How Does Steinbeck Use Figurative Language In Of Mice And Men

Steinbeck uses an abundance of figurative language throughout his novella one of these being symbolism; his use of symbols throughout the story advances themes and establishes the author's style. George and Lennie discuss saving up to buy a piece of land to farm for themselves. During a conversation in the woods near the ranch, George tells Lennie, “Someday- we're gonna get the jack together and we're gonna have a little house and a couple acres an’ a cow and some pigs… An’ live the fatta the lan’,” (14). George and Lennie’s farm is a symbol of hope and freedom. They continued to work hard in pursuit of this dream, in hopes that they would have their own farm where they would not have to worry about what was next. Furthermore, both George and

The American Dream at the time was too own your own land and to provide for yourself. However during The Great Depression, when this story occurred, this was virtually impossible. In addition Lennie’s dog is a symbol. Towards the end of the story Lennie accidentally kills his puppy, when this happens he asks, “Why’d you got to get killed? You ain’t so little as mice,” (85). Lennie’s puppy symbolizes the power the strong have over the weak. On multiple occasions Lennie kills creatures smaller than him, this is because he has more strength than them. However others have more mental strength than Lennie. Specifically, Crooks can easily upset and take control over Lennie by bringing up George, this is because Crooks is more intelligent than Lennie and was able to figure out his weak spot. By giving Lennie a lack of intelligence Steinbeck develops the theme that the more strength a person has the more power they have over others. By using symbolism to support themes Steinbeck strengthens his

Throughout the story Lennie is described in a very animalistic way, for instance George notes that, “His huge companion dropped his blankets and flung himself down and drank from the surface of the green pool; drank with long gulps snorting into the water like a horse.” (3). This simile compares Lennie to a horse thus portraying that he is strong like a horse but likewise behaves animalistically like a horse. By portraying Lennie as an animal Steinbeck helps the reader understand why he behaves in aggressive ways later on in the text. This example of figurative language develops Steinbeck’s naturalistic tone by describing the natural setting and comparing Lenny to an animal. Another way Steinbeck sets a naturalistic tone is by using a simile to compare the stillness of a rabbit to a statue (2). His analogy demonstrates the natural rural tranquility of the riverbank. This allows his audience to picture the riverside thus adding to his picturesque style. The usage of figurative language contributes to his naturalistic tone and picture-perfect writing