Naturalism In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

In Of Mice and Men (1936) John Steinbeck examines the role of naturalism and the influence of the three determinants of human behavior. To begin, Steinbeck shows how a person’s physical need and desire can influence their actions. Throughout the novel, the characters are intent on taking care of themselves by meeting some of their simple needs such as food and water. For example, Steinbeck states, “[Lennie] dropped his blankets and flung himself down and drank from the surface of the green pool; drank with long gulps, snorting into the water like a horse” (Steinbeck 3). In a similar fashion, many characters have physical desires that influence the outcome of their behavior. Steinbeck explains a character’s physical desire when he says “[Lennie] wants to touch ever’thing he likes. Just wants to feel it” (Steinbeck 41). Due to Lennie’s physical desire to feel things that are aesthetically pleasing it

Within the story, many characters’ environments (whether it be social or physical) determine how they will interact with one another and present themselves. Steinbeck reinforces the notion that environments impact people when he narrates, “[George] cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, ‘get ‘im, Lennie!’… George yelled again, ‘I said get him’” (Steinbeck 63). With the previously stated quote, it is noticeable the influence George and the other workers had on Lennie because Lennie did not know what to do in the situation he listened to the social environment around him and fought back resulting in Curley’s arm getting crushed. Likewise, Steinbeck suggests that one’s physical environment affects behavior when he states, “Crooks, the negro stable buck, had his bunk in the harness room; a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn” (Steinbeck 66). Because Crooks room was secluded and lonely, it influenced his personality, making him more withdrawn and