Of Mice And Men Symbolism Essay

“Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains” (Karl Marx). Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck tells the story of George Milton and Lennie Small, two farm laborers traveling from farm to farm together during the Great Depression. George and Lennie wish one day to save enough money to buy their own land and to live on their own. Of Mice and Men is a critique of capitalism. The characters of Lennie, Curley, and George show this through symbolism present in their character, especially during the fight between Lennie and Curley.

Lennie Small follows his friend, George Milton, from farm to farm working. Lennie, despite his name, is actually quite large and strong, however, he doesn’t fully realize his strength, due to his

To illustrate this point that Lennie is the Proletariat, Steinbeck narrates during a fight between Lennie and Curley that symbolizes the struggle between the working class and the managerial upper class, “His eyes slipped on past and lighted on Lennie; and Lennie was still smiling with delight at the memory of the ranch… Then Curley’s rage exploded. “Come on, ya big bastard… I’ll show ya who’s yella”…Lennie looked helplessly at George, and then he got up and tried to retreat. Curley was balanced and poised. He slashed at Lennie with his left, and then smashed down his nose with a right.” (Steinbeck 62-63). Within the fight, Lennie is mercilessly beaten by Curley without standing up to him, showing how the Bourgeois relentlessly pummels the Proletariat into the ground to keep them down. Until Steinbeck narrates, “‘Wait a minute,’ he shouted. He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, ‘Get ‘im, Lennie!’... Curley’s fist was swinging when

He is Lennie's only support and this shows that he symbolizes the spark of revolution in Lennie as the Proletariat and the reason why he stands up to Curley as the Bourgeois. Steinbeck writes “Lennie, who had been watching, imitated George exactly. He pushed himself back, drew up his knees, embraced them, looked over to George to see whether he had it just right.” (Steinbeck 4). This quote shows the nature of George and Lennie’s relationship, showing that Lennie idolizes George by imitating him. It shows that the only way that Lennie will take it unto himself is when George allows him to, whether George realizes it or not. When Curley attacks Lennie, Steinbeck narrates “Slim jumped up. ‘The dirty little rat,’ he cried, ‘I’ll get ‘um myself.’ George put out his hand and grabbed Slim. ‘Wait a minute,’ he shouted. He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, ‘Get ‘im, Lennie!’” (Steinbeck 63). This quote further shows how Lennie will not take it upon himself unless George allows him to. This quote also shows how with a few words, George had convinced Lennie to finally stand up to the one who was brutally beating, punching, and bleeding him,