Just a Simple Outsider The novel “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck takes its’ setting in the 1930’s during The Grwat Depression. In this novel there’s two main characters Lennie and Geroge. These two men are on their journey to accomplish their dream but, they stumble on their way to achieve it. Lennie is mentally disabled and does as George tells him to. George is the dominant male in the relationship , because of Lennie’s disability it causes they both very much trouble back in Weed and on the ranch they arrive too after escaping.
Loneliness is an inevitable fact of life that not even the strongest can avoid. John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men is an exploration of the effects that isolation and lack of companionship can have on individuals at a rural ranch in the Salinas Valley, California during the 1930’s. There are several characters in the novel that experience greater seclusion than Curley’s wife, and that this is not a true assessment of the novel. Throughout this essay, through looking at forlorn characters, the ways in which Curley’s wife is not the loneliest character in the novel will be made evident. Crooks the Negro stable-buck experiences isolation because the society in which he lives is racist.
They ain't got nothin to look ahead to. "[13] Nobody likes feeling lonely but they had to deal with it. It shows that during the great depression individuals did not really have anyone and they all just worked for themselves. The loneliness on the ranch contrasts Lennie and George's close relationship by showing how truly important it is to have someone that is important to you. People will be desperate to be involved with people rather
This got him in trouble in Weed, just like what happened in the 5 chapter of the book with Curley’s wife and his puppy. Another example of a dysfunctional character that john Steinbeck used to make this thrilling story what it is today to the people of the world, is Candy and Carlson both not very big characters in the story. Both are unique in their own way about how they contribute to the story. First Carlson is a specific textbook example of a ranch hand for life in both the book and movie he was a fairly large man that looked in his early or late 30s, he looked and sounded as if he had been working low-end jobs all his life. Then there’s Candy an older man maybe late forty’s early fifties.
Animal imagery was evident in both Of Mice and Men and “To a Mouse” by relating Lennie to the Mouse. Identification of humans with the animals was also reflected in both pieces of literature by dreams being shattered due to circumstances and the suffrage of men and animal was caused by society. Having seen how the title Of Mice and Men was borrowed from the poem “To a Mouse” Steinbeck skillfully used the characters to paint the connection between men and animal. He used metaphors to describe the characters. Steinbeck’s decision to compare Lennie to being the mouse gives the readers a more clear idea of how both men and animal are
George’s and Lennie’s characters are round, evolving throughout the story. There are also a few stock characters. Curly, the ranch owner’s bully son, has a wife whom he neglects. Slim, the wisest ranch hand, has respect from all the other workers. Carlson is the opposite of Slim; he is ignorant and insensitive.
(25 marks) May03 How important are minor characters in Of mice and Men? (25 marks) What is the importance of George and Lennie’s dream of living “off the fatta the lan” in Of Mice and Men? (25 marks) Jun04 What do you learn about Crooks in this extract and elsewhere in the novel? (25 marks) How important are dreams to this novel? (25 marks) You may wish to consider:
In their descriptions and interactions, Steinbeck shows the men's relationship: George takes care of Lennie, who is childlike and mentally handicapped, constantly giving him advice and instructions: Don't say anything tomorrow when we get to the ranch; come back here if there is any trouble; don't drink the water before you check out its quality; don't touch dead animals. But George also realizes that Lennie cannot remember or follow these simple instructions. George also carries Lennie's work card, knowing that Lennie would lose it. What George does not realize is how potentially dangerous Lennie is. All Lennie's transgressions thus far have been relatively minor: He has unintentionally killed a mouse and frightened the girl in Weed, but he has done so innocently.
Mock Exam – 'Of Mice and Men' – In the novel, 'Of Mice and Men', John Steinbeck presents Curley as a mean and unkind character, who likes to show his authority on the ranch. This is especially shown in the extract. In the extract, Steinbeck presents Curley as someone who wants to follow in his father's footsteps – to be in control of the ranch. 'Like the boss, he wore high-heeled boots.' This shows that Curley wants to separate himself from the other casual ranch hands.
Draft assessment – Of Mice and Men Question – How does Steinbeck present the characters of Crooks and Curley’s Wife? In what way are these minor characters shown to be significant throughout the novel? Steinbeck’s novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ is the idea of an American dream and the need for companionship which is shown through the plight of the itinerant workers. He uses the minor characters in the novel such as Crooks and Curley’s Wife to represent issues in 1930’s America, for example – racism and the marginalisation of women. Crooks and Curley’s Wife are also central to Steinbeck’s portrayal of the dream of George and Lennie.