ipl-logo

Of Mice And Men Cain And Abel Analysis

586 Words3 Pages

While to some John Steinbeck's, Of Mice and Men, is dismissed as some of his lesser work, the story actually has a lot of meaning. One of these is the relevance to the biblical story of Cain and Abel. At first glance the stories have some similarities, but once you delve into details of both stories your are able to see that they are even more the same. According to William Goldhurst, Of Mice and Men suggests that the drama of Cain and Abel is everywhere in the fable of George and Lennie. He believes that it was done in order to provide it’s mythic vehicle. I agree, but would add that not many people realize the connection between the two stories. Whether is was Steinbeck's intent or not it certainly is there. In the event of George and Lennie, …show more content…

In the Bible, Cain says, “I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?” Many have read this passage to mean that he was jealous of Abel, and killed him because of that. If you put this in to context of, Of Mice and Men, does this quote actually show that he has slowly been wore down by Abel and now is at his wit’s end and doesn’t know what to do anymore. Was Abel gentleness in fact a weakness and Cain was protecting him, just like George killing Lennie to protect him from the world? In order to understand what Cain did means that we need to accept that now are killings are pure evil. He may have did it to protect Abel’s innocence. Just because one is innocent and gentle doesn’t mean that they don’t unintentionally cause harm. This is shown in the opening scene of, Of Mice and Men, when George catches Lennie with a dead mouse in his hand, Lennie innocently protests, “What mouse, George? I ain’t got no mouse.” George replies, “You gonna give me that mouse or do I have to sock you?”(8) Lennie is indeed innocent and unknowing, while George’s violence is being shown, even though it’s him trying to be responsible. He can see what’s happening with Lennie’s behavior and is trying to protect them both. While Lennie is innocent, he is really causing a lot of harm. This particular fact about the innocent man, however, allows us to identify closely with the George and why he would kill an

Show More
Related
147 Words | 1 Pages

In the novel “East ofela Eden,” the author John Steinbeck uses a biblical reference forshadowing the fate of each charicter. Notably, the reacurring names that starts with “A” and “C”, referring to Cain and Abel from the bible, the sons of Adam and Eve. Additionallt, Cain out of spite kills Abel because God accepts Abel’s offering rather than Cains. In the novel the charicters who are sinful have names that begin with C-Caleb, Cathy, Charles, and Cyrus and the “good” charicaters have names start start with A such as Adam, Aron, and Abra. Furthermore the relationship bewteen Cain and Abel is quite similar to Charles and Adam becuase Charles once tries to kill Adam.

Read More
879 Words | 4 Pages

George makes the correct decision in shooting Lennie because Lennie is happy when he dies instead of being afraid and in pain as he would be if he had died another way. George has to kill or turn in Lennie because Lennie committed murder and George has the responsibility to deal with him. George deserves freedom from Lennie’s mistakes and by killing Lennie, he receives that liberty. Lennie is not a bad person. He has a good heart and does not mean to do the bad things he does.

Read More
959 Words | 4 Pages

However, George was completely justified in murdering Lennie as he had no other choice if he wanted what’s best for his friend and the world at large. Despite his inability to understand what he does, Lennie still possessed a threat to society. Lennie was woefully unaware of the damage he caused and his ability to

Read More
277 Words | 2 Pages

Cain and Abel are the sons of Adam and Eve. Cain, as a farmer, sacrifices some of his crops to God; however, he finds that God is far more interested in his brother Abel, offering him the best of his herd. In his anger and jealousy, Cain decides to kill his own brother. This story can resonate with readers and, therefore, is used as an allusion in other works.

Read More
348 Words | 2 Pages

If Lennie was not killed or put into prison, he could go to an asylum which is much worse. George needed to do it himself. He couldn’t let some stranger do this to Lennie, it had to be him. George was going to have to face this at some point.  George does not want to kill Lennie and is having a difficult time doing so.

Read More
424 Words | 2 Pages

However, George could have stood up for Lennie instead of killing him. There is other options other than immediately killing. Lennie was not very smart and George knew that, George was not thinking of Lennie he was thinking of himself. In the passage, Of Mice and Men, George says “He’s dumb as hell, but he ain’t crazy.” This shows that George knows that he is not stupid.

Read More
391 Words | 2 Pages

Lennie does not know any better when he does wrong. He just does whatever George tells him to, and George was not there to tell Lennie that hurting the girl was wrong. George should not have killed Lennie because they were best friends. They have been together for a long time and George killed him. George should not have

Read More
905 Words | 4 Pages

Cain ended up murdering Abel out of envy of his favorable position, and that conflict is reflected through Charles and Adam Trask, and later Adam’s children Caleb and Aaron. The characters struggle with the notions of good and evil. Timshel is a repeating theme. The concept is the biblical depiction of the internal strife between good and evil that lies in each character. Adam Trask is a central character in the novel, who the reader sees mature and struggle as both a son and a father.

Read More
532 Words | 3 Pages

The main reason George killed Lennie is because Lennie would have killed somebody again. And the evidence is clearly there, the pet mice that he killed, the poor puppy that he accidently hit to hard, and especially Curley’s wife. He almost killed the girl in weed if he had gone any further. The sad thing is is that he doesn't know how strong he really is, nor does he know what he’s done wrong in the first place.

Read More
1515 Words | 7 Pages

“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5). John Steinbeck’s work, East of Eden, is the one he considered to be his greatest, with all novels before leading up to it. Indeed, it grandly recounts the stories of the human race as told by the Bible, including Adam and Eve, but most prominently that of Cain and Abel. It touches upon both Steinbeck’s own family and a fictional family in a depiction of “man 's capacity for both good and evil” (Fontenrose). Joseph Fontenrose, however, criticizes Steinbeck’s message as contradictory and convoluted, with no clear relationship between good and evil.

Read More
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.

Read More
737 Words | 3 Pages

Lennie with his simple mind, always gets into trouble. This time, Lennie gets himself in a bind once again, that George can’t save him from. George decision to kill Lennie in the story, was due to his responsibility, sympathy, and love for Lennie. George’s decision to kill Lennie was out of sympathy for him.

Read More
758 Words | 4 Pages

George made the right decision in killing Lennie, although it was likely the hardest thing he has ever had to do, he realized that Lennie cannot take care of himself and will continue killing innocent animals/people if left alone, George himself is unfit to care for Lennie, he is not able to supervise him all the time and give him the help he needs. If Lennie was to be set free and do as he said “Well, I could. I could go off in the hills there. Some place I’d find a cave.”

Read More
614 Words | 3 Pages

While in the book, Lennie was described with animal traits, which makes him look innocent on the outside. On the other hand, something inside of him might awaken and turn Lennie into a dangerous beast. According to George’s decision expressed as “He looked steadily at his right hand that had held the gun” (Steinbeck 107). He predicted the only outcome for Lennie was death, but it was not decided on which person to kill Lennie. Eventually, George had to do what is right for Lennie, his one and only irreplaceable

Read More
443 Words | 2 Pages

“-I think I knowed from the very first. I think I knowed we’d never do her. He usta like to hear about it so much I got to thinking maybe we would” (Steinbeck 78). George wanted a better life someday for himself and for Lennie, but deep down he knew Lennie’s limitations and accepted that the dream was never meant to be.

Read More

More about Of Mice And Men Cain And Abel Analysis

Related Topics

Open Document