Of Mice and Men is a book that can be viewed through many filters depending on how the reader decides to take the novel. While all of these filters can be argued by readers, no one can deny the fact that the most obvious theme in the story is the quest for money, and the struggle between the classes. This means that this book is very easily viewed though a Marxist lens. This book strictly fits into the Marxist belief that “ideas are the outcome of social conditions and relationships” (Curtis). Of Mice and Men is a lesson on Marxism and communism, and displays the intensity of the ongoing struggle between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. Throughout the book, one can see the constant wish to become better from all of the migrants that …show more content…
This may sound like a B rated horror movie, but in the case of Of Mice and Men it is a very real, very terrifying problem. These men go through such tragedies that they lose everything that makes them unique. George loses the only true friend he has, and it causes him to completely lose interest in ever going through with the dream he had been chasing since becoming a worker. Going through struggles like this is a common problem for the ordinary proletariat. Without their goals, they become yet another stepping stone for the …show more content…
When the working class is controlled completely by the wealthy, as in Of Mice and Men, it seems that all morals disappear and society becomes completely about selfish desires and getting money. There is a perfect display of this concept in the book when Lennie is killed and all Carlson can say is “now what the hell ya suppose is eatin’ them two guys?” (Steinbeck). Carlson has no idea what is wrong with George, because to him it no longer matters what happens as long as he gets paid for working. While this is all true, there is one thing that all of these men still had in common despite their
“Of mice and men” is about people who are lonely, sad and in search of
In Of Mice and Men, the author attempts to portray the hardships that a man attempts to face yet fails to withstand. Set in the post-depression era, the book depicts the harsh truth of the
The harsh reality is one which hit everyone in America in the 1930. People found work hard to find and crime was on the uprise. This meant, unfortunately, that innocent people were the easy prey and, as we see in the Of Mice and Men, there were plenty of characters that were easy prey. Of Mice and Men characters have and do thing that make them vulnerable in way which do cause trouble. In this essay, that harsh reality and easy prey will be shown through to see which characters are the most vulnerable.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration states that during the Great Depression era, “...the federal government did prohibit a married couple from both holding government jobs, and as late as 1939, legislatures in 26 states considered laws limiting married women's work. Both men and women believed that married women should give up their jobs if their husbands wanted them to. In the Depression decade, those wives who worked outside the home were viewed as selfish, greedy women who took jobs away from male breadwinners.” (Grice) Historians have documented that the role of women as a minority in 1930s America was largely to remain as a man’s inferior and serve as a servant in the household as they were shamed if they chose to get a job. Strict gender roles, portrayal as flirtatious “temptresses”, and being forced to give up any dreams of a successful future were just a few of the inequalities women face in this era. John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men is a novella set during this time period in Salinas, California, following the lives of migrant farmers and one woman in particular known simply as Curley’s wife. Steinbeck is aware of this disenfranchisement of women in 1930s America and he uses Of Mice and Men as a vehicle to comment on the struggles that women, like his character Curley’s wife, face as victims of a prejudiced time.
Of Mice and Men was a book written by John Steinbeck. The book took place in the Great Depression era. The people were poor and jobless it was hard for the people to make money during this time. The Depression had everyone looking out for themselves and their family. In the book Of Mice and Men in analyzes the friendship, dreams, and the conflict.
Despite the perception that women are inferior and incompetent, seldom do women withstand this consistent discrimination upon their sex. Under the jurisdiction of men in their families, women are oftentimes restrained from opportunity and development. Curley, a man with an intimidating complexion, forces many, including his flirtatious wife, to succumb to his power. However, he fails to recognize his wife’s rising empowerment as she manipulates men around him into becoming her pawns. John Steinbeck’s usage of Curley’s wife in the novel Of Mice and Men delineates the desire of women to eliminate the over dominance of men through deceit in exchange for their own power.
Curley’s wife is a complex, main character in John Steinbeck’s novella, “Of Mice and Men”. She is introduced as an insignificant secondary character, but evidently posses the importance of causing the end of the novella. Despite the weight of her role, her value is hindered because of the culture towards women in the 1930s. Steinbeck uses imagery, foreshadowing, and metaphors to show loneliness analyzed through a Feminist Lens.
John Steinbeck, an American novelist, is well-known for his familiar themes of depression and loneliness. He uses these themes throughout a majority of his novels. These themes come from his childhood and growing up during the stock market crash. A reader can see his depiction of his childhood era. In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck shows the prominent themes of loneliness, the need for relationships, and the loss of dreams in the 1930s through the novels’ character.
The title of the novel Of Mice and Men has a unique meaning behind it. The saying “Are you a man or are you a mouse?” has a connection to novel itself but more importantly the characters. Each main character in this novel can be classified as either a “man” or a “mouse”. The “men” seen in the novel are George Milton, and Curley. The “mice” can be classified as Lennie Small and Curley’s wife. The “mice” are represented by the weak or the socially unacceptable characters; the “men” are represented by the strong, independent characters.
Many critics consider the novel, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck, as one of the greatest short works of fiction. I think this was a great novel with amazing detail. It has certain qualities and themes such as these: the importance of relationships, responsibility to others, the nature of home, respect for old age, the difference between right and wrong, and the evil of oppression and abuse. We can learn from these themes and see how we use it in our lives. By using examples from the book as well we can see how this happens more clearly.
"Of Mice and Men" is a skillful novel, which deals with the theme of `outsiders', that is, individuals who do not fit into the mainstream of society. The novel portrays this idea of loneliness throughout John Steinbeck's stimulating and exciting novel.
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.
The theme of power in prevalent in John Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice And Men’ and is presented and developed in many different ways. Power is first established in the title, which introduces the recurring wrath of fate implying that men, like beast, are helplessly fated to live a disempowered and isolated life. Some however seek comfort in their powerful dreams, and companionship in their romanticised fraternal bonds, most notably that of Lennie and George, whose unconditional love for another leaves the reader with questions regarding their own morality. Steinbeck’s powerful prose, a strong single plot line over a short time span drives the tragic events forward, and his depiction of the foreshadowing natural world gives the novella a certain aspect of duality.
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.
This excerpt from Of Mice and Men emphasizes the power of friendship, which is one of the story’s main themes. Two migrant works from California are motivated by their will to experience the “American dream” and they can only do so by working their hardest. Their long days of hard work are accompanied by loneliness, fear, and betrayal. The reality and corruption of society during the Great Depression is revealed. The story explains the vicious and hostile way in which social power has a propensity to manifest itself.