Often in life, there are situations in which they cannot be done alone. To overcome these difficult situations, the power of relationships can prove to be of significant value. On the one hand, Phillip Noyce’s film Rabbit-Proof Fence is a great example, showing that through strong familial bonds, one can overcome a difficult situation. The situation being that three aboriginal girls have escaped from an institution meant to ‘rehabilitate’ them, leading to a long nine-week journey across the Western Australian outback to return home while being chased. On the other hand, John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men, in contrast to Rabbit-Proof Fence is the opposite, failing to overcome a difficult situation, but it does show the power of relations …show more content…
through a strong bond between the two main characters. The situation is that two men have found work at a ranch, but it won’t be easy to keep the job with one of them being ‘different’, leading to bad blood with another character. While Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men and Noyce’s Rabbit-Proof Fence both convey how the power of relationships can overcome difficult situations, Steinbeck’s story has shown the failure of it. By contrast, Phillip’s story has proven that the power of relations can be a strength. Both Rabbit-Proof Fence and Of Mice and Men show how through the power of relationships, a difficult situation can be overcome. In Rabbit-Proof Fence, it is apparent that Molly, Daisy, and Gracie share a strong familial bond and that Molly is the caretaker, this is also apparent in Of Mice and Men with George and Lennie. This bond is clearly seen between Molly, Daisy, and Gracie, as all they have are themselves against the vast expanse of the outback. This bond they hold is seen when they go to retrieve Gracie after she went off on her own. The bond is seen through a full-shot used to capture their whole body, allowing the audience to take in their costumes and see their relationship, which in this shot, was very strong, as Molly and Daisy were grieving over the loss of Gracie, showing deep care. By developing a bond like this, one can overcome a difficult situation with the power of relationships, which is apparent in Of Mice and Men. Furthermore, Rabbit-Proof Fence has shown that through a character’s strong bond, one can overcome a difficult situation. In comparison to Rabbit-Proof Fence, Of Mice and Men has shown that it also holds the same bond. In Of Mice and Men, it is apparent that George and Lennie themselves have an extremely strong bond and that George holds great responsibility, this is also apparent in Rabbit-Proof Fence with Molly, Daisy and Gracie’s bond. This bond is evident through this piece of dialogue, " Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world… But not us! An' why? Because... because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that's why." (pg. 7). This quote explicitly shows how close George and Lennie are, because, in their world, they only have themselves to look out for each other, allowing them to overcome difficult situations with each other’s help, which is portrayed in Rabbit-Proof Fence. As previously discussed, Of Mice and Men has shown that through a strong bond, a difficult situation can be overcome.
This is successfully portrayed in Rabbit-Proof Fence. In Rabbit-Proof Fence, even when all the odds were stacked against Molly and Daisy, through the power of relations, they successfully returned home, overcoming the difficult situation, albeit with the loss of Gracie. Their victory is seen at the end of the film through a close-up shot in combination with an eye-level angle of Molly, Daisy, Maud, and Molly’s grandmother all reuniting. The close-up allows the audience to see and feel their expressions, with them crying tears of joy and being extremely happy to see each other again. But amidst all this, Molly says that “I lost one”, she is referring to Gracie, who got caught, as she did not stay together with Molly and Daisy. Like in Of Mice and Men, the loss of both Gracie and Lennie can be compared, showing that both Molly and George, supposed caretakers, have failed. The use of the eye-level angle shows the audience that they are on equal footing, creating a sense of comfort. This close-up shot in combination with the eye-level angle proves that through the power of relations, a difficult situation can be overcome, which is not apparent in Of Mice and …show more content…
Men. As previously discussed, Rabbit-Proof Fence has shown that through the power of relations, a difficult situation can be overcome.
This in contrast to Of Mice and Men has not been successfully portrayed. This is evident from the loss of Lennie at the end of the novel, the person George, his supposed caretaker, was responsible for, this can also be compared with the loss of Gracie, as Molly can also be seen as a caretaker. The failure to overcome a difficult situation is evident through this line “George shivered and looked at the gun, and then he threw it from him, back up on the bank, near the pile of old ashes” (pg. 53). This quote expresses how George felt after he himself had shot Lennie, killing him, while also featuring some symbolism in the form of the pile of old ashes. George shivering, in this case, indicates that he himself felt remorse for his actions, knowing that he had failed Lennie as the one responsible for his wellbeing. This is further reinforced, as the old ashes symbolize penitence, meaning regret and sorrow for having done wrong, telling the audience that George was seeking repentance. These techniques in combination also tell the audience that the situation George and Lennie were presented with was far too difficult to overcome with the power of relations, hence the loss of Lennie and George’s failure. In contrast to Rabbit-Proof Fence, where it showed the ability to overcome a difficult situation with the power of relations, Of Mice and Men has shown
the inability, with this quote further proving it. In conclusion, while Phillip Noyce’s film Rabbit-Proof Fence and John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men do show how the power of relationships can overcome difficult situations, Rabbit-Proof Fence successfully portrays it with Molly and Daisy returning, proving it to be a strength. Whereas in Of Mice and Men, it was unable to portray the power of relations successfully, with the loss of Lennie expressing that failure explicitly, and telling the audience that the situation at hand was far too difficult for it to be overcome with the power of relations. For these reasons mentioned above and others, Rabbit-Proof Fence is a successful portrayal of the power of relationships to overcome difficult situations while Of Mice and Men is not.
Of Mice & Men Alternate Ending George aimed the gun and steadied it, and he brought the muzzle of the gun close to the back of Lennies head. The hand shook violently, but his face set and his hand steadied, Georges heart was pounding, Lennie was still looking across the river trying to picture his rabbits as he was told to do. George suddenly jerked his hand away as Lennie spoke. "Don stop now George, tell, tell about the rabbits and the fatta the lan" But George didn't answer, instead he raised the Luger and pulled the trigger the barrel turned creating a soft click which echoed in the small clearing. "George I dun a bad thing" "I know Lennie
Novels that exhibit what the life is like for the people at ranch can help readers reflect on how they might react in comparable situation. George and Lennie who struggle to transcend the plight of inerrant farmworkers are followed by the novel Of Mice and Men written by John Steinbeck. Readers are positioned to respond to themes through Steinbeck’s use of conventions that are dispirit. Themes such as Freedom and confinement, loneliness, and racism are pivotal in the novel and draw out a range of responses from the readers.
Relationships can be a positive aspect in a person 's life. There are many significant attributes about relationships in the movie Rain Man by Ronald Bass that are comparable to the story Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Both of these stories are good examples of how relationships teach people how to be supportive and accepting. These stories also teach us about how spending time with a person brings you closer together and how over time the characters in the two stories learn the true value of friendship. It is apparent through both of these stories that a considerable part of most relationships are made up of support for one another.
‘Of Mice and Men’, a novel by John Steinbeck, tells a story of friendship, loneliness and aspirations. Two itinerants named George and Lennie go to work on a farm as labourers in a place named Soledad. The story then ends when George takes Lennie’s life. Almost everyone on the farm is lonely and the person that represents this the most is Curley’s (the boss’s son) wife, one of the most pivotal characters in the book. When Lennie and George arrive on the farm and are shown their quarters Curley’s wife, on one of her ‘looking for Curley’ routines, sees them both and immediately starts flirting with them. George gets angry when Lennie takes a shine to her and tell him to stay away and calls her a ‘bitch’ and a ‘rat-trap’ This view is also held by many of the workers on the farm. Curley instantly takes a dislike to Lennie when he firsts meets him just because he his much considerably larger that himself. This attitude towards Lennie results in him getting into a fight with him but he loses when Lennie crushes his hand with his own fist. Curley’s wife knows Lennie did this even though Curly was told to say he had caught his hand in a machine. Curley’s wife pursuit of company leads her to seek solace with Lennie. She pours out her pent up frustration of her unrealised dreams and ambitions. When she realises Lennie isn’t taking much interest she lets him feel her hair. Lennie being Lennie strokes harder and harder even though Curley’s wife begs him to stop. As she struggled to get out of his grasp he accidentally broke her neck. Lennie then ran off to his hiding place where he was told to go if he ever did a ‘bad thing.’ When Curley discovers his wife’s body he runs after Lennie with a mob including George. This leads to George pulling a trigger on Lennie.
Lennie’s innocence and inability to recognize his own strength is shown through his interaction with the mice. Lennie intends to innocently and affectively
The authors John Steinbeck and Robert Burns approach their ideas in very different ways, while having the same themes the reader comprehends key concepts in a different light. Throughout the short story “Of Mice and Men” and the poem “To a Mouse” the theme of hope is a key concept, even though while in both stories their hope did not bring them their happiness, friendship brought them together. Correspondingly while having similar themes of friendship, loneliness, and hope, this all takes place in different settings with different characters.
Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, portrays the hard–done-by life of two California labours, who form an unlikely bond and cling together in the face of alienation. The Novel exhibits the idea of the thirst for companionship when cast into the abyss of loneliness, while unveiling the horrors and strife that the labours of the south endured during the 1930’s. Throughout the plot, one of the protagonist, George, continuously carries through with several decisions that define him as a character and subsequently, as a human being. For example, at the beginning of the story, Geo...
One cannot imagine developing an intimate relationship with someone so different from oneself in every aspect, especially during a time where getting to see tomorrow is uncertain. But the hostages dared to do so. According to James Polk, New York Times literary critic, Ann Patchett's Bel Canto, offers insights into the various ways in which human connections are forged, despite whatever pressures the world might place upon them. We agree with James Polk that status can forge human connections because as we saw in the book, two opposing status were forced to live together with numerous limitations on what they could do but they still formed relationships.
Throughout the course of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men the way others react to Crooks, Candy, and Lennie are all examples of how being perceived as weaker and different can lead to being alienated from others. Due to the disadvantage Crooks, Candy, and Lennie are all shown to have during the book, Steinbeck shows how being perceived as weak can distance one from others, as well as limiting
During a time of hardship or of economic difficulties, each person draws back into their personal space and takes no notice of others. Ignorance often leads to misunderstandings. In John Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men, two men went go a new farm in search of new opportunities and a chance to fulfill their dream. Of Mice and Men is also a heartbreaking story of how such misunderstandings can lead to unfortunate events. John Steinbeck uses a disapproving voice to criticize the mistreatment of social rejects and show that misunderstanding can lead to adverse outcomes.
In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck brings out the themes of Lonliness and companionship, and strengths and weaknesses through the actions, and quotations of the characters. Irony and foreshadowing play a large roll on how the story ends. Lennie and his habit of killing things not on purpose, but he is a victim of his own strength. George trying to pretend that his feelings for Lennie mean nothing. The entire novel is repetitive in themes and expressed views.
“Of Mice and Men”, by John Steinbeck is a novel about the hardships of life and the importance of having other people around. The story is of two men trying to survive with one another in a world full of loneliness; their relationship is quite rare and strange. Lennie, a large bear, has a mental disability which causes him to be in a childlike state. George, a much smaller and more competent man takes care of both of them. Although they work for others on ranches, their dream is to get by on their own and live off the land. However, Lennie’s state causes conflict as they travel from job to job. Steinbeck uses clever ways in his novel to develop his theme and characters as the story progresses; both of these elements also help create a large
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is a riveting book which includes many intriguing scenes but one in particular is compelling. This is the scene where the readers witness the death of Curley’s wife. In the beginning of this scene, Lennie is sitting by himself in the barn mourning over the death of his puppy. He is trying to talk himself out of feeling guilty for killing his dog. Similar to all his pet mice, Lennie didn’t realize his own strength and killed it by accident. As he is talking to himself in the desolated barn, Curley’s wife sneaks in behind him. She kneels down next to him and attempts to start a normal conversation with him. As she is talking, she asks about the dead puppy and Lennie tells her his story. As Curley’s wife continues talking, she tells him about her dead acting career until Lennie begins talking about liking to pet soft things. Lennie’s hand ends up on her hair and when she jerks away afraid, his hand closed on her hair and hung on. As she began to yell, he covered up her mouth to muffle the noise. Once again Lennie, not knowing his own strength, managed to break Curley’s wife’s neck and eventually killed her. As Candy and George are coming into the barn, Lennie goes and hides knowing he did a bad deed. The scene ends with all the men leaving the barn to hunt down Lennie. This is a significant scene because of the culpability of multiple characters along with the significance of the scene in comparison to the rest of the novel.
George, a migrant worker, working on a ranch, is portrayed as the tragic figure or character in Of Mice and Men because of his hubris, epiphany, and overall downfall at the end of the book. In of Mice and Men, being a ranchman, George is very lonely because of the loss of family, friends and overall relationships. Because of this, George begins to have ambitious dreams about a dream ranch where him and his best friend Lennie would own their own ranch. This ambition and dream becomes George’s hubris, or blindness, which also is a motif throughout the book. Being caught up with this, he does not realize that Lennie is becoming more and more destructive. For example, Lennie kills Curley’s wife by accident in the barn. George is looked at as Lennie’s best friend and overall savior. Without George, Lennie would most likely have no job and suffer from extreme loneliness. George has an epiphany, pr a spiritual compromise, when he realizes how much trouble Lennie has caused. This also is the climax of the story and causes George’s downfall because he realizes that the only way Lennie will stop being destructive is to kill him, himself. This is happens to be Georges downfall because he is emotionally compromised in the sense that he ...
Peter Lisca’s analysis on “Motif and Pattern in Of Mice and Men” clarifies that Steinbeck’s misunderstood usage of symbols, actions, and language convey motifs and patterns that connects the beginning of the book to the end. Lisca implies that the first and primary usage of symbolism was the area near the river where the story initiated and ended. He insinuates that the cave that Lennie mentioned twice and the river George ordered Lennie to visit when in danger symbolizes as “a safe place” and innocence while becoming “translated into terms possible in the real world” (Lisca 1). In addition, Lisca also advocates that the rabbits serve as symbols to dramatize Lennie’s devotion for his safe place, but also to “define the basis of what desire on a very low level” (Lisca 2).