Steinbeck as a Social Activist

In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck explores human relationships through characters who are barely fleshed out beyond the boundary of a stereotype. Many of the minor characters even have names which reflect their status as a symbol of their position rather than thinking, feeling people. Crooks, the African American stable buck, represents the "crooked" thinking of the majority toward other races during the time period while Curley's wife represents only that- the wife of a man. Her character serves to show the place of women in a man's society. Likewise, the two main characters, George and Lennie, each serve as a symbol of psychological and physical traits which complement each other to show how important human relationships are, regardless of the traits a person may possess. All human beings develop relationships with others because those relationships fill particular needs. Those needs may be physical, economic, psychological, or social.

The first description of George and Lennie in the novel gives the reader an idea how very different the characters are physically. Through their physicality, one can see the vast difference in their mentalities as well. Steinbeck begins with an image of George, saying, "the first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features" (2). This description conveys the idea that George is smart, with the use of the words sharp and quick, which both describe his physical likeness and his mental acuity. George's restless eyes and dark face give indication that he is wary as well as work worn. Especially during the Great Depression, a tanned face would be a sign of hard work. The fact that George is small does not immediately seem to matter until the reader gets an im...

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...is the muscle. Economically, George is in charge of the money Lennie makes, but it is clear that Lennie would not be capable of managing it for himself. If not for George, Lennie would either lose the money he makes or someone would steal it from him. George wants to use the money, pool it with his own, and provide Lennie a safe place to live and call home. Theirs is a mutually beneficial relationship without exploitation or selfishness, but unfortunately it is not enough to save them in the end.

Works Cited

Kendra, Cherry. "Hierarchy of Needs." About.com Psychology. About.com, n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2012.

Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York: Penguin Group, 1993. 1-107. Print.

Talley, Amelia E., et al. "Social Roles, Basic Need Satisfaction, and Psychological Health." Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 38.2 Feb. (2012): 155-73. Web. 21 Feb. 2012.