The Teachings of John Steinbeck, Through the Novel Of Mice and Men
During the 19th and 20th century, modernism was introduced. Modernism was a movement that sought to break ties with the classical and traditional ways of life. Many Authors during this time moved away from the American lifestyle and even the country. John Steinbeck was no exception to this movement. In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, the author uses a simplistic writing style to present the two characters “American Dreams”, while also using symbolism to connect the reader to the characters and the plot of the story.
Throughout the book there are many symbols, and each symbol has a story to be told and a lesson to be learned. Candy’s dog for example, represents everyone who …show more content…
The “American Dream” of George and Lennie on the outside may seem to be about materialistic things, but when one breaks the surface of their dream and digs a little deeper, they can see that the two characters “American Dream” is more about the relationship between the two and not so much about the physical items. “‘O.K. Someday-we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and-An’ live off the fatta the lan’, Lennie shouted”(14). George may be talking about the bits and pieces of their “American Dream”, but all he really wants is to be with Lennie and have a relaxing time without having to do work. Later on in the novel, George has to make a heartbreaking decision to kill Lennie. “‘We gonna get a little place’ George began. He reached in his side pocket and brought out Carlson’s Luger; he snapped off the safety, and the hand and gun lay on the ground behind Lennie’s back”(105). Steinbeck is trying to show that one's dream will always be taken away by life, just like what happened to George in the book. George’s dream was striped from him because Lennie was his downfall. The two characters were so close, but yet so far from reaching their