Have you ever been stuck outside of a locked car or have you ever knocked into a parking meter? Have you ever banged your head on a long, glass window because of how transparent it was, yet it still stopped you from doing what you wanted to do? These are all barriers that prevented us from access to something. In the case of the characters in Of Mice and Men, their barriers are social barriers. Something that stands in their way preventing them from movement towards the others, isolating them to their own ways and world. The novella, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, paints the simple yet strong images of barriers; racism, disability and even certain people, in the social picture of the 1920s’.
Racism is one of the most prominent barriers
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in the book, isolating Crooks’ from the others on the ranch, making him feel useless and lonely. Even Crooks admits, in this quote, that his opinion is worthless because of the colour of his skin “This is just a black nigger talkin’,… So it don’t mean nothing see?” (Crooks, Steinbeck 4.71) This statement shows how people of colour were treated, some making them feel powerless, unimportant and useless. Crooks had to explain, to Lennie before speculating his story about George, that he’s black and because of that, his words don’t mean anything. Here is a quote when Crooks demands for Curley’s wife to get out of his room, but then she threatens him for opening his mouth. She threatens him using the fact that she’s a white woman and he’s a black man. He then quiets down and she states “Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung upon a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.” (Curley’s wife, Steinbeck 4.81) This is just one very real situation that would take place in the 1920s’, by falsely accusing a black man of a terrible crime, white women would get them lynched and the accused wouldn’t have a fair trial. This is just another barrier represented in the book that reflect what would actually happen in the outside world. While Lennie and Crooks were talking about life on the ranch, Lennie asked a simple question yet the answer really showed where Crooks and his race stood. Lennie asks why Crooks thinks he isn’t wanted and almost immediately he responds with; “ ‘Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black...” (Crooks, Steinbeck 4.68) He gets isolated because his skin is dark and the others don’t like the fact that he’s going into the bunkhouse. They don’t permit him to sleep in the bunkhouse and instead is forced to sleep in the barn. They’ve put up such a strong obstacle, that he’s more alone than anyone in the book. Racism is one of the biggest barriers to overcome in this book. Disability is another resistant barrier to overcome. This quote sets a good example about disabilities in the 20’s. When George and Lennie are speaking about their plan with the farm, Candy says this, speaking only the truth. “When they can me here I wisht somebody’d shoot me… I won’t have no place to go, an’ I can’t get no more jobs…” (Candy, Steinbeck 3.60) Candy is disabled; only having one hand, a simple stump for his left hand, he would be left jobless. Since he is uneducated, not being able to read or write, his only other option is to perform physically intensive jobs. Employers will discriminate against him because he is handicapped and he won’t get hired, and without getting hired, he can’t earn money for a place to live. This is all theoretical (if he were to get let go from his recent job on the ranch) but maybe this series of events really did occur somehow in the Mad Decade. This quote was said by Crooks when Lennie came into his room and was having a discussion with him. Crooks was thinking he could have a little fun with Lennie, supposing that George didn’t come back for him, left him all alone. Before telling his twisted story, Crooks states this “... an’ a busted back nigger. So it don’t mean nothing, see?” (Crooks, Steinbeck 4.71) Crooks had to explain that his words didn’t mean anything because of his disability. He was low enough on the social chain for being black and now he’s even lower, having to explain his words and how it doesn’t mean anything. This exhibits that people with disabilities weren’t appreciated, taken seriously, or worthy enough during this time of the century. Curley’s wife, in the next quote, is referring to Candy, Crooks and Lennie in Crooks’ room while the other men left the ranch to go to a cathouse “They left all the weak ones here...”(Curley’s wife, Steinbeck 4.77) All of these men have a disability; Candy with only one hand, having only a stump on his right wrist, Lennie being feeble-minded and Crooks having a crooked back. With these problems the three of them were excluded from the only couple hours of freedom from the confinement of the ranch. Yet all these men have something in common yet again; they are all outcasts because of these problems. Here is another example of how people with disabilities were treated; exclusion, pitied, being sheltered and being called “weak”, were just some of the hurdles men and women of the 1920’s would have to jump. Certain people are represented as barriers in Of Mice and Men.
One of them is Lennie and his relationship to George. Right from the beginning of the book, the reader can recognize how much of an impediment Lennie really is. This quote was taken from when Lennie asked what had happened in Weed. George doesn’t tell him right away, instead saying this quote “God you’re a lot of trouble, I could get along so easy and nice if I didn’t have you on my tail. I could live so easy and maybe have a girl.” (George, Steinbeck 1.7) By keeping Lennie by his side, Lennie has created a lot of problems for George, preventing them from stabilizing themselves in one place. George, who said, could get along so easy, yet he is burdened with keeping the promise to Lennie’s Aunt Clara, to take care of Lennie. This is when George and Lennie arrived at the clearing in chapter one, when they are about to fall asleep “Lennie—if you jus' happen to get in trouble like you always done before, I want you to come right here an' hide in the brush… Hide in the brush till I come for you ” (George, Steinbeck 1.15) George already needs to tell Lennie to go to the brush because he already knows that Lennie will cause harm. George knows that Lennie doesn’t mean any harm but the fact is that Lennie does harm from killing mice, to terrifying women, to eventually killing someone, adding all of it up, should George really be protecting Lennie? This creates another barrier for George, always having to run away from …show more content…
place to place with Lennie, isolating him from creating relationships with other people. This last quote when George and Lennie are about to have beans in the clearing on the Salinas river and Lennie says he likes ketchup with his beans, George explodes after Lennie’s remark and yells “Well, we ain't got any, whatever we ain't got, that's what you want. God a'mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an' work, an' no trouble…. An' whatta I got, I got you! You can't keep a job and you lose me ever' job I get. Jus' keep me shovin' all over the country all the time.” (George, Steinbeck 1.11) George confesses the truth. He can’t see it yet but Lennie is a blockade for him to have an easier life. George says that Lennie keeps on losing every job they get, keeps making them move all over the country because he gets into too much trouble everywhere they go. Lennie is a big barrier for George to overcome because of his promise to his Aunt Clara that he’d take care of him, also because of spending so much time with him he’s created a relationship with Lennie. There are barriers represented in Of Mice and Men whether it’s racism, disabilities or people.
Yet none of these characters chose to do something about it. Crooks could have stood up more for his basic human rights, even if everyone would have ignored him, he could have made a little bit of an improvement with his lifestyle if he had. Candy could have worked harder, even if he did have a disability, until he was done and maybe suggested that he take notes of new workers. George could have taken action right from the very beginning, such as putting more consequences on Lennie or punishing him more for doing what was right and wrong. All these characters could’ve done something different to overcome their barriers. Yes, some may be sturdier or harder to knock over… But barriers are something we can all overcome; with the right
push.
Steinbeck makes Lennie and George well developed, with colourful personalities and appearances at the beginning, as both of them are looking for work during the Great Depression. From reading the first chapter, I feel that I can relate to George because of his wise, parent-like, and rigid personality. George is a very responsible and tries his best to take care of a very mentally unstable person, where getting irritated is very easy. I also experienced a similar situation, but not with a mentally disabled person. My grandfather, a heavy smoker and alcoholic, suffered a lot of mental problems referring to addiction, as well as health problems because he was diagnosed with throat cancer in the last six months of his life. It was a tough time for my family because both of my parents had to work in order to support the family, so I was the only person who could take care of him. Furthermore, he was confined to a hospital bed until the day he passed away. Staying by his side and providing whatever he wanted was very difficult because there was very little communication, besides writing, because he could not talk due to an artificial respirator in his throat. Staying in the hospital for the majority of the time over the course of six months is extremely tough because of school and family problems I had to deal with. This is relatable to the
Lennie constantly causes trouble. “George told Lennie to keep quiet while George was trying to find them a job”(Steinbeck 35). “Why can't you just let em’ talk?” (Steinbeck 35). It's hard for Lennie to have a regular conversation with someone. He does not understand people well. The boss found it hard to believe that George wasn't trying to fool him by talking about how great Lennie was at working and how strong he was.
Several characters in the novel Of Mice and Men are presented with additional obstacles throughout the book. Whether because of color, sex, or disabilities, John Steinbeck purposefully did this to illustrate oppression. Of Mice and Men explores the
One of the factors that create an imbalance of power within a society is a person's socioeconomic status. Often people with low socioeconomic status are undervalued in society. This imbalance can cause issues with the feelings of security and confidence. Also opportunities and choices can be limited for some people, but expanded to others. People often identify with roles of different socioeconomic status groups, based on their own socioeconomic status, and this can limit creativity and the potential of groups or individuals. If the world believes that people can go from “rags to riches” in America, then there should be an opportunity for all socioeconomic groups.
As the story continues on and the pair arrive at their job, the character chart begins to branch as we are introduced to Slim, another worker on the farm. After learning of the two’s past together, he openly expresses, “Ain’t many guys travel around together... I don’t know why. Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other” (Steinbeck 35). There is a unique value to George and Lennie’s relationship which the world lacks. Rather than combining their might, people would rather watch their own back with one set of eyes than having a second set to keep watch. There is mistrust between people and the idea of backstabbing and swindling is very present due to the economic decline and the loss of wealth for all social classes. Due to Lennie’s mental decline, however and the fact that if it were not for George, Lennie would not be alive, there is a strong bond apparent. To be separated from one another would mean becoming the rest of the world, sad and lonely. Neither of the two would like to bring sorrow to one another or let each other go through
The theme that John Steinbeck amits from the novel Of Mice and Men is not everyone’s american dream can come true because one wants it to. This alludes to a famous poem by Robert Burns called “To a Mouse”. The theme of this poem is the greatest schemes of mice and men often go astray. Meaning that things do not always go as one plans it to. The novel is set in the Great Depression (1929-1939) in Southern California (near Soledad). Characters in the novel such as George and Crooks have obstacles that hold them back from achieving their own american dreams. George is held back from his by having to care of Lennie, who cannot take care of himself. Crooks is held back from his american dream because of his skin color.
and has no family and the only old man on the ranch. We are told him
These devices are incorporated into the journey of two companions working their way towards a dream. Steinbeck uses symbolism to complement his words to depict a higher meaning. As experienced readers will discover, the relationship between the intelligent, but small and weaker George Milton and the mentally handicapped, but large and stronger Lennie Small is symbolic. Even Lennie expresses this relationship “because I got you to look after me and you got me to look after you, and that's why” (14) .This suggests that they are not alone-they have each other. While George complains in the first chapter that he does not know why he keeps Lennie around, George argues "I could get along so easy and so nice if I didn't have you on my tail"(11), he later explains the importance of Lennie's friendship -:“I seen the guys that go around on the ranches alone. That ain't no good. They don't' have no fun. After a long time, they get mean. They get wantin' to fight all the time” (41). Although he is often irritated with Lennie, The reader can infer George stays with Lennie out of his promise to Lennie's aunt or the reader could look deeper and understand George cares about Lennie and that, meaning in life depends on upon sharing. This idea is central to Steinbeck's theme of brotherhood and how men are better if they are not alienated because, if alienated, they become mean and cruel out of their fear of vulnerability. The strength to oppress others originates of weakness, Steinbeck tells his readers. Most importantly for both George and Lennie, Lennie is the keeper of the dream. Without the child-like Lennie there is no dream of a ranch and rabbits and "livin' off the fat of the land." It is for Lennie's sake that George repeats the dream of them owning land. At first George does not really believe that this dream will come to fruition. But, with his childlike friend's
...ntally disabled people prevented Lennie from being trusted and be respected as a human being. In this novel, discrimination that Lennie had to face prevented him from showing his abilities.
“People are always going to stereotype others… it may be without conscious thought, but it still has the same negative effects.”- Author Unknown. In the book “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck, he includes many stereotypes; for example, Lennie was mean and dumb and Curley had small man syndrome. Other characters were stereotyped as hot headed, a tart, and a leader.
George’s relationship with Lennie has made him selfless; his conversations, with and with out Lennie, are generally revolving around Lennie, although in the case of their dream-ranch George seems to find fulfilment for himself as well. Due to these altruistic tendencies that he shows throughout the novel, a danger is bestowed upon George; he tends to care for Lennie far too much, and too little for himself. In occasional moments, he escapes his sympathy and compassion for Lennie, and realises the burden that he causes. This usually results in George taking his frustration out on Lennie, which can often harm his simple mind, leaving Lennie upset and forced to confess to his own uselessness, and George feeling guilty for what he has caused. We can learn very little about George through his actual conversations, which made it necessary for Steinbeck to focus the novel on him in particular, and let the reader gain an closer insight on him through his actions. Generally, he seems to be caring, intelligent and sensible, but is greatly worn by the constant attention Lennie requires. This illustrates a major theme in Of Mice and Men, the dangers that arise when one becomes involved in a dedicated relationship.
Perhaps the most significant of his struggles are those he faces in society. This is the main conflict. As the two men move throughout the novel, it is apparent they are clinging together in the face of loneliness and alienation. George and Lennie are insecure, with no permanent jobs, no real home, and separated from their families. Also, in the end, it was society which led George to kill Lennie.
“Hardly none of the guys ever travel together. I hardly ever seen two guys travel together” (Steinbeck 39) Why is it weird for men to be together? John Steinbeck’s, Of Mice and Men, repeatedly shows two men who are responsible for each other and others looking in on their relationship as something that’s odd. Emphasizing the point that men are pressured into being alone and emotionless by society, but have a desire to be with other people. Male relationships are a theme in the book and revealed in these illumination moments: Lennie’s following and imitation of George, Carlson’s attitude towards George and Lennie being together, Crook wanting companionship, and George’s decision to kill Lennie.
In Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck there is a recurring theme of social discrimination. Throughout the 1930’s, many people discriminated you by how you thought, look, or by your gender. Today, this would be harshly criticized, but in the 1930’s it was accepted as normal. In Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, the author portrays social discrimination of mentally challenged people, women, and black people.
“Society is inside of man and man is inside society, and you cannot even create a truthfully drawn psychological entity on the stage until you understand his social relations and their power to make him what he is and to prevent him from being what he is not. The fish is in the water and the water is in the fish” (Miller, 47). Society forms a man, yet a man portrays the society. You cannot have one without the other as they are both connected and affected by each other. In the book Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck presents society in several characters. Those men showed the ways of society through their feelings, actions, and words. One of those men was Curley. Curley is a character who points out society’s most glaring flaws.