Safety Through Nature Have you ever had a safe zone or spot for emergencies? Today we will discuss the use of nature and symbolism in in the book “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck. Throughout the story, Steinbeck uses nature as a symbol to keep the story going. This help the reader understand that the author finds it important to use nature in his writing. Multiple times throughout the story, the author describes natural items such as rivers, trees, and animals. For example, “The hillside bank runs deep and green”(Steinbeck 1). This provides an example of the author's use of nature in his writing.
The author uses symbolism to describe places in the story that are important to the main characters, George and Lennie. Lennie get George in trouble multiple times in the story, so George sets up a meeting place if either one of them is to get in any trouble. This meeting place is a clearing by the river that is hidden away. This clearing is another reference to nature in story and is also a symbol. This use of symbols helps the reader understand that the spot by the river is going to have significance throughout the story.
…show more content…
He goes to the safe spot on the river where he meets George and discuss their options. George begins telling Lennie about the scenes of nature on their future farm, which plays back on the use of nature in the story. The farm is considered another symbol, and also has nature in it. This symbol helps to calm Lennie in a dire situation. He enjoys hearing about the landscape of the farm. “Look down across the river, like you can almost see the place”(Steinbeck 106). This quote shows how he is trying to get Lennie to imagine the farm. The author uses terminology from nature to describe objects and