f Mice and Men Essay - Essays and Analysis Critical Context and Evaluation print Print document PDF list Cite link Link Of Mice and Men is one of the most widely assigned modern novels in high schools because of both its form and the issues that it raises. John Steinbeck’s reliance on dialogue, as opposed to contextual description, makes the work accessible to young readers, as does his use of foreshadowing and recurrent images. Equally important is the way in which he intertwines the themes of loneliness and friendship and gives dignity to those characters, especially Lennie and Crooks, who are clearly different from their peers. By focusing on a group of lonely drifters, Steinbeck highlights the perceived isolation and sense of “otherness”
During the early 1930s America’s economy was suffering in The Great Depression which in turn affected America’s people causing starvation, poverty, both physical and emotional stress, and a high rate of men leaving their families; leaving both men and women feeling hopeless and lonely. During this time author John Steinbeck, wrote “Of Mice and Men”; this book takes place at a ranch in Salinas Valley, California where he tells the story of two friends George and Lennie. Throughout the book you get a sense of poverty and the humanity of the characters. In “Of Mice and Men”, author John Steinbeck portrays how loneliness affects everyone in the 1930s by using the characters relationships with one another. Within the first chapter Steinbeck immediately throws you into the feeling of loneliness using characters George and Lennie.
Of mice and men (final) Johns Steinbeck’s 1937 masterpiece “of mice and men” gives insight to the lives of ordinary people affected by the great depression in America, during the 1930s. In the novella the themes of loyalty and disloyalty are a key part of the plot. Steinbeck explores the seminal themes of loyalty and disloyalty by careful use of setting, structure and development of complex character constructs. Also the use of language and imagery in the novella depict the reality of the great depression for many people and the challenges they faced everyday. At the beginning of the novella author John Steinbeck opens with a description of the idyllic natural setting, where “the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green.
Loneliness is inescapable. Everyone at some time in his or her life has experienced loneliness. However, loneliness comes in many shapes and forms. It is not always solitude caused by the absence of people, but by the lack of understanding of those around you. The two main protagonists in Of Mice and Men, George Milton and Lennie Small, are migrant laborers looking for work on various ranches during the Great Depression in the 1930s.
Men with such need for brotherhood often are desperate for bonds, yet they still persistently victimize others that are parallel in hardship and ordeal. The indisputable topic of Of Mice and of Men revolves around isolation and loneliness. Even the city, Soledad, that the story is developed on reflects the author's motif. In Spanish the word soledad literally means solitude. Each character is lonely at some point in the book, for they cannot escape the discrimination , stereotypes, and adversity of the harsh and unforgiving economic downfall in the 1930’s.
Of Mice and Men was published in 1937 during a time of bi-racism between the caucasians and the african americans, and the apathetic Great Depression, which may have served as inspiration. In the novel two opposites attract, a gargantuan but mentally challenged man by the name of Lennie, and a small, nimble, and intelligent man named George. Suffering from a mental illness Lennie gets into trouble when he 's alone, but George always saves him, George knows Lennie doesn 't do anything, “out of meanness” as he says. Undoubtedly the reader assimilates that Lennie kills a young lady, said to have done so accidentally. Furthermore without any control George was forced to kill Lennie.
In the story Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck there are many friendships shown in this book. The main friendship in the book though is the friendship of Lennie and George. The friendship of George and Lennie is shown throughout the entire book, and is a very complex relationship. Even though Lennie and George’s friendship is the main one there are many more friendships throughout of mice and men, the friendships make the story so much more of an interesting read. The idea of friendship in Of Mice and Men, is portrayed by the author, John Steinbeck, through foreshadowing and the art of using the comparisons of small vs big and man vs animal friendships.
As a result, the majority of the characters in Of Mice and Men were lonely. ‘The American Dream’ was a source of hope for all of the characters in the novel. The possibility of achieving their dream gave the characters a reason for continuing on with their lives. However, Steinbeck showed how difficult it was to actually achieve that dream. Considering how difficult it was for George and Lennie, two white males to achieve their ‘American Dream’, for the elderly, people with disabilities, and women, it was much harder due to social discrimination.
People from all different ages and backgrounds have experienced loneliness. In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, a man named George Milton has the responsibility of taking care of a child-minded man named Lennie Small. George has a difficult time always trying to keep Lennie in line, but Lennie manages to create trouble wherever he goes. Along the way George and Lennie have created a family-like relationship because of only having each other. Throughout the book Of Mice and Men, loneliness impacts the characters Candy, Crooks, and Curly’s wife.
One’s self has experienced loneliness from choice or forced into isolation. The novel ¨Of Mice and Men¨ written by John Steinbeck, took place during the Great Depression, near Soledad, California. The protagonist, George and the antagonist, Lennie are mid aged, white men who are working on a ranch with other mid aged, white men. Along with ones who aren’t as focused at the time, such as Crooks, the negro or black, Curley’s wife, the woman and, Candy, the old and weak man were treated differently from all the white, strong males in the novel due to the setting the novel. This making distance in relationships in Of Mice and Men, isolating these characters into loneliness.