Themes in of Mice and Men - 1614 Words

Themes, Motifs Symbols Themes Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. The Predatory Nature of Human Existence Of Mice and Men teaches a grim lesson about the nature of human existence. Nearly all of the characters, including George, Lennie, Candy, Crooks, and Curley’s wife, admit, at one time or another, to having a profound sense of loneliness and isolation. Each desires the comfort of a friend, but will settle for the attentive ear of a stranger. Curley’s wife admits to Candy, Crooks, and Lennie that she is unhappily married, and Crooks tells Lennie that life is no good without a companion to turn to in times of confusion and need. The characters are rendered helpless by their isolation,†¦show more content†¦Motifs Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s major themes. The Corrupting Power of Women The portrayal of women in Of Mice and Men is limited and unflattering. We learn early on that Lennie and George are on the run from the previous ranch where they worked, due to encountering trouble there with a woman. Misunderstanding Lennie’s love of soft things, a woman accused him of rape for touching her dress. George berates Lennie for his behavior, but is convinced that women are always the cause of such trouble. Their enticing sexuality, he believes, tempts men to behave in ways they would otherwise not. A visit to the â€Å"flophouse† (a cheap hotel, or brothel) is enough of women for George, and he has no desire for a female companion or wife. Curley’s wife, the only woman to appear in Of Mice and Men, seems initially to support George’s view of marriage. Dissatisfied with her marriage to a brutish man and bored with life on the ranch, she is constantly looking for excitement or trouble. In one of her more revealing moments, she threatens to have the black stable-hand lynched if he complains about her to the boss. Her insistence on flirting with Lennie seals her unfortunate fate. Although Steinbeck does, finally, offer a sympathetic view of Curley’sShow MoreRelatedTheme Of Loneliness In Of Mice And Men998 Words   |  4 Pages In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck utilizes loneliness as an overarching theme, there is however one character that is noticeably longer than the others in Steinbecks novella. This character is Crooks, a bitter and aloof man, he used to have a family with brothers and a 10 acre chicken ranch. Now he lives the life of a stable buck isolated by his race (he is the only African American on the ranch) among other things (Steinbeck,2002). This loneliness truly characterises him and causes no end toRead MoreTheme Of Foreshadowing In Of Mice And Men1219 Words   |  5 PagesIn the book, Of Mice and Men, foreshadowing is used all the way from the title of the book to the last sentence. Of Mice and Men was written by Nobel Prize for literature winner, John Steinbeck. The book is about two migrant workers with the fantasy of a place to call their own. When George and Lennie end up traveling together to a new town to find work, new challenges await them there that are disastrously worse than the ones they faced in their former town, Weed. How does Steinbeck use foreshadowingRead MoreTheme Of Loneliness In Of Mice And Men1368 Words   |  6 PagesOf Mice, Men and Loneliness John Steinbeck is the author of the story Of Mice and Men. He grew up in the Salinas River Valley in California, where Of Mice and Men takes place. Steinbeck grew up in 1929 when the Great Depression was going on. Of Mice and Men also takes place during the Great Depression. There were many migrant workers during the Great Depression. Migrant farm workers are men who move around the country working and earning wages and then moving to the next farm. These migrantRead MoreThe Theme Of Loneliness In Of Mice And Men816 Words   |  4 PagesGreat Depression. He dropped out of college to pursue his passion for writing. In 1937, he wrote Of Mice and Men, one of his more serious novellas. In his novella, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck uses the characters Crooks, Curleys wife, and Candy to contribute to the overall theme of loneliness. To begin, Steinbeck uses Crooks, the stable hand who is discriminated against, to contribute to the theme of loneliness. Crooks is so highly discriminated against because he is the only black man on theRead MoreOf Mice and Men - Theme of Loneliness1641 Words   |  7 PagesOF Mice and Men - Theme of Loneliness Controlled Assessment - Of Mice and Men Of Mice and Men’ is written by John Steinbeck. The novel is set in the 1930s during the great depression in California, America. Loneliness is the consistent theme running through the novel, relating as it does to the other themes namely: broken dreams and prejudice. Steinbeck illustrates through Curleys wife, Candy, and Crooks, three main characters of the novel the great negative effect of lonelinessRead MoreTheme Of Isolation Of Mice And Men868 Words   |  4 PagesIsolation â€Å"A guy needs somebody—to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody,† says one of the characters in the story (Pg. 72). Loneliness and isolation are two of the main themes in John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men. Throughout this story, it is clearly shown that even if someone is in a crowd, it does not mean that they feel included. In fact, it is even easier to feel excluded by the cause of discrimination, racial hate, and fear. Although countless characters in this book tryRead MoreThe Theme Of Loneliness In Of Mice And Men1919 Words   |  8 Pageslonely an’ he gets sick†(Steinbeck 72-73). While an African American man named Crooks made this comment in Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men, this sentiment can also be applied to anyone who is lonely, especially if they lived through the Great Depression. In the 1930s’, many people experienced awful circumstances that forced them to resort to desperate measures for money. Men often deserted their families and became , migrant workers, travelling from job to job in order to survive. In the novella, CandyRead MoreThe Theme Of Adversity In Of Mice And Men1350 Words   |  6 Pagessocieties. The theme of adversity and how it affects characters discussed in class can be seen clearly within the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, and the graphic novel of Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. The fictional novella Of Mice and Men - based in 1930’s California during the Depression - demonstrates the struggles of adversity distinctly through the characters of Curley’s Wife and Crooks, and the non-fictional story of Persepolis – a story narrating the author’s childhood during theRead MoreTheme Of Loneliness In Mice Of Men725 Words   |  3 Pages †You never realize how lonely you are until it’s the end of the day and you got a bunch of things to talk about and no one to talk to.† In the book Mice of Men by John Steinbeck he expresses loneliness through many of his characters in his book. Loneliness is a theme that is throughout the story that so many characters had. Their loneliness can let us see that characters in a different light and Steinbeck wants the reader to see. George, Crooks, and Curley’s Wife are characters that have lonelinessRead MoreOf Mice And Men And The American Dream Theme756 Words   |  4 Pageswords, themes, characters, and events. It is based upon the time period of the great depression, where many people were poor, had no self courage, and especially, had dreams that seemed impossible. Of Mice and Men creates a world of gloom, sadness but also joy. The novella specifies many problems that the world had and still has in modern day. The novella is driven by a common theme tha t shows the flaws and strengths of the characters. The American Dream is an important theme in Of Mice and Men because