Essay Of Mice and Men

John Steinbeck uses the convention of Character, supported with techniques of conflict, dialogue, foreshadowing, symbolism and tone. This encourages the reader to respond to the themes of Friendship and Loyalty, Loneliness and Prejudice; and lastly Feminism. These are all found in this setting of the Great Depression, directing the reader to find the deeper meaning behind each of these themes, by making it easier to relate to, making the novella come alive, revealed through the use of Steinbeck’s chosen characters in this tragic novella Of Mice and Men.
Firstly in the Great Depression many experienced Loneliness and Prejudice, seen through the characters of Candy an ‘old swamper’ and Crooks a ‘black stable buck’. Steinbeck uses the conflict both internal and external found as the effect of racism and ageism on these characters. The reader is disgusted at the amount and degree of discrimination, while others may dismiss it as the past. From catching the grunt of the prejudice this forces both Candy and Crooks into a life of loneliness and isolation, lacking in a hope or future. These characters are overlooked as inferior, unimportant despite what they have to offer past their age and skin colour. Steinbeck reveals that Crooks can read, shouldn’t that be worth something, no, ‘cause I’m black’, Crooks feels unwanted confirmed by Curley’s wife’s threats found in dialogue aimed at Crooks, dismissing the fact that he was born there, just like them. Candy gets pressured into putting down his dog that he has had since a pup. “Maybe tomorra, Le’s wait till tomorra” Candy is trying to avoid losing his dog and sadly realises that his future isn’t much better, when he is no longer useful will they get rid of him to? “Nobody’d listen to us.” Why would they listen to a nigger and ol’sheep? Candy and Crooks experience this abuse every day, making the reader feel empathy, anger and is encouraged by this insight of mistreatment.
Secondly Friendship and Loyalty were very rare in