Comparative Essay Of Mice And Men

A’darius Brown

March 17, 2023

Exploring Literature & Writing 1

Mrs. Rone

Essay of Mice and Men John Steinbeck’s novella, Mice and Men, was adapted into a film in 1992. Even though both have the same plot, there are a ton of differences in characterization when it comes to comparing both of them. Two significant changes were made to the characters of Curley’s wife and Candy, which altered the development of the theme of loneliness. Mice and Men is a story of two migrant ranch workers, George and Lennie, who dream of owning their farm. The story is set during the Great Depression in California, where jobs were scarce, and many people were struggling to survive. The novella explores the themes of loneliness, friendship, the American Dream, and

In the novel, Curley’s wife is portrayed as a lonely woman, who craves attention from the ranch workers. She is ostracized by the men on the ranch, who view her as a flirtatious troublemaker. However, in the film adaptation, Curley’s wife is portrayed as a seductive woman, who tries to manipulate Lennie. This change undermines the portrayal of loneliness because it describes Curley’s wife as someone who has power and control over the men on the ranch. As a result, the audience is less likely to empathize with her loneliness. In the novel, Curley's wife says, "I get awful lonely" (Steinbeck 86). This quote highlights her loneliness, which is a central theme of the novella. In the movie, Curley's wife is shown flirting with Lennie, and when he rebuffs her advances, she says, "You're a crazy bastard!" (01:11:44). This change portrays Curley’s wife as a manipulative woman, who tries to take advantage of Lennie's disability. This change in the portrayal of Curley’s wife serves to undermine the theme of loneliness. In the novel, Curley's wife is portrayed as a sympathetic character, who is desperate for attention and companionship. In the film adaptation, she is portrayed as a seductive and manipulative woman, which makes it difficult for the audience to empathize with her feelings of loneliness. Another change made in the film adaptation of Mice and Men was the portrayal of

In the novella, he lost his hand in a farm accident, and his dog is shot because it is old and no longer useful. However, in the film, Candy is portrayed as a veteran who lost his hand in combat. This change adds depth to Candy's character and emphasizes his loneliness. When he talks about his dog being shot, he says, "I had him since he was a pup. Gonna shoot him because he stinks. Well, I been around him so much, I never noticed how he stinks" (00:48:46). This change highlights the theme of loneliness by showing that Candy's dog was his only companion, and his loss further isolates him. However, this change also omits the significance of Candy's age and the fact that he is nearing the end of his usefulness on the