Examples Of Naturalism In Of Mice And Men

Naturalism is an indifferent force acting upon the lives of human beings. It depicts the harsh realities of life and the universe’s lack of mercy. It is seen by the deterministic view of the world where individuals are subject to the forces of nature, rather than choosing their path and destiny. The characters in the novel are limited by their circumstances and how life was for men like them in the 1930s. The truth about human existence is portrayed in the story and how individuals are shaped by their environment. They have no say about their future as the universe’s force is stronger than any dream. Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men illustrates aspects of literary naturalism. Steinbeck illustrates man’s fight for survival in an amoral (having no

This is argued when Lennie unknowingly kills Curley’s wife and, “Lennie glared at her. And then he whispered in fright, "I done a bad thing. I done another bad thing." Since Lennie is mentally challenged and not as bright as everyone else, he acts on instinct rather than common sense simply because he doesn't know the difference between right and wrong. His instinct was to softly stroke her hair as he would a mouse or puppy, but got frustrated and frantically tried to get her to stop yelling. This simple act led to something as tragic as death, and Lennie was quick to regret his decisions as he knew George would be furious. This also ties into another instinct that Lennie has when the sudden realization of an event occurs, it is about how George would see the situation and likely be angry with him. Furthermore, this is proven when George says, “Well, how the hell did she know you jus’ wanted to feel her dress? She jerks back and you hold on like it was a mouse.” Lennie’s first instinct was to innocently feel the girls dress, just as he was trying to stroke Curley’s wife’s hair. Since he lacks simple knowledge, he depended on his impulse which resulted in the girl screaming and causing commotion. Lennie could not control his gut feeling and the actions that were sent to his brain, leaving the result in the hands of the universe. Instinct often takes over as one’s destiny is not their