Allegorical Qualities In John Steinback's Of Mice And Men

Jessie Dodd The Allegorical Qualities in Of Mice and Men
The novella Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinback, has many allegorical qualities. The majority of these qualities are based around the characters; however, some may be based around the items and places in the story. These qualities are very well thought out and are strung together perfectly, giving the novella much more meaning than perceived at first glance.
The first example of Steinback’s allegorical qualities in his novella is the characters he wrote about. Each of these characters have a similarity to social classes in the 1930’s. Lennie, one of the first introduced characters, represents the treatment of people with mental handicaps. Lennie was not allowed to talk or act on his own will due to others finding out about his disability. He often found himself getting into serious trouble without realizing what he had done to get there. On the other hand, his companion, George, serves as a hard working man with a dream to own a farm. He holds onto that hope, though deep down, he knows it will never become a reality. The only women portrayed in the novella is Curley’s wife, who personifies oppression in women. Steinback didn’t give her a name, showing how lowly those in the 1930’s thought of females. Her husband, Curley, typifies “small”

The first being Candy’s old dog. Candy has raised that dog up from a pup, keeping it close to his heart. The dog shows the nostalgia Candy has for his youth.The rabbits mentioned continuously in the novella happens to represent Lennie’s happiness. Lennie enjoys the feel of soft things, often picking up mouses along the way of George and his travel. The little pup given to Lennie is a symbol of the fate of the weak in the face of the strong. Just as Lennie is dependent on George, the pup was completely dependent on