The Significance of the Opening in Of Mice and Men

The Significance of the Opening in Of Mice and Men

The novel opening is scene setting; Steinbeck wrote it with lots of

descriptive words with many colour words, "yellow sands" and "white,

recumbent limbs." The first page concentrates on natural beauty, with

no mention of anything man-made. The beginning of the text must be

calm and peaceful to contrast with the more violent and upsetting end.

The opening scene is important and stressed upon so that when it is

used again at the end you can see that the novel is cyclical.

Steinbeck makes the scene easily recognisable by talking about the

"Gabilon Mountains" and "Salinas River." The landscape is constant and

permanent and the same imagery is used again even after so much has

changed in the characters' lives.

In the novella, there are two main paragraphs in which Steinbeck

describes nature, the first paragraph in the first chapter and the

first paragraph in the last chapter. These two paragraphs contrast a

lot and show the way George and Lennie's relationship is heading

throughout the story. These two paragraphs are almost total opposites

but do contain some sentences that are near enough the same, but put

in to the context relating to George and Lennie's relationship

The fact that there are so many animals there, such as the heron and

the rabbits suggests that the place is a safe haven for every living

thing including "the boys coming down from the highway." It is this

safe place where George tells Lennie to go to when he is in trouble.

Steinbeck uses anaphoric references throughout the novel with rabbits

being rabbits being one of the most important; the rabbits represent

Ge...

... middle of paper ...

...ing characters yet 'opposites

attract' and they have built up a friendship. George and Lennie are

different but both have something to give each other: companionship

being a major aspect but George gives Lennie a 'parent' and Lennie

gives George a purpose in life. George has matured a lot since the

incident he relates to Slim where he made Lennie jump into a river

just for fun. He realises that Lennie depends on him, and needs him to

survive.

Lennie craves the relationship of a parent figure, which is what

George represents and also something like the rabbits, which he can

pet, he would like to care for them, as they would bring him extra

comfort. Lennie, like a small child just wants something of his own to

care for but finds it difficult as he is so large and clumsy he ends

up killing them, like with the mouse.