The Themes Of Society In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

“Of Mice & Men demonstrates characters that do not fit into society are destroyed by it.”

Word Count: 1019

Of Mice & Men opens and concludes against a beautiful landscape that epitomises limitless possibilities. The novella, penned by John Steinbeck and published in 1937 transpires during the Great Depression, focusing on George Milton and Lennie Small – two of the countless migrant workers seeking employment in California. Based on Steinbeck’s experiences as a bindlestiff, the text is recognised for its reflective themes relating to society; delving into the experiences of those living during the Depression. The book particularly emphasises social subjugation and the issues of sexism, racism and discrimination for being different.

Society’s

Lennie, suffering from what could be perceived as autism or mental retardation is greatly shunned due to an absence of peer understanding. Urges and curiosity are uncontrollable due to his child-like mental state and because of this, his compulsive actions are perceived to be to be of malicious intent. One would not reprimand a young child for finding the material of a dress intriguing, however, if a man such as Lennie were to touch the dress – innocently driven by curiosity – his actions would be seen as inappropriate or disturbing. The problem that befalls Lennie is that he is not at all a bad person; he strives to be the opposite. George reflects on the innocence of Lennie, stating that he had “Beat the hell outa him…” and Lennie had “…never lifted a finger against me." (p.

Although well read and intelligent, his skin colour defines whom he interacts with and how he lives; alone in the stable, not even allowed to enter the bunkhouse. On the other hand, a character, such as Candy’s, physical handicap and age create a barrier between him and society. The old man has seemingly become close to inept in the place in which he lives and works, and is always on edge due to his worry that he will be thrown out of the ash heap by Curley. When Candy’s dog is put into the pasture after outliving its usefulness, he realises that in this society, he is not much different from it; and may be treated similarly after outliving his own. Due to these barriers, the two are segregated from society, their lives destroyed and undervalued through the unfair perceptions of others. Ironically, the foremost characters who truly seem to understand society are the one’s destroyed by it. This is showcased in a significant conversation between Lennie and Crooks, in which Lennie cannot comprehend the absurdity of racial