Thematic Ideas In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men
Thematic Ideas in Of Mice and Men “‘I can still tend the rabbits, George?’ ‘Sure. You ain't done nothing wrong.’ ‘I di'n't mean no harm, George.’” (Steinbeck) Throughout John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, Lennie childishly obsesses over his and George’s plan to have their own piece of land, on which he could tend the rabbits. However, this never came to pass as Lennie was put down like an animal, by George. By writing about the lives of this unfortunate pair, Steinbeck addresses many thematic ideas such as having power and being powerless, the difference between right and wrong, and dreams and reality that help the reader better understand the human condition. One thematic idea Steinbeck explains was that power depends on type, situation,
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He indicates that the clear line we draw between right and wrong is often unclear and muddled. He does this by making his characters face hard choices, and confront harsh realities. The most obvious example of this was Lennie’s killings and eventually his own death. Ignorant of his own strength, Lennie often says, “I’d pet ’em, and pretty soon they bit my fingers and I pinched their heads a little and then they was dead.” (Steinbeck) It is impossible to say that Lennie’s unintentional killing was either completely right or wrong. The same can be said with George’s killing of Lennie. It may seem harsh and wrong that George kills his only friend when Lennie couldn’t control his own actions, but George saves Lennie from a potentially worse fate at the hands of the men looking for him. Evans even goes as far as to say that “George will give Lennie a kind of peace while consigning himself to lonely torment.” (Evans) Steinbeck highlights the unclear line again in his description of Curley’s wife. At first, she is described as evil and jail bait, but she reveals another lonely, dreamy side to Lennie before he kills her. This is surprises the reader, making him reconsider her personality, and further expresses Steinbeck’s explanation of the obscure difference between what is right and
He indicates that the clear line we draw between right and wrong is often unclear and muddled. He does this by making his characters face hard choices, and confront harsh realities. The most obvious example of this was Lennie’s killings and eventually his own death. Ignorant of his own strength, Lennie often says, “I’d pet ’em, and pretty soon they bit my fingers and I pinched their heads a little and then they was dead.” (Steinbeck) It is impossible to say that Lennie’s unintentional killing was either completely right or wrong. The same can be said with George’s killing of Lennie. It may seem harsh and wrong that George kills his only friend when Lennie couldn’t control his own actions, but George saves Lennie from a potentially worse fate at the hands of the men looking for him. Evans even goes as far as to say that “George will give Lennie a kind of peace while consigning himself to lonely torment.” (Evans) Steinbeck highlights the unclear line again in his description of Curley’s wife. At first, she is described as evil and jail bait, but she reveals another lonely, dreamy side to Lennie before he kills her. This is surprises the reader, making him reconsider her personality, and further expresses Steinbeck’s explanation of the obscure difference between what is right and