Maya Angelo wrote, “Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible”. The idea of prejudice is a constant conflict in American history, and is still present today. Many individuals use discrimination to justify their actions, and in most cases leads to verbal or physical conflict. In the novella Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck demonstrates how discrimination can alter one’s self-esteem and he uses character development, diction, and symbolism to illustrate the theme of power.
Claim: Steinbeck emphasizes the description of his characters to address an important theme within the novella, which is power. Establish Evidence: Each character possess a limitation they try to conceal, in order
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These symbols include a giant rabbit and Aunt Clara. In the text Aunt Clara alluded, “I tol’ you, ‘Min’ George because he’s such a nice fella an’ good to you.’ But you don’t never take no care. You do bad things,”(101). The author’s purpose of incorporating Aunt Clara into the novella was to demonstrate the better life George would have had if he didn’t have to deal with Lennie. Immediately after she retreats from Lennie’s imagination, a giant rabbit emerges in front of him. The rabbit discloses, “You crazy bastard. You ain’t fit to lick the boots of no rabbit. You’d forget ‘em and let ‘em go hungry. That’s what you’d do. An’ then what would George think,”(102). Steinbeck illustrates the rabbit’s insight of Lennie’s dream, and how he will never pursue it due to the condition that has dominated his actions in life. Steinbeck established these illusions to emphasize how powerless and defeated Lennie is because of Aunt Clara and the giant rabbit. Therefore, these symbols represent an unattainable life and his failure. Aunt Clara and the giant rabbit diminished all hope that Lennie once possessed, dwindling his self esteem, and leaving him