The Role Of Societal Order In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

“Keeping our eyes on journey's end is what we need - the place where we see at last the world that is greater than the world, the new creation that cannot be contained in present thought or social order or piety.” Parents tell their kids that dreams come true, but the societal order in the world ends childrens’ dreams early. Societal order plays a big role in Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Starting at a lake with the hopes of a decent life, Lennie and George find a job on a nearby ranch. A quick turn in the story brings Lennie and George back to the start, and unfortunately, a fatal blow ends their dream. In Steinbeck’s book, strength dictates the order of society: men superior to women, women superior to African Americans, and African Americans inferior to everyone. This dictates the actions and words of the weak and subjects the powerful to prevail.

He shows male dominance by making people or animals, which should have names, a man’s possession. Quoted on page 55 Steinbeck makes Curley’s wife a possession of Curley and does not give her a name, “‘Did you see that girl.’’You mean Curley’s girl.’” Steinbeck also showed white male dominance by separating Crooks, the African American, from the rest of the group. Crooks, not allowed to live in the same area as the white men, had to live in the harness shed that leaned off of the barn. Considered weak, Crooks did not mingle with the strong. Within the male social order contained the weak too, which includes Lennie and Candy, but white men still had more power than women. When strong white men went into town to drink, they left the weak on the ranch. Candy and Lennie shared many of their powers with Curley’s wife, proving that women could gain a miniscule chunk of