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Inhumanity In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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Martin Luther King stated that “hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.” Both love and hatred played a role in John Steinbeck’s novel, but in the end cruelty and hatred brought George and Lennie’s friendship to a tragic ending. Steinbeck wrote Of Mice and Men during the Great Depression of 1930’s. He was a Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winning author. Steinbeck was once a manual laborer. Steinbeck was familiar with the time period and could connect with the feelings of the migrant workers. His writings were about social and economic concepts. This novel illustrates the culture of violence and cruelty of that time. Steinbeck 's characters show different types of inhumanity. Every character feels isolated and lonely, which causes some to attack those who are weaker than they are. Loneliness and the cruelty of others caused George and Lennie to stick together during many hard years, but the violence of their fellow workers overcame George’s good intentions to care for Lennie. …show more content…

Carlson wanted Candy’s dog to be put down because of the stench and how the dog was in no position to be any use. “The way I’d shoot him, he wouldn’t feel nothing. I’d put the gun right there.” He pointed with his toe. “Right back of the head. He wouldn’t even quiver” Carlson stated (Chapter 3 pg. 45). This smaller act of violence will later play a part in the decision that leads to George’s shocking action. Carlson promises Candy that his dog won’t suffer. In the conclusion Of Mice and Men George will hope that the fact that he is killing Lennie himself won’t cause Lennie any pain. George and Lennie fled from violence for awhile until it led them on the same

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531 Words | 3 Pages

In Of Mice And Men there are so many human rights problems that it makes me wonder how did some people go from dirt poor to wealthy. The main human right problem in Of Mice And Men is that Lennie can’t get the healthcare that he needs because he is poor. After reading the novel and doing some research I have found a solution to this human rights problem that can help lots of people and could help Lennie. The solution I have found is that the government could tax people a little bit more than they are normally taxed and in return the government can use that money to inform people about people with mental illnesses and the government can also about up healthcare buildings so people can go get the health care that they need and deserve.

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943 Words | 4 Pages

It does not directly state that George is doing this in order to end Lennies suffering like with Candy’s dog, it is implied that George shoots Lennie to end his suffering and to make his death

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634 Words | 3 Pages

Attempts to elude fate did not succeed for both mice and men die in the end. Although George exhibits selfless demeanor by teaching, showing the value, and protecting Lennie, this friendship ended with the Lennie’s death. In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck describes Lennie’s naivete and irrationality which makes him extremely vulnerable to harm. He falls prey to impulsive farm owners and manipulative women who consider Lennie’s inabilities as malignant actions. Regardless of all the challenges Lennie initiates, George chooses to stand by him.

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429 Words | 2 Pages

Of Mice & Men John Steinbeck’s Of Mice & Men is a novel packed with racial and gender inequalities. The way it portrayed the character of Curley’s wife is particularly interesting and spoken about, and for good reason. Throughout the novel, Curley’s wife – who, accordingly, was never called anything else – was consistently dehumanized, and forced to fit into certain stereotypes. It’s also worth noting that Curley is an abusive husband towards her. Curley’s wife is a victim of sexism, correctly depicted by Steinbeck’s illustration of how society used to be.

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287 Words | 2 Pages

In the novel, Of Mice and Men, the author John Steinbeck had created a character named George who was given a variety of qualities. Putting all of his anger issues to the side, he also has a compassionate and benevolent part of himself. Also, in another way George was a mother-like figure to Lennie, his best friend, because of the amount of love given through his scoldings and encouragements to improve. George has a strong passion for Lennie’s well being and happiness.

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767 Words | 4 Pages

In his novella, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck uses oppression of the weak, by the weak, to illustrate that oppression does not always come from the strong. With the exception being Slim, all major characters mentioned in Steinbeck’s novella are weak and have some sort of flaw. Slim has none. Even when he is first introduced, Slim is described as having a “gravity in his manner”(33).

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667 Words | 3 Pages

The definition of a sympathetic character is one whom the writer expects the reader to identify with and care about, though not necessarily admire. In the novel, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, Curley’s wife, a main character in the book is blatantly portrayed as an unsympathetic character. This is because they only see her through the men's eyes, who only see her as a tiresome object, owned by her husband. Steinbeck’s portrayal of Curley’s wife is unfair and misogynistic because he only displays her as unintelligent and promiscuous, never has a character have a turning point where they realize she’s more than an object, and he never reveals her true name. The first reason that Steinbeck's portrayal of Curley’s wife is unfair is that he never gives Curley any redeeming personality traits, he only depicts her as unintelligent and promiscuous.

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1646 Words | 7 Pages

In Of Mice And Men, George and Lennie were very close due to the fact that George looks after Lennie. They form almost a parent and child bond. Lennie does not know his own strength and continuously kills small animals that he wants to care for and pet. Lennie not knowing his own strength is developed further when Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s Wife. Lennie was stroking Curley’s Wife’s hair to the point that she became alarmed and panicked and when she did so, Lennie broke her neck by shaking her too hard, he wanted her to stop yelling.

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541 Words | 3 Pages

One of John Steinbeck most notable works, Of Mice and Men, a novella based on American life in the 1910s, tells the story of George and Lennie. Two ranch workers based in California who travel around the state trying to find work during the Great Depression. As George and Lennie are hired at a new farm, concepts such as friendship and violence appear in the novella. Steinbeck develops these ideas using elements such as imagery, syntax, and details. Towards the end of chapter one, Lennie and George had gotten into an argument, an argument bad enough for Lennie to suggest that he leaves.

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1629 Words | 7 Pages

When George sees Lennie playing with a dead mouse, he goes off on a tangent about his potential good life made impossible because of Lennie, as Lennie cowers before him. Soon, George realizes that he was being harsh towards his friend. Knowing that, he remarks, “‘No-look! I was jus’ foolin’, Lennie. ‘Cause I want you to stay with me.

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930 Words | 4 Pages

In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is about George and Lennie working at a ranch near Soledad, California during the Great Depression. The two characters are the complete opposites of each other, but they created a bond or love between each other. While George is a slim and smart guy, Lennie is a mentally ill person who has the mind of a 5 year old, but is physically strong. Another loving character in the novel is Candy. He is an old person who lost his right hand in a ranch accident.

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580 Words | 3 Pages

George had a decision to make, would he let the boys from the farm lynch Lennie for killing Curley’s wife or would he kill him himself. When Candy’s dog was killed he thought he “ought of shot that dog [himself]” and regretted not doing so, this is a mistake George does not wish to make. This is why he himself steals Carlson’s gun and as his “hand [shake] violently,” but when he heard the men getting closer he had no choice and “he pulled the trigger”(Steinbeck 111). In the last few sentences Slim invites George for a drink, now George became one of the men that he said Lennie and he would never

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744 Words | 3 Pages

Throughout “Of Mice and Men,” the author, John Steinbeck, portrays an underlying theme about the reality of human nature, themes of friendship, hardship, trust, discrimination, the weak opposed to the strong, and the overall futility of the perfect life we all seek. The hardships faced by the migrant worker during the great depression are enough to bring the animal out of anyone, stripping away any facade of civility and decency, because out here, it’s every man for himself. Despite this truth, it is still of the utmost importance to have at least one good acquaintance. The hardships one faces alone are far greater than one would face as a pair. Enter our main characters, George and Lennie, two migrant workers who are forever bound in a fellowship of what they seek in the end.

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354 Words | 2 Pages

John Steinbeck is a great author and describes the whole story very well. The characters are almost described every time as he goes into the story. The plot of the story is a great example of the Great Depression. George and Lennie are there for each other and most other workers want the American Dream which usually means they all go

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858 Words | 4 Pages

Steinbeck bases this work off of a time in which migrant workers seek out a true purpose and work to achieve their dreams in life as a whole. George is one of the workers, and is affiliated with Lennie, who just so happens to have a mental

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