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Importance Of Setting In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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Imagine a place without poverty and violence. In the story “Of Mice and Men” the setting is nothing like what you would imagine. There is innocence and friendship but also weakness and violence. Many characters in the story exhibit the themes and characteristics but may not know it. Innocence can be guided by ...as well as hatred by revenge. The American Dream is in all the minds of men in that time period and they all strived to get it but not many succeed. This can all symbolize what it really means to live during the Great Depression.

To begin the story “Of Mice and Men” George Milton and Lennie Small arrive beside a lake with a dream in their minds. They have trouble staying put wherever they go and that this same thought stays forever …show more content…

91) There was no hatred but a scared mind in which no one was there to help. Lennie runs off once he realizes what he’s done and George is the first one to find him. George has a plan but it is one that will hurt him forever. George and Lennie’s dream is the same of many americans in which they all want to own land and a big house but there are a couple differences. People may want other things besides animals such as family or reading materials. George finds Lennie by the lakeside where they arrived and begins to tell him their dream but then the inevitable happens. George shoots Lennie is the back of the head, mercy killing. He had no choice because it was either torture for Lennie for the rest of his life or be killed to save him from the suffering. Curley and the others arrive driven by anger and Slim goes over to George and tries to reassure him. “You hadda, George. I swear you hadda.” (Pg. 107) After all that time George thought he was doing the “right” thing but in the end it came to bite him. Their dream crushed and gone forever for Lennie was a part of it.

Steinbeck’s novel “Of Mice and Men” teaches us many valuable themes and lessons. Themes such as optimism, friendship, the American dream, racial discrimination, and innocence. George teaches us about friendship and optimism, Lennie represents innocence, Crooks shows us racial discrimination, and all together they make the American dream. In the end of the book everything didn’t turn out as planned and the outcome

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