Of Mice and Men Literary Analysis

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In the Story Of Mice and Men, George and Lennie had a dream of Paradise. It was a concrete plan that seemed achievable. But like the story of Adam and Eve, even simple plans can go astray if a hint of temptation is around. Unfortunately, there was a hint of temptation in Of Mice and Men, and it attached itself to Lennie and George and pulled them from their dream. In the book Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck uses the setting to reveal the fall from paradise.

1. “‘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.” (p.14)

This is the dream that George and Lennie want. It is not entirely unlikely, in fact it seems quite achievable. However, given the fact that neither Lennie nor George are perfect, they will always be swayed by malignant forces from the ranch that don’t want them to achieve their goals, like temptation or wrath.

2. “’Listen to me, you crazy bastard,’ he said fiercely. ‘Don’t you even take a look at that bitch. I don’t care what she says and what she does. I seen ‘em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her. You leave her be.’” (p.32)
George realizes that Curley’s Wife is temptation, and that she is going to stand in the way of them realizing their dream. George also realizes that Lennie isn’t necessarily equipped to deal with Curley’s wife and the other obstacles in this setting, but they have to try to keep going. After all, what’s the worst that could happen?

3. “ I seen hundreds of men come by on the road an’ on the ranches, with their bindles on their back an’ that same damn thing in their heads . . . every damn one of ’em’s got a little piece of land in his head. An’ never a God damn one of ’em ever gets it. Just like heaven. Ever’body wants a little piece of lan’. I

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