Of Mice And Men
John Steinbeck wrote the inspiring book 'Of Mice And Men' and it was first published in Great Britian in 1937.In this he explores the populous themes of isolation, violence, friendship and several more. These topics are symbolized throughout the novella expressed through setting and nature v man-made structures.
In Steinbeck's book "Of Mice and Men", he illustrates the isolation of ranch life in the early 1930's and shows how people are driven to try and find friendship in order to escape from loneliness. Steinbeck creates a lonely atmosphere at many times in the book. He uses names and words such as the town near the ranch called "Soledad", which means loneliness and the card game "Solitaire" Which means by ones self, this makes it clear that all the men on the ranch are lonely, with particular people lonelier than others. For example Crooks, who suffers from extreme loneliness because he is black and he is living in a ranch and the surrounding area which is very racist. He lives by himself, because the other men do not like him. He does not take part in any of the social activities in the ranch and is left out completely. Even though Curley's wife is mentioned frequently, we never know what her name is. This just shows how people do not care for others, leading to isolation.
Steinbeck also uses nature to reinforce his themes and to set the mood. In Chapter 1, for example, before Lennie and George get to the ranch, George decides they will stay at the pond overnight. This pond is a place of natural innocence, a sanctuary away from the world of humans. If Lennie gets in trouble, it is the place to which he should return. In this scene, nature is a place of safety, away from danger and man-made structure. When Lennie returns to the pond in the last scene, nature is not so calm. The sun has left the valley, and a heron captures and swallows a water snake "while its tail waved frantically." The wind is described as it rushes and drives through the trees in
In Steinbeck's book "Of Mice and Men", he illustrates the isolation of ranch life in the early 1930's and shows how people are driven to try and find friendship in order to escape from loneliness. Steinbeck creates a lonely atmosphere at many times in the book. He uses names and words such as the town near the ranch called "Soledad", which means loneliness and the card game "Solitaire" Which means by ones self, this makes it clear that all the men on the ranch are lonely, with particular people lonelier than others. For example Crooks, who suffers from extreme loneliness because he is black and he is living in a ranch and the surrounding area which is very racist. He lives by himself, because the other men do not like him. He does not take part in any of the social activities in the ranch and is left out completely. Even though Curley's wife is mentioned frequently, we never know what her name is. This just shows how people do not care for others, leading to isolation.
Steinbeck also uses nature to reinforce his themes and to set the mood. In Chapter 1, for example, before Lennie and George get to the ranch, George decides they will stay at the pond overnight. This pond is a place of natural innocence, a sanctuary away from the world of humans. If Lennie gets in trouble, it is the place to which he should return. In this scene, nature is a place of safety, away from danger and man-made structure. When Lennie returns to the pond in the last scene, nature is not so calm. The sun has left the valley, and a heron captures and swallows a water snake "while its tail waved frantically." The wind is described as it rushes and drives through the trees in