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Discrimination and racial bias
Importance of having good character
Discrimination and racial bias
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Every day people are looked down upon or thought less of due to things as simple as the color of their skin, something they can not even control. Moreover, race is not the only characteristic that carries unfair stereotypes. Although it is a big one, things such as gender, age, and aptitude can also affect how people negatively view others. In Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck, the author, is able to illustrate all of these disadvantages through archetypal characters. The ways in which they are stereotyped play a huge part in the book, creating conflicts on every page. Steinbeck does not directly tell the reader what each person represents, rather he uses specific devices to make the reader empathize with the characters . Through the use of imagery, symbolism, and foreshadowing, Steinbeck is able to make his audience reconsider how the handicapped, the …show more content…
The story is excellently painted through Steinbeck's vivid narrative techniques using imagery in ways unimaginable. Steinbeck writes, “He walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. His arms did not swing at his sides, but hung loosely.” (Steinbeck 4) This quote displays how Steinbeck provides readers with an exceptional picture of Lennie as a large, slow moving bear and a feel for how strong he really is. A few pages later Lennie is again referenced as an animal when Steinbeck writes, "Slowly, like a terrier who doesn't want to bring a ball to its master, Lennie approached, drew back, approached again."(Steinbeck, 9) Being compared to a dog not only show Lennie’s loyalty, but it also shows his master-dog relationship with George, his companion. Later in the story, George reveals he has played tricks on Lennie and he has always stayed by his side doing everything he is told, much like a trained dog. The imagery of Lennie being compared to animals gives off the notion that Lennie has a mental
I chose this word because the tone of the first chapter seems rather dark. We hear stories of the hopes with which the Puritans arrived in the new world; however, these hopes quickly turned dark because the Purtains found that the first buildings they needed to create were a prison, which alludes to the sins they committed; and a cemetery, which contradicts the new life they hoped to create for themselves.
In his novel, The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger uses connotative diction along with the red hunting cap to characterize the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, as a uniquely defensive introvert. For instance, In chapter three, Holden’s red cap that he wears in private to express his individuality, is addressed for the first time when Ackley enters the room with demeaning statements in regard to the hat, which is meant for hunting. This triggers Holden to retort, “Like hell it is,” (page 22) which is his defensive instinct, compelling him to verbalize his anger as a form of protection. As a follow-up statement, he cleverly says,“This is a people shooting hat. . .” (page 22) connotatively revealing much more about Holden as
Have you ever experienced discrimination or witnessed someone treat another person with cruelness and hate? In the novella, “Of Mice and Men”, by john steinbeck, three main types of discrimination are shown. The time period of the book is set in is during the great depression, allowing us to see what life was like for women, disabled, and most importantly, colored people. One of the main ideas suggested throughout the book, is the fact that discrimination comes in so many different forms, whether we notice it or not. Characters that are discriminated throughout the book are Crooks, Curley’s wife, and Lennie.
John Steinbeck uses imagery to convey Lennie’s character from his short novel “Of Mice and Men,” by using them in similes and metaphors. He compares Lennie to different types of animals to portray everything about Lennie, without directly having to tell the reader how Lennie acts. Within the first chapter, where Lennie and George are first introduced, Steinbeck uses quite a few similes to depict Lennie, such as “he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws” (2). This comparison helps the readers see that Lennie seems to be slow and innocent, but is also very large like a bear, showing that he may also be dangerous in another way. Again, Steinbeck mentions Lennie’s “paws” when Lennie drinks from a pool, and “dabbled
From the day that J.D. Salinger published his book “The Catcher in the Rye”, it has maintained its title as one of the most controversial books on the shelf. Society has taken the poor elements such as prostitution and under-aged drinking and used it to ban the book in many schools and libraries. Whether or not reading this book has any importance to youth has been the greatest argument for most of society. The book compiles many underlying issues in teenager’s lives and the main character Holden very bluntly acknowledges them. Holden also calls out the phoniness that most adults participate in around others.The book's status as inappropriate and unimportant has been argued for and against since the book was written. Through Salinger’s use
In the story of "Of Mice and Men" there are two friends who are searching for a job and what happens in their lives can not be predicted. The story connects to the chaos theory where nature is unpredictable and the events in the story are considered unpredictable as well. The theme of the story is that everything revolves around the Chaos theory which anything can not be predicted.
John Steinbeck is a famous author known for his outstanding and thought provoking writing, especially in his novel Of Mice and Men. His writing portrays the discrimination and social justice issues present in the time period. His characters portray the different social statuses in the time period. How people’s experiences impact their life, can change them forever. John Steinbeck has an excellent understanding of this concept. He uses paradox, symbolism, and pathos to portray these themes in his novels.
“The only folks who really wound are those we love the best,” Ella Wheeler Wilcox writes in her poem Life’s Scars. Wilcox depicts the close similarity between love and harm. “A thoughtless blow to those who love us best,” Wilcox describes how people give little attention to the little things that hurt close ones gravely. “The only folks who give us pain, are those we love the best,” Wilcox also states that if anyone, the ones “we love best are the ones we” are most vulnerable too [ADJSV]. Wilcox is clearly using the rhetorical appeal of both pathos, dealing with emotion, and logos, dealing with logic. In John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men, the repetition of love leading to violence begins with Lennie’s uncontrollable affection with soft
Despite the numerous laws put into place to try and avoid racism, sexism, and ageism, several men and women are still victims of discrimination. These prejudicial judgements are made everyday towards people who were born that way. Many of these unfair judgements are also seen in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. In this compelling novel, Curley’s wife was discriminated against because she was a woman, and men saw her as a worthless person. Also, Crooks is treated unfairly because of his race, and the ranchers believe they are superior because they are white. Another character faced with discriminated is Candy. He is singled out for being an elder, and society therefore views him as being a waste of space. These specific types of men and women
Betrayal in “The Story of an Hour” leads to Mrs. Mallard being better off alone, as her own person. Mrs. Mallard commits a treacherous act by thinking of the good in her husband's passing. “And yet she loved him- sometimes. Often she had not...’Free! Body and Soul free!’” (“The Story of an Hour” 13). Chopin is using irony to make a paradox in this quote. She loves her husband on the outside but deep down she knows she will be more fulfilled with her life alone without him. In the passing of her husband, she is looking forward to her new life ahead.
Since the beginning of the book, Steinbeck characterizes Lennie as a man who sees the world through the perspective of a child, as if it is a dream. Lennie is a big guy, but he acts like a baby. In the beginning of the story, after George threw the dead mouse Lennie was petting, Lennie was “…‘Blubberin’ like a baby!” (9). This juvenile action demonstrates Lennie’s immaturity and childish
In the book Of Mice and Men, the author,John Steinbeck, uses stereotype characters to convey his message. He wants to empathize with his characters as human beings. He uses stereotype characters such as Lennie, George, Curly, Slim, Candy, Crooks, and Curly's wife. Steinbeck's goal is to inform people how life was like for a migrant worker in the 1920's to 1930's.
At the beginning, the author describes his movement using a metaphor, as Lennie “[drags] his feet… the way a bear drags his paws” (p.2), to show that he is much alike a bear physically. In addition, Steinbeck uses a simile to emphasize Lennie’s animal-like behaviour, as he “[drinks] wit long gulps, snorting into the water like a horse” (p.3). By comparing his physical and behavioural characteristics, this can foreshadow that the author implies that Lennie is seen as more animal than human because of his metal disabilities. George further makes it evident when he infers that “somebody [would] shoot [him] for a coyote if [he] was by [himself]” (p.12). This shows that people are scared of him and his unpredictable, animal-like behaviour because of the lack of understanding about mental health during the early 1900s. Furthermore, this can be the foundation for the theme where the lack of communication and understanding with the mentally disabled can lead to dire and tragic
Discrimination was one of the issues that caused conflict in the novel “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck. One example of discrimination in the novel comes in the form of racial discrimination against Crooks, as he is an African American. Another example of discrimination is gender discrimination against Curley’s wife. Finally, there is discrimination against mentally disabled people, which is evident in Lennie’s character. The ranch hands' actions and conversations demonstrated the racial discrimination against Crooks for his skin colour, gender discrimination against Curley’s wife for her gender, and prejudice against Lennie, who was mentally disabled individual. This prevented the characters from reaching their full potential and causes tragedy.
John Steinbeck uses similes to build and create powerful characters that touch the hearts of readers. Throughout the story Lennie`s character grows to be stronger and stronger through Steinbeck`s use of similes. When George and Lennie arrive at the farm, George introduces himself and Lennie to the boss. George compliments on Lennie being a hell of a good worker and tells the boss Lennie was “Strong as a bull” (Steinbeck 22). Up till this quote, Lennie is thought to be a huge man, shapeless of face who walked very heavily until Steinbeck`s use of similes help uncover Lennie`s true character. John Steinbeck illustrates Lennie`s body and strength by comparing him to a large, heavy and physically powerful animal such as a bull. The use of similes helps in indirect characterization as well and adds to Lennie`s physical appearance and age. The use of similes in this quote helps to create a more powerful character and bring more ...