Chapter Five Constructed Response John Steinbeck’s novel “Of Mice and Men” was inspired by Robert Burn ’s poem “To a Mouse.” This means his novel has a similar meaning to Burn’s poem: animals have no dreams, but still experience melancholic feelings along with the human dreamers. The title “Of Mice and Men” is also a quote straight out of “To a Mouse.”
Chapter 5 of John Steinback’s book, Of Mice and Men, vividly depicts Lennie immersing in a world of anger, sorrow, and worry after he tragically killed a little puppy. Lennie strategically employs passive voice to mask his responsibility for the dead puppy and his word choice shows his ambivalence towards the puppy. It’s evident that Lennie goes through a spectrum of emotions. Chapter 5 starts out with Lennie mournfully “[Stroking the dog] clear from one end to the other” (85).
In the story Of Mice and Men, the author John Steinbeck uses figurative language, specifically similes and personification, and sentence structure to highlight the serenity and security of the poolside area. Steinbeck creates a new setting for each new scene of the book with vivid description, and describes the atmosphere as well. Steinbeck’s sentences in the opening of the passage describes how the sun has moved across the sky. “Already the sun had left the valley to go climbing up the slopes of the Gabilan Mountains.” Steinbeck directs the reader’s attention, not only to the sun moving across the mountains, but to the sun climbing the mountains, through the use of personification.
Brayden Horvath Ms. Jones English 10 April 27, 2023 Imagery Essay John Steinbeck effectively uses imagery to create graphic and memorable scenes in his novel Of Mice and Men. In the novel Of Mice and Men George and Lennie are brothers and are going to work on a ranch. On the way they pass through the woods and stay the night they set a fire then Steinbeck closes chapter 1 saying “ The red light dimmed on the coals. Up from the river a coyote yammered, and a dog answered from the other side of the stream.
George and Lennie share an unbreakable bond, despite their contrasting appearances and personalities with George being “small and quick”, while Lennie is “a huge man, shapeless of face, with large pale eyes and sloping shoulders” (Steinbeck 2). Even though they are so different, their personalities complement each other, and their undying friendship gives them hope and companionship in their desperate situations as migrant workers. Furthermore, throughout the novel, it is apparent that George takes care of Lennie through every obstacle he finds himself in, even though he is incapable of doing the same for George. Steinbeck also characterizes Lennie as innocent and animalistic to connect him to nature. He compares Lennie to animals in the barn describing the way he drinks water as, “snorting into the water like a horse”, and saying he “dabbled his big paw in the water” (Steinbeck 4-5).
In literature, authors tend to tie the struggles of animals and humans together, often without realizing it. In the book Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck uses descriptive language to create a bridge between humans and animals to symbolize how alike we really are. Throughout the book, Steinbeck develops the theme that even though humans believe they are a superior species, we can be just as violent and cruel as animals, by using literary devices such as zoomorphism and symbolism. When Lennie and George are first introduced in the book, Lennie is described as though he is an animal, in comparison to him being strong and big, as well as the way that he moves through life. “...and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags
There are striking similarities between the types of violence humans inflict in Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men and Robert Burns’ poem "To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Nest with the Plough”. In the poem, Burns narrates a situation where, while plowing, accidentally destroys a mouse’s home for the winter. So even though he was unintentional in the causing of distress, it still happened. This situation draws parallels to Lennie inadvertently making George’s life hard and hurting those around him in Of Mice and Men.
Along with these elements, imagery supports characterization throughout the novel. These elements help to support the theme that chaos can occur in even the most peaceful places. In his novel, Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck uses conflict, imagery, and characterization to strengthen the story, and develop the theme in the novel. Steinbeck’s development of George and Lennie’s conflicts and even Candy’s help to advance the plot and develop the theme in the novel. George’s internal and external struggle is clear at the beginning of the
In John Steinbeck’s novella, Of Mice and Men, the reader is exposed to many meaningful themes, one being isolation. This theme is portrayed and developed through the setting of the story and the character of Candy. The first chapter of the story serves as the exposition, exposing the reader to the setting and characters of the story. For example, Steinbeck begins the story with, “A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green” (Steinbeck 1).
Steinbeck uses Lennie’s dreams about rabbits to show the dangers of the American Dream. Despite being one of the main characters Lennie remains largely static throughout the story
Go on, George! Tell about what we’re gonna have in the garden and about the rabbits in the cages and about the rain in the winter and the stove, and how thick the cream is on the milk like you can hardly cut it.” (Steinbeck 14) Lennie, who is a big man; that does not know his own strength, wants to be on a farm with his companion, George. He wants the farm to have different things such as a garden, pigs, cows and most of all rabbits. He likes rabbits because they are soft, so he can pet them, but big enough to not get hurt when he pets them.
The book Of Mice and Men is full of puzzling examples of the human condition, from Lennie and his mental disability to Curley only caring about his social appearance. With characters like these two, the book exploits the human condition that concerns circumstances life has given you. John Steinbeck brings to life what being a laborer in the American depression meant to the men and one woman who had enough personality to stand out. Steinbeck shows the human condition of men while they survive in the American depression.
Classic American works of literature have recurring themes involving tales of friendship, loneliness, and appreciation of life. Novels to teach the coming generations, they clearly depict the struggles and dreams every average family or folk by providing simple plots every reader can relatively relate to. John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men is no exception to the rule. Following the daily lives of two friends, the cliche of internal struggle is prevalent throughout the duration of the novel. From the depictions of actions and attributes of the characters, themes, and plot, audiences can obviously pluck out the cliche.
Innocence Lost The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Considering that racism and gender inequality were prominent during the pre-Civil Rights era, most books used them to portray a certain side of a character. Two books that used racism and gender inequality to deliver messages and develop characters were To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. These books both took place in the 1930’s in different locations in the United States.
John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, is an allegorical novel. As one reads deeper into the novel, the symbolism starts to unfold. Although, it may not be so clear in the beginning. The novel begins with a description of the Salinas River which is just south of Soledad, California. This location is where two migrant workers, Lenny and George, will be walking along on their way to find to work.
