...How does the setting of Of Mice and Men influence the book's thematic development? In answering, consider the connection between the novel's setting and the characters' vocations. Also, how does Steinbeck signal the importance of setting in his choice of place names? Though the novel is more famous for its characters than its setting, Of Mice and Men could not have been set elsewhere than in the rural Salinas valley of California. The problems of the novel are intimately tied to the rhythms and frustrations of the itinerant worker's life. Shifting from ranch to ranch, from one menial job to another, the Californian itinerant worker risked a life of meaningless labor - of pure, cynical sustenance. George and Lennie, with their dream of acquiring a farm, represent an attempt to stand against such perpetual loneliness. Even the name of the city near which the novel is set - Soledad, which is Spanish for "solitude" - resonates with this theme of loneliness. The title, Of Mice and Men, is an allusion to a Robert Burns poem. How is this allusion meaningful in the novel? Consider some similarities and differences between Burns and Steinbeck's works. Robert Burns' poem, "To a Mouse," is the source of the famous quotation: "The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men / Gang aft agley" ("often go awry"). And, indeed, Of Mice and Men features two men with a scheme - to escape their lives of menial, temporary employment - that goes awry. Beyond this simple plot similarity,...
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..."Too much self-centered attitude, you see, brings, you see, isolation. Result: loneliness, fear, anger. The extreme self-centered attitude is the source of suffering." (Dalai Lama). John Steinbeck's novel, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, prominently characterises loneliness. Steinbeck conveys that selfish intentions cause loneliness as seen through friendship and desire. For example, In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, George and Lennie's friendship is rooted in selfish purposes. Steinbeck promotes this concept when George speaks to Lennie, “ Cause I want you to stay with me.”(Steinbeck 13). Indicating to the reader that while George had a “want” for Lennie to be his companion, there was no need for Lennie to stay with George other than...
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...At the time of the Great Depression the U.S created a repatriation program that deported people of mexican descent, 400,000 were repatriated, sometimes against their will. In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men, there are many overarching themes, these themes help the author show the hard times of the Great Depression. One such theme would be the prevalence of loneliness in many of the characters. Another theme would be the discrimination against a number of characters, in the different forms such as sexism and racism. Lastly, many dreams in the novel go unfulfilled leaving many characters with the weight of failure. Throughout the Great Depression human compassion was as rare as a job, this led to widespread loneliness, that, in turn, is apparent...
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...John Steinbeck was a famous man whom made great additions to literature. Writing classics such as “Of Mice and Men,” “Once There Was a War,” and others. All of his stories were quick to talk about human nature of some sort. Then in 1962 when he received the Nobel Prize, he openly expressed his opinion on what a writer should be making its readers feel. Mankind can either win or lose the battle internally as well as externally. Humans can conquer anything when we rule out fear, even though from time to time many all get lonely needing something to remind us of our homes. Steinbeck’s ideas were that a writer should be able to show the reality of life; to show that life is a war for every single person. In every single story mentioned from Steinbeck, he has shown that the real war is internal. Internal of course being inside of us, he showed that fear and any sort of emotion can make something so much harder to decide the next step. In that book the only person who seemed to understand the internal stirring was Slim. Who clearly said “You hadda, George. I swear you hadda.” Also, the understanding was very clear in the movie as well. As the men rode to look for Lennie, Slim looked at George and they both nodded at each other in a very knowing manner. George was trying to figure out how to protect Lennie while retaining the safety of the others around him. In Of Mice and Men at the very end of the book George had to make a serious decision that would affect him for the rest of...
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...‘Of Mice and Men’ is written by John Steinbeck, published in 1937. The novel is set in the 1930s during the great depression in California. The two protagonist characters, George and Lennie are farm workers who have a dream of one-day owning their own ranch. They find work in a ranch near Soledad, after escaping from Weed because of George’s incident. They are met by different characters on the farm that all have a dream. To be lonely means to lack friends or companionship and to feel isolated. Most of the characters are lonely and the only thing that keeps them alive is their dreams. Some of the loneliest characters they meet are Candy, an old man with only one hand, Crooks, a black cripple and Curley’s Wife, a woman who has no identity, she is lonely even though she is married. Although they are all on the ranch together, they are lonely because of who they are and their history. ‘Of Mice and Men’ is an emotional story with many different themes and characters. This essay will describe the way loneliness is portrayed in ‘Of Mice and Men.’ George Milton and Lennie Small are friends who travel together. They both share the same dream, which is to one day own their own ranch. George is quick-witted and intelligent. He takes the parental role of looking after Lennie, a simple-minded man who in the book is described as a giant. Lennie is kind hearted with huge physical strength. He does not know how powerful he is and likes to pet animals. The other men on the ranch find their relationship...
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...various form. It occurs in many different places, willingly or unwillingly affecting a person¡¯s mind and action. In the three given texts ¡®Of mice and men¡¯, ¡®Tri¡¯ and ¡®Minority report¡¯, a range of conflict is represented by different composers through the usage of different structure and several techniques such as setting, dialogues, music, language and camera angles. Conflict is a fight or struggle of clash between people with different interest. Conflict occurs in all social setting, and has a great impact upon a person¡¯s day to day life. In the first text to be discussed - ¡®Of mice and men¡¯ by John S, the character George is a person that has confronted psychological and emotional conflict. Throughout the novel, George has openly complained that Lennie is a real pain who prevent him from working toward his dream. Thus, George¡¯s conflict arises in Lennie, to whom he has the long-time companionship with. Setting loneliness as the main theme of the novel, the composer created the conversation between George and his co-worker Slim to reveal George¡¯s feeling - his inner conflict, concerning the issue of keepi Conflict Conflict is the struggle which grows out of two opposing forces, whether the forces being man versus man, man verses himself, man verses nature, man versus fate .... (522 2 ) Conflict if the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see each problem as a nail." Conflict...
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...Analysis of Major Characters Lennie Although Lennie is among the principal characters in Of Mice and Men, he is perhaps the least dynamic. He undergoes no significant changes, development, or growth throughout the novel and remains exactly as the reader encounters him in the opening pages. Simply put, he loves to pet soft things, is blindly devoted to George and their vision of the farm, and possesses incredible physical strength. Nearly every scene in which Lennie appears confirms these and only these characteristics. Although Steinbeck’s insistent repetition of these characteristics makes Lennie a rather flat character, Lennie’s simplicity is central to Steinbeck’s conception of the novel. Of Mice and Men is a very short work that manages to build up an extremely powerful impact. Since the tragedy depends upon the outcome seeming to be inevitable, the reader must know from the start that Lennie is doomed, and must be sympathetic to him. Steinbeck achieves these two feats by creating a protagonist who earns the reader’s sympathy because of his utter helplessness in the face of the events that unfold. Lennie is totally defenseless. He cannot avoid the dangers presented by Curley, Curley’s wife, or the world at large. His innocence raises him to a standard of pure goodness that is more poetic and literary than realistic. His enthusiasm for the vision of their future farm proves contagious as he convinces George, Candy, Crooks, and the reader that such a paradise might be possible...
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...Eager 1 Tabitha Eager Ms. Kazlauskus FHE 5 17 December 2013 Isolation Longing and loneliness can be overwhelming even when surrounded by other people. In Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men, he illustrates how the alienating actions of the migrant field workers cause the characters to become isolated and withdrawn, leading to desperation and extreme loneliness. Steinbeck’s story takes place in the depression era 1920s when racial discrimination and discrimination against the mentally challenged was more of a norm than an exception to the rule. Characters in this novel such as Crooks and George share the same longing and desire to not feel so alone and misunderstood. Each have been alienated by those around them for the differences they can not control; the color of their skin, how they choose to live their lives and the secrets that they covet, that alienation has led to isolation and the inevitable loneliness that follows. Crooks is the black stable hand that is caring, empathetic and intellectually sharp, however he has grown defensive and bitter from the years of segregation. In the 1920s being black meant that you were not treated as equal. Crooks was not permitted to bunk, eat or generally socialize with the other field workers. Steinbeck depicts this when Lennie enters Crooks’ room one evening “smil[ing] helplessly in an attempt to make friends” as his giant body filled the door (Steinbeck 68). From years of being shoved aside Crooks had built up a wall of defense, he responded...
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...wife, his only thought is how to quell George’s anger. He has a childlike faith that George will always be there for him, a faith that seems justified, given their long history together. George, on the other hand, thinks of Lennie as a constant source of frustration. He has assumed responsibility for Lennie’s welfare and has, several times, been forced to run because of trouble Lennie has inadvertently caused. Life with Lennie is not easy. However, despite George’s frequent bouts of anger and frustration, and his long speeches about how much easier life would be without Lennie, George is clearly devoted to his friend. He flees from town to town not to escape the trouble Lennie has caused, but to protect Lennie from its consequences. The men are uncommonly united by their shared dream of a better life on a farm where they can “live off the fatta the lan’,” as Lennie puts it. George articulates this vision by repeatedly telling the “story” of the future farm to his companion. Lennie believes unquestioningly in their dream, and his faith enables the hardened, cynical George to imagine the possibility of this dream becoming reality. In fact, George’s belief in it depends upon Lennie, for as soon as Lennie dies, George’s hope for a brighter future disappears. 2. Discuss the ways in...
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...WHAT DOES STEINBECK WANT HIS READERS TO LEARN ABOUT HUMAN NATURE FROM STUDYING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GEORGE AND LENNIE? In the novella ‘Of Mice and Men’ Steinbeck repeatedly explores the theme of loneliness which plagued many people during the hardship of 1930s America. George and Lennie shed a great amount of light onto the intricacies of human nature through the complex relationship they share and Steinbeck uses this to convey to the reader the importance of friendship, loyalty and trust. George and Lennie are designed by Steinbeck to function as two halves of the same person, they are both complementary and contrasting but when combined form an individual greater than either could be alone. The two men are direct opposites of one another; George is slight and ‘defined’ with ‘restless eyes’ which glow with intelligence and focus whilst Lennie is ‘shapeless’ and his ‘pale eyes’ are filled with a lethargic apathy. Steinbeck forms this unlikely pair to convey to the reader the fact that no one person is ever fully complete, George relies on the physical might of Lennie for protection whilst he guides the larger man with his wily intellect. It is the disparity between the two men which provides the basis for dynamic bond they possess. The two men remain firm friends despite their differences in character and the resulting friction which often leads to the pair being at odds with one another. Lennie’s limited mental capacity is a source of much frustration for George as...
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...cf Of Mice and Men The novella “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck teaches a lot about human behavior. We learn that each character’s past experiences, attitude, emotion, and their authority all have a great affect on the way they behave. The whole concept of human behavior is what ties together the themes of this short novel. Some of these themes include the impossibility of achieving the American dream, loneliness vs. companionship, and the predatory nature of human existence. Throughout the story these are reoccurring themes that are vital to comprehending the story. The theme of the impossibility of achieving the American dream is a huge part of the story. Many of the characters did not end up where they wanted to be in life. Some of them include Crooks, Curley’s wife, Lennie, and George. Crooks, the black ranch hand, is unable to reach his dreams because of his race. He is segregated from the other men and is viewed differently also because of his crooked back. He wants to be accepted by the others because he feels so alone that it drives him mad. Curley’s wife is also unable to reach her American dream because of her mother, along with her husband. She has dreamt of being an actress for a very long time and because of her mother is unable to move away in order to achieve her goals. Her husband holds her back because he could care less about her; he just wants to be able to show her off, to him she is just a trophy wife. Curley’s wife also tries to...
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...Of Mice and Men “The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.” This quote from James Truslow Adams “The epic of America”, states one of the themes in the novella Of Mice and Men. John Steinbeck, the author of Of Mice and Men, deals with the topic of living through the great depression, as the readers follow the story of two migrants workers and their wish to fulfil their American Dream. Steinbeck’s inspiration for his novella can be linked back to his own life, as he was both born and raised in Salinas Valley, the most productive agricultural region in California. This essay will cover Of Mice and Men’s setting, the characterisation of major characters and the key themes identified within the novella. Two protagonists, Lennie and George, travel around together to obtain work. Within the novella, Steinbeck has presented two obvious settings, and focused on the contrast between them. Nearing the beginning of the book, the two men spend a night in a small, secluded glade near the river. The description of the nature area could be compared to heaven, just a beautiful place as described in this quote: “On one side of the river, the golden foothill slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Galiban mountains” (page 1, line 5), where the nature is described as majestic, strong and even golden. However a contrast is formed with the two men entering the setting...
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...BOOK: OF MICE AND MEN by John Steinkbeck Learn: An introduction to The novella ‘of mice and men’ Keywords: -historical background -1930’s -cultural – ‘farming community’ –working on land –ranch, barn, bunkhouse, horses, donkeys – many words related to the farming community -characters -themes -1929 wallstreet crash – the great depression 1930’s -stucture – nature versus man (write these words in the exam ^^^ to have a A* or a B) Chapter1: opening paragraph -description of Soledad (loneliness) -Salinas River -Gabilan mountains -Sycamores (like helikopterblaadjes of a tree) -Soledad – Twinkling – Golden – Strong – Sloops – Jungle – deforest George Small, darkface, restless eyes, strong features. Lennie Shapeless of face, large pale eyes, huge man, dranks like a horse, like a child. John Steinbeck Born in 1902 in Salinas California his father owned a …. John describe farming life he was an intelligent student and at age of 14 he decided to become a writer. He did Stanford university, never complete his degree he went to NY and works as a construction worker. He later became a newspaper reporter. *1928 – cup of gold *1932 – pastures of heaven *1933 – to an unknown god *1935 – Tortilla flat *1937 – of mice and men The clearing by the river- Salinas begins by the river and ending by the river –full circle storyline Nature=Good Questions OF MICE AND MEN: * Physical environment * Infested environment * Racist environment ...
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...Of Mice and Men Kiescha Giles Of mice and men is a novel written by author John Steinbeck, published in 1937. It’s about George Milton and lennie small, two displaced workers. Who move from place to place in California in search for new job opportunities during the great depression in United States of America? John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is a fable about what it means to be human. Steinbeck's story of George and Lennie's ambition of owning their own ranch, and the obstacles that stand in the way of that ambition, reveal the nature of dreams, dignity, loneliness, and sacrifice. Ultimately, Lennie, the mentally handicapped giant who makes George's dream of owning his own ranch worthwhile, ironically becomes the greatest obstacle to achieving...
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...presents the relationship between George and Lennie in “Of Mice and Men” Of Mice and Men was written in the 1937 by John Steinbeck, he other well know books as the Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden, h also received a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. This book is set in the 1930s and set in California, his home region. During this time, the USA was suffering from a great depression, this meant that it was hard to find job because the economy was very weak, so to find job the men were disposed to go anywhere and the bosses would exploit their workers. The itinerant ranch workers where very lonely people because they had to move from place to place and tis meant that they could set up a stable life with a wife and children. Another reason that suggests to us that they are lonely is that at the end of each month they take their money and they go to “cat house”. The character of George and Lennie are very unusual and contrasting, this is because they have a strong relationship between them and they also have a dream, a dream of buying a house and some land to become independent and to life together for the rest of their lives. But the reader knows from the beginning that this will not happen and it will have a tragic end, and this is suggested in the title “Of Mice and Men” that comes from a from Robert Burns poem “The best laid schemes o’mice an’ men/ Gang aft agley” and it means: the best laid schemes of mice and men/ often go awry. As soon as the reader starts reading Chapter...
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