Of Mice and Men
Benjamin Ding
Honors LA 10, 6th Hour
03/11/2014
Of Hope and Humankind
John Steinbeck is an esteemed writer often noted for his accurate portrayals of the dejected state of the middle-class during the time known as the Great Depression. This hopelessness and downcast moods because of poor economic times is exhibited greatly in John Steinbeck’s classic, Of Mice and Men. By meticulously combing literary elements like tone, foreshadowing, and symbolism, Steinbeck demonstrates the constant mental and emotional warfare humankind faces. This conflict and turmoil is caused by two distinct and contrasting natures of humankind: cruelty, and hope. However, Steinbeck uses these literary tools to specifically emphasize the perpetual victory of mankind’s cruel side. Using tone, Steinbeck is able to express man’s true cruel nature. As he describes Curley’s wife’s corpse, “And the meanness and the plannings and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face. She was very pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young. Now her rouged cheeks and her reddened lips made her seem alive and sleeping very lightly” (Steinbeck 90). Steinbeck uses repetition in the first sentence, so that he can highlight the numerous qualities of Curley’s Wife that disappear along with her pitiful life. Notice the fact that Steinbeck doesn’t even refer to Curley’s Wife’s real name, but just the fact that she belongs to Curley. The 1930’s were a time period before women’s suffrage had come through, and the misogynistic ideals of people at the time prove man’s inability to treat others respectfully and equally. Steinbeck also simplifies his writing style here, to show that Curley’s Wife’s life was so lamentable, that death was more merciful for her than life itself. Furthermore, the concept of Social Darwinism comes into play. The strong survive, while the weak are forced to adapt. This can be further taken into account during George’s tirade, ““Guys like us, that work
Honors LA 10, 6th Hour
03/11/2014
Of Hope and Humankind
John Steinbeck is an esteemed writer often noted for his accurate portrayals of the dejected state of the middle-class during the time known as the Great Depression. This hopelessness and downcast moods because of poor economic times is exhibited greatly in John Steinbeck’s classic, Of Mice and Men. By meticulously combing literary elements like tone, foreshadowing, and symbolism, Steinbeck demonstrates the constant mental and emotional warfare humankind faces. This conflict and turmoil is caused by two distinct and contrasting natures of humankind: cruelty, and hope. However, Steinbeck uses these literary tools to specifically emphasize the perpetual victory of mankind’s cruel side. Using tone, Steinbeck is able to express man’s true cruel nature. As he describes Curley’s wife’s corpse, “And the meanness and the plannings and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face. She was very pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young. Now her rouged cheeks and her reddened lips made her seem alive and sleeping very lightly” (Steinbeck 90). Steinbeck uses repetition in the first sentence, so that he can highlight the numerous qualities of Curley’s Wife that disappear along with her pitiful life. Notice the fact that Steinbeck doesn’t even refer to Curley’s Wife’s real name, but just the fact that she belongs to Curley. The 1930’s were a time period before women’s suffrage had come through, and the misogynistic ideals of people at the time prove man’s inability to treat others respectfully and equally. Steinbeck also simplifies his writing style here, to show that Curley’s Wife’s life was so lamentable, that death was more merciful for her than life itself. Furthermore, the concept of Social Darwinism comes into play. The strong survive, while the weak are forced to adapt. This can be further taken into account during George’s tirade, ““Guys like us, that work