image of an inappropriate woman doing adultery with other men besides her