John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men discusses many different themes throughout the book such as dreams, friendship, innocence, violence, and the hopefully ensuing justice. Throughout the 1930’s, Steinbeck worked as a manual laborer before achieving success as a writer. He understood the hardships faced in the Great Depression and how desperate times can impel people to do unthinkable things. Of Mice and Men revolves around the lives of George Milton and Lennie Small as they struggle to make a living during the difficult depression.
George, is in comparison, a parent to Lennie, whose towering stature is accompanied by a mind as honest and pure as a young child. The unseemly pair are migrant workers who are walking to a nearby ranch near Soledad, California. They have just returned from a farm where Lennie 's unintentional mishap cost the both of them their jobs. On their way to the farm, George scolds Lennie for playing with a dead mouse and warns him not to speak
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Seeing how Lennie was treated throughout the book, the unfortunate circumstances both men are thrust into, and the incredibly morose ending left me feeling utterly stunned and hopeless. The beginning of the book introduced us to the two main characters, George and Lennie, and I immediately took a fondness towards Lennie due to his sweet and childlike disposition. George, on the other hand, was the more cynical of the two and did not appeal to me as much as Lennie did. The middle of the book was eventful and the plot was well developed and structured throughout the book. However, the ending made me question the difference between right and wrong and ponder what tough love really is. The book does discuss some controversial themes which is most likely the reason for the book being banned as often as it is in schools. The book should be read by readers of an appropriate mindset and maturity
Of Mice and Men is a short novella by, John Steinbeck, detailing on the fear society carries for the unknown. Steinbeck 's novella touched on a subject most do not explore but led us on a journey of self reflec. Starting from the beginning John was born on on February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California, and died 1968 writing his best-selling novel in 1937. It was in highschool that Steinbeck found his passion for writing then went to college at Stanford until 1925 but never did he graduate. After leaving Stanford and hitting rough spots on the way it was with Of Mice and Men Steinbeck was becoming well known in his time with his book becoming a popular and critical success, was selected by the Book-of-the-Month Club.
Examine how far George and Lennie are loyal to each other throughout 'Of mice and men' In the novella 'Of Mice and Men', by the well-known author, John Steinbeck, the reader is introduced to a varied range of different characters on the ranch; within this realm loyalty between George and Lennie plays a significant role in the lonely itinerant lifestyle. The characters in this short novel act in a world of their own, having no connections to any other type of society; through this Steinbeck can strongly depict the theme of loyalty and friendship in dire situations during this period of time. During the 1930's, at the ranch, a predominant role of intelligent white-males is seen to retain power over lesser groups of people, of which Lennie is portrayed to be this part as he is mentally disabled. Despite this George and Lennie strike up a friendship of loyalty: showing firm and constant support. ' Guys like us got no fambly...they ain't got nobody in the worl' that gives a hoot in hell about 'em' sums up the reason why their loyalty and companionship is so vital and special to each other.
After reading Of Mice and Men, I felt the need to research the author. After researching the author, I realized that he based this book off of his experiences. Steinbeck grew up in Salinas, California and that is where the book takes place. Due to John Steinbeck growing up and experiencing the Great Depression, I think his inspiration to write this book came from the social and economic issues that he had witnessed. He worked closely with migrants and itinerants and that deepened the empathy for workers as well as deepening his love for writing.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is a well known classic that depicts the life of migrant workers''' during the great depression. As this book may seem uninteresting, it actually has been shown immense respect in the literature world. It has stood the test of time and is a primary book being taught in schools today. The theme played a big role in making this happen. Without realization kids are able to relate to the reason that it depicts loneliness and betrayal.
The American dream is something that we all strive for in one way or another. Whether it’s being equal to the people around you, or having freedom to be successful in whatever you want in life. But for the characters in Of Mice and Men it is the dream of owning land and being independent from everyone else. But the American Dream is not something that is given to you, it includes work ethic, knowing that the dream may be impossible and the sacrifice that may have to be made. These are all things that George and Lennie and other characters in the book have to do to eventually reach the American dream.
To better understand the novella Of Mice and Men, the background of the story must be elaborated. The setting of the story takes place in the Salinas Valley, California during the The Great Depression in the 1930s. John Steinbeck, the author, tells about the protagonist, George, and the antagonist, Lennie, and their journey of constantly finding new work to pursue George’s dream to own his farm and “live off the fatta the
In Soledad California, during the 1920’s we find George and Lennie, the two main characters. Two friends that have a very unique relationship. George is a short man with sharp features and quick wits, where as Lennie is a big man with a round face and is a just like a large child. They are lowly workers that bounce from ranch to ranch looking for work, in search of their unique american dream. In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, George becomes more understanding and friendly towards Lennie through the beginning, middle and ending of the novella.
George and Lennie, prominent characters in the story Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, are migrant workers—men who move from place to place to do seasonal work— who end up in California and are faced with numerous problems. Set in the era of the great depression, the story of Lennie and George, two very different men who have formed a family-like union, takes place on a farm where Lennie struggles to stay out of trouble. Having committed an unintentional, harmful act, Lennie is faces severe consequences; and George must decide to make a necessary decision which changes the mood of the entire novel. By the comparison and contrast of George and Lennie, unique characters who are very different from each other, the reader can better acquaint himself
The novel Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck is a gripping tale of two men and their lives during the Great Depression. George Milton and Lennie Small are two migrant workers who travel together finding work. They take on a new job “bucking barley” at a ranch in central California for the ranch owner and his son. While working at the ranch they encounter Curley the ranch owner’s son and his wife, a flirtatious woman. The story reaches a climax when Lennie unintentionally kills Curley’s wife and runs back to the Salinas River just as George instructed.
The book Of Mice and Men is full of puzzling examples of the human condition, from Lennie and his mental disability to Curley only caring about his social appearance. With characters like these two, the book exploits the human condition that concerns circumstances life has given you. John Steinbeck brings to life what being a laborer in the American depression meant to the men and one woman who had enough personality to stand out. Steinbeck shows the human condition of men while they survive in the American depression.
Of Mice and Men; A Literary Analysis “I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that 's why,” says George in the book Of Mice and Men. John Steinbeck wrote this book about two boys who took care of each other mentally and physically throughout. They endure many journeys together and are able to suffice over very little. They show the strength in friendships in many dissimilar ways and make diligent decisions that some may never be able to make. Of Mice and Men is not only about two friends and their journey together, but as well as giving one a deeper meaning of the book, such as showing the nature of their dreams, the characters as archetypes, and if the killing of Lennie is justified in the end.
John Steinbeck’s, Of Mice and Men, is a compelling story that has captured and embodied the struggle and loneliness felt by many during the Great Depression. While desire for the American Dream is prominent in the novel, Steinbeck is able to demonstrate the wants from different social classes through the construction of characters such as George Milton and Curley’s wife. With these characters, Steinbeck successfully displays the difference in ideas, values and attitudes of certain social classes in the 1930’s and the illustrates the rarity of achieving the American Dream. Steinbeck wrote this novel during the Great Depression, when America was suffering greatly by the disastrous crash of the stock market. From this point in time, separation of the different classes became
By using characterization, conflict, and imagery to develop his characters Lennie and George, Steinbeck shows his readers that in any circumstance, good or bad, karma will appear and bring people the things they deserve. The touching and painful ending of Steinbeck's story shows chaos in a peaceful place in which Lennie is dying and yet still existing through all three devices: the characterization of both Lennie and George, the results of the conflicts they faced, and a vivid description of Lennie's death. Even after decades have passed since Steinbeck published this novel, Steinbeck's message to the reader stays the same, chaos can occur in even the most peaceful places. Never leaving people’s sides, always lurking in the shadows, waiting to
The author explores a variety of themes telling the story of George and Lennie, two agricultural field workers who are bound to each other but diametrically opposite in character. Lennie is a simple-minded man who is not in control of his strength,
Of mice and men is a prominent book read by most high school students for a long time. Of mice and men is a book written by John Steinbeck. In the book George and Lennie had to run out of weed, so they looked for a ranch to work on. Lennie had issues with liking soft things that lead to him killing Curley's’ Wife and a puppy. To express that the american dream is impossible to achieve Steinbeck uses conversations, conflicts, and events.