Narrative Structure Of John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men
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Title:
Of Mice and Men
Author:
John Steinbeck
Date of Publication:
1937
Genre:
Tragedy, Realism
Narrative Structure:
Point Of View:
The story is told from the point of view of a third person omniscient narrator. The narrator can access the point of view of any of the characters as required by the plot.
Tone:
The tone of the novel is tragic, doomed, fatalistic, sentimental and realistic. The book depicts the harsh and tragic life of American migrant workers in the 1930’s. Steinbeck juxtaposes the idea of freedom, friendship and wealth with the harsh stark environment of the impoverished America of the 1930’s one in which poverty, human intolerance and violence where daily struggles of most people. Steinbeck depicts in the book that at the time the dreams of the American people where nothing more than dreams bound for hopelessness and tragedy.
Plot Summary:
At the beginning of the novella we are introduced to two migrant workers, George and Lennie, they have just got of a bus miles away from a Californian farm where they are about to start work. George is a small, strong man who is presumably intelligent whilst Lennie is his opposite, a giant man who has some mental disability. The two, who are very thirsty, stop by a series of ponds and camp there for the night. As the two start to converse Lennie’s mental disability become blatantly apparent. Lennie is deeply devoted to George and depends on him for guidance, instruction and protection. Lennie, who at heart is essentially