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Some rhetorical devices that Steinbeck uses in his novel of mice and men
Some rhetorical devices that Steinbeck uses in his novel of mice and men
Some rhetorical devices that Steinbeck uses in his novel of mice and men
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John Steinbeck’s use of language helps to convey and emphasise an atmosphere of tension when Carlson leaves to shoot Candy’s dog in Chapter 3. The context of the extract links to the men’s incapability to express their emotions with others due to their hard-working masculine exterior, to the point where sensitive events like these are deemed tense and awkward for those involved. In the extract Steinbeck only makes reference to the passing of time on few occasions, making the time it takes Carlson to shoot Candy’s dog drag on much longer than it actually does, adding to the suspense and tension that accompanied the situation. It’s not until the line “The silence fell on the room again. A minute passed, and another minute” does the reader realize
just how little time has gone by, but the silence that for the most part dominates the extract makes this short time seem to pass much slower, this is indicated with “The silence came into the room. And the silence lasted”. Despite it being a short time that Carlson is actually out of the bunk-house, to the men it feels like hours, to the point where Whit breaks out with “What the hell’s takin’ him so long? Lay out some cards, why don’t you? We ain’t gonna get no euchre played this way” revealing that despite the extract only lasting for merely a few minutes, feeling of time being dragged out is almost unbearable for the men. The level of tension is indicated the most in how Steinbeck references to various sounds and the repetition of the word “silence”. Throughout the extract Steinbeck continuously refers to the word “silence”, specifically in reference to “the silence fell on the room again” which is repeated three times. Steinbeck wouldn’t keep repeating a phrase or word like this unintentionally, he’s using the method of repetition to fully emphasise the dominance that the silence has on the room. The constant reminder of the silence also emphasises the other sounds in the room, making them have a bigger impact, specifically when George “rippled the edge of the deck nervously, and the little snapping noise drew the eyes of all the men in the room so he stopped doing it.” The fact that such a miniscule sound has such an impact on the men helps to express how on edge everyone is in the extract, allowing Steinbeck to indirectly convey the tension in the room.