Steinbeck’s Use of Biblical Allusions in Of Mice and Men

Although John Steinbeck was known to be personally irreligious (), Of Mice and Men is still underscored by Judeo-Christian and Biblical allusions, mores, and ideas. With the irreligious nature of Steinbeck in mind, these allusions in Of Mice and Men can be understood as Steinbeck creating a familiar framework to explore the issues of moral decay and societal dissolution in the era of the Great Depression. This idea of religious allusion as a vehicle for exploring modern day issues is supported by Steinbeck himself, who explicitly stated in his 1962 Nobel Prize banquet speech that “The ancient commission of the writer has not changed. He is charged with exposing our many grievous faults and failures, with dredging up to the light our dark and dangerous dreams for the purpose of improvement.” (). Thus, Steinbeck chiefly uses Biblical allusions to explore the devaluing of virtue and morality in the Depression Era.

Steinbeck frequently alludes to the archetype of Christ in Of Mice and Men, with the most clear references being those contained in the character of George. In fact, upon comparison, George’s story very much meshes with the Biblical account of Christ. For example, as he was dying, Jesus said “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (New International Version, Luke 33:34), absolving those who crucified him. In much the same way, George tells Lennie as he is about to shoot him, “No, Lennie. I ain’t mad, I never been mad, an’ I ain’t now. That’s a thing I want you to know.” (Steinbeck 101), thus ultimately forgiving Lennie for all that he had done, even forcing George to shoot him and destroy their dream. Critically, this allusion to the archetype of Christ is followed up by a social and moral comm...

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...usions and ideas, however, are not a mere regurgitation of Judeo-Christian values and mores, but rather a powerful commentary about the time following the Great Depression that sees the collapse of traditional social structures in the face of economic hardship. Specifically, through the character of George, his relationship to Lennie and the salient allusions to Christ, Steinbeck reevaluates the classic ideas of brotherhood and sacrifice and notes how these ideals have become underappreciated in the era of Of Mice and Men. Additionally, Steinbeck’s allusions to heaven through the rabbit dream are a literary manifestation in his belief in the power of hope and compassion in a cruel world. Thus, Of Mice and Men, built on its’ framework of Biblical allusions, is ultimately both a celebration of “gallantry in defeat” () and a criticism of the judgments of man’s peers.