In John Steinbeck’s novel “Of Mice and Men”, symbolism is a crucial factor to understanding and addressing different themes or topics the story talks about and make them more manageable, but also to engage readers. The author uses different symbols such as animals, characters, and places to portray the themes of dreams, innocence, loneliness, friendship, the American Dream, the weak and the strong, among others. Without understanding these key symbols readers probably wouldn’t understand the context of the story or what the author wants to express, making it very boring when reading it. Definitely, these symbols give a deeper meaning to the story, which could be also described as an allegory.
Throughout the story, it can be seen that the author
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In addition, this also foreshadows Lennie’s death, when Candy says, "I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn 't ought to of let a stranger shoot my dog." (Steinbeck 30). This is eventually what George …show more content…
To sum up, the author in “Of Mice and Men” uses symbolism through animals, characters and places to make readers understand the exploration of different themes such as dreams, innocence, discrimination, and friendship, among others. Moreover, Steinbeck by using these key symbols transports us into the context, which is during the Great Depression, giving a deeper meaning to the novel. In the end, what the author wants to express is that people should always be realistic; it is a fact that they would not always get or achieve what they want. This is not because people gave up on their dreams, but because no one can know or control the situations and things that may happen as the world is not only roses but has cruelty in it. In the 1930s, during the Great Depression that was exactly what happened, people do not trust each other as men were trapped in this tense environment. For this reason, George and Lennie’s friendship is so unique that goes beyond anything as they stick
After Carlson shot Candy’s dog, Candy began to regretted his decision when he says “I ought to of shot that dog myself, George.” (Steinbeck, 61). Candy understood that his dog had to be put down because it was getting old and was in constant pain. Candy believed that because it was his dog he should have been the one put his dog down instead of letting someone else do it for him because it was his responsibility to put him out of his suffering. Not only this but, when George shot Lennie.
Many characters in the short story Of Mice and Men meet an untimely demise for reasons that were never expected. Characters in the story that met such a fate include Candy’s dog, Curley’s wife, Lennie’s puppy, and Lennie himself. These deaths and the events that lead up to them bear a certain resemblance to each other. Some of these deaths are not directly related to others, but instead use symbolism to convey the idea that many characters in the story have similar characteristics, so despite their obvious differences, the characters in the story often relate to one another in multiple ways. By using a metaphorical method of writing, John Steinbeck is able to show the reader that some characters, though physically opposite, can be very similar
(Steinbeck 61). This is a use of foreshadowing because George is the one that killed Lennie in the end, rather than having one of the men on the ranch do it. If Candy had not said that to George, many would not have known the reasoning behind George ending Lennie’s
The novella Of Mice and Men is a novel by John Steinbeck about two migrant farmers in Salinas,California working on a ranch during the Great Depression era. In the novel Steinbeck explores and conveys many themes such as loneliness and the idea of achieving the American dream. He does this through the use of allusion to further develop the meaning of the text in Of Mice and Men. By using these allusions Steinbeck is also able to enhance the characters and their actions in the novel. Steinbeck makes several allusions to the biblical stories Garden of Eden,The Story of Cain and Abel,and The Fall of Man to develop the meaning Of Mice and Men.
Animal imagery shows to represent valuable meaning to Steinbeck’s work through brutality, foreshadowing of death, and misery. Of Mice and Men is a novel published by John Steinbeck in 1937. Animal imagery goes on to play a key role in a small town in California, as Lennie Smalls and George Milton dive into the hardest times of the great depression. Situations will be to be hard, but animal imagery must facilitate the reader’s views about the life. Brutality is the definition of acting or being compared to an animal or beast, consequently acting with little intelligence and a high altitude of violence.
John Steinbeck's novella, Of Mice and Men [1937] shows a glimpse into the harsh realities of American society in the 1930s on a ranch. Crook's experience of false hope, the economic hardships, and the inequalities and limitations Curley's wife faced were major situations to the main theme. Steinbeck used many literary devices such as symbolism, imagery and foreshadowing throughout the book to guide the reader on the emphasis and the emotion. Moreover, through these situations, the main characters serve as a powerful reflection of the hardships and inequalities that took place in America in the 1930s. Steinbeck's novella Of Mice and Men [1937] is an accurate reflection of American society in the 1930s using techniques such as symbolism with
Animal Symbolism in Of Mice and Men The use of animal symbolism in Of Mice and Men serves to emphasize the ideas of loneliness and isolation, as well as the vulnerability and powerlessness of the characters. In turn, this foreshadows the tragic events that unfold later in the story. By using animals to represent the characters’ emotions and experiences, Steinbeck emphasizes how they are cut off from others and therefore unable to form connections. The use of animal imagery also highlights the harshness and brutality of life on the ranch, where individuals are often made out to be on the same level as animals to survive.
“A shot sounded in the distance. ”(Steinbeck, 49). This quote suggests the Candy’s dog has just been murdered by Carlson, in comparison to George’s crime of manslaughter later in the telltale. In addition to these
Another way that Steinbeck leads up to Lennie’s death is when Candy’s dog gets shot by Carlson. It is undeniable that candy loves his dog. Yet when he does not or cannot defend the dog from the public pressure of killing it, Candy feels that he has subverted an ethical understanding that it is best to the relationship he shares with the dog. The ‘silence’ that Steinbeck uses when the dog is taken outside, helped to bring out how Candy feels helpless and responsible for the condition of someone that he loves. This paradox leads George to the conclusion that he cannot allow anyone else to kill Lennie.
The novella ‘of Mice and Men’ was written by John Steinbeck in the 1930s. It is set in a difficult period of time when America was sunk in deep depression. However, themes of loyalty shine brightly throughout the novella. He shows that even though Americas economy is in tatters, loyalty can still be as prominent. There were also distinct themes of disloyalty, mainly between characters.
Therese Pivarunas November 1, 2017 Literature 2 Honors Period 4 Banned Book Essay A deep friendship between two people has always been valued in society. The novella Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, should not be banned from libraries and schools, rather, it should be taught to students and remain accessible to the public. This book takes place in the middle of the Great Depression, and follows the journey of two workers looking for jobs in California. Lennie and George, the two workers, support each other through their companionship and hope to make enough money to start a new life. This story contains relatable characters who try to achieve their goals in life, a compelling story of hardship, and features a strong bond between two
”I shouldn’t oughtta let no stranger shoot my dog.” It was Candy’s dog like lennie is george's friend. These events show how Steinbeck uses foreshadowing to the event of Lennie’s death in the book Of Mice And
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.
The relationship between the characters George and Lennie is a strong example of friendship in this novel. George and Lennie had been friends since they were kids; Lennie has always relied on George to get him out of tough situations since he is mentally challenged. When George and Lennie had arrived at the ranch the boss was wondering why Lennie couldn’t speak for himself; and that is when George had to step in, “George said, ‘He’s my … cousin. I told his old lady I’d take care of him.
In the book Of Mice and Men Steinbeck uses symbolism to illustrate key aspects of the novella. The book portrays people struggling to survive during the great depression. An example of symbolism is Steinbeck's use of animal imagery, which can almost be considered anthropomorphic. He then uses this technique to support some of the characters idiosyncrasies and situations. An important factor to take into account is that only George and Lennie are developed characters.