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Symbolism of mice and men
Examples of how john steinbeck uses symbolism in of mice and men
John Steinbeck's use of symbolism in mice and men
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In John Steinbeck’s novella, “Of Mice and Men,” Steinbeck uses a part of one of Robert Burns’ poem line from his poem, “To a Mouse,” as a title to foreshadow that a lot of different plans in the story aren’t going to go as the characters thought they would and the forces that work to prove this are Lennie’s disability, Curley always trying to start something with Lennie, and Candy joining in on the dream of the ranch that Lennie and George had. The foreshadow that Steinbeck used when he used a piece of Robert Burns’ poem line as a title is shown when Lennie’s disability keeps changing the plans that George and him had. The night before George and Lennie went to the ranch to start working, George told Lennie to not say anything to the boss, but the next day when they were talking to …show more content…
In response, “George scowled at him, and Lennie dropped his head in shame at having forgotten” (22). Lennie has some kind of mental disability that weighs on his ability to remember things, and because of this, Lennie forgot to not say anything even though he kept repeating it to himself the night before. George intended to do all the speaking, but when Lennie chimed in, it changed George’s plan. Another case of this is when George was explaining to Slim how Lennie ruined things in Weed. After telling Slim what Lennie did to a girl, George said, “... that girl rabbits in an’ tells the law she been raped. The guys in Weed start a party out to lynch Lennie. So we sit in a irrigation ditch under water all the rest of that day” (42). In Weed, Lennie wanted to touch a girl’s dress because he thought it was soft. When he touched it, she panicked and Lennie held on because he didn’t know what else to do. Lennie’s disability caused this because he couldn’t think of anything else to do. After this happened, Lennie and George had to flee from Weed to avoid the angry mob that was out to get Lennie. This again goes to show that Lennie’s disability
“You crazy fool. Don’t you think I could see your feet was wet where you went acrost the river to get it?” He heard Lennie’s whimpering cry and wheeled about. “Blubbering’ like a baby! Jesus Christ! A big guy like you.” Lennie’s lip quivered and tears started in his eyes. “Aw, Lennie!” George put his hand on Lennie’s shoulder. “I ain’t takin’ it away jus’ for meanness. That mouse ain’t fresh, Lennie; and besides, you’ve broke it pettin’ it. You get another mouse that’s fresh and I’ll let you keep it a little while.” (Steinbeck
Another trait of Lennie’s is that he is often forgetful, he can’t even remember anything that was told to him twenty seconds before. “‘You remember where we’re goin’ now?’ Lennie looked startled and then in embarrassment hid his face against his knees. ‘I forgot again.’” This quote shows that George repeatedly tells Lennie things but he forgets them from one minute to the next. This happened several times such as the time when he forgot how he got kicked out of Weed. This trait effects Lennie because he often forgets important
John Steinbeck, an American novelist, is well-known for his familiar themes of depression and loneliness. He uses these themes throughout a majority of his novels. These themes come from his childhood and growing up during the stock market crash. A reader can see his depiction of his childhood era. In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck shows the prominent themes of loneliness, the need for relationships, and the loss of dreams in the 1930s through the novels’ character.
One week after Lennie's death, George sits in the dark corner of a bar. The room is all but empty and dead silent. All the windows are shut, through the small openings come beams of dull light that barely illuminate the room. George stares at his glass with an expressionless face, but a heavy sadness in his eyes. The bartender comes towards him and asks if he would like something else to drink.
George really helps him through problems that keep happening during the book. Lennie is incapable to live because he does not know his strength and George has to play the role as a living assistant for Lennie. Lennie does not mean to harm but because of his condition he essentially harms people. In the book it explains the trouble in weed and George explains “Well he saw a girl in a red dress and a red dress and he just wanted to feel it and when he touched it the girl just starts yelling and all he can think to do is hold on” ( Steinbeck 41). The quote states or explains how Lennie can scare or harm people.
During the course of the novel, Lennie is faced with a variety of challenges. The first impediment he encounters is remembering everyday things in general. For example, at one point he thinks he has lost his working ticket when he was never in possession of it in the first place. George and Lennie are run out of the town of Weed because Lennie had once again gotten himself and George in trouble. He saw a girl wearing a soft
In the novel, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, foreshadowing is used a great deal throughout the whole story. From the beginning to the end, it appears everywhere hinting on what will happen in order to make the book more enjoyable. It was used to show that Lennie will be getting into trouble with Curley's wife, the death of Lennie, and exactly how he dies.
For starters, the title itself is a strong case of foreshadowing. Steinbeck alluded Of Mice and Men from To a Mouse by Robert Burns. To a Mouse follows the trilogy of a small rodent that the writer accidentally harmed whilst farming - so, of course, the accidental harm brought onto generally docile creatures is quite relevant. In this poem, we see quotes such as “your small house, too, in ruins; Its feeble walls the wind are
While reading the stories “Of Mice and Men” and the poem “To a Mouse” the audience can infer that both stories have to do with hope for a better future. While Lennie and George live on the ranch there
An important component of this passage involves its connection to the title. The words “of mice and men” come from a poem by Robert Burns, entitled “To A Mouse.” The actual verse, in modern English, reads “The best-laid plans of mice and men/ Often go awry.” Steinbeck uses the dream farm as the “plans” mentioned in the poem. Lennie's causing the accidental death of Curley's wife cause his and George's plans to go awry. An interesting thing to note is the use of the phrase “best-laid plans” in the original poem. The dream farm of Lennie and George wasn't so much a plan as a hope the two had. The fact that things don't come together despite the fervent wishes of Lennie and George, and later on Candy, and to a lesser extent, Crooks, shouldn't be surprising to anyone who had previous knowledge of the poem, or the old adage “if you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans.” However, there is also a double meaning in the title, highlighting the importance of mice in the lives of these men, Lennie and George. The mice act as a portent to the Lennie's deadly clumsiness, that becomes so very important later in the story.
George’s struggles with himself become apparent at the beginning of the novel. Steinbeck clearly lets the reader know that George has conflicting feelings about Lennie. He believed, “ ...if he was alone he could live so easy. He could go get a job an ' work, an ' no trouble” (11). George is basically telling Lennie that sometimes, he wishes he could live
Of Mice and Men: The American Dream and fate Have you ever had a dream and realized that it would not happen? In the book Of Mice and Men. John Steinbeck tries to teach us through Candy that the American Dream is the desire to belong, to be wanted, and to be understood, but when reality checks in and you are hit with fate, something that unavoidably befalls a person; fortune (dictionary.com). And realize it’s nothing more than a dream.
This novel’s title originates from Robert Burn’s poem “To a Mouse” written in 1785. Steinbeck’s book shows comparisons to this poem. One way it shows this is through the powerless and doomed fate of the mouse that has no control over what could happen to it based on its condition (“Reith”).
In the short novella Of mice and men, the author John Steinbeck uses countless examples of foreshadowing for the readers to make predictions on what might happen later on in the story. With the help of background details and context clues, Steinbeck was able to foreshadow that George and Lennie’s dream would not come true, Lennie and Curley would get into a major fight, and that Lennie would be killed.
Lennie is displayed as a happy, loving man but the source of all that love is his goal; to tend the rabbits. Steinbeck clearly shows this in the novel, the first time we learn of this is when George tells Lennie of there future. And when he gets to the part about the rabbits Lennie shouts with excitement (13-14). Lennie is clearly goal minded, the readers learn that when Lennie shouts because it shows his enthusiasm towards his mission. Steinbeck uses Lennie as an example to show that even though Lennie may not be intelligent, goals will still keep him going. The next time readers see Lennie express the want for the goal is when George is about to shoot him, George tells Lennie about the farm to get him excited and then George proceeds to tell Lennie about the food for “the rabbits” (105). The reader can see that Lennie ultimately, is a very happy person even right before his death. That is why Steinbeck uses Lennie as an example because the reader can tell he is fulfilled, and they can then link it to his goals and the